The Rowing station is the 5th station in a HYROX event. By the time you get here, you will have run a total of 5km, and completed 4 other functional stations (including ski erg, sled push, sled pull, and burpee broad jumps).
Whilst there are certainly no “easy” stations in HYROX, the rowing is the one time in the event where you get to sit down. I personally am not a huge lover of rowing, but I do find it quite a nice “break” (that really is for want of a better word) during the race. However, if you don’t tackle it appropriately, with appropriate technique and technique, it can really slow you down and sap all of your energy for the remainder of the race. This article will help ensure that doesn’t happen to you!
HYROX Rowing Requirements
All divisions must cover a total distance of 1km on the rowing machine. The machines are made by Concept2.
Prior to starting the workout, the monitor must be (re)set by a judge / volunteer. It’s likely that, as you enter the station, there will be several rowers free, and you’ll be able to get on any one of them (or be guided to one by a judge). Once you’ve started rowing, your feet are not allowed to touch the ground until you’ve finished (unless you are switching over with your partner in a HYROX Doubles).
After completing the required distance, the rulebook states that you must raise your arm to call over a judge to confirm the required distance has been completed (hopefully there will already be one nearby). Only after receiving the referee’s confirmation of completion should you leave the machine.
Damper Settings
The damper setting on the ergometer is preset to the following:
WOMEN 5
WOMEN PRO / MEN 6
MEN PRO 7
Note: Each athlete is allowed to adjust the damper setting to their own preferences, as many times as needed. In a Doubles race, only the working doubles team member may adjust the setting.
John Steventon does a great job of explaining damper settings (and drag factor) in this video…
HYROX Rowing Technique
Technique is incredibly important on the rower. Not only will the right technique help you go faster, but it will also help you save a lot of energy. Check out this video for a fantastic explainer on what an appropriate technique looks like…
The only thing I would add to this video is that within HYROX your legs can become very fatigued. After this station, you still have plenty of running to do, as well as sandbag lunges and wall balls. Therefore, some athletes like to use their legs a touch less than might be considered optimal by an expert rower, and a little more upper body, to help avoid too much fatigue for the rest of the race. This comes down to personal preference but it is worth understanding and bearing in mind.
Stroke Rate
One thing to keep in mind is your stroke rate. The Concept2 rower screen will show your stroke rate per minute. The rate you should row at will differ from person to person but, generically speaking, stronger, more powerful athletes will tend to prefer a lower stroke rate (with harder, more powerful strokes), and less strong / more aerobic athletes might prefer a higher number of strokes per minute. This is something to test out in training if possible.
Breathing
Keeping control of your breathing, as much as possible, is important throughout the whole of a HYROX event. This can be especially the case on the rower though where it’s easy to lose rhythm with your breathing, and make yourself more fatigued than necessary.
In general, it’s worth trying to align your breathing with your strokes – breathing out on the pull, and in on the return. That might not work for everyone, and will depend on your stroke rate to some extent, but it can be a useful cue to be thinking about.
Rowing Hacks
Getting In and Out the Rower
It’s possible to waste valuable seconds by not getting on and off the rower as effectively as possible. This is probably the one station which needs a small amount of set up before you can get going. Essentially you want to get your feet tightened under the straps quickly and effectively, adjust the damper setting (if need be), and get rowing as soon as you can. And then once you’ve finished rowing, get your feet out the straps and off the machine as quickly as you can. This is worth a little practice in training (if possible).
Pacing Yourself
Pacing yourself appropriately is a very important, often underappreciated, element to racing effectively in HYROX. For example, this article shows how important consistent pacing is on the running. It’s not just running though – appropriately pacing yourself during the row is critical…
You almost certainly don’t want to row the 1km as fast as you possibly can. That would take so much out of you, and you’ll struggle for the rest of the race. Just going a touch slower on the rower can save you a lot of energy, but not cost too much time. I know, for example, if I cover the 1km maybe 15-20 seconds slower than I could row it, it leaves me enough energy to be effective for the remainder of the race – and has only “cost” me 15-20 seconds (though, in reality, has actually saved me a lot of time overall).
What If I Don’t Have Access to a Rowing Machine?
If you don’t have access to a rowing machine for your training, it’s obviously not ideal but also far from being the end of the world. Rowing takes up a relatively small portion of a HYROX event. Also, there also isn’t a huge variability in the times that athletes complete this in. You might be drastically worse than someone else on the machine but only end up taking 1 minute longer, for example, than them on the station. Therefore, if you are struggling on the rower, or struggling to get access to train on one, you really shouldn’t worry too much (unless you aspire to win the event!).
That all said, there are some things you can be doing if you don’t have access to a rowing machine. First and foremost, ensure you’ve watched the above technique video so you have an idea in your mind of what a good technique should look like when race day comes around. In terms of training without a rower, using things such as seated rows, bent over dumbbell rows, deadlifts, and plenty of squat / leg pressing work (rowing is plenty of lower body work, not just upper body) will stand you in good stead. Using resistance bands for your upper body work may also help.
Podcast Tips
For additional tips on the row, check out the below episode of the Rox Lyfe podcast, where I sit and chat with Jane Erbacher from Erg Army. Jane has coached some of the best athletes in the world, including James Newbury and Tia Claire Toomey, and shares a lot of great advice in this chat (you can watch in the YouTube video or listen on the “Rox Lyfe Podcast” wherever you get your pods)…
I hope this has helped. Special thanks goes to John Steventon for his help with this article. Check out his brilliant YouTube channel for more videos on helping you to become a better rower.
Finally, I can also recommend this book from Cat Trentham which very clearly explains rowing technique and how to use and understand the machine. Cat has helped to coach, amongst many others, HYROX Elite athlete Rebecca Mason, on her rowing.
Main photo credit to sportograf.com
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