The HYROX row is the fifth workout station in the race. After completing five 1km runs and the first four stations, every athlete must row 1,000 metres on a Concept2 RowErg.
By this stage, fatigue has started to build. Sitting down can feel like a brief opportunity to regain control, but poor technique or overly aggressive pacing can quickly drain your energy before the final three runs, Farmers Carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls.
The aim is rarely to complete the fastest possible standalone 1,000m row. You want to move efficiently, maintain a controlled pace and leave the machine ready to run well.
This guide covers the current HYROX rowing rules, damper settings, technique, stroke rate, pacing and transitions, helping you complete the station efficiently without compromising the remainder of your race.
HYROX Rowing Rules and Distance
The row is the fifth workout station in HYROX, after you have completed five of the eight 1km runs. Every Singles and Doubles division completes 1,000 metres on a Concept2 RowErg.
Before you begin, the judging team will reset the monitor and direct you to a rowing machine. The footplates are preset to position 4, but you may adjust them to your preferred setting before starting.
During the station:
- You must remain seated until the full 1,000 metres have been completed and a judge has confirmed your completion.
- You may stop rowing, return the handle to its holder and rest with your feet either on or off the footplates.
- You may not stand up, leave the seat or dismount the rower before completing the distance and receiving confirmation from a judge.
Do not leave the machine simply because the monitor has reached 1,000 metres. Wait for the judge to confirm that you have completed the station.
What Is the HYROX Rowing Damper Setting?
For the 2026/27 season, the rowing machine damper is preset to 6 for every Singles and Doubles division.
You are allowed to change the damper setting as many times as you wish. In Doubles, only the athlete currently working may adjust it. Partners are not permitted to change the damper or footstraps for each other.
The damper number is not a direct resistance level. It changes how much air enters the flywheel and influences the feel of each stroke. Your ideal setting will depend on your technique, strength, preferred stroke rate and the drag factor of the individual machine.
Rather than automatically selecting a high number, test different settings during training and choose one that allows you to produce controlled power without unnecessarily fatiguing your legs or back. For a fuller explanation, read our guide to damper settings, drag factor and stroke rate.
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.
The row stroke breaks down into four phases:
1. Catch – Shins vertical, core braced, arms straight, shoulders relaxed. Chest tall.
2. Drive – Legs first (push like a leg press), then lean back slightly, then pull handle to lower ribs. Elbows travel back.
3. Finish – Handle at lower ribs, legs straight, slight lean back, core tight.
4. Recovery – Arms away first, then hinge body forward, then knees bend — slow and controlled.
Under fatigue, most athletes rush the slide and over-pull with the arms. That wastes energy. Think: Legs – hips – arms. Arms – hips – legs.
Check out this video for a good demonstration of 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.
HYROX athletes may choose to reduce the overall power of each stroke to preserve energy, but you should still maintain an efficient legs-hips-arms sequence. Deliberately relying more heavily on your upper body is unlikely to protect your legs and may simply fatigue your arms, shoulders and back. Instead, control the force of your leg drive, maintain good technique and choose a sustainable pace that leaves you ready for the following run.
What Stroke Rate Should You Use in HYROX?
Stroke rate is the number of strokes you complete per minute, displayed as “s/m” on the Concept2 monitor.
For many athletes, somewhere around 24 to 30 strokes per minute provides a sensible starting range. However, there is no single correct rate for every HYROX athlete. Stronger athletes may produce more power at a slightly lower stroke rate, while others may feel more comfortable using lighter, quicker strokes.
A higher stroke rate does not automatically produce a faster pace. If increasing your rate causes you to shorten the stroke, rush forwards or lose your technique, you may use more energy without moving any faster. Concept2 recommends matching a sustainable stroke rate with effective technique and power.
Test different rates during training and compare your 500m pace, breathing, technique and how you feel when running afterwards. Your best HYROX stroke rate is one that allows you to maintain your target pace without creating unnecessary fatigue.
For a more detailed explanation, read our guide to damper settings, drag factor and stroke rate.
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 drive, and in on the recovery. 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.
Common HYROX Rowing Mistakes
Small technical and pacing mistakes can increase the energy cost of the row without producing a meaningfully faster time. Some of the most common mistakes include:
Starting Too Fast
The first few strokes should bring the flywheel up to speed, but this does not require an extended sprint. Accelerating too aggressively can raise your heart rate and make it harder to settle into a sustainable rhythm.
Setting the Damper Too High
A higher damper number does not automatically make you row faster. It changes the feel of the stroke and can increase the force required each time you drive. Choose a setting you have tested in training rather than automatically moving it towards 10.
Pulling With the Arms Too Early
Your legs should begin the drive before your hips and arms become involved. Bending your elbows too early reduces the contribution from your legs and can fatigue your arms, shoulders and back unnecessarily.
Rushing the Recovery
Driving hard and then racing forwards towards the flywheel creates an inefficient stroke. Allow your arms to straighten and your body to hinge forwards before bending your knees. A controlled recovery gives you time to breathe and prepare for the next drive.
Treating the Final Metres Like a Sprint Finish
The row does not mark the end of your race. You still have another 3km of running, the Farmers Carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls ahead. Increasing your effort dramatically over the final metres may save very little time while making the next run considerably harder.
How to Get On and Off the HYROX Rower Quickly
The rowing transition includes more setup than most HYROX stations, so practising it can prevent unnecessary time loss.
When you reach the machine:
- Sit down and place your feet into the straps.
- Tighten the straps enough to keep your feet secure without making them difficult to release.
- Check the damper and footplate settings, adjusting them if required.
- Begin rowing as soon as you are properly set up.
As you approach 1,000 metres, avoid compromising your technique simply to get off the machine a second earlier. You must remain seated until the full distance has been completed and a judge confirms that you can leave.
Once confirmed, loosen the straps, slide your feet out and stand up under control. Practise this sequence during training, ideally while fatigued, so it becomes automatic on race day.
In HYROX Doubles, remember that only the athlete currently rowing may adjust the damper or footstraps. Teammates cannot make these adjustments for one another.
What Pace Should You Row at HYROX
You almost certainly should not approach the HYROX row as an all-out 1,000m time trial. A faster split may save a few seconds on the machine, but an overly aggressive effort can cost considerably more during the following run and final three workout stations.
The correct pace depends on your rowing ability, technique and overall race target. Moving from a 2:00/500m to a 2:05/500m split only costs 10 seconds across the entire station. If that slightly slower pace helps you control your breathing and run better afterwards, it may produce a faster overall HYROX time.
A sensible race-day approach is to:
- Use the opening strokes to bring the flywheel up to speed without sprinting.
- Settle into a consistent pace that feels controlled but purposeful.
- Avoid chasing the athlete on the machine beside you.
- Consider easing back slightly during the final 100 to 200 metres so you can begin the next run under control.
Rox Lyfe coach Paul Gillingham explains:
“If you reduce your pace a touch before the end of the station, you will cost yourself a few seconds at the most on the row, but can go into the subsequent run feeling much fresher.”
As a rough guide, if you’ve ever done a 2km test on the rowing machine (fresh), then your split in the race should be slower than that by 5-15secs per 500m.
How Long Should a 1,000m HYROX Row Take?
There is no single target time that suits every HYROX athlete. Your rowing ability, technique and overall race strategy all matter. You are also completing the row after 5km of running and four workout stations, rather than as a fresh 1,000m time trial.
The table below shows how the average pace displayed on the Concept2 monitor translates into the time you will spend completing 1,000 metres on the machine:
| Average 500m Pace | Time Rowing 1,000m |
|---|---|
| 1:40 | 3:20 |
| 1:50 | 3:40 |
| 2:00 | 4:00 |
| 2:10 | 4:20 |
| 2:20 | 4:40 |
These are rowing times, not the station times shown in your HYROX results. Your recorded station time also includes entering the rowing area, getting onto the machine, securing your feet and leaving the station afterwards. It will therefore be longer than the 1,000m time calculated from your average pace.
Use these figures to understand the cost of changing pace rather than as fixed performance standards. For example, moving from a 2:00 to a 2:10 split costs 20 seconds of actual rowing time and may leave you considerably fresher for the following run.
What If You Don’t Have Access to a Rowing Machine?
Regular access to a RowErg is helpful, but rowing accounts for a relatively small portion of your overall HYROX race. You can still prepare effectively by developing your aerobic fitness, leg strength, posterior-chain endurance, upper-back strength and core stability.
Useful exercises include:
- Squats and leg presses
- Romanian deadlifts and conventional deadlifts
- Seated rows and bent-over rows
- Resistance-band rows
- Running, cycling or SkiErg training for aerobic conditioning
These exercises cannot fully replicate the technique, rhythm and pacing of rowing. If possible, complete at least a few RowErg sessions before your race. Use them to practise adjusting the footplates and straps, maintaining the correct stroke sequence and identifying a sustainable 1,000m pace.
If your HYROX race is your first time using the machine, retain the preset damper setting and begin conservatively. Focus on smooth technique rather than trying to match the pace of the athletes around you.
Expert Rowing Tips from Jane Erbacher
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. In the episode, we discuss RowErg technique, pacing, damper settings and the mistakes that cause athletes to waste energy during HYROX.
You can watch the full conversation below or find the Rox Lyfe Podcast through your usual podcast platform.
The most effective HYROX row is not your fastest possible standalone 1,000m effort. Use an efficient stroke sequence, a damper setting you have tested, a sustainable stroke rate and a controlled pace. Your aim is to complete the station efficiently and begin the following run without needing to recover from the row.
Hopefully the above tips have helped but if you need any help with preparing for your next event, check our our HYROX coaching options and 12 week training plan.
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