HYROX STATION 5 OF 8
The Hyrox row: the standard, technique and mistakes
Rowing is the fifth of eight Hyrox stations: you row 1,000 m on an indoor rowing machine, and the distance is the same in every division. The damper, the dial that sets the air resistance, starts at 6 and the footplates start at position 4, and you may adjust both. You must stay seated until the 1,000 m is done and a judge confirms it, but you may stop, put the handle down and rest in your seat. Hyrox describes the row as the start of the second half of the race.
What the Hyrox row is
A Hyrox race has eight rounds. In each round you run 1 km and then do one workout station, so you finish with 8 km of running and eight stations done in a fixed order. The row is station 5, right after the burpee broad jumps.
You sit on an indoor rowing machine, an ergometer (a machine that measures the work you do), with your feet strapped onto footplates and a handle on a chain. You push with your legs, lean back, and pull the handle to your chest. A monitor counts the distance, and a judge resets it before you start.
Hyrox calls it the second ergometer in the race, after the SkiErg (the ski machine at station 1), and says that 1,000 m of rowing marks the beginning of the second half. It is the only station you do sitting down.
- HYROX Singles Rulebook 26/27 (official PDF) checked 18 Oct 2026
- HYROX: The Fitness Race (official site) checked 18 Oct 2026
The rowing standard by division
A division is the group you race in. The Singles race, where you race on your own, has four: Women, Women Pro, Men and Men Pro. Open means the standard race (Women and Men), and Pro uses heavier weights. Rowing does not change between them. The damper and footplate settings below are where the machine starts, and you may adjust both.
| Division | Distance | Damper at the start | Footplates at the start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 1,000 m | Resistance 6 | Position 4 |
| Women Pro | 1,000 m | Resistance 6 | Position 4 |
| Men | 1,000 m | Resistance 6 | Position 4 |
| Men Pro | 1,000 m | Resistance 6 | Position 4 |
- HYROX Singles Rulebook 26/27 (official PDF) checked 18 Oct 2026
Rowing technique
A stroke has a drive and a recovery. On the drive you push with your legs first, then swing your trunk (your torso) back, then pull the handle in with your arms. On the recovery you reverse the order: arms out, trunk forward, then knees bend as you slide back to the start.
Long, smooth strokes with the legs doing the first part beat short, pulled ones. Yanking the handle with the arms burns energy that your legs could have supplied.
Set the footplates so your feet are comfortable and strapped in firmly, and test a few damper settings in training. A higher number makes each stroke feel heavier, so pick the setting you can hold for 1,000 m.
The rules let you stop rowing at any time, put the handle in the holder and rest, with your feet on or off the plates. You must stay seated. Plan any pause in advance, so you choose when it comes.
- HYROX Singles Rulebook 26/27 (official PDF) checked 18 Oct 2026
Common rowing mistakes
Pulling with the arms first. The legs are the biggest engine on the machine. Push with them first and finish with the arms.
Sprinting the first 100 m. The row comes in the middle of the race, with a run on each side. Settle into a rate you could keep and let it find its level.
Standing up too early. You may not stand, leave the seat or step off until the 1,000 m is done and a judge has confirmed it. Wait for the confirmation, even when the monitor shows the number.
Skipping the setup. The damper starts at 6 and the footplates at position 4. You may adjust the damper as often as you like and the footplates before you begin, so check both before your first stroke.
For any breach of the standard, the first infringement is a formal warning, the second costs 15 seconds, and each one after that costs another 15 seconds.
- HYROX Singles Rulebook 26/27 (official PDF) checked 18 Oct 2026
Where the row sits in the race
The row follows the burpee broad jumps, which leave your chest, arms and legs tired. It is the only seated station, so use it to find a steady rate and let your breathing settle.
Our advice: use the row to bring your heart rate down. Hold a strong, steady stroke and let your heart rate come down toward zone 2 or 3 (easy to moderate), take it as a breather, and push on from run 6.
The farmers carry is next, after run 6. It asks for your upper back, core and grip, which the row also works. Row with long, smooth strokes and avoid gripping the handle harder than it needs, so your hands have something left.
Hyrox describes this as the start of the second half. Decide here how much to keep for the last three stations and the runs between them.
- HYROX Singles Rulebook 26/27 (official PDF) checked 18 Oct 2026
- HYROX: The Fitness Race (official site) checked 18 Oct 2026
A rowing session to try
This session rehearses stations 5 and 6 back to back, with a 600 m run between them. The row is 500 m and the farmers carry is 100 m, half of the race distances. The session rows harder than our race-day advice above. On race day, keep the row as your breather. Race weight means the kettlebell weight for your division. Effort runs from 1 (very easy) to 10 (all out).
| Block | What you do |
|---|---|
| Warm-up | Row for 8 minutes at effort 3 with long, easy pulls. Then run 400 m at effort 3, with a few strides (short, quick bursts of faster running) at the end. |
| Main | 2 rounds. Each round: run 600 m at effort 6, controlled, so your heart rate comes down. Row 500 m at effort 8, with legs first and long strokes, letting the rate settle instead of yanking. Run 600 m at effort 6. Farmers carry 100 m at race weight, staying tall with your ribs down and taking short, quick steps. |
| Cool-down | Row for 8 minutes at effort 2 with long, smooth strokes. |
The row in Complete
Complete starts from your long-term goals, and a rowing workout that reaches Apple Health from your watch can count toward a rowing Road. Roads are Complete’s ladders of targets, which you take on next to your friends. The Hyrox rowing station has its own Road, which your official race results move.
Frequently asked questions
How far is the row in Hyrox?
It is 1,000 m for every division, and it is the fifth station, after the burpee broad jumps.
What damper and footplate settings does Hyrox use on the rower?
The damper is preset to resistance 6 and the footplates to position 4 for all divisions. You may adjust both before you begin.
Can you stop and rest during the Hyrox row?
Yes. You may stop rowing at any time, put the handle back in the holder and rest with your feet on or off the plates. You must stay seated until the 1,000 m is complete and a judge confirms it.
Does the Hyrox row change between Open and Pro?
No. The distance and the starting settings are the same in every division. The sleds, the farmers carry, the sandbag lunges and the wall balls are the stations that change.