IMPROVE · HYROX STATION 5
How to get faster at the Hyrox row
We think the easiest way to get faster at the Hyrox row is the same as for the SkiErg: a bigger aerobic base, built with easy zone 2 work (a pace where you can still talk in full sentences) on a run, a rower or a bike. On that base, push with your legs first and hold an even rate (the number of strokes per minute) for the full 1,000 m. Even repeats of 500 m teach the pace, and leg and back strength make each stroke count. Without a rowing machine, a bike, a SkiErg (a ski machine with two handles) and a mix of leg press (a machine where you push a weight away with your legs) and seated row (a machine where you pull a handle to your chest) train the same parts.
How to get faster at the row
The row is station 5 of 8 in a Hyrox race: 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 (the foot rests you strap into) at position 4, and you may adjust both.
The row rests on the same base as the SkiErg. Easy zone 2 work on a run, a rower or a bike builds the engine (your stamina for steady effort) that lets you hold a strong pace at a lower heart rate.
Speed on the rower comes from a steadier stroke. The stroke is a sequence: legs, trunk (your torso), arms on the drive (the push and pull back), and the reverse on the recovery (the return to the start). When that order holds, the legs do the work and the arms stay fresh. When it breaks, the arms take over and the rate climbs with nothing to show for it.
In the race, our advice is to use the row to control your heart rate. Hold a strong, steady stroke, let your heart rate come down toward zone 2 or 3 (easy to moderate) and take the row as a breather. Run 6 and the farmers carry come next, and that is where you push on. We think the row rewards the racer who recovers most while still holding a strong pace.
This page covers what to train, the drills that help, a simple week, a session you can run, and what to do without a rower. The rules and technique are on the station guide linked below.
- HYROX Singles Rulebook 26/27 (official PDF) checked 18 Oct 2026
What the row asks of your body
Hyrox gives no muscle note for the row beyond calling it the second ergometer (a machine that measures the work you do) and the start of the second half. The table below rates how much each quality matters. The ratings are coaching judgement, with no measurements behind them.
| Quality | How much the row needs it | What it does for you |
|---|---|---|
| Engine (breathing and heart rate) | Most | Lets you hold one rate for the whole 1,000 m, then run 1 km straight after. |
| Leg drive | High | Supplies most of the power of each stroke. |
| Back and trunk strength | High | Holds your posture through the drive and transfers the legs to the handle. |
| Stroke technique | High | Keeps the order of the stroke when you are tired, so the arms do not take over. |
| Grip | Low | A relaxed hold on the handle is enough, and it saves your hands for the farmers carry. |
- HYROX: The Fitness Race (official site) checked 18 Oct 2026
Rowing drills
Sequence drill. Row a few minutes with the stroke broken into parts: legs only, then legs and trunk, then the full stroke. Put the pieces back together slowly and keep the order.
Even pieces. Row a set distance several times with short rests and aim for the same time on the last piece as on the first. If the last piece is slower, you started too hard.
Damper test. Row three short pieces at three damper settings and keep the one where the rate felt easiest to hold. A higher number makes each stroke heavier.
Planned pause. Practise taking a short rest with the handle in the holder, as the rules allow, and starting again smoothly. Know before race day whether a pause helps you or breaks your rhythm.
Row after a run. Run for a few minutes, then row straight away. In the race you reach the machine after a 1 km run and the burpee broad jumps, so give that start a place in your block.
A weekly approach for the row
The row is low-impact and easy to schedule, which makes it a good way to add engine work without stressing your legs the way running does.
| Day | What you do |
|---|---|
| Base days | Easy zone 2 sessions on a run, a rower or a bike. This builds the engine the row draws on, and you may already do it. |
| Main day | Even repeats, such as the session below. Pick a rate where the last piece matches the first. |
| Easy volume | An easy row as a warm-up or a cool-down. It keeps the stroke familiar and adds engine work for little cost. |
| Strength support | Leg and back strength you may already do, such as squats, deadlifts or rows. This is the base each stroke draws on. |
| Race practice | Now and then, run, row and then carry, the way the race does. The station guide has a session for stations 5 and 6. |
| Day before and after | Keep these easy for the legs and back. A hard session on either side makes the stroke slower and the technique worse. |
A rowing session to try
This session is six even pieces of half the race distance. It rows harder than our race-day advice for the row, to build the stroke and the engine. Effort runs from 1 (very easy) to 10 (all out). A lighter version is 4 pieces of 400 m with 120 seconds of rest. A harder version is 8 pieces of 500 m with 75 seconds of rest.
| Block | What you do |
|---|---|
| Warm-up | Row for 5 minutes at effort 3. Use easy strokes and keep the order: legs, then trunk, then arms. |
| Main | 6 rounds, resting 90 seconds between rounds. Each round: row 500 m at effort 7. These are six exact pieces at a controlled race rhythm. Do not sprint the first 100 m. |
| Cool-down | Row for 5 minutes at effort 2. |
Train the row without the equipment
Many gyms have a rower, but a home gym may not. Use the options below in the weeks in between, and try a real machine before your race, because the feel of the damper and the footplates is specific to it.
| Option | What it trains | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Stationary or air bike (a fan-driven exercise bike) | The engine | Hold a steady effort for several minutes, in even pieces like the rowing session. |
| SkiErg | The engine and the pulling pattern | Use legs and trunk to start each pull. The movement is different, but the breathing demand is similar. |
| Leg press | The leg drive | Push with a steady drive and a controlled return, keeping your back flat against the pad. |
| Seated cable row | Back and arms at the finish of the stroke | Sit tall, pull to your chest and keep the trunk still. |
Working on the row in Complete
Complete starts from your long-term goals, not a plan, and the daily recommendation reads your goals, recovery and load. You can log row sessions in the app or bring them in from Apple Health, and a rowing workout from your watch can count toward a rowing Road. Roads are Complete’s ladders of targets, which you take on next to your friends.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I row to get better at Hyrox?
One focused session a week is a sensible start, plus easy rowing in warm-ups and cool-downs. Add a run followed by a row now and then.
Should I pull harder or row faster to improve my Hyrox row?
Neither at first. Hold the stroke order, with legs, then trunk, then arms, and keep the rate steady. Speed follows from a steadier stroke and a bigger engine.
Is a higher damper setting faster on the Hyrox rower?
Not by itself. Hyrox presets the damper to 6, and a higher number gives a heavier stroke. Test a few settings and keep the one you can hold for 1,000 m.
Can I train for the Hyrox row without a rowing machine?
You can build the engine with a bike or a SkiErg and the strength with leg press and seated rows. Try a real rower at least once before your race to learn the feel of the stroke.