BACK TO OVERVIEW

Training Plan for Rowing Training – your Perfect Workout on the Rowing Machine

18. October 2024

BY Flavio Holstein

A well-thought-out training plan is the key to progress in rowing training. The great thing about rowing is that you can achieve a lot with little time. Two to three times a week, for 20 minutes each time, is perfectly sufficient to improve your fitness and make progress. If you are already more athletic, you can gradually increase the duration and intensity. In this article, you will learn how to optimally design your training plan on the rowing machine, including tips on intensity, regeneration and strength training.

In this video, Britta Oppelt, two-time Olympic silver medalist, explains

how to create a training plan for rowing and what to look out for. She gives tips on how to start depending on your fitness level and how to increase the intensity. It also deals with the right balance between training and recovery to avoid injuries. The video is aimed at both beginners and experienced athletes who want to include rowing in their routine.

How to create your training plan

When training on the rowing machine, you should pay attention to a balanced mix of training sessions and recovery. For beginners and advanced users, 2-3 sessions per week of about 20 to 30 minutes are ideal. If you have more experience, you can gradually increase the training duration and intensity.

1. Rest days for recovery

An important component of your training plan are the rest days. Your body needs time to recover from the strain and build muscle. Therefore, plan at least one rest day between training sessions. On these days, your muscles regenerate and you prepare your body for the next training session. Overtraining can not only delay progress, but also increase the risk of injury.

2. Not too intensive training – Improve technique

If you are just starting out or still working on your rowing technique, you should train with low resistance. A moderate training with low intensity (resistance levels 1-5) helps you to internalize the technique without overstraining your body. This allows you to perfect the movement sequences and gently build muscles and endurance at the same time. Overexertion at the beginning often leads to poor technique and possibly to injuries.

3. Strength training with the rowing machine

If you want to build muscle in a targeted manner, you can supplement your training plan with more intensive strength training sessions. A good example of this is the strength mode on the AUGLETICS Eight Style. This is how you could design a strength training session:

10 minutes warmup at light to medium resistance (levels 1-5) to warm up your muscles and promote mobility.
10 minutes of strength training at high resistance (level 11-15) to specifically challenge your muscles. Here, the focus is on strength per stroke, i.e. powerful and slow strokes.
5-10 minutes cooldown to relax your muscles again and slowly shut down your body.

Strength training sessions should be integrated one to two times per week. It is important that you recover well after such sessions and give your body enough time to regenerate.

Saved workouts on the AUGLETICS Eight Style

The AUGLETICS Eight Style offers you a range of predefined training programs that make it easier for you to get started and challenge you in a targeted manner. These workouts are already structured in such a way that they consist of a warm-up, an interval part and a cool-down – perfect for gradually increasing your performance. The programs are available in the intensities easy, ambitious and challenging.

A recommendation: If you are just starting out, try the programs one after the other, training day after training day. At the beginning, the simple programs may seem easy to you, but don’t worry – the intensity increases quickly. In this way, you will get used to the rowing technique and can further refine your technique with each training session.

Training plan for beginners and advanced users

Beginners:

2-3 training sessions per week, 20-30 minutes each with low to medium intensity. Pay attention to a clean technique and regular rest days.

Advanced:

3-4 training sessions per week, with longer sessions (30-45 minutes). You can also integrate one to two strength training sessions per week.

Don't forget cooldown and recovery

Regardless of whether you are completing a short workout or a more intensive session: A cooldown is essential to slowly shut down the body and relax the muscles. At least 5 minutes of light rowing at the end and stretching exercises help to reduce muscle soreness and prevent injuries.

Receive valuable training tips directly in your inbox!

Would you like even more tips for your rowing training and learn how to further optimize your training plan? Then sign up for our newsletter! We will send you:

Exclusive training tips for every fitness level
Instructions for strength and endurance training on the rowing machine
Advice from professionals like Britta Oppelt for your optimal rowing training

Conclusion:

A well-structured training plan is essential for progress in rowing training. Especially for beginners, a small amount of time of 2-3 training sessions per week of 20-30 minutes is enough to improve fitness. It is important to pay attention to the right balance between training and recovery. Beginners should concentrate on technique and moderate intensity, while advanced users can increase the intensity through longer sessions and additional strength training. Regeneration days and cooldown phases are essential to avoid overexertion and injuries. In addition, prefabricated programs such as those on the AUGLETICS Eight Style help to make training effective and varied.

About the author

Flavio Holstein

Flavio Holstein ist Gründer und CEO von AUGLETICS, einem Unternehmen, das den Rudersport durch innovative Rudergeräte direkt ins Wohnzimmer bringt. Seit über 20 Jahren ist er begeisterter Ruderer und trainierte zeitweise sogar dreimal täglich, um es in die Nationalmannschaft zu schaffen. Er wurde zweimal deutscher Vizemeister im Vierer und Achter. Mit einem Master in Technischer Informatik bringt Flavio das nötige Hintergrundwissen mit, um modernste Technik und sportliche Effizienz zu vereinen und das Rudern für alle zugänglich zu machen. Seine Vision: Rudern als festen Bestandteil des Alltags zu etablieren und damit das wohl größte Gesundheitsproblem unserer Zeit anzugehen – den Bewegungsmangel. Flavio Holstein is the founder and CEO of AUGLETICS, a company that brings the sport of rowing directly into people’s living rooms through innovative rowing machines. He has been a passionate rower for over 20 years and at times trained up to three times a day in order to qualify for the national team. He became German vice champion twice, competing in both the coxless four and the eight. Holding a master’s degree in technical computer science, Flavio combines cutting-edge technology with athletic efficiency to make rowing accessible to everyone. His vision: to establish rowing as a natural part of everyday life and tackle what is arguably the greatest health issue of our time – lack of physical activity. Flavio Holstein est le fondateur et CEO d’AUGLETICS, une entreprise qui fait entrer le sport de l’aviron directement dans le salon grâce à des rameurs innovants. Passionné d’aviron depuis plus de 20 ans, il s’est parfois entraîné jusqu’à trois fois par jour dans l’objectif d’intégrer l’équipe nationale. Il a été deux fois vice-champion d’Allemagne, en quatre et en huit. Titulaire d’un master en informatique technique, Flavio dispose des connaissances nécessaires pour allier technologies de pointe et efficacité sportive et rendre l’aviron accessible à tous. Sa vision : faire de l’aviron une composante naturelle du quotidien et s’attaquer ainsi à l’un des plus grands problèmes de santé de notre époque – le manque d’activité physique. Flavio Holstein è fondatore e CEO di AUGLETICS, un’azienda che porta lo sport del canottaggio direttamente nelle case grazie a vogatori innovativi. È un appassionato canottiere da oltre 20 anni e in alcuni periodi si è allenato persino tre volte al giorno per riuscire a entrare nella nazionale. È stato due volte vicecampione tedesco nel quattro e nell’otto. Con un master in informatica tecnica, Flavio unisce competenze tecnologiche avanzate ed efficienza sportiva per rendere il canottaggio accessibile a tutti. La sua visione: rendere il canottaggio una parte integrante della vita quotidiana e affrontare quello che è probabilmente il più grande problema di salute del nostro tempo – la mancanza di attività fisica.

Flavio Holstein

BACK TO OVERVIEW

You might also be interested in

9. January 2026

Lars Wichert

Is AUGLETICS right for me?

Take three minutes to find out if the AUGLETICS is also
the ideal sports equipment for you.

Try for free for 30 days

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Training Plan for Rowing Training – your Perfect Workout on the Rowing Machine

How to create your training plan

Saved workouts on the AUGLETICS Eight Style

Training plan for beginners and advanced users

Don't forget cooldown and recovery

Receive valuable training tips directly in your inbox!

Conclusion:

About the author

Flavio Holstein

Flavio Holstein

BACK TO OVERVIEW

You might also be interested in

An alternative to the gym – train more effectively, live more flexibly

View Post

Healthy Fitness Routine: Why Rowing Will Revolutionize Your Winter Workout

View Post

A cut above: Rowing machine or treadmill?

View Post

Is AUGLETICS right for me?

Is AUGLETICS right for me?

© Augletics GmbH

Training Plan for Rowing Training – your Perfect Workout on the Rowing Machine

How to create your training plan

Saved workouts on the AUGLETICS Eight Style

Training plan for beginners and advanced users

Don't forget cooldown and recovery

Receive valuable training tips directly in your inbox!

Conclusion:

About the author

Flavio Holstein

Flavio Holstein

You might also be interested in

Is AUGLETICS right for me?

Is AUGLETICS right for me?

30 Tage kostenfrei testen

Try for free for 30 days