How To Make Rowing Machine Harder

If you’re looking to make rowing machine harder, you’ve come to the right place. It’s a common goal for anyone whose body has adapted to their current routine, and the good news is there are many effective ways to do it. This guide will give you practical methods to intensify your workout and break through any plateaus.

Before you start cranking up the resistance dial, it’s important to understand the fundamentals. A rowing stroke consists of four parts: the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. To make your workout more challenging, you can manipulate each of these phases, along with other variables like pace and duration.

Adjust the Machine’s Resistance Settings

The most obvious place to start is with the machine itself. Don’t just set it and forget it.

Increase Damper Setting: The damper (often 1-10) controls how much air flows into the flywheel. A higher setting feels like rowing a heavier boat. Try moving it up 1-2 levels from your usual setting.
Understand Drag Factor: For a true measure of resistance, use the monitor’s drag factor feature. This accounts for dust and machine wear, giving a consistent number to work with. Aim to increase your drag factor gradually over weeks, not in one session.
Mix It Up: Use a low damper for high-rate, sprint pieces to work on power application. Use a higher damper for low-rate, strength-focused pieces.

Change Your Workout Structure and Intensity

How you row is often more important than the setting. Here’s how to structure harder sessions.

Interval Training: Alternate between periods of all-out effort and active rest. For example, row 500 meters at a hard pace, then paddle easily for 2 minutes. Repeat 4-8 times.
Pyramid Sets: Row for increasing, then decreasing time intervals. Try 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy, then 2 minutes hard, 1 minute easy, up to 4 minutes, then back down.
Decrease Rest Time: If you currently rest for 90 seconds between pieces, try cutting it to 60 seconds. This improves your cardiovascular recovery.
Increase Stroke Rate: Maintaining a powerful drive at a higher strokes-per-minute (SPM) is extremely demanding. Try holding a 28-32 SPM for a 2000m piece instead of your usual 24-26.

Focus on Technique and Power Application

Better technique leads to greater efficiency, which allows you to output more power. It’s not just about pulling harder.

Drive Sequence: Ensure your legs initiate the drive, followed by the swing of the back, then the arm pull. A powerful, sequential drive is key.
Control the Recovery: Slow down the return phase. A controlled recovery (arms, body, legs) builds tension and makes the next stroke more effective.
Work on Peak Force: Use the force curve display on your monitor. Aim for a smooth, high arch rather than a jagged or low one. This shows you’re applying power effectively through the entire drive.

Add External Resistance

You can make your body work harder beyond the machine’s settings.

Weighted Vest: Wearing a light weighted vest (5-10 lbs) increases the load your body must move during the drive and recovery, significantly upping the intensity.
Resistance Bands: Attach a band around the handle and anchor it behind you. This adds tension during the final part of the arm pull, strengthening your back and arms.

Alter Your Training Goals and Metrics

Chase different numbers on the performance monitor to push your limits.

Target a Split Time: Pick a 500-meter split time that is 5-10 seconds faster than your steady-state pace. Try to hold it for increasingly longer intervals.
Increase Total Distance: If you usually row for 20 minutes, add 5 minutes to your session. Focus on maintaining consistency as fatigue sets in.
Play with Strokes: Do a set distance (like 2000m) with a strict stroke limit (e.g., 200 strokes total). This forces you to make each stroke count, promoting power over pace.

Incorporate Compound Movements

Turn your rowing session into a full-body circuit. Step off the rower for brief strength exercises.

Row 500 meters at a hard pace.
Immediately perform 15 air squats and 10 push-ups.
Get back on the rower and start the next 500 meters.
Repeat for 4-6 rounds. The accumulated fatigue will make the rowing segments feel much tougher.

Mindset and Consistency Tips

Making it harder is also a mental game. Your body can often do more than your mind thinks.

Blind Workouts: Cover the monitor with a towel and row purely on feel. This helps you listen to your body and push past mental barriers tied to numbers.
Rate Caps: Cap your stroke rate at 22 SPM for a long piece. To maintain speed, you must put maximum power into every single stroke, which is brutally tiring.
Consistent Progression: Don’t implement all these changes at once. Pick one method for 2-3 weeks, master it, then add another. This prevents injury and ensures steady progress.

Remember, the goal is progressive overload—gradually increasing the demand on your musculoskeletal and nervous systems. By rotating through these strategies, you’ll keep your rowing workouts challenging and effective, leading to continuous improvements in strength and endurance. Always listen to your body and prioritize proper form over any arbitrary resistance number.

FAQ: Making Your Rower Work Harder

Is a higher damper setting always better for a harder workout?
No. A very high damper can lead to poor technique and increased injury risk. It’s better to use a moderate damper and focus on applying power quickly and efficiently during the drive.

How can I increase rowing machine difficulty without changing settings?
Focus on your stroke rate and power per stroke. Try doing intervals where you maintain a higher SPM, or do low-rate pieces where you maximize power at 18-22 SPM. Changing your workout structure is often more effective.

What’s the best way to make a rowing workout more intense for weight loss?
Incorporate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the rower. Short bursts of maximum effort (30-60 seconds) followed by brief rest periods (60-90 seconds) are highly effective for burning calories and boosting metabolism.

Can I add weights while rowing?
Using a weighted vest is generally safe and effective. However, holding dumbbells or wearing ankle weights is not recommended as it can compromise your form and put stress on joints in unnatural ways.

How often should I try to increase the intensity?
Aim for a slight progression every 1-2 weeks. This could be a slightly faster split time, one more interval, or a small increase in drag factor. Consistent, small jumps are more sustainable than occasional large leaps.