As a running coach, I spend a lot of time thinking about splits, strides, and how to keep runners healthy and performing at their peak. One way that runners can both make progress toward their running goals and avoid injury is to incorporate cross training into their routine. Rowing is a highly effective cross training activity (and one of my personal favorites!), with loads of benefits for runners.
An Injury That Changed My Perspective
Years ago, a painful bout of plantar fasciitis forced me off my feet and onto a rowing machine. At first, I hated it. The form felt awkward, and I kept thinking about all the miles I was missing. But gradually, I started to notice something: my fitness wasn’t declining. When I returned to running, I was stronger. My endurance was intact. My core strength had improved and even my running posture felt better.
Benefits of Rowing for Runners
1. It’s Low-Impact but High-Intensity
Running is high-impact by nature, and every runner knows the wear it puts on your joints. Rowing, on the other hand, delivers a cardiovascular workout that rivals a tempo run, without the pounding. You can push your VO₂ max, build stamina, and maintain intensity, all while giving your knees and ankles a break.
2. It Builds the Posterior Chain
Running is quad-dominant. Rowing? It hits the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back like few other cardio machines can. That kind of strength pays off on hills, sprints, and long runs. A strong posterior chain also supports better posture and reduces the risk of injury.
3. It Strengthens Your Core
If you want to improve your running form and efficiency, strengthen your core. Rowing is essentially a moving plank with a cardio twist. Every stroke engages the abdominals, obliques, and lower back, which stabilizes your entire body during runs.
4. It Trains Rhythm and Breathing
The smooth, repetitive motion of rowing teaches rhythm. I’ve had runners find their optimal cadence by matching their rowing stroke rate to a tempo run effort. Rowing also emphasizes breathing control, a skill that often separates good runners from great ones.
How I Integrate Rowing Into Training Plans
For my athletes, rowing is often a complement to running, not a substitute. I’ll sometimes recommend a 30-minute rowing session on an easy day or a longer effort on a recovery day. During injury recovery, we might do interval workouts on the rower that mirror the intensity of speed work without the impact.
For example, a 5 x 3-minute hard rowing effort with 90 seconds rest can mimic the aerobic and muscular demands of mile repeats. Add a heart rate monitor, and you can train specific zones just like you would on the roads.
Getting Started With Rowing
If you’re new to rowing, start slow. Here are steps on how to do a basic rowing stroke:
- Start by sitting on the seat with your feet securely strapped into the footrests and hands gripping the handle.
- Begin in the “catch” position: knees bent, arms extended, and body leaning slightly forward from the hips.
- Push off with your legs first, keeping your arms straight as your legs extend.
- As your legs straighten, lean back slightly and then pull the handle toward your lower ribs. This is the “drive” phase.
- Reverse the motion to return to the starting position: extend your arms, lean forward from the hips, then bend your knees.
- Maintain a smooth, controlled rhythm throughout the stroke.
Use YouTube tutorials or ask a coach who understands the stroke. Once you get the rhythm down, it can become meditative and very enjoyable.
Why Should Runners Try Rowing?
Rowing isn’t just a backup plan when you’re injured. It’s a proactive way to become a more well-rounded, resilient runner. It builds strength where running doesn’t, challenges the heart and lungs in new ways, and keeps the training fresh.
Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
