If you’re a high school rower, you already know that rowing takes more than strong arms and good technique. It requires leg strength, core stability, endurance, coordination, and the ability to keep working when your muscles start to feel tired. It also takes teamwork, focus, and consistency.

That’s where circuit training can be a useful addition to your training routine.

Circuit training combines a series of exercises with short breaks in between. Instead of completing every set of one exercise before moving to the next, you rotate through different movements that challenge different parts of your body.

A well-designed circuit can include strength exercises, core work, balance challenges, and conditioning. It can be adapted to your experience level, your team’s training schedule, and the demands of rowing.

So, what does circuit training look like, and how can it help you become a stronger, more prepared rower?

What does a circuit training look like?

Alternate 45 seconds on (doing the exercise) / 15 seconds off (to switch to the next exercise). Do 3 rounds of this with two minutes rest between rounds. 

1.   Arms: Tricep dips 
2.   Legs: Squats
3.   Back: Supermans 
4.   Arms: Dumbbell jumping jacks 
5.   Legs: Lunges 
6.   Core: Plank 

You (or your coach) can get infinitely creative with this style of workout by switching up the exercises, changing the on/off time, creating teams that work together, using a deck of cards, adding cardio challenges, and so, so much more. 

Let’s get into all the ways this benefits rowers. Here we go! 

1. It builds full-body strength

Rowing is a coordinated, full-body movement. Your legs help drive the stroke, your core transfers force through your body, and your back and arms contribute to the finish.

Circuit training lets you work on all these areas in one session. Exercises such as squats, lunges, resistance-band rows, and planks can help develop the strength and stability you need to support your rowing technique.

The key is balance. Strong rowing comes from coordinated movement throughout the body, not just from having powerful arms.

2. It develops muscular endurance 

A rowing race asks you to repeat the same powerful movement again and again. Your muscles need to keep working while you maintain rhythm and technique.

Circuit training can help develop muscular endurance by having you perform controlled repetitions across several exercises with planned rest periods.

For example, a circuit combining squats, rows, and core exercises challenges different muscle groups in succession. Over time, this can help you become more comfortable with sustained physical effort.

Remember, though, that circuit training is only one part of conditioning. Rowing practice itself remains essential for developing rowing-specific endurance and technique.

3. It supports core stabilility and posture

Your core does much more than help you hold a plank. It helps stabilize your trunk, transfer force between your legs and upper body, and maintain control throughout the stroke.

Exercises such as bird dogs, dead bugs, side planks, and glute bridges can help you practice trunk control without needing heavy equipment.

Developing this control can support a more stable rowing position, especially as you work to maintain technique when fatigue sets in.

4. It improves coordination and body awareness 

Rowing depends on timing. Your legs, body, and arms need to work in a coordinated sequence, whether you’re rowing on an erg or out on the water.

Circuit training can introduce a variety of movement patterns that challenge balance, coordination, and control. Single-leg exercises, step-ups, and controlled changes of direction can help you become more aware of how your body moves.

These exercises won’t automatically make your rowing technique better, but they can help build general movement skills that support your overall athletic development.

5. It can add variety to your training 

Rowing practices involve plenty of repetition—and that repetition is important for improving your technique. But doing a different kind of movement now and then can make strength and conditioning sessions feel more engaging.

You can change your circuit by adjusting the exercises, using resistance bands or light weights, or working with teammates in small groups.

Variety can help keep training interesting while allowing you to work on different physical skills. Just remember that new exercises should be introduced gradually, with time to learn the movements properly.

6. It builds confidence through practice

Learning a new exercise, working through a challenging set, or noticing that a movement feels easier than it did a few weeks ago can all help build confidence.

Circuit training gives you opportunities to practice setting manageable goals and recognizing progress. That progress might mean using better technique, feeling more balanced, completing a movement with greater control, or recovering more comfortably between rounds.

You don’t need to push yourself to exhaustion to get something valuable out of a session. Showing up, learning, and improving over time all count.

7. it encourages teamwork

Rowing is a team sport, and circuit training can be a great opportunity to work together away from the boats.

Teammates can rotate through exercise stations, encourage one another, and celebrate improvements. A partner might help you remember the next station or offer a friendly reminder to focus on technique.

The aim isn’t to compete over who can do the most repetitions or finish first. It’s to create an environment where everyone can work at an appropriate level and support the group.

 

The next time you head out for a workout, try some circuit training, even if it’s just in your driveway!