How Do Rowing Machines Work?

A rowing machine, or erg, copies the rowing stroke on dry land. You push with your legs, swing the body back and pull the handle to your chest, and a flywheel or resistance unit pushes back. The monitor measures what you do and turns it into pace, distance and power. Here is how each part works and how the resistance types differ.

The main parts

• Rail and seat. The seat slides on a rail so your legs can drive. A smooth, quiet roller matters because you use it hundreds of times per session.
• Footplates and straps. Hold your feet during the drive. Adjust them so the strap crosses the widest part of the foot.
• Handle and chain or strap. Connects you to the resistance unit. It pulls the chain or strap, which turns the flywheel.
• Resistance unit. Provides the load, as described below.
• Monitor. Counts strokes and calculates speed, distance and often power.

Resistance types

Air. A fan flywheel spins as you pull. The faster you spin it, the more air resists, so effort and resistance rise together. A damper lever changes how much air gets in, which alters the feel of the stroke rather than the effort itself. The Concept2 RowErg is the best-known example. See our drag factor explainer.

Water. A paddle spins inside a water tank. Resistance builds as you pull and the sound is a soft swish. WaterRower is the common brand. They often look more like furniture and many store upright.

Magnetic. Magnets create resistance, and you usually change it with a dial or console buttons. They tend to be quiet and compact, and often fold. The feel is less like water rowing than air or water, because the load does not rise as you pull harder in the same way.

Hydraulic. A piston provides a fixed or adjustable load. They are cheap and small, though the movement is less natural and they rarely offer meaningful data.

For a deeper comparison, read air vs water vs magnetic rowing machines. If noise is your main concern, see our guide to how loud rowing machines are.

Type	Feel	Noise	Typical use
Air	Responsive, load rises with effort	Louder, fan whoosh	Training, 2k tests
Water	Smooth, boat-like	Soft swish	Home, living space
Magnetic	Consistent, adjustable	Quiet	Small spaces, beginners
Hydraulic	Basic, fixed arc	Quiet	Occasional, compact use

From pull to number

The monitor watches how fast the flywheel is speeding up and slowing down as you pull and recover. From that it estimates your power and then converts it into a pace per 500 m, which it calls the split. That conversion depends on the machine’s design, which is why a score on one type of machine is not directly comparable with another. This is also why Concept2 times are the standard for comparison.

What the monitor tells you

Most monitors show elapsed time, distance, stroke rate and a split, which is the time to cover 500 m at your current pace. Some also show power in watts and calories. Calorie figures are estimates. Our guide to stroke rate explains what rate to aim for.

The movement

1. Catch. Knees bent, arms straight, shins roughly vertical, ready to drive.
2. Drive. Legs push first, then the body swings back, then the arms pull.
3. Finish. Handle at the lower ribs, body leaning slightly back, legs extended.
4. Recovery. Arms, body, then knees return in that order, slower than the drive.

Good rowing is driven mainly by the legs, then the trunk, then the arms. If you pull with the arms first, you waste power and tire quickly.

Why that works as exercise

A full stroke uses the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings for the leg drive, the lats and upper back to pull, and the core to hold your body firm in between. You can row gently as a low-impact way to build fitness, or hard for intervals. If you have an injury or joint condition, see a GP or physio before starting.

Learn the movement step by step in how to use a rowing machine. To choose a machine, see the rowing machines hub.