Rowing with Weak Legs: Building Power

The legs produce most of the power in the rowing stroke, so if yours are weak, you will feel it quickly. The good news is that rowing itself is a way to build leg strength and endurance, as long as you progress sensibly.

If you have pain, a past injury or a medical condition affecting your legs, speak to a GP or physiotherapist before ramping up leg work.

Row with the legs, not around them

When legs feel weak, the common reaction is to compensate with the back and arms. That feels easier in the moment but overloads smaller muscles and makes the stroke slower. The fix is to rebuild the order.

1. Catch: shins near vertical, arms straight, back firm.
2. Drive: press the whole foot into the footplate and push the legs down before the back opens.
3. Finish: swing the body back, then draw the handle with the arms.
4. Recovery: reverse the order smoothly, arms, body, then legs.

Check that your arms stay straight until the handle passes your knees and your back does not open until your legs are roughly two thirds down. If you can’t hold the position, shorten the stroke slightly until you can. See common rowing technique faults for the typical problems, such as shooting the slide.

Use the erg to build them

Easy rowing with good technique is a leg workout. Use a moderate drag factor rather than a heavy one, because a high setting encourages muscling the stroke with the back. See drag factor explained.

Session	Structure	Rate	Rest
Technique steady	20 to 30 minutes, light pressure	18 to 20 spm	None
Pause drill	10 minutes: 10 strokes with a pause at the knees, 10 normal	18 spm	None
Power strokes	6 x 10 firm strokes, then 20 easy strokes	20 to 22 spm on the firm ones	Easy rowing between
Short intervals	6 x 3 minutes at a steady hard effort	22 to 24 spm	2 minutes easy

Start with the first two. Add one hard session per week once you can complete the steady sessions with good form. The stroke-rate ranges are guides, not targets. Use the stroke rate guide if you want more detail.

A drill worth trying is legs-only rowing. Sit at the catch with arms straight and body leant slightly forward, then push with the legs only. Do 10 strokes, then add the body swing for 10, then the arms. It teaches the sequence and warms the legs up before a session.

Off-the-erg strength

Two sessions a week is plenty, ideally not on your hard rowing days.

Exercise	Sets x reps	Notes
Bodyweight or goblet squat	3 x 8 to 12	Depth you can control, knees over toes
Leg press	3 x 8 to 12	Moderate load, don’t lock the knees hard
Romanian deadlift	3 x 8	Flat back, hip hinge
Walking lunges or step-ups	3 x 8 each leg	Controlled
Calf raises	2 x 12 to 15	Full range
Plank	3 x 30 to 45 seconds	Trunk to connect legs to arms

Begin with light loads and learn the movements before you add weight. Add weight in small steps, only when the last rep of each set still looks tidy. Our guides on how to build strength in your legs for rowing, can squatting help you row faster and strength training for rowing go further.

Recovery

Leg soreness after a new block of work is normal for a day or two. Sharp pain, joint pain or swelling is not. Allow a rest day between strength sessions for the same muscles, eat and sleep well, and walk to keep the legs moving. If your knees, hips or feet hurt, see a professional, and stop if pain increases.

A simple eight-week shape

• Weeks 1 to 2: technique steady sessions, three a week, plus one light strength session.
• Weeks 3 to 4: add pause drills and one session of power strokes.
• Weeks 5 to 6: two strength sessions a week and one interval session.
• Weeks 7 to 8: keep the pattern and check your progress, for example with a 5 minute or 2k test. See how to do a 2k erg test.

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