Can Weightlifting Make You a Better Rower?

Yes, weightlifting can make you a better rower, as long as it supports your rowing rather than competing with it. Strength training raises the force you can apply to the footplate and handle, helps protect joints and corrects imbalances. Done badly, it leaves you tired and sore for your rowing sessions.

If you are new to lifting or have an injury or health condition, get coaching and speak to a GP or physio before you start heavy work.

How lifting helps

• More force per stroke. Rowing power is force times speed. Lifting raises the force side, particularly in the legs, hips and back.
• Injury resilience. Stronger muscles and connective tissue around the knees, hips, back and shoulders cope better with the repetition of the stroke.
• Better posture over long pieces. A strong trunk and back help you hold position when tired.
• Balance. Rowers can become strong in pulling but weaker in pushing and in single-leg strength. Lifting evens that out.

Lifting does not replace aerobic training. Most of a 2k and nearly all of a longer piece is aerobic, so rowing volume remains the foundation. See engine building for rowing.

Lifts that suit rowers

Lift	Why
Squat (back, front or goblet)	Leg drive and trunk strength
Deadlift or Romanian deadlift	Hip hinge, back, glutes, hamstrings
Bent-over or chest-supported row	Pulling strength
Pull-ups or lat pulldown	Back and arms
Bench or dumbbell press	Pushing balance for the shoulders
Overhead press	Shoulder strength
Split squats or lunges	Single-leg strength
Planks and carries	Trunk stability and grip

Our guides to strength training for rowing and can squatting help you row faster go through the lifts in more detail.

How heavy?

Which rep range you use depends on your goal.

Goal	Reps	Sets	Rest
Learn the movement	10 to 15, light	2 to 3	1 minute
General strength	6 to 10	3	1.5 to 2 minutes
Maximal strength	3 to 6	3 to 5	2 to 3 minutes

Choose a weight that you can lift with control, with one or two reps in reserve. Add weight in small steps only when the last rep of each set still looks tidy. Avoid training to failure on heavy compound lifts, since that is when form breaks down.

A sample session for a rower who already has some lifting experience:

1. Back squat: 3 x 6 to 8
2. Romanian deadlift: 3 x 8 to 10
3. Chest-supported row: 3 x 8 to 10
4. Dumbbell bench press: 3 x 8 to 10
5. Split squat: 3 x 8 each leg
6. Plank: 3 x 40 seconds

Warm up with 5 to 10 minutes of easy rowing and lighter sets first.

Fitting it in

Two sessions a week is a good target for most recreational rowers. Schedule heavy leg days away from your hardest rowing, ideally on a day with an easier row or a rest day the following day.

Day	Session
Monday	Lifting (squat focus)
Tuesday	Easy row
Wednesday	Interval row
Thursday	Lifting (deadlift focus)
Friday	Easy row or rest
Saturday	Long steady row
Sunday	Rest

In the off-season, rowers often lift more and row less. As a race or test approaches, the lifting volume usually comes down, so that fatigue doesn’t blunt your rowing. See how to maximise gains from every rowing workout.

Mistakes to avoid

• Doing too much. Daily heavy lifting on top of rowing leads to overtraining. Two sessions is plenty.
• Poor technique. A rounded back on deadlifts or squats is a recipe for injury. Learn with light weights or a coach.
• Only lifting what you like. Balance pushes and pulls, upper and lower body.
• Lifting hard before a key rowing session. Tired legs ruin technique.
• Ignoring mobility. Tight hips and shoulders limit your catch position. See flexibility for rowers.
• Neglecting recovery. Sleep, food and rest days are where adaptation happens.

Will you bulk up?

It depends on your volume, your food and genetics. Lifting in lower rep ranges for strength builds less size than high-volume bodybuilding work, and most rowers who combine lifting with plenty of aerobic training do not become bulky. See will rowing make me bulky for related points. Rowers in heavyweight categories sometimes aim to add muscle, but that is a specific goal and should be planned with a coach.

The balance

The best programme balances lifting with rowing. Test your progress every six to eight weeks, for instance with a 2k or 5k, and adjust. If your rowing is suffering, reduce the lifting load for a while. See how to row faster for the bigger picture.