25 CrossFit Rowing Workouts for Increased Endurance

I remember when I was a kid, my dad took me out on the lake in a rowboat.

After he got us out there he told me it was my turn to row. Once I got the technique down and got us moving, I realized something pretty quickly…

Rowing is hard work!

Of course, as a 10-year-old kid, I was too young to appreciate the workout I got from rowing and I much preferred a boat with a motor. My dad would often go out rowing, though. Now I know why. It’s a killer workout.

Fast-forward to today, and you almost never see anyone rowing a boat except in the movies. There are kayakers galore but that is not the same as rowing.

Nowadays, just about the only rowing people do so on a rowing machine. The rowboats are a thing of the past, but you can still get an awesome rowing workout, even in the comfort of your own home or CrossFit gym, without having to worry about your boat capsizing.

In this article, we will give you a bunch of CrossFit rowing workouts that will help take your cardio to the next level.

Let’s get started.

Benefits of Rowing

In an old-style rowboat, the rowing would crush your back and biceps, I remember mine feeling like rubber after rowing with my dad.

Today’s rowing machines get the legs involved as well, with a seat that slides back and forth with each row.

Not to mention, rowing is a killer cardio workout.

This makes me think about those old Viking ships that had all the guys rowing the ship. They had to have all been in great shape, no wonder they were able to pilage so much.

How to Row on a Rowing Machine

Of course, you can just wing it and likely do ok but if you want to really be a rowing beast and go next level you will have to get your technique down at some point. Here is how it is done.

Sit on the rower, grab the handle with your knees bent and chest up. In one powerful motion, press through your heels and extend your legs and body. Then pull the handle back with your arms, so it finishes just above your belly button. Make sure not to lean back further than 30 degrees. You then extend the arms, move forward at the hips, and rebend the knees to the catch position.

I’ve attached a video below to give you a better idea of what going rowing form looks like. This 38-second video is well worth the watch.

25 CrossFit Rowing Workouts for Serious Conditioning

We have a crap ton of workouts below, I’m sure you can find at least one that is up your ally.

#1 Rowing and KB Swings

Row 200 m
Kettlebell swings – 15 reps
Row 400 m
Press-ups – 15 reps
Row 800 m
Kettlebell swings – 15 reps
Row 1000 meters
Rest 2 minutes

Perform 3 rounds

Use a challenging weight for the kettlebell swing and press-ups.

#2 Rowing and What Not

For time

500m Row
50 squats
400m row
40 sit-ups
300m row
30 push-ups
200m row
20 walking lunges (each leg)
100m row
10 burpees

#3 Boat Race

3 Rounds For Time:

500m Row
400m Run

#4 Sting

50-40-30-20-10 reps of:
Calorie Row
Burpees
Alternating Lunges

Time Cap: 45 minutes

#5 Jackson

5 rounds for time

1,000 meter Run
1,000 meter Row
30 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)

Time cap 60 minutes

This one will take a while. Try to use a steady pace with the running and rowing and break the wall balls into sets.

#6 3 Hundo

For time

100 calorie Row
100 Abmat Sit-Ups
100 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)

This one is a mental and physical grind, prepare yourself

#7 “Jackie”

For time

1000 meter row
50 Thrusters (45/35)
30 Pull-ups

#8 Up and Down the Ladder

For time

50 calorie Row
40 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
30 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
20 Goblet Squats (53/35 lb)
10 Burpees
20 Goblet Squats (53/35 lb)
30 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
40 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
50 calorie Row

#9 Dylan

7 Rounds for Time

500 meter Row
25-meter sled push
500-meter run

Time Cap: 45 minutes

Use a medium to heavy sled that challenges you but allows you to get all 7 rounds finished.

For this workout find a good tempo you can keep up the entire workout if possible.

If you need to scale back reduce the rounds from 7 to 4.

#10 Sweet Molasses

3 rounds for time

500 meter Row
21 Push-Ups
12 Strict Toes-to-Rings

This one is pretty straightforward. We made up the name for this one, it makes no sense but sounds like a good name for a workout.

#11 MisFit Row WOD

For Time:

50-35-20

Wallballs (20/14)
Calorie Row
Push-ups

#12 Row and Squat Cleans

Every other minute on the minute

Row 20 calories
3 heavy squat cleans (start with 70% of your max and work your way up

#12 Running and Rowing

2 Rounds: for time

Run 1.5 miles
Row 1500 meters

Pace yourself on this bad boy, if you start out too strong you could pay for it later.

#13 Training Think Tank Throwdown WOD

27-21-15-9 Reps for Time

Calorie Row
Dumbbell Thrusters (2×50/35 lb)

This one definitely sucks, be ready.

#14 Push-ups and Rowing

Row 1,000 meters
20 push-ups
Row 750 meters
30 push-ups
Row 500 meters
40 push-ups
Row 250 meters
50 push-ups

#15 Samantha Briggs Workout

For time:

150 Air squats
2000 m Row
150 Air squats

#16 Rowing in the Deep

For time

15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of:

Calorie Rows
Burpees

Those of you that hate burpees will have a lot of fun with this one.

#17 Jerry

Hard to believe it has taken us this long to get to a Her WOD.

This workout is named after Sgt Major Jerry Dwayne Patton, 40, who died on 15 October 2008 during High Altitude High Opening training while assigned to Army USSOCOM preparing for deployment to Afghanistan.

For time:

1 mile Run
2,000 meter Row
1 mile Run

Pace yourself.

#18 The Gut Buster

This WOD was developed by CrossFit Mayhem

For time:

150 Sit-Ups
1000 meter Row
150 Sit-Ups

Conditioning and core work together in perfect harmony.

#19 Ned

Here we have another Hero WOD and this one is no joke.

Ned is named after Special Agent Nathan “Ned” Schuldheiss of Newport, Rhode Island, he was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 204 Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, died November 1, 2007, in Iraq from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device that struck his vehicle.

For time:

11 Back Squats – load the bar with the equivalent to your own bodyweight
1,000 meter Row

# 20 Andrew Desperito

This Hero WOD is named after Andrew Desperito, FDNY, Engine 1, who was killed on September 11, 2001.

For time:

2000 meter Row
50 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
2000 meter Row

I’ve never done this workout but it looks brutal.

#21 Michael D’Auria

This Hero WOD is done to honor Michael D’Auria, FDNY, Engine 40, who was killed on September 11, 2001. He had only been on the job for 9 weeks.

For Time

10 Back Squats (225/155 lb)
500 meter Row
10 Back Squats (225/155 lb)
400 meter Run
10 Back Squats (225/155 lb)
500 meter Row
10 Back Squats (225/155 lb)
400 meter Run

#22 The Finisher

For Time

2,000 meter Row
Every 2 minutes, perform: 15 Sit-Ups

This one is just brutal, you have been warned.

#23 Chipper Jones

Pace yourself with this chipper or you will be in trouble.

50 air squats
25-calorie row
40 Russian kettlebell swings
20-calorie row
30 situps
15-calorie row
20 pushups
10-calorie row
10 burpees

#24 Mayhem

This one is another workout from CrossFit Mayhem

For Time:

250/200 Meter Row
10 Burpees

#25 HIIT Rowing Workout

For our last workout on the list we are going to give you a fat burning hiit workout.

10 rounds

1-minute rowing
1-minute rest.

This one is good for those that are short on time as well, only 20 minutes total.

Ryan Douglas

Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.

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