Rowing Technique for Hyrox

Where rowing fits in HYROX^®

In standard HYROX^® Singles, rowing is station 5 and covers 1,000 m. You reach it after the fifth running segment, not after only four. The order around it is Burpee Broad Jumps, run 5, rowing, run 6, Farmers Carry. Three workout stations remain after rowing. The race does not prescribe a fixed 60-second interval from rowing to Farmers Carry.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.5 · Concept2 / HYROX^®

The four phases

Concept2 describes four parts of the stroke: catch, drive, finish and recovery. Blend them into a continuous movement. Its technique guide advises becoming comfortable with the fundamentals before pulling hard.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique

Catch

At the catch, the arms are straight, the head neutral and the shoulders level and relaxed. Hinge forward from the hips so the shoulders are in front of the hips. Keep the shins near vertical within a comfortable range, without going beyond perpendicular. The heels may lift as needed. Shoulders directly above the hips are not the manufacturer’s catch position.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique

Drive

Begin the drive by pressing with the legs. Then move the body through the vertical position and finally add the arm pull. Keep the hands travelling in a straight line and the shoulders relaxed. The useful coaching sequence is legs, body, arms; it does not require assigning fixed percentages of power to each part.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique

Finish

Finish with extended legs, a slight backward lean and the handle held lightly below the ribs. Keep the wrists flat and the grip relaxed. Use these position cues rather than forcing a precise clock-face angle or a maximum backward lean.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique

Recovery and rhythm

For recovery, extend the arms first, hinge forward from the hips and then bend the knees once the hands have cleared them. Concept2 suggests a rhythm of one beat for the drive and two for recovery as a coaching cue. It is not a race rule. At 24 strokes per minute, each cycle lasts 60 ÷ 24 = 2.5 seconds; an exact 1:2 division would be about 0.83 seconds driving and 1.67 seconds recovering.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique · Concept2 · PM5: stroke rate and units

Practising the sequence

Concept2’s drill library includes legs-only rowing, arms-and-body rowing, pauses and rhythm counting. Choose a comfortable drill to practise one part of the movement, then blend it back into the full stroke. As an optional session idea, you could review a short easy piece with a coach or a side-on video. There is no promised number of sessions or weeks after which a technique error must disappear.

Concept2 · Rowing Drills

Reading the monitor under fatigue

The PM shows pace per 500 m and stroke rate in strokes per minute. A rate reading is not a technique score or a measure of your aerobic threshold. Use the numbers to record the piece, then discuss movement observations with a coach. A slower split by itself does not identify a specific cause such as early arm pull or restricted hip mobility.

Concept2 · PM5: stroke rate and units

Damper settings

The damper lever controls airflow; training intensity also depends on how you row. Concept2 recommends trying 3–5 as an initial training setting and experimenting, rather than treating a high number as automatically harder or better. In the current HYROX^® Singles rulebook, the race preset is 6 and you may adjust it. Footplates are preset to 4 and can be adjusted before starting. Manufacturer training advice and race presets serve different purposes.

Concept2 · Damper Setting · HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.5

Race-day reminders

Practise the catch, drive, finish and recovery together at a manageable effort. If you rehearse the approach from Burpee Broad Jumps, include the intervening run or label the exercise as a shortened drill. At the Singles station, the judging team resets the monitor; remain seated until 1,000 m are complete and a judge confirms completion. These are competition rules, separate from the technique cues above.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.5 · Concept2 · Rowing Technique

FAQ

What is the rowing drive sequence?

Concept2 teaches leg drive first, then body movement, then the arm pull. Its technique guidance does not require a fixed 60/20/20 or 60/30/10 power split.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique

Where should my shoulders be at the catch?

In front of the hips, with a forward hinge from the hips, straight arms and relaxed shoulders. Keep the shins near vertical without moving beyond perpendicular.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique

How long should recovery take?

Concept2 offers a one-beat drive and two-beat recovery cue. At 24 strokes per minute, an exact 1:2 ratio gives about 0.83 seconds for the drive and 1.67 seconds for recovery. This is a practice cue, not a HYROX^® movement standard.

Concept2 · PM5: stroke rate and units

What damper setting is used in HYROX^® Singles?

The current preset is 6, with adjustment permitted. Concept2’s suggested 3–5 starting range for training is not a mandatory race setting.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.5 · Concept2 · Damper Setting

Which technique drills can I try?

The manufacturer presents legs-only rowing, arms-and-body rowing, pauses and rhythm counting. Select a manageable option for practice rather than assuming one drill is best for everyone.

Concept2 · Rowing Drills