Rowing vs SkiErg in Hyrox

Two stations separated by runs and other work

The SkiErg follows run 1; rowing follows run 5. Between the machines are Sled Push, Sled Pull and Burpee Broad Jumps, plus runs 2, 3, 4 and 5. Run 6 follows rowing before Farmers Carry. There is no direct SkiErg-to-rowing transition in the race.

Both dampers are preset to 6 in Singles 26/27, and athletes may adjust them. A drag factor of 110–130 is not a rulebook requirement. The manufacturer’s general damper guidance is separate from the competition rule.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1 / §8.5 · Concept2 · Damper Setting

SkiErg: use the whole movement

Concept2 describes double-poling as a full-body movement involving upper body, core and lower body. Its current starting cue is arms bent around 90 degrees, slightly above eye level. Initiate with the core and upper body, hinge at the hips before bending the knees, then bring the handles alongside the thighs.

Do not turn this cue into a prescribed minimum 45-degree torso angle or a promise that every extra centimetre of hinge adds watts. The cited sources do not establish a universal 70–75% upper-body power share or a 30–40% force loss for an arm-first pull.

Concept2 · SkiErg Technique · Winkert et al. (2022)

RowErg: coordinate drive and return

Concept2 describes the rowing drive as legs, then trunk, then arms, with the reverse order on the return. Use a comfortable catch with straight arms and shins approaching vertical; finish with the handle below the ribs and relaxed, flat wrists.

The manufacturer’s technique guidance is not a measurement showing that every athlete produces exactly 60% of power with the legs, 20% with the back and 20% with the arms. Nor does a particular stroke rate by itself diagnose technique. On the PM5, stroke rate and pace are separate measures.

Concept2 · Rowing Technique · Concept2 · PM5 · Winkert et al. (2022)

Compare the requirements, not invented benchmarks

Singles 26/27 requirement	SkiErg	Rowing
Station	1	5
Distance	1,000 m	1,000 m
Immediately preceding run	Run 1	Run 5
Damper preset	6, adjustable	6, adjustable

These are race facts, not target splits for elite, sub-75 or sub-90 athletes. The cited research does not establish a typical 20–50-second difference between the machines, the proposed heart-rate bands or a diagnosis of weak shoulders whenever SkiErg is slower. Compare your own performances without assuming the cause from the time difference alone.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1 / §8.5 · Maunder et al. (2021) · abstract · Winkert et al. (2022)

Choose practice from your own observations

As a coaching approach, observe which movement you are less familiar with and what you want to practise. Try each machine separately before deciding where to spend more training time. A running, CrossFit or rowing background alone does not establish a specific deficit or a guaranteed improvement timeline in the studies cited here.

You may combine the machines for variety. For example, 3 × (500 m SkiErg + 500 m rowing), with chosen recovery between rounds, totals 1,500 metres on each machine and 3,000 metres overall. This is an optional session example, not the most race-specific format or a compulsory workout. Adjust or omit it within your complete plan.

If you want to rehearse the actual order, account for the intervening running and stations. Do not label a 30–60-second machine change as the race transition. The cited evidence does not prescribe two sessions per machine as a universal minimum, or show that six weeks guarantees 15–30 seconds at station 1.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1 / §8.5 · Maunder et al. (2021) · abstract · Winkert et al. (2022)

Keep the research in scope

Maunder’s review concerns changes in physiological profiles during prolonged exercise. Winkert’s study measured energy demands in 14 elite male rowers. Neither is a head-to-head HYROX^® training trial establishing that rowing transfers more to SkiErg than the reverse.

For planning, retain familiarity with each movement you intend to perform. That is a practical recommendation based on the different tasks, not a claim that other training has no benefit or that one machine inevitably causes a fixed time loss at the other. Use training records to review your choices rather than diagnosing “core failure” at 300–400 metres.

Maunder et al. (2021) · abstract · Winkert et al. (2022) · Concept2 · SkiErg Technique · Concept2 · Rowing Technique

FAQ

Which machine is harder in HYROX^®?

The cited sources do not establish one answer for most athletes. The race places SkiErg after run 1 and rowing after run 5, so compare your own experience in the context of the whole event.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1 / §8.5 · Maunder et al. (2021) · abstract · Winkert et al. (2022)

Do SkiErg and rowing use completely different muscle groups?

No. Concept2 describes SkiErg double-poling as full-body work, and the rowing sequence also involves legs, trunk and arms. Different movement patterns do not mean there is no muscular overlap.

Concept2 · SkiErg Technique · Concept2 · Rowing Technique

What damper settings do the rules require?

Singles 26/27 presets both machines to 6 and permits adjustment. The cited rulebook does not prescribe a personal optimum or a drag-factor target of 110–130.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1 / §8.5

How often should I practise each machine?

Choose the frequency within your complete preparation. Two sessions each per week is not established here as a universal minimum, and a fixed six-to-eight-week correction is not demonstrated.

Maunder et al. (2021) · abstract · Winkert et al. (2022)

Can another machine replace race-specific practice?

You can choose other activities for training, but the cited sources do not establish an equivalent preparation dose. If the aim is to learn the competition machine’s setup and movement, practise that machine when available.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1 / §8.5 · Concept2 · SkiErg Technique · Concept2 · Rowing Technique · Maunder et al. (2021) · abstract · Winkert et al. (2022)