Try These 7 Quick Rowing Machine Workout Ideas (All Under 20 Minutes!)

It’s no secret that many people find it difficult to squeeze a workout into their busy schedules. However, one of the major benefits of incorporating rowing into your fitness routine is that you don’t have to dedicate hours of your day toward exercising. Even short rowing machine workouts can provide you with massive benefits!

If you’re feeling crunched for time, the Hydrow rowing workouts below can all be completed in under 20 minutes — whether you’re looking for a 10-minute rowing workout, a 15-minute rowing workout, or a 20-minute rowing workout to check your daily exercise off your to-do list.

Let’s get started! 

Why rowing workouts can be short and sweet

The great thing about rowing is that it’s an effective, full-body workout that can be completed in a short time frame. In each stroke, rowing activates the majority of muscles in your body, meaning that you can do more in less time and receive the same cardiovascular, fat-burning, and muscle-building benefits as other types of workouts.

Most rowing workouts use a form of interval training, which is a great way to get more out of your workouts when you’re tight on time. High-intensity interval workouts offer a multitude of benefits, including: 

• Burning 25% to 30% more calories than non-interval workouts done in the same time frame. 

• Leading to a higher metabolic rate for several hours after exercise.

• Improving your blood sugar levels.

Rowing machine workouts are also fantastic if you’re looking for opportunities to cross-train with other types of workouts. Rowing can easily be combined with other cardio exercises like running or biking or other workout types like yoga, pilates, and circuit training (more on that later!). 

Looking for some short rowing workouts that you can do from the comfort of home? Check out our picks for 10-minute, 15-minute, and 20-minute rowing workouts below: 

10-minute rowing workouts

Ten minutes can feel like not much time, but you can really get a lot done when you have the right structure. The key is to warm up in a quick, efficient way to leave as much time as possible for your actual workout. 

Here are some examples of 10-minute rowing machine workouts Hydrow offers: 

Try This 10-Minute Rowing Machine Workout to Nail Your Rowing Rhythm

This 10-minute rowing workout from Hydrow Athlete Sera Moon takes you through Miami Beach, Florida, and is specifically designed to help you practice taking more consistent strokes on your rowing machine. By keeping you at a run pace, this workout is all you need to work up a sweat! 

Try This 10-Minute, High-Intensity Rowing Workout in Stunning Alaska

Join Hydrow Athletes Nick and Dani as they navigate high-intensity rowing workout intervals (and icebergs!) beneath the Aialik Glacier near Seward, Alaska. This quick rowing workout takes just 10 minutes to work your entire body.

Tackle This 10-Minute HIIT Rowing Workout in Beautiful Norway

Join Hydrow Athlete Laine in this 10-minute HIIT rowing workout in stunning Bergen, Norway. This express bootcamp HIIT workout will have you tackling quick, 30-second intervals to bring your rowing machine HIIT game to the next level.

Hydrow's 10-Minute Rowing Workout with Athlete Aisyah in Norway

Enjoy this 10-minute rowing workout from Hydrow with Athlete Aisyah. Located in scenic Bergen, Norway, this workout is a Drive-style Hydrow workout. Hydrow’s Drive workouts push you to see your lowest splits in a HIIT workout format with close to equal rest and work times.

15-minute rowing workouts

Have a little more time on your hands? Check out this 15-minute rowing workout: 

Test Your Endurance With This 15-Minute Rowing Workout in Switzerland

This 15-minute rowing workout from Hydrow Athletes Mac and Nick will help you build your stamina and endurance while burning a ton of calories. Jump on your rowing machine and you’ll be immediately transported to the mountains of Switzerland, where Mac and Nick will lead you through two three-minute intervals at 24, two two-minute intervals at 26, and a one-minute interval at 28.

20-minute rowing workouts

Twenty-minute workouts are the quintessential workout at Hydrow? Why? Because by working out for just 20 minutes, you can get a nice dose of endorphins and a flurry of additional health benefits. Here are two great 20-minute workouts to add to your routine: 

20-Minute Staircase Rowing Workout in Vancouver

Explore Vancouver in this 20-minute staircase rowing workout. As you work up and down through the slower rhythms of 16 to 24, you'll be able to focus on improving the efficiency and mechanics of each of your strokes.

Hydrow's 20-Minute Rowing Machine Workout with Athletes Laine and Dani

Sweat your way through this 20-minute intense rowing workout with Hydrow Athletes Laine and Dani. Filmed in scenic Whittier, Alaska, this workout is going to challenge you through 20 minutes of a HIIT-style rowing workout. Explore beautiful Alaskan waters while you row with Laine and Dani and push through each interval.

Bonus: Non-rowing workouts to complement your rowing routine

As mentioned above, doing shorter rowing workouts means that you can free up some time to cross-train with other types of workouts. If you’re looking to combine your cardio rowing workout with on-the-mat exercises to really round out your fitness regimen, check out our short non-rowing workouts below: 

Short pilates exercises to complement your rowing workout

A Quick, 5-Minute Pilates Workout to Rock Your Core

Feel the burn from the rolling green hills of the Tuscany countryside in this five-minute core burn pilates workout from Hydrow Athlete Christie. In just a couple of minutes, you’ll work the sides of your waist and your obliques from your knees, making this express core workout the perfect option for days when your time is short.

20-Minute Whole-Body Pilates Workout in Stunning Marina Del Rey

Join Hydrow Athletes Christie and Mike for this 20-minute whole-body pilates workout in beautiful Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles. This pilates workout will take you through circuits of three pilates exercises meant to work your entire body.

Short yoga exercises to complement your rowing workout

Kick Your Energy Into High Gear With This 15-Minute Yoga Workout

Get ready to take on the world with this 15-minute energizing yoga workout from Hydrow Athletes Owen and Mac. While yoga may be commonly associated with relaxation and mental stillness, this dynamic session from Rosecliff Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, can help you infuse some energy into your day. 

Find Your Breath and Stillness in This 10-Minute Restorative Yoga Workout

Focus on your breathing in this 10-minute restorative yoga workout from Hydrow Athlete Owen. Not only do meditation and guided breathing improve your body’s ability to function efficiently, but they also teach your body and mind how to recover and gear up for the next challenge ahead.

Short mobility exercises to complement your rowing workout

Warm Up From Anywhere With This 10-Minute Standing Dynamic Mobility Workout

While it can be tempting to dive in headfirst to your workout routine, warming up before exercise is always important. Check out this 10-minute warmup exercise from Hydrow Athlete Peter to prepare your body to run, swim, bike, or row. Stay standing the entire time as you work on your balance, engage your core and boost the mobility of your hips, ankles, and upper body.

Stretch Out Your Hips and Back With This 15-Minute Mobility Workout

Improve your function and flexibility while building up your strength with this mobility workout from Hydrow Athlete Peter. Most of us tend to forget how important our joints and their range of motion are to get the most out of any workout program, but this 15-minute back and hip workout will help support these corrective movements and boost your overall mobility.

Short bodyweight strength workouts to complement your rowing routine

20-Minute Circuit: Beginner Bodyweight EMOM Workout With Rina

This 20-minute circuit training exercise from Hydrow Athlete Rina is the perfect workout for beginners, combining a whole-body workout on a mat with 90-second intervals on your Hydrow rowing machine. This blend of bodyweight strength and rowing will keep your heart rate working in the conditioning zone so you’ll continue to burn calories for at least another two to three hours after this quick workout.

Mix It Up With This 20-Minute Bodyweight Strength Workout

Variety is important for an exercise program because it helps you effectively target your whole body’s strength. In this 20-minute bodyweight strength exercise from Hydrow Athletes Peter and Nick, you’ll actively work your core as you transition from one exercise to the next — and in just 20 minutes, you’ll have worked your entire body and burned more calories than doing just 20 minutes of cardio.

Short ab workouts to complement your rowing exercises

Boost Your Core Strength With This 10-Minute Ab Workout

This 10-minute ab exercise from Hydrow Athlete Peter will help boost your core strength and improve the power behind your other workouts, whether you’re rowing, running, or lifting.

The Best 10-Minute Ab Workout Video to Strengthen Your Core

Use this 10-minute ab workout and bodyweight session to fire up your core. This is the best 10-minute ab workout to fit into your exercise routine and efficiently target those key core muscles.

Final takeaways

Working out doesn’t have to be an hours-long time commitment. In fact, when you have an exercise routine that promises a full-body workout, you can get better results in far less time — and have fun along the way! Hydrow offers everything you need to achieve a full-body workout in the comfort of your own home.

Learn more about us here!