Want to get a great workout, but feel crunched for time? Check out these rowing machine workouts that maximize whatever time you have available.

In this blog, we’ll dive into different 10-minute, 20-minute, and 30-minute rowing machine workouts you can do on Hydrow to get a terrific full-body workout, no matter your fitness level.

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 window. In each and every stroke, rowing activates the majority of muscles in your body and is one of the best and safest workouts you can do. 

Most rowing workouts use a form of interval training, which is a fantastic way to get more out of your workouts when you’re tight on time:

• High-intensity interval workouts have been shown to burn 25-30% more calories than non-interval workouts done in the same timeframe.
• High-intensity interval workouts lead to a higher metabolic rate for several hours after exercise. 
• High-intensity interval workouts can improve your blood sugar levels according to an analysis of 50 different scientific experiments.

Related Read: How long should you work out on a rowing machine?

At Hydrow, we have three different types of rowing workouts – Drive, Sweat, and Breathe – to meet your goals and needs. To give you an idea of what programming at Hydrow looks like from week to week, below are a few examples of how much you can get accomplished in just 10, 20, or 30 minutes of exercise.

Rowing machine workouts: 10-minute workout ideas

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 on Hydrow:

• 10-minute Drive: 
• 10-minute Drive: 
• 10-minute Sweat: 
• 10-minute Sweat: 2-minute warmup, then four 2-minute sets.
• 10-minute Breathe: Two rounds of: 
• 10-minute breathe: A pyramid: 

Rowing machine workouts: 20-minute workout ideas

20-minute workouts are the quintessential workout at Hydrow. Why? In just 20 minutes, you get a nice dose of endorphins and a flurry of additional health benefits. 

As our Former Director of Research and Innovation Dr. Kristin Haraldsdottir points out, 20 minutes gives you the physical and psychological benefits you need to get through your day. Here are a few recent workouts to give you inspiration.

• 20-minute Drive: 3-minute warmup, then three 5-minute sets of: 
• 20-minute Drive: 2-minute warmup, 2-minute jog pace, then four 4-minute sets consisting of:
• 20-minute Sweat: 3-minute warmup, then three 5-minute sets of: 
• 20-minute Sweat: 3-minute warmup, then five 3-minute sets of: 
• 20-minute Breathe: 4-minutes at 22 rhythm at jog pace, then: 
• 20-minute Breathe: 

Hydrow also has short warmup and cooldown workouts you can mix and match, so another option would be to tack on a 10-minute warmup or 10-minute cooldown to a 10-minute session, or tack on a 5-minute session of each to create 20 minutes. Workouts are designed to be easy to connect to meet your fitness goals and needs.

Rowing machine workouts: 30-minute workout ideas

Ready to go long? 30-minute workouts are great for building strength and endurance, and when you have the right program to focus on the time can really fly by. 30-minute rowing sets usually consist of smaller subsets called “pieces” that rowers will do to set their pace.

Navigate a challenging workout with one of these 30-minute workouts:

• 30-minute Drive: 6-minute warmup at 22 rhythm at jog pace, followed by eight 3-minute sets:
• 30-minute Drive: 
• 30-minute Sweat: 
• 30-minute Sweat:
• 30-minute Breathe: 
• 30-minute Breathe: 

Non-rowing workouts that complement rowing

Did you know Hydrow also has a full library of workouts that take place entirely off the rowing machine? If you want to move your body and want a rest day from the rower, Hydrow’s On The Mat collection features an array of awesome workouts designed to round out your fitness regimen. You really can get a complete fitness regimen out of one machine!

On The Mat workouts that perfectly compliment your rowing workouts:

• Christie recently taught a 15-minute obliques-focused Pilates class.
• Peter recently taught a 15-minute hip and glute strength class.
• Channing recently taught a 15-minute alignment-focused vinyasa yoga class.
• Owen recently taught a 15-minute de-stressing yoga class.

If you’re really strapped for time, Christie’s 5-minute all-abs pilates class will have you sweating in seconds flat!

On the Hydrow rowing machine, the 22-inch touch screen rotates 25 degrees in either direction to make off-rower activity easy and spacious. Our mobile app makes it equally as convenient when you’re away from your Hydrow.

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.