Station 5 of 81,000 m

HYROX Rowing

The fifth station is 1,000 m on a Concept2 rower, straight after the burpee broad jumps. Good rowers drive with the legs, keep a calm stroke rate with real power behind each stroke, and finish with enough left for the farmers carry and the second half of the race.

Leg drive: quads and glutes supply most of the power
Posterior chain and core to hold a long, braced back through the swing
Upper back and lats to finish the stroke
Aerobic power, at roughly the halfway point of the race when the legs are already tired

All divisions: no load; damper preset to 6, footplate preset to position 4, both adjustable

The perfect rep, in three positions

Side view. The darker arm and leg are nearest you; dashed lines show the alignment to hold.

Step 1
Compressed and ready
At the catch you're forward on the slide with your shins about vertical, arms straight and your body leaning slightly forward from the hips. Your back is long and braced, not rounded, so the legs can push into a solid platform.
- Shins vertical
- Arms long
- Lean from the hips, not the lower back
- Feet pressed into the footplate
Step 2
Legs, then body, then arms
Push hard through the footplate with your legs first while your arms stay straight and your torso holds its angle. Once the legs are nearly flat, swing your body back slightly and let the arms take over at the end.
- Push the floor away
- Arms stay straight until the legs are down
- Hang off the handle
- Power, not panic
Step 3
Strong finish, slow return
Finish with your legs flat, a slight lean back and the handle drawn into your lower ribs with your elbows past your body. Then reverse the order on the way back, arms, body, legs, taking about twice as long to return as you took to drive.
- Handle to the lower ribs
- Shoulders down, not shrugged
- Hands away before the knees bend
- Two counts back for every one out

Common faults and how to fix them

The fault

The fix: legs, then body, then arms

What it looks like: The elbows bend as soon as the drive starts, so the arms pull before the legs have pushed.
Why it costs you: Your arms are the smallest muscles in the chain. Pulling early wastes the leg drive, shortens the stroke and tires your grip and biceps before the farmers carry.
The fix: Think of your arms as ropes connecting the handle to your body until your legs are almost flat. Practice legs-only and legs-and-body strokes at low rates to feel the sequence.

The fault

The fix: compressed and ready

What it looks like: At the catch you slide too far forward, with your shins past vertical, your back rounded and your shoulders reaching over your toes.
Why it costs you: Over-compression puts your legs in a weak position and loads your lower back. You lose power at the start of every drive and fatigue the back you still need for the carry and lunges.
The fix: Stop the slide when your shins are vertical and keep your chest proud as you lean from the hips. If you can't get there without rounding, check your footplate and strap position.

Pacing targets

Rough ranges to plan around, not official cut-offs. Your division, the floor and the run before it all move the number.

First race
about 4:45–5:30
Row at an effort you could hold for much longer, around your 5,000 m pace, at a steady 24–28 strokes per minute. HYROX Data Lab's average across all divisions is about 5:06, so finishing near there with good legs is a solid result.
Intermediate
about 4:00–4:45
Take the first 10–15 strokes a touch easier to settle your breathing after the burpee broad jumps, then lock onto your target 500 m split. Hold it evenly and lift the rate slightly in the last 250 m.
Advanced
about 3:30–4:00
Hold an even or slightly negative split at a firm but sustainable rate, typically in the high 20s to low 30s. Don't empty the legs, since the farmers carry and lunges come next.

Breathing

Breathe out on the drive and in on the recovery, one breath per stroke. At higher rates or effort, add a second quick breath as you come forward.

Kit

Set the damper to what you train on (it starts at 6, and Concept2 suggests around 3–5 for most athletes) and adjust the footplate so the strap crosses the widest part of your foot. Gloves are permitted but most racers don't need them here, and chalk isn't allowed at the rower.

Standards

From the 26/27 HYROX rulebook, in plain English.

✓The judging team resets the monitor before you start.
✓The damper is preset to 6 for all divisions, and you can change it as often as you like.
✓The footplates are preset to position 4, and you can adjust them to your preferred setting before you begin.
✓You must stay seated on the rower until the full 1,000 m is complete.
✓You can stop at any time, put the handle back in its holder and rest with your feet in or out of the foot plates.
✓You can't stand up, leave the seat or get off the rower until 1,000 m is done and a judge has confirmed it.
✓Use only the rower the Race Crew assigns you; you can't choose your own machine.

Penalties

What a judge can give you at this station.

!First infringement of the rowing standards (for example leaving the seat): formal warning
!Second infringement: 15-second penalty
!Each further infringement: another 15 seconds, with no more warnings
!Leaving the rower before 1,000 m: disqualification (incomplete station)
!Using a rower not assigned by the Race Crew: 2 minutes per infringement
!Using chalk at the rower: 2 minutes (chalk is only allowed at the sled pull and farmers carry)

Drills to get better

1
Pick drill
Row 10 strokes arms only, 10 arms and body, then 10 half slide and 10 full slide, twice through. It builds the legs-body-arms order that stops early arm bend.
2
Low-rate power strokes
3–4 x 3 minutes at 20–24 strokes per minute, trying to hit your race split with fewer, stronger strokes. It teaches power per stroke instead of spinning.
3
500 m race-pace repeats
4–6 x 500 m at your target 1,000 m split with 90 seconds rest. It grooves the pace so you can hold it on race day without checking the monitor every stroke.
4
Row-to-run bricks
2–3 rounds of 1,000 m row at race pace, then step off and run 800 m–1 km. It trains the transition from the rower to running on tired legs.
5
Catch position pause
Row 5 minutes easy, pausing 2 seconds at the catch every third stroke with shins vertical and back long. It fixes overreaching by teaching where the slide should stop.

Rowing FAQ

What damper setting should I use on the HYROX rower?+

The rower is preset to damper 6, and you can change it as often as you like. Use the setting you train on; Concept2 suggests around 3–5 for most athletes. A higher damper feels heavier but isn't automatically faster.

Can I stop and rest on the HYROX rower?+

Yes. You can stop at any time, put the handle back in its holder and rest with your feet in or out of the foot plates. You must stay seated until 1,000 m is done and a judge has confirmed it.

What is a good HYROX row time?+

HYROX Data Lab's average across all divisions is about 5:06, with a median around 5:01. Many intermediate racers row 4:00–4:45 and strong racers under 4:00. Your recent 1,000 m test time plus a little margin is a better target than any table.

What stroke rate should I row at in HYROX?+

Concept2 suggests around 24–32 strokes per minute for most racers. Power per stroke matters more than rate, so a strong drive at the mid-20s usually beats a fast, light stroke.

What happens if I stand up on the rower before 1,000 m?+

Leaving the seat is an infringement: a formal warning first, then 15 seconds for each one after that. Getting off the rower before the full 1,000 m is a disqualification.

Should I go hard on the HYROX row?+

Not all-out. The row comes at the halfway point, and the farmers carry, lunges and wall balls are still ahead. Row at a firm, controlled effort, around your 5,000 m pace.

The perfect rep, in three positions

Compressed and ready

Legs, then body, then arms

Strong finish, slow return