Rowing for Hikers

Hiking is generally a long steady workout of varying intensity depending on the terrain. If your hike is taking you up a mountain, the intensity often builds as the trail reaches the steeper sections that approach the summit. If you're carrying a pack, good core strength will be an advantage. Rowing will prepare you by improving your endurance as well as your strength.

More often than not, hikes start uphill and end downhill. The climbing makes you most tired; but it's the descending that makes you most sore! Rowing can't completely simulate the downhill eccentric contractions of the leg muscles, but it can generally strengthen those muscles and promote their flexibility.

The Workout

Workout Goal

Prepare for a long hike on varied to steep terrain.

Workout Details

Longer steadier work, with variation in intensity to simulate varied terrain.

  1. Row easily for 5 minutes to warm-up; get off and stretch briefly if you want to.
  2. Row 8 minutes at a moderate conversational pace (the approach).
  3. Row 4 minutes at a moderately intense pace (harder to keep up a conversation).
  4. Row 1 minute easy.
  5. Row 6 minutes at a moderate conversational pace.
  6. Row 3 minutes at a moderately intense pace.
  7. Row 1 minute easy.
  8. Row 4 minutes at a moderate conversational pace.
  9. Row 2 minutes at a moderately intense pace.
  10. Row 2 minutes at an intense pace.
  11. Row 1 minute easy.
  12. Row 2 minutes at a moderate conversational pace.
  13. Row 1 minutes at a moderately intense pace.
  14. Row 1 minute at an intense pace.
  15. Row easily for 5 minutes to cool down.
  16. Stretch.

Total time: 46 minutes

Hiking in New Zealand

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