These Rowing WODs will help you build better endurance and skill on the rowing machine.
Rowing is an important skill for all CrossFit athletes to master, and testing yourself under a wide array of different modalities is a sure-fire way to improve.
Rowing Technique
Check out these excellent videos to improve your rowing technique.
Beginner
Tips from Kristi Eramo O’Connell
Rowing WODs
Scroll down and choose one of our rowing WODs that you like the look of.
WOD 1 – Jackie
For Time
- 1,000 metre Row
- 50 Thrusters (45/35 lb bar)
- 30 Pull-Ups
Complete the work in the order written: 1,000 Metre Row, then 50 Thrusters, then 30 Pull-Ups.
Score is the time it takes to complete all the work.
Good Times for “Jackie”
– Beginner: 10-12 minutes
– Intermediate: 7-10 minutes
– Advanced: 6-7 minutes
– Elite: <6 minutes
Tips and Strategy
To achieve a “Jackie” time of 10 minutes or less, the Row must be at 85%-90% of your fastest 1K Row pace and the Thrusters and Pull-Up reps need to be either unbroken or completed in a few big sets.
If you can’t go unbroken yet, try one of these rep schemes:
- Thrusters: 25/15/10 or 13/13/12/12
- Pull-Ups: 15/10/5 or 8/8/7/7
If you don’t know your 1K Row pace, you’ll want to figure that out before trying this workout. Beginners may aim to complete the row in 4:00-4:30; intermediate athletes may aim for something closer to 3:15-3:30.
Intended Stimulus
The intensity of “Jackie” is high.
The combination of a fast 1K Row, and unbroken or large sets of Thrusters and Pull-Ups should prove to be a major cardiovascular challenge.
The load should feel light on the Thrusters. The volume of Pull-Ups should be low enough to where you can get most (if not all) of the reps done in one set.
The only time you should truly rest during “Jackie” is when you’re done with the workout.
“Jackie” is meant to feel light and should be done fast. The intensity should be high. Reduce the load and/or the skill level so you can finish this WOD in around 10 minutes or less.
Scaling Options
Intermediate
For time:
- 1,000 metre Row
- 50 Thrusters (35/22 lb)
- 30 Pull-Ups
Beginner
For time:
- 800 metre Row
- 35 Thrusters (22/12 lb)
- 20 Ring Rows
WOD 2 – Fight Gone Bad
3 Rounds for Total Reps in 17 minutes
- 1 minute Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- 1 minute Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (75/55 lb)
- 1 minute Box Jumps (20 in)
- 1 minute Push Press (75/55 lb)
- 1 minute Row (calories)
- 1 minute Rest
How do you perform the “Fight Gone Bad” workout?
Perform 1 minute of work at each of the 5 stations. Move immediately to the next station after 1 minute. The clock does not reset or stop between exercises.
One-minute break is allowed before repeating each round. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.
How do you score the “Fight Gone Bad” workout?
Score is the total cumulative number of repetitions completed of all movements in all 3 rounds.
What is a good score for the “Fight Gone Bad” workout?
– Beginner: 150-250 reps
– Intermediate: 250-350 reps
– Advanced: 350-450 reps
– Elite: 500+ reps
What are the tips and strategy to use for the “Fight Gone Bad” workout?
While there is often a lot of strategy and gaming in workouts like this, today we are looking to simply find a balance of constantly moving while not hitting a wall of muscular fatigue.
It will be slightly different for each athlete, but the goal is to move as much as possible within each 5-minute round and save rest (to the extent possible) for the designated rest periods.
Rather than trying to keep track of reps at each station, athletes can keep a running count. For example, if athletes get 20 Wall Ball Shots in the first minute, they can count their first couple Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls as 21, 22, 23…and so on.
What is the intended stimulus for the “Fight Gone Bad” workout?
“Fight Gone Bad” is meant to be light and fast. You should keep the intensity high so you feel breathless throughout the WOD.
If you’re asking yourself what your name is after time is called, you did it right.
How do you scale the “Fight Gone Bad” workout?
Most athletes should be able to stick with the interval pattern. Beginners should reduce the loading and height of the box. Intermediate athletes can handle the prescribed loading in this workout.
Beginner
Men: 10-lb. ball to 9-ft., 45-lb. SDHP and press, 15-in. box
Women: 6-lb. ball to 9-ft., 35-lb. SDHP and press, 12-in. box
Rowing WODs 3 – Sixy
20 min AMRAP
- 6 DB Alt Arm Snatch
- 6 Burpees
- 6 KB Russian Swings
- 6 Lunges
- 6 H/R Push ups
- +6 Cal Row
Your goal here is to work though the task of 6 reps for each of the 5 movements with the 6th movement the Cal Row increasing by 6 cal per round
Score is total reps + cals in 20 min
Rowing WODs 4 – Zeus
3 Rounds for Time
- 30 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- 30 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (75/55 lb)
- 30 Box Jump (20 in)
- 30 Push Presses (75/55 lb)
- 30 calorie Row
- 30 Push-Ups
- 10 Back Squats (Bodyweight)
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for 3 rounds. Take the Back Squats from a rack.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of Back Squats is completed.
Tips and Strategy
This chipper WOD is a long grind. Break up the reps into small, manageable sets from the beginning to avoid burnout.
Be aware that the crux of this workout is round 2 and be prepared for the impending mental toughness test. Make sure the workout is written in big letters and is easily seen as to not waste time trying to see what movement comes next.
Intended Stimulus
This Hero WOD should feel both mentally and physically exhausting. The load on all movements should feel pretty light, with the exception of the Back Squat—that should feel moderate. With the huge variety of movements, high volume, and light loads, the athlete should feel breathless from the beginning of the workout—this is a cardiovascular test.
Scaling Options
Begin by scaling the load and/or skill level of the movements (see: Box Jump Scaling). From there, as needed, scale the volume so there’s no need for big, long rest breaks. Take care not to scale too much volume out of “Zeus”— the benefit is in the grind.
Beginner A
3 Rounds for Time
- 30 Wall Ball Shots (14/10 lb)
- 30 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (45/35 lb)
- 30 Box Jump (12 in)
- 30 Push Presses (45/35 lb)
- 30 calorie Row
- 30 Push-Ups
- 10 Back Squats (45/35 lb)
Beginner B
3 Rounds for Time
- 20 Wall Ball Shots (14/10 lb)
- 20 Sumo Deadlift High-Pull (45/35 lb)
- 20 Box Step-Ups (12 in)
- 20 Push Presses (45/35 lb)
- 20 calorie Row
- 20 Knee Push-Ups
- 10 Back Squats (45/35 lb)
Rowing WODs 5 – Triple 3
For Time
- 3,000 metre Row
- 300 Double-Unders
- 3-mile Run
Scaling Options
Massively reduce the volume. This should be a long-duration workout, but not so long that you die. Try single-unders. Keep it long.
Beginner
For time:
- 1,000-m row
- 100 single-unders
- 1-mile run
Rowing WODs 6 – Recovery Day
3 Rounds, For Calories in 34 minutes
- 2 minutes Air Bike
- 2 minutes Rest
- 2 minutes Row
- 2 minutes Rest
- 2 minutes SkiErg
- 2 minutes Rest
One calorie equals one rep. Score is total calories.
Rowing WODs 7 – Christine
3 Rounds for Time
- 500 metre Row
- 12 Deadlifts (Bodyweight)
- 21 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for 3 rounds.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of Box Jumps is completed.
Good Score for “Christine”
– Beginner: 15-20 minutes
– Intermediate: 12-14 minutes
– Advanced: 9-11 minutes
– Elite: <8 minutes
Tips and Strategy
This is a hamstring-intensive WOD, so be sure to prime your lower body for the movements. Warm-up exercises like Downward Dog, Inchworms, and Cossack Squats are perfect for a workout like “Christine.”
On the Box Jumps, take a few seconds to shake out your legs/get focussed prior to each set. Your legs will be wobbly and fatigued. Missing the jump and hitting your shins on the box is never fun.
Intended Stimulus
Overall, “Christine” should feel challenging and fun.
The Deadlift weight should feel moderate—not too heavy, not too light. The box height should feel very manageable. The most difficult/exhausting part of this WOD will be the Row.
By the 3rd round of rowing, your legs/lungs should be burning. But no big deal—it’s almost over by then!
Scaling Options
The volume in “Christine” is doable for most athletes.
Instead of reducing reps or metres, scale the Box height and/or Deadlift load as needed so you can get these two movements done in one or two sets. Unbroken Deadlifts should be the goal.
Beginner
3 Rounds for Time
- 500 metre Row
- 12 Deadlifts (1/2 Bodyweight)
- 21 Box Jumps (20/12 in)
Rowing WODs 8 – Chuck Heavy
For Time
- 1 mile Row
- 100 Push-Ups
- 1 mile Run
- 100 Thrusters (45/35 lb)
- 1 mile Row
With a running clock perform the prescribed work in the order written as fast as possible (“For Time”).
Score is the time on the clock when the last 1-mile Row is finished.
For the Thrusters, use an empty Barbell.
Rowing WODs 9 – The Hateful Eight
8 Rounds for Time
- 8 Push-Ups
- 8 GHD Sit-Ups
- 8 Air Squats
- 8 Pull-Ups
- 8 Deadlifts (95/65 lb)
- 8 Hang Power Cleans (95/65 lb)
- 8 Shoulder-to-Overheads (95/65 lb)
- 8 calorie Row
With a running clock, complete 8 repetitions of each movement in the order written for 8 rounds, as fast as possible.
Score is the time on the clock when the Row in the 8th round is completed.
Tips and Strategy
Because of the small sets of 8 repetitions for each movement, the transitions give athletes frequent built in rest. Intermediate to advanced athletes should be able to complete the workout in 20-30 minutes.
Aim to do all sets unbroken until you get to the barbell. Aim to do all three barbell movements unbroken, without putting the barbell down each round.
Scaling Options
Beginner athletes may consider reducing the total number of repetitions (eg: by reducing the number of rounds), reducing the load on the barbell, and/or substituting scaled movements for Pull-Ups and GHD Sit-Ups.
Beginner
4 Rounds for Time
- 8 Push-Ups
- 8 Sit-Ups
- 8 Air Squats
- 8 Band-Assisted Strict Pull-Ups
- 8 Deadlifts (75/55 lb)
- 8 Hang Power Cleans (75/55 lb)
- 8 Shoulder-to-Overheads (75/55 lb)
- 8 calorie Row
Rowing WODs 10 – Death Row
EMOM in 20 minutes
- Odd minutes: 20 calorie Row
- Even Minutes: 15 Burpees
On a 20-minute clock, perform the prescribed work every minute on the minute (EMOM). For the odd minutes, the prescribed work is 20 calorie Row. For the even minutes, 15 Burpees are the prescribed number of reps.
However, Jason Khalipa mentioned in the video to check how many calories and burpees you can complete in 50 seconds, then perform the same number of reps in the succeeding rounds.
Score is the total number of repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.
Rowing WODs
If you enjoyed these Rowing WODs then try these Assault Bike or HSPU WODs.
