Easy 25-minute follow-along rowing workout — any machine, all levels. Plus: the story of how I ended up at the World Championships. Alone.

Row 52 of the 25 by 5 series — 25 minutes of rowing, 5 days a week, on whatever machine you've got. Low intensity, no pressure, just move.

Today's technique focus: the recovery. Why chain height at the catch matters, why most people are stiff on the way forward, and a three-word cue that changes everything — relax, tilt, float.

Then the story picks up. I won gold at the English Champs in 2015 — two weeks later I was on a plane to Boston for the World Indoor Rowing Championships. No team. No coach. Just me. I wander through a frozen Boston Common the night before, sit at a Concept2 breakfast surrounded by strangers, and then I see the venue. Crash B. "Oh my, what have I done?"

Race day tomorrow.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Always consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme. Exercise at your own risk.

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Row along with me for an easy, no-pressure follow-along low intensity rowing workout that's genuinely good for your fitness. Great for beginners or anyone who just wants to move on any rowing machine.

This one also marks a rebrand – I'm renaming the series "25 by 5" (25 minutes, 5 days a week) for Season 2. Let me know in the comments what you think. Does it work?

This is row 51 and I'm rowing in my hoodie, which tells you everything you need to know about the intensity today. I take you through machine setup first – resistance, seat position, foot stretchers – and then we get going on the EXR Desert 8 course.

Once we're moving I get into technique, covering the most common thing people miss: it's not how far you slide, it's your posture. Hinging over your hips into the front of the machine changes everything. I also share a genuinely useful tip – hang a medal round your neck while you row. If it flies up into your field of view, your back is swinging too early. Keep an eye out for the short video on that one.

Then I pick up my rowing story. After a humbling British Champs, the Free Spirits team helped me raise my game – and I arrived at the English Champs having actually got faster. I also talk through what really happens in a 2K race: the ATP cream, the burn that kicks in at 90 seconds, and why you just have to not fear it. There's a cowbell. I'll say no more.

Boston World Champs tomorrow.

After your row: drink, shower, eat – and tell someone you love them. Aggressively, if necessary.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Always consult a doctor or qualified health professional before starting any new exercise programme. Exercise at your own risk. I am not a medical professional or certified fitness instructor. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or discomfort.

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Sometimes music just doesn't cut it. Especially on a rowing machine, going backwards and forwards in the same spot, staring at the same wall. That's exactly why I make these. On a low intensity row like this one, you don't have the fact that you're breathing out your eyeballs to keep you entertained – so I show up instead. Think of me as the company you didn't know you needed.

Today is row 49 in this daily series, and it's another easy, no-pressure 25 minutes on the machine. I take you through machine setup first – resistance, foot straps, seat position, handle grip – and then we get straight into it.

Once we're moving I spend a few minutes on technique. I take you through the full stroke sequence from the finish: how the handle should leave your chest, the one o'clock forearm position before you bend your knees, the sticky tape trick for finding your shins-vertical catch point, and why the hip swing comes later than most people think.

Then I pick up my rowing story where I left off. I'm in London for the British Indoor Rowing Championships at Lee Valley Velodrome.

After your row: drink, shower, eat – in whatever order works – and find someone that means something to you and tell them you love them.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Always consult a doctor or qualified health professional before starting any new exercise programme. Exercise at your own risk. I am not a medical professional or certified fitness instructor. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or discomfort.

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A Rowing machine workout to row along with – low intensity, 25 minutes, great for every single day. I'm on the EXR hill loop course today, and whether you're just getting moving for the first time or you've been rowing with me all week, this one's for you.

I kick off with a quick machine setup – resistance, seat position, foot straps, handle grip – and then we're straight into it. A few minutes in I walk through the rowing stroke recovery sequence in detail: how the handle should feel as it touches your chest, why "hands away, sit up" is the cue that fixes most people's posture problems, and how to slide to shins vertical without thinking about it.

Then I catch you up on the weekend. I filmed a 2K test on a £30 rowing machine I found on Facebook Marketplace – an old York R301 – and the result genuinely surprised me. Go find that video if you haven't already.

From there I get back into my rowing story. After winning my first ever race and picking up silver at the English Champs, I signed up for the British Indoor Rowing Championships at the Lee Valley Velodrome in London. This is where things started to feel serious. I talk about flying down the night before, the walk to the venue with music in my ears, packing the pre-race nerves into a bag and leaving them at the door – and I leave you sitting in the corridor, headphones on, waiting for my name to be called. The race itself? That's tomorrow's problem.

After your row: shower, eat, drink, tell someone you love them.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Always consult a doctor or qualified health professional before starting any new exercise programme. Exercise at your own risk. I am not a medical professional or certified fitness instructor. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or discomfort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Row along with me for a low intensity rowing machine workout – around 25 minutes of easy, consistent rowing that's genuinely good for you. This is the kind of workout you can do every single day: no pressure, no performance, just you and me rowing together.

I start by walking you through machine setup – drag factor, seat position, foot straps and grip – so you're ready to row comfortably and effectively. Once we're moving, I talk through some technique cues I've been working on myself: keeping heels connected at the front, fixing a back wobble I spotted in my own footage, and how to handle the recovery phase without rushing the handle away. There's also a deep dive into the 30-minute rate-capped workout for anyone who wants to improve their power and fitness on the rowing machine.

Midway through I share my training plan for the rest of the year – then I settle into the next part of my personal rowing story: after my first real taste of competitive indoor rowing, winning my category at the Scottish Indoor Champs (which I covered yesterday), I head down to the English Champs at the Manchester Velodrome – where things got a lot more serious.

If you're new to the channel, these are daily follow-along rows. You don't have to hit 5K – the 20 or so minutes of rowing is what matters. Come back every day, row with me, and you'll feel the difference.

After the row: have a shower, eat something, drink something, and tell someone you love them. That's the deal.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor or a qualified health professional before starting any new exercise programme. Exercise at your own risk. I am not a medical professional or certified fitness instructor. Listen to your body and stop if you feel pain, dizziness or discomfort.

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Row 5K with me in this steady 25 minute rowing machine workout. While we hit a consistent 20spm, I'll share how I discovered online rowing racing, joined Free Spirits team, and won my first gold medal (except I didn't actually win it).

THE WORKOUT: 25 Minutes total time. We are aiming for a steady row at 20 strokes per minute. This is a low-intensity, Zone 2 row perfect for building endurance.

Why this workout? Consistent easy rowing at low intensity builds your aerobic base better than occasional max-effort sessions. Stick with me for the full 25 minutes to build real fitness.

#rowing #concept2 #homefitness #5Keveryday #rowingmachine #cardioworkout

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Row 5K with me in this steady 25 minute rowing machine workout. While we hit a consistent 20spm, I'll share the story of how meeting Mark Beaumont—and a nasty cycling crash—led me to indoor rowing.

25 Minutes total time. We are aiming for a steady 5000m pace at 20 strokes per minute. This is a low-intensity, Zone 2 row perfect for building endurance.

Why this workout? Stick with me for the full 5K to build your aerobic base. If you need to bail out early, there is a natural pause point at the 15-minute mark!

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Easy rowing workout, 25 minutes, low intensity — the kind that actually builds your fitness base. Monday morning company while you row at a conversational pace around 20 strokes per minute. This isn't a throwaway session. Consistent easy rowing beats occasional max-effort workouts every time.

I'm rowing 5K every day throughout 2026 and you're welcome to join me. The "5K" is just a catchy title — what matters is getting 22-25 minutes of rowing in your body. Finish before me? Cool down. Need more time? I keep chatting. It's about the time on the machine, not the distance.

The workout:

5,000 meters at easy, conversational pace

Around 19-20 strokes per minute

Takes approximately 22 minutes + cooldown

Zone 2 intensity — building fitness without burnout

What you'll get:

✅ Solid cardio that builds your engine instead of wrecking you

✅ Full technique breakdown: handle to sternum, arms away first, sit up, tilt forwards, push with your feet

✅ Machine setup: drag factor, seat position (sit forward!), foot plate height

✅ My origin story continues: how video editing at Rathbone Training led to Cardonaldl College, meeting Julie while she studied law, thinking "I need to step up if I want to keep this girl," working at Fairline making corporate TV, going freelance, joining the BBC, and eventually working on a Horizon

The backdrop today is EXR's Henley Homecoming course. Free trial at exrgame.com — use code RA26 for 15% off (I get nothing, you get a discount).

Row at whatever pace works for you. Some of you will finish before me, some after. The point is just to show up and row.

Pro tip: Start rowing during my intro if you need extra time for your 5K!

Follow along with me for stroke rate and company. You should be able to talk the whole way through — I definitely could!

#rowing #concept2 #homefitness #5Keveryday #rowingmachine #cardioworkout #exrgame

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