OpenTube

Breathing on a Rowing Machine - When to Breathe and How to Relax with your Breath

RowAlong – Follow Along Rowing Machine Workouts

21,950 views

Breathing when on the indoor rowing machine can either be a totally automatic thing that you don’t think about – or you can try to consider how breathing may affect not only your performance, but also your comfort during the row.

Take a moment to work on the timing and efficiency of your breathing when rowing, and you’ll be amazed at how it can settle you down. Where once you may have been tense and tight, the right breathing pattern can settle you into a good, relaxed rowing rhythm.

And if you’re thinking about breathing from a performance point of view – be sure to examine how when you breathe may affect your power output - as well as how it can assist your cardio efficiency over longer rows.

Really when it comes down to it – as long as YOU are comfortable, and you think YOU are performing how you want to – then it doesn’t matter what other people say about when to breathe or how many breaths to take per stroke.

In this video, I cover some of the aspects you may want to think about when it comes to breathing. From the how the timing of WHEN to breathe in the stroke may help to how many breaths you take per stroke can alter how efficient you are.

I also cover some ways to work on improving your breath like Belly Breathing and using the PowerBreathe device as well as how box-breathing can help relax and prepare you for a race.
(https://www.powerbreathe.com/)

If you enjoyed this chat, why not subscribe to this channel - and click the little bell icon so you get notified when I post a new workout - click below
@rowalong

This workout is provided as usual WITHOUT MUSIC. If you want music, why not load up another YouTube tab, or maybe Soundcloud and pick your own tunes.

🔵For more information about drag factor, the plans and what this is all about, head to https://www.rowalong.com For more about indoor rowing in general, go to www.indoorrowinginfo.com🔵

See you in the next video.

ℹ - 2K training paces are based on your current best performance to row 2000m. Set your monitor to 2000m and row it as fast as you can. When you're finished either look at the memory screen for that row, and note the Average /500m pace - or just divide your time by 4 to find that out.

For instance - if you rowed your 2000m in 8:20 - the average pace for 500m is 2:05. It doesn't matter if you started at 1:50 and then slowed down to 2:20 by the end - your average across the whole row is 2:05.

So when I give a pace guide saying "2K + 18 seconds" - that means that you take your 2K time, and add 18 seconds to it (in the above example, 2:05 + 18 = 2:23 pace.) Just be sure to set your monitor so it displays your /500m pace so you can stay on target.

Every time you think you're getting faster, rather than just arbitrarily changing the pace guide - do another 2000m test to find your current 2K average time - and then work from that. ℹ

==================What I use==================

From time to time, people ask what kit I use for rowing and making these videos. So here we go (Affilliate Links):

**Rowing**
https://amzn.to/3cIjma7 Concept 2 Rowing Machine
https://amzn.to/3tjtV96 Polar H7 Heart Rate Sensor
https://amzn.to/3rcCJfa Concept 2 Phone Holder
https://amzn.to/3cufucm Jabra 65t Elite Earbuds
https://amzn.to/3tgeKxB Dyson Fan
https://amzn.to/3tfb9Qr Macbook Pro for RowPro software
https://www.rowalong.com/shop T-shirts

**Filming**
https://amzn.to/3an41c6 Panasonic GH5
https://amzn.to/3oLLefT Tascam DR-05x
https://amzn.to/3arvTvJ Lavalier microphone
https://amzn.to/36vKtBb Neewer Lights
https://amzn.to/3j8GfEt Viltrox Lens Adaptor
https://amzn.to/3amXDld Canon 24-105mm Lens
https://amzn.to/3thWSSP UV Filter Pack

**Editing**
PC with GTX 1080 Video Card and i7 7700K processor.
https://amzn.to/3alOB7P 2 x 28 inch monitors
https://amzn.to/3thakXq 1 x Samsung QLED 4K video monitor
https://amzn.to/3csBEvK 2 x Yamaha HS7 speakers
https://amzn.to/2L8VYah Behringer UMC204HD Audio Box
https://amzn.to/36vF25l Sennheiser HD25 Headphones
https://amzn.to/39DQMVc Davinci Resolve

**Recommendations**
https://amzn.to/3rbe5eT Polar H9 Heart Rate Sensor
https://amzn.to/3pFG1Hs Polar H10 Heart Rate Sensor
https://amzn.to/36t0rvO Wahoo Tickr Heart Rate Sensor
https://amzn.to/3rgFIn3 Garmin HRM Dual Heart Rate Sensor
https://amzn.to/3cpKevg Moofit Heart Rate Sensor
https://amzn.to/36yXObT Apple Watch
https://amzn.to/3an2vGW Floor Mat
https://amzn.to/3akI916 Ski-Erg
https://amzn.to/3tiWJ1N Bike-Erg
https://amzn.to/2Ms8iCZ Saris Hammer (For road bike on Zwift)

#hiit #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingmachine #burncalories

20 Comments

@rowalong Creator 2 years ago Pinned

Although I emphasise the importance of getting CO2 out of the body in this video, it was a little over simplified. It's possible to exhale too much CO2, leading to a condition called respiratory alkalosis. This can cause light-headedness and actually reduce oxygen delivery to tissues due to the Bohr effect. Optimal breathing during rowing is about finding a balance between oxygen intake and CO2 removal, rather than exclusively focusing on getting CO2 out.

@GADesser 5 years ago

Finally, someone that says there is no final, definitive answer to breathing. I like that you present all of the variables.

@MrTruckie247 5 years ago

And yes there are some of us that use the waterrower, and we still enjoy your videos lol keep up the great work

@petermorrison4838 1 year ago

Great discussion John - thanks. This helped me to analyse my breathing - I always thought I was wrong in my breathing style and concluded my need for two breaths per stroke in when sustaining a pace at anything faster than 2k+18 meant my lungs were unfit on account of having been a heavy smoker for 38 years until I stopped 13 years ago. But, now I realise that this is probably just a reasonable natural rhythm. I’ve found that I settle into: in the drive, 1 fast deep exhale; and in the recovery one quick inhale+exhale plus a deep inhale at the last moment before the catch. As the intensity increases I increase the effort and depth of the quick inhale+exhale at the start of the recovery. This all happens automatically without me having to think about it - so I never understood until watching this video. I think I now know where to improve (deepening the recovery first inhale+exhale - so thanks ever so much for this video John !,

@beardpapa34 5 years ago (edited)

Gotta say I’m impressed with the ever increasing quality of your videos. Thanks for posting these!

@girijaedwards 4 years ago

wow, having spent many years,(50) in training in Pranayama,(yogic breathing) , from a true master Yogi, BabaHari Das. I learned to use my yogic breathing techniques in my athletic performances as an amateur Triathlete and trail runner. It worked well. I am now a new Crossfit person and new to rowing machines. Your explanation on breathing was brilliant. The overview was excellent and so detailed. Most importantly you allowed us, as beginners, to learn to find our own rhythm when using this machine. I gained much from your approach, glad you can break it down. The best explanation ever !! Thank you. I clicked and subscribed !!!

@apotheosis27 4 years ago

Excellent, thorough explanation!

@ktrails 3 years ago

Excellent coverage of the topic - I've felt at odds with what I've heard elsewhere, but what to do? Good to hear, interested to think about it this morning in the chair. Also, it becomes obvious how breathing can help if you wear a heart rate monitor and relax your breathing and watch your heartrate fall. Well done!

@CBDB 4 years ago

👍🏽💙 Was pondering about my breathing, and what do you know… you’ve got a excellent video for that! ( I breathe out on leg drive but still mess up my breathing at my nemesis SPM of 22)

@corneliusmentz2910 2 years ago

Another excellent video to learn once again. Cannot express the appreciation we have for you John!

@Xeno_Muller 1 year ago

Fun to listen to. I build my stroke rate around my breathing pattern. The breathing pattern does not change.

@MP-Mauro 3 years ago

I've always followed the bunch saying that you should exhale all through the drive and inhale through the recovery until your lungs are more or less full at the catch, but have always suffered from reflux from my stomach (GERD I think is the medical term). This has got so bad that I nearly thought of quitting rowing altogether. Then, recently, I started to do the exact opposite (in during the drive and out during the recovery, getting almost empty at the catch). I don't know if this affects my performance but it seems to reduce a lot the reflux issue. Do you have any thoughts or experience on this problem?

@elliot.j2 3 years ago

Terrific video on this topic! I read some articles that touched on some of these concepts but didn't describe timing very well, and I watched a couple videos that tried to simplify the topic and didn't really explain the connection between inhale/exhale and posture...

Your explanation was perfect to help me understand how to think about when to inhale and exhale during the stroke, plus even more info about breathing while not rowing! Thanks :)

@chrisjbarrow 5 years ago

Very helpful, this is an area that I struggle with when doing 2k, 1k and 500m sprint's. I can easily end up panting and out of sync with my stroke and struggling to breathe.

@jamesray5293 3 years ago

Hugely helpful, thank you.

@TimmOliver 3 years ago

Thanks, excellent and exhaustive overview of the subject.

@markborchelt2098 2 years ago

Keep up the good work.

@hughtrenchard2573 5 years ago

Excellent video!

@alisonv8859 5 years ago

Thanks John, really interesting. I had never monitored how I breathe while rowing before - realised that out on leg drive seems to be my only way. Curious to play around with other options and look at my power output though!