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Correct breathing during rowing training - how it works

18 October 2024

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FROM Flavio Holstein

When rowing, the question often arises: How do I actually breathe properly? In fact, you shouldn't worry too much about this. It's best to let your breathing come naturally at first. Even if you start out breathing the other way round - inhaling when you pull and exhaling when you roll back - this is not necessarily harmful. The important thing is that you tune into your body and develop a natural breathing routine over time.

In this video, Lars Wichert explains how you can optimise your breathing when rowing in order to row more efficiently and improve your performance. He shows in a simple way how to adapt your breathing rhythm to different stroke frequencies - from relaxed training to competition pace. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced rower, Lars gives helpful tips to help you better integrate your breathing into your movement. Watch the video to learn how you can improve your endurance and efficiency on the water with the right breathing technique. Rowing ergometer can increase!

Basic principle of breathing when rowing

However, if you want to take a closer look at correct breathing, you can use the following principle as a guide, which Lars Wichert, rowing coach at AUGLETICS, explains:
  • Inhale as you move forwards: As you roll forwards and prepare for the next move, breathe in. This phase is more relaxed and offers space for deep breaths.
  • Exhale on the draught: Exhale when you pull backwards with force. This is the phase in which your body exerts the most force - similar to weightlifting.
This breathing rhythm ensures that your muscles are optimally supplied with oxygen and that you can utilise your energy efficiently during training.

Breathing at different intensities

At a low stroke rate, such as 18 to 22 beats per minute, you have enough time for deep, slow breaths. If the intensity increases, for example during interval training at 30 or more beats per minute, your breathing will also become faster. The basic principle of breathing remains the same: inhale as you move forwards, exhale as you pull through.

No cause for concern

So if you're unsure about how to breathe, don't worry. Let your breath flow naturally, and even if you do the opposite of what's recommended, it's not tragic. The key is to feel comfortable and give your body the oxygen it needs.

A person in sportswear uses a rowing machine with an integrated screen for an intensive workout.

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Conclusion:

Breathing should be natural at first and it is not harmful to breathe the other way round at the beginning. The important thing is to feel comfortable and tune into your own body. For an optimised breathing technique, however, the basic rhythm is recommended: inhale during the forward movement and exhale during the powerful pull-through. This rhythm improves the oxygen supply to the muscles and increases the efficiency of the training. At higher stroke frequencies, the breathing speed adapts, but the principle remains the same. Overall, you should not worry too much, but integrate your breathing naturally over time.

About the author

Picture of Flavio Holstein

Flavio Holstein

Flavio Holstein is the founder and CEO of AUGLETICS, a company that brings the sport of rowing directly into the living room with innovative rowing machines. He has been an enthusiastic rower for over 20 years and at times even trained three times a day to make it into the national team. He was twice German runner-up in the four and eight. With a Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Flavio has the necessary background knowledge to combine state-of-the-art technology with sporting efficiency and make rowing accessible to everyone. His vision: to establish rowing as an integral part of everyday life and thus tackle what is probably the biggest health problem of our time - the lack of exercise.

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