HYROX Without a Rower: Rowing Substitutes, Ranked
By Threshold
You can train for HYROX without a rower. The Threshold engine swaps the rowing for a substitute matched for time: for the rowing (1,000 m) the closest is skierg, rated closest, which needs a SkiErg, then bike. The app picks the closest match for your kit, and the race estimate still uses the real station.
Stations that need a rower
Substitutes ranked, closest first
| Station | Rank | Substitute | Match | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowing | 1 | SkiErg | closest | a SkiErg |
| Rowing | 2 | Bike | good | a bike |
| Rowing | 3 | Run | good | nothing but floor space |
- SkiErg for the rowing: a closest match at 80% engine fidelity, ranked 1 of 3, needing a SkiErg.
- Bike for the rowing: a good match at 60% engine fidelity, ranked 2 of 3, needing a bike.
- Run for the rowing: a good match at 50% engine fidelity, ranked 3 of 3, needing nothing but floor space.
"Closest" means the movement taxes the same system in roughly the same way; "rough" keeps the time and the effort but not the pattern.
Rowing: 1,000 m
What it taxes. Legs, back and the aerobic system, but it is the one station where good athletes recover. It sits in the middle of the race, after the heart-rate spike of the burpees, and its job is to bring you back under control before the carries.
Technique that survives fatigue. Legs, then back, then arms on the drive; arms, back, legs on the recovery. A long stroke at a low rate (24 to 28 strokes a minute) moves the boat further per pull than a short, frantic one. Keep the handle path flat and the shoulders relaxed, and let the recovery be slow: that is where the breathing happens.
Where the seconds go. Treating it as a sprint. A row 10 seconds faster than your race pace buys very little and hands you a slow farmers carry and a slow run six. The other leak is a rushed recovery, which spikes stroke rate and heart rate without adding speed.
How the app trains it. As with the SkiErg: 500 m pieces in the circuits, the full 1,000 m when it is your focus, and interval work when a benchmark shows it is the station costing you time. The substitute order is SkiErg, then bike, then running for the same time.
What to do about the load
The Rowing carries no load in any division: it is 1,000 m at your own pace. Match the substitute to the time your 1,000 m takes, held at the effort you would race it.
Where to go next
The full race order and every station section live in our guide to the HYROX stations in order. For sled loads on your own sled, use our HYROX sled weight calculator. To put the substitutes into a week, follow our free 8-week HYROX training plan, and if you train mostly at home, read our guide to HYROX training at home.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best HYROX substitute without a rower?
For the rowing: skierg, rated closest.
What equipment do the substitutes need?
SkiErg: a SkiErg. Bike: a bike. Run: nothing but floor space.
Which station needs a rower in HYROX?
Rowing (1,000 m). Every other station can be trained without it.