Our Guide To Rowing 5K & How Many Meters It Is?

Aiming for a 5K rowing distance on your indoor rower is a great achievable distance for beginner rowers, however, your might be wondering how many meters of rowing this is equal to? 

Rowing a 5K on your indoor rowing machine is equivalent to 5000 meters, however in the rowing world compared to running, most people track their rowing time and pace. 

In our guide below, we will discuss why pace matters for your 5000 meters on your rowing machine, what a rowing machine split is, how long your 5K rowing workouts should take you and some tips for performance improvements.

Does Pace Matter More Than Distance?

Having a consistent pace on your rowing machine is extremely important, without a consistent pace as a beginner rower you will have a longer finishing time for your 5K distance. 

Pace matters more than distance for endurance performance as it shows how quickly you can finish a workout and push yourself. 

What Is a Rowing Machine Split? 

The rowing machine split refers to your pace, for example, if it takes your two minutes to row around 500m then your pace for finishing 2km would be an 8 minute and for a 5000-metre rowing race, you would have a finishing time of 20 minutes similar to advanced rowers.

It is important to monitor your pace split while you are rowing so that you can have consistent levels of performance while you are rowing and finish in a good time.

How Long Should a 5K Take Me? 

The time it takes for you to row 5K on your machine depends on your fitness level, as a beginner it could take you up to 30 minutes for example, but for advanced rowers, it could take just 20 minutes. 

As well as the fitness level, the time you finish your row in could also differ according to your weight and strength as well as your stride.

How Many Calories Can I Burn Rowing a 5K?

The calories you burn on a rowing machine depends on your weight and pace, for example, someone rowing at a faster pace in the same amount of time as someone rowing at a slower pace will burn more calories.

On average, however, you could burn up to 250 calories for the workout.

What’s The Best Way To Row a 5K?

5000 meters can feel an impossible distance to row as a beginner, but some strategies can help you come closer to training to row this distance. 

To row 5K we would suggest starting with 2500 metres first then working your way up to 5000 metres, for example, start by rowing 2500 meters at your pace, rest for 10 minutes or however long it took you to row your 2500m then do your next 2500m, try and perform at a similar pace. 

Over time, you can start reducing the time in between both of your rowing races still you can row 5000 meters entirely.

Tips For Rowing Your First 5K

For a goal of rowing 5K, you need to work your way up gradually, so to help you out we’ve listed our best tips below for rowing your first 5000 meters.

• Check your stroke rate – Keeping an eye on your stroke rate while rowing your 5K is important, this will determine how fast you will finish your 5K race, try to maintain your pace throughout your race.
• Consider form – The form while rowing is very important, there is a saying in rowing called, arms, legs, hips to remind you to keep the form on all parts of your body while rowing.
• Push and drive with your legs – Have a strong push with your leg while on the catch part of your rowing machine, pulling will not help if you are not pushing strong enough with your legs. 
• Keep posture – Having a straight neutral spine while rowing is very important, this prevents any injury when rowing your 5K, be aware of your hips and torso position too.
• Focus on your split at 1500m – at 1500mm, try to keep lowering your split. This will prepare you to finish your race faster without sprinting at the end.
• Find a rhythm – A rhythm is important, this is what gets you into your rowing flow and sets a consistent pace, by at least 1000m into your row you should be in your rhythm, not too short or too long.

Frequently Asked Questions About How Many Meters Is 5K On a Rowing Machine

What do the recovery and catch mean on a rowing machine? 

The beginning of a stroke on a rowing machine is the catch, where you push your legs, the recovery part of your rowing stroke is when you end your stroke so you can catch your breath and begin your next stroke.

Is 30 minutes a good time for rowing a 5K? 

30 minutes is not a bad rowing time for a 5k, especially if you are a beginner rower.

How many meters is 2K on a rowing machine?

Rowing 2K on a rowing machine is 2000 meters.

Can rowing 5K help me to lose weight?

Yes, rowing is a great exercise to help you lose weight and training for a 5K can help you lose weight by burning calories daily, this in combination with a calorie deficit will help you to shed the pounds.

What does a rowing machine split mean? 

The split on a rowing machine refers to how long it takes you to row 500m, the lower the split, the faster you are rowing.

Last Words 

Overall, rowing a 5K is equal to 5000 meters, it’s a fairly long distance and does require some training, you should be able to finish a 5K in between 20-30 minutes depending on your fitness level. We suggest making sure you maintain a pace of around 2/500m, this will ensure you finish your 5K at a good time and remember to maintain posture throughout by having a straight back and torso.