New? Start here
Start at 20 strokes a minute for 10 minutes
That is the whole first step. Below: what a stroke rate is, what you will see on screen, and where to go after your first row.
20Your first row20 SPM · 10 minutes · 200 strokesOut Mon, 16 Nov 2026What a stroke rate is
Stroke rate is how many strokes you take in a minute, written SPM (strokes per minute). One stroke runs from the catch, through the drive to the finish, and back on the recovery.
At 20 SPM each stroke takes 3 seconds: about one on the drive and two on the recovery. A lower rate gives you more time for each stroke; a higher rate feels firmer.
- 20SPMEasy and unhurried
- 22SPMA touch brisker
What happens in a video
20 SPM
Row along · 10 min
6:12
3:48
77
of 200
- Start the video. A ten-second “Get ready” countdown gives you time to settle. No talking, no intro.
- Take stroke 1 as the marker leaves the catch.
- Drive as the marker moves from catch to finish, recover as it slides back. The screen says DRIVE and RECOVER.
- At “Session complete”, compare the stroke count on screen with your monitor: 20 × 10 = 200.
Your monitor's stroke-rate reading averages over a few strokes, so do not chase it in the first 30 seconds. Follow the marker instead. In interval sessions the rests are counted back in, and you can pause if you need longer.
Your first four weeks
Ten minutes at 20 strokes a minute, building to thirty minutes at 22. Three rows a week, in order, with rest days wherever suits you. Time goes up first, then the rate.
| Week | Row 1 | Row 2 | Row 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 min at 20 | 10 min at 20 | 10 min at 20 |
| 2 | 15 min at 20 | 15 min at 20 | 15 min at 20 |
| 3 | 20 min at 20 | 20 min at 20 | 20 min at 22 |
| 4 | 20 min at 22 | 30 min at 20 | 30 min at 22 |
On the plan page you can tick off each row as you go. Ticks are saved in your browser only.
Setting up
- Phone on the monitor arm, or the video on a TV. The screen is big numbers on black, so it reads at a glance.
- Pick a version. Music, Tick only, Silent. The music version goes out first; the music is made at the session's rate, with no click under it.
- Prefer your own music? Find songs that match your rate, or row to the metronome in your browser.
What it does not do
The videos hold a rhythm and a time. They do not set a pace, split, watts or a heart rate, and they do not coach technique. They work on any indoor rower, including a Concept2 RowErg.
New to exercise? Check with a doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.