There’s a common misconception in the fitness world, that performing a single action will result in massive results, huge personal changes, and rapid progress. While there are ‘super’ exercises out there – rowing, swimming, and climbing amongst others – the amount of exercises that result in complete fitness without any support is very short.

Almost any cardiovascular activity – be it rowing or running; cycling or swimming – can be improved upon and optimized with ancillary exercises. Most are anaerobic exercises aimed at improving pulling and pushing power, creating more power during common movements and making endurance activities become less stressful on the muscles and joints involved.

We’ve put together a complete list of the best resistance exercises for rowers. Whether you’re a casual at-home rower that only uses the ergometer occasionally or a full-blown competitive rower, these seven exercises will help you improve your technique, boost your rowing speeds, and get more from your rowing machine practice and on-water exercises.

1. Deadlifts

Ask any athlete about the best exercises for all-round strength and physical performance, and you’ll likely receive a lengthy spiel on the deadlift and its value. This power training exercise has been widely used by Olympic athletes and power trainers since the early 20th century, and is a mainstay of professional weightlifting and sports training routines.

Unlike other weightlifting exercises which result in brute strength but little usable power, the deadlift strengthens muscles used when on a rowing machine. The lifter picks a barbell from the floor and brings it upwards towards their waist, working the entire lower body and back in the process.

Besides improving overall strength, the deadlift is one of the most well-known resistance exercises for improving grip and forearm power. Exercisers looking to lose weight on a rowing machine will benefit from improved grip strength, as it allows them to row for extended periods without hand and forearm soreness.

2. Bodyweight Lunges

Despite the belief that rowing is primarily an upper-body exercise, the vast majority of pushing power involved in a rowing movement comes from the legs. Every pull, no matter how light, depends on your quadriceps – the large muscles in the thighs – for stability and power, especially when proper rowing technique is applied.

If you want to improve your rowing performance and boost the number of calories burned during each and every rowing machine session, boosting the pushing power of your leg muscles is a quick way to do so. Bodyweight lunges are a simple exercise that can be performed almost anywhere, with little potential for injury or discomfort. Slip on a pair of flat shoes and lunge around the garden, living room, or gymnasium to warm yourself up and prepare your thighs for a lengthy rowing session.

3. Weighted Squats

Squats are a resistance athlete’s bread and butter, forming the backbone of almost every training program and the most important part of lower body exercise. Designed to improve pushing power in the thighs and stability-related strength in the midsection, squats are one of the most important exercises for improving your performance on the rowing machine.

Start out with bodyweight squats, using a bar or exercise frame for balance. As your leg strength improves, incorporating a weighted barbell or dumbbell set into your squatting routine can help you increase explosive strength and row with greater power. While strength-focused squatting routines are unlikely to contribute to rowing machine performance, high-intensity bodyweight squats can and will help you burn more calories on the ergometer.

4. Chin-Ups

Who says military discipline can’t help you lose weight? A favorite of the entire world’s armed forces, chin-ups are one of the most effective resistance exercises available for rowers and endurance athletes. As they require almost no equipment they’re a potential exercise almost anywhere, from your local playground all the way to your nearest doorframe or building structure.

Because of their simple pulling motion, chin-ups are a particularly effective exercise for rowers aiming to gain more distance from each stroke, increase pulling speed, and burn more calories with every complete rowing movement. Start by taking single chin-ups between your sessions on the rowing machine, and aim to complete sets of up to twenty pullups as your rowing efforts improve.

5. Angled Leg Presses

The muscles in your thighs are by far the most powerful in your body, able to shift objects far in excess of your own body weight with the right level of training and optimization. However, this strength can make them a particularly difficult muscle group to train at home, particularly when you lack access to weighted barbell plates and exercise machines.

For those of us that row at home, leg presses are easily replaceable with bodyweight squats and other leg-focused movements. Gymnasium rowers will be happy to hear that they’re one of the easiest exercises to perform with the right equipment – simply add weight plates to the leg press sled and push away until your lower body power improves. Like weighted squats, the leg press movement primarily increases your stroke power and per-stroke calorie usage.

6. Bodyweight Crunches

Crunches are one of the most simple, useful, and all-round versatile exercises out there. Another favorite of the armed forces, the bodyweight crunch improves conditioning and strength in the stomach and lower back, giving you extra pulling power and speed for competitive rowing and rowing machine weight loss.

While bodyweight crunches are best for rowers looking to improve stamina and long-distance performance, weighted crunches and sit-ups can help speed rowers increase their pulling power and short-distance race speeds. If you’re a few seconds shy of hitting your short-distance timed rowing goals, a twice-weekly bodyweight crunches session could help you shave that extra time off.

7. Seated Rowing

For experienced rowers, the seated row might fall into the ‘so-obvious-it’s-not-worth-mentioning’ training category. However, beginner rowers and weight loss fans are often unfamiliar with the resistance side of rowing, making the seated row a valuable and oft-forgotten exercise.

While power athletes praise the seated row for its utility in building back muscle, rowing machine exercisers should prioritize it for its ability to reduce the risk of injuries. By building strength in the shoulders and back, seated rowing can allow you to row for longer time periods, at greater intensity levels, and for quicker short-distance sprints, all without an increased chance of injury or post-workout soreness.