Rowing Calorie Calculator
Enter your weight, time spent on the rowing machine, and power, intensity, or split/500m lap in order to discover your calorie burn.
Calorie Burn & Rowing Machines
Introduction
Our rowing machine calorie calculator allows you to estimate your calorie burn based on your body weight, the workout duration, and either power output, intensity, or split time per 500m. The tool is suitable for all types of rowing machines, including Concept2, WaterRower, and Peloton Row.
Rowing Machine versus Rowing Boats
Although the mechanisms of action are similar, there are important differences between rowing on a machine and rowing on water.
Physical and environmental mechanics
Rowing on water requires effort in order to balance the boat, meaning stabiliser muscles are engaged. Technique is also important on the water: blades must be feathered, you need to steer, and synchronize if you're in a team. Water conditions, wind, and currents can also affect your stroke and speed; and do so variably.
In contrast, the indoor rower faces none of these challenges. Egometer stroke mechanics are simple and consistent and there are no environmental conditions to contend with.
Measurement methods
On a rowing machine, effort is usually measured in power output (watts) or time per 500-meter split.
On the water, unless sophisticated and expensive sensors are used, effort is usually estimated from speed or stroke rate.
This is why calorie burn estimates from rowing machines are typically more consistent and comparable than estimates from on-water rowing.
Rowing Machine Calorie Burn Calculation
METs
This calculator is based on the concept of METs. MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. METs are used to calculate how much energy is expended for a particular task, taking a person's weight and the duration of the activity into account. A single MET is roughly the amount of energy required to sit down and do nothing. METs for other activities are determined with reference to this baseline. For example, if you are outputting about 100 watts on a rowing machine, that will require approximately five times more energy than sitting still and doing nothing. So, this static bike effort is equivalent to 5 METs.
METs and Calories (kcal)
Conversion from METs to Calories (kcal) is achieved with the following formula:
Calories (kcal) = activity (METs) x weight (kilograms) x duration (hours)
So, the number of Calories (kcal) required for a 12 MET activity performed for 45 minutes minutes by a person weighing 85 kilograms is:
12 x 0.75 x 85 = 765 Calories
Rowing Machine METs
To calculate the METs for exercise on a rowing machine at different intensities we take values listed in the 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities Reference List for Conditioning, which includes these four entries for "stationary rowing":
| METs | Activity description |
|---|---|
| 5.0 | Rowing, stationary ergometer, general, <100 watts, moderate effort |
| 7.5 | Rowing, stationary, 100 to 149 watts, vigorous effort |
| 11.0 | Rowing, stationary, 150 to 199 watts, vigorous effort |
| 14.0 | Rowing, stationary, ≥ 200 watts, very vigorous effort |
Since these entries detail a range of power outputs for a single MET value, we take the midpoint of the power range and assign it to that MET value.
Where METs are not available or suitable for a specific speed, we use linear interpolation and extrapolation to derive a suitable MET value.
Rowing Machine Intensity
For indoor rowers who exercise on a machine that offers no display, we provide the option to specify an "intensity". Each of these terms represents a perceived effort and is associated with a specific power output in watts, using the compendium entries and published research as guidelines.
Split Time/500 meters (rowing pace)
The calculator also offers the option of entering split time/500m. We convert between split time and power using the formulae developed by Concept2 and used on their machines.
Split time (pace) to power:
power = 2.8 ÷ pace3
Power to split time (pace):
pace = 3√(2.8 ÷ power)
Intensity/Power/Pace
The table below shows the mappings between intensity, power (in watts), and pace (split time per 500 meters).
| Intensity | Power | Split/500m |
|---|---|---|
| Very light | 70 W | 2:51 |
| Light | 90 W | 2:37.3 |
| Light to Moderate | 110 W | 2:27.1 |
| Moderate | 130 W | 2:19.1 |
| Moderate to hard | 150 W | 2:12.6 |
| Hard | 170 W | 2:07.2 |
| Very hard | 190 W | 2:02.6 |
| Extremely hard | 210 W | 1:58.6 |
| Exceptionally hard | 230 W | 1:55 |
Keep in mind that how hard a workout feels depends a lot on how long you are exercising for. Pushing hard for a minute might feel fairly easy, but maintaining that same pace for half an hour could be very challenging.
When picking your intensity, try to imagine how tough it would be to hold that effort for a full 30 minutes.
Elite Power Output
In graded exercise tests performed on a Concept2 rowing ergometer, male rowers reached a peak power output of approximately 290 watts, and females hit a peak of roughly 180 watts.
In 2016 Australian rower Samuel Loch set a remarkable indoor rowing record by covering 425 meters in one minute on a Concept2 Rowing Ergometer. This performance translates to a 500m split of 1:10.5, equating to an average power output of almost 1000 watts.