- Start each stroke tall with hands high, then hinge and pull down together.
- Your body weight and hip hinge drive the handles; your arms finish the stroke.
- A moderate damper setting suits most people better than the maximum.
- Pace 1000 m so you finish strong and step off ready to run.
- Level
- Beginner
- Trains
- Lats, Triceps, Shoulders, Abs, Glutes and hamstrings
- Kit
- SkiErg
What the SkiErg trains and why it is worth doing
The SkiErg works your lats, triceps, shoulders and abs as you pull the handles down, while your glutes and hamstrings control the hip hinge. It is a full-body cardio exercise with very little impact on your joints, so it is a good option on days when running does not appeal or your legs need a break.
In HYROX, the SkiErg is 1000 m after your first run. Most people go too hard here because they feel fresh. Learning to pace and breathe on the machine means you arrive at the next run with something left in the tank.
How to use the SkiErg
- Stand facing the machine, feet about hip-width apart, close enough to reach the handles with your arms high and slightly bent.
- Start tall, up on the balls of your feet if you like, with your hands at around head height.
- Begin the stroke by driving the handles down with fairly straight arms while hinging at the hips and bracing your abs, as if crunching your ribs towards your hips.
- Let your knees bend a little as your hips move back, but think hinge, not squat.
- Finish with the handles past your thighs, arms extended and hips back.
- Return by lifting your arms first, then bringing your body back up tall. Let the recovery breathe rather than rushing it, then start the next stroke.
Common mistakes
- All arms. Pulling with just your arms tires your triceps and shoulders quickly. Let your body weight fall into the hinge.
- Squatting too deep. Dropping into a deep squat on every stroke wastes energy and loads the legs you need for the next run.
- Rushing the recovery. A frantic stroke rate with short, choppy pulls moves less air and covers less distance.
- Damper on 10. The maximum setting feels strong but tires you fast. Most people do better around the middle of the range, so experiment in training.
- Starting too fast. The first 200 m feels easy, which is exactly why people blow up at 600 m.
Easier and harder versions
To make it easier, work in short intervals such as 20 to 30 seconds on with equal rest, at a conversational effort. Arms-only strokes with a still body are a good drill for learning the pull, and the lat pulldown builds the underlying strength.
To make it harder:
- Extend to 500 m or 1000 m repeats at race pace.
- Do sprint intervals, such as 10 rounds of 15 seconds hard and 45 seconds easy.
- Pair it with running, as in HYROX, to practise switching from one to the other.
How to programme the SkiErg
Once or twice a week is enough to build a solid SkiErg engine. Try 5 x 250 m with 1 minute of rest for pace work, 4 x 500 m with 2 minutes of rest for threshold work, or 15 to 20 minutes steady as part of a longer aerobic session. A 1000 m time trial every 6 to 8 weeks is a simple way to check progress.
It fits in a conditioning session, as a warm-up, or as a finisher after upper-body strength work. If you have a race coming up, the SkiErg technique guide for HYROX covers race pacing, and the HYROX engine guide explains how to build the aerobic base behind it.
Lycan Strength is an official HYROX affiliated gym, and its HYROX training page explains how members prepare for every part of the race, the ski included.
Members' guide
Keep reading with your free week
The full guide is for members and people on a free trial. Claim 7 days free and it opens straight away on this device, along with every other guide.
Already a member? Log in to read it
Unlock the full guide
Seven days of classes, free. We will be in touch to book your first session.
Questions
Is the SkiErg a good workout?
Yes. It trains the upper body, core and legs together with little impact, and it raises your heart rate quickly, so it works well for general conditioning and HYROX preparation.
What damper setting should I use on the SkiErg?
There is no single right answer, but most people move better in the lower to middle part of the range than at the maximum. Test a few settings over 500 m and keep the one where you can hold your pace.
Is the SkiErg better than the rowing machine?
Neither is better; they train different patterns. The [rowing machine](/exercises/rowing-machine/) relies more on leg drive, while the SkiErg leans more on the lats, triceps and core.
General guidance for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, injury or are pregnant, check with a health professional before changing your training or diet.
