Rowing Series: Technique, Muscles Worked and Modifications

How to do the Rowing Series

Sit on the Reformer carriage facing the footbar or the risers, depending on the specific rowing variation, and hold the straps in your hands.

1. Sit tall on the carriage with your legs extended and your abdominals engaged.
2. Hold the straps with your arms slightly bent and your hands near your chest.
3. Round your spine forward into spinal flexion as you press your arms out.
4. Open your arms wide to the sides while maintaining the curve in your back.
5. Press your arms backward to engage your posterior deltoids and triceps.
6. Lift your chest and stack your spine back up to a tall, seated position.
7. Return your hands to the starting position near your chest with control.

• Breath. Teachers cue this differently, but a common pattern is to exhale as you flex your spine forward and inhale as you open your arms and sit tall.
• Where you feel it. You should feel the work in the back of your shoulders, your upper back, and your abdominals. You should not feel pinching in your lower back or strain in your neck.
• How many. 3 to 5 repetitions per rowing variation

Common mistakes

• Shrugging your shoulders. Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears as you move the straps.
• Losing abdominal connection. Keep your abdominals pulled inward to support your spine during the spinal flexion phase.
• Relying on momentum. Move the carriage slowly and smoothly so your rhomboids and posterior deltoids do the actual work.
• Collapsing the chest. Even when rounding forward, maintain a sense of width across your collarbones rather than hunching tightly.
• Locking your elbows. Keep a soft bend in your elbows when extending your arms to protect the joints and keep the focus on your triceps.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Use lighter spring tension to reduce the load on your upper body.
• Perform the arm movements while sitting cross-legged if tight hamstrings make sitting with straight legs uncomfortable.
• Reduce the range of motion in your spinal flexion.

Who should be careful

• If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, or a recent disc injury, ask your clinician whether repeated loaded forward bending of the spine suits you. Many bone health organizations recommend limiting it.
• Tight hamstrings make the straight-leg version hard to do well. Bending the knees keeps the focus on the spine instead of forcing a stretch.
• Reformer springs and the moving carriage add load and instability. Learn it with a qualified instructor, who can set the springs for your body and goals.

Related exercises

• Pulling Straps Beginner to intermediate
• Breaststroke Prep Beginner to intermediate
• Chest Expansion Beginner to intermediate
• Down Stretch Intermediate
• Semi-Circle Advanced

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Osteoporosis or osteopenia, as loaded spinal flexion is contraindicated and can increase the risk of fractures.
• Sharp or shooting pain in your shoulder joints.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down your arms.
• Sudden, sharp pain in your lower back during spinal flexion.
• A grinding sensation in your neck or upper spine.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are recovering from an injury or surgery, check with your own clinician before trying new exercises.

How we put this page together. Exercise data (type, level, equipment and muscles) was compiled by our editors from the classical mat order in Joseph Pilates’ 1945 book and from commonly taught reformer repertoire. Muscle lists are a general anatomy guide; cueing differs between teachers. Text drafted with AI assistance and checked by the Editorial Team. See our editorial policy. Last checked October 2026.