What Is the Concept2® SkiErg®?
The Concept2® SkiErg® simulates the double-pole technique used in cross-country skiing. Unlike the RowErg® which emphasizes the posterior chain (back, hamstrings, glutes), the SkiErg® primarily targets the anterior chain — lats, triceps, abdominals, and core — while also engaging the quads, pecs, and biceps through the hip hinge movement.
The machine uses the same air resistance flywheel system as the RowErg® and BikeErg®, with a PM5 Performance Monitor that tracks every metric: distance, pace (/500m), watts, stroke rate, calories, and heart rate. This makes every SkiErg® session fully comparable and trackable — the same precision that has made Concept2® the gold standard in indoor training.
Muscles Worked on the SkiErg®
Primary Movers
Latissimus dorsi, triceps, rectus abdominis, obliques, hip flexors
Secondary Movers
Quadriceps, pectorals, biceps, forearms, erector spinae
The SkiErg® is increasingly popular in functional fitness, Hyrox competitions, and as a cross-training tool for rowers. Its standing position and upper-body focus make it the perfect complement to rowing — and when combined with the RowErg® and BikeErg®, you have a complete cardio training system that covers every muscle group.
SkiErg® Technique: The Complete Breakdown
Proper technique on the SkiErg® is the difference between an efficient, powerful workout and a frustrating arm-only experience. The movement should flow through your entire body — not just your arms. Here is the stroke cycle broken down into four phases:
Phase 1: The Setup (Arms Overhead)
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms fully extended overhead, hands gripping the handles. Your body should form a straight line from hands to feet. Rise onto your toes slightly to maximize the pull length. This is where you load energy for the drive.
Phase 2: The Drive (Pull Down)
Initiate the pull by engaging your lats and core simultaneously. As your arms pull down, hinge at the hips — bending your knees slightly and driving your hips back. The power comes from the hip hinge and core crunch, not just the arms. Think of it as a standing crunch combined with a lat pulldown.
Phase 3: The Finish (Hands by Thighs)
Finish with your hands by your thighs, torso hinged forward at roughly 45 degrees, and knees slightly bent. Your core should be fully engaged at this point. The handles should be at or below knee level for maximum stroke length.
Phase 4: The Recovery (Return to Setup)
Smoothly return to the starting position by extending your hips, straightening your body, and raising your arms overhead. The recovery should be controlled — not rushed. Use this phase to breathe and prepare for the next stroke. The recovery takes slightly longer than the drive.
Common Technique Mistakes
Arms only: Pulling with just your arms ignores 70% of available power. The hip hinge and core crunch generate most of the force.
Butterfly technique: Swinging your arms out to the sides is inefficient and puts unnecessary stress on your shoulders. Keep the pull straight down.
Too much knee bend: Excessive squatting turns it into a squat exercise. The knee bend should be slight — the power comes from the hip hinge.
Short strokes: Not reaching fully overhead or not pulling past your knees reduces stroke length and power output significantly.
SkiErg® Drag Factor Settings
The drag factor on the SkiErg® works identically to the RowErg® — it measures how quickly the flywheel decelerates between strokes. The SkiErg® drag factor range is typically 80–200+, but the recommended range differs from the RowErg® because of the different muscle groups and movement pattern involved.
| Athlete Level | Damper Setting | Drag Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 3–4 | 80–100 | Learning technique, building endurance |
| Intermediate | 4–6 | 100–120 | General fitness, steady state, intervals |
| Advanced | 5–7 | 110–135 | Performance training, race prep |
| Hyrox / CrossFit | 6–8 | 120–150 | Competition simulation, power output |
| Sprint / Power | 7–10 | 140–200+ | Short bursts, max power development |
For a deep dive into drag factor mechanics and how to check yours on the PM5, read our complete drag factor guide.
8 SkiErg® Workouts for Every Goal
These workouts progress from beginner-friendly steady state to advanced competition prep. Each includes PM5 setup instructions, target metrics, and pro tips. For a broader collection that includes RowErg® and BikeErg® workouts, see our 10 Best Concept2 Workouts guide.
Workout 1: The Foundation Builder
Beginner · Steady State · 20–30 min
PM5 Setup: Just Ski → 20:00 or 30:00 time
20–30 minutes continuous skiing at conversational pace
Target: 65–70% max HR · Stroke rate: 28–32 SPM
Pace: Whatever keeps you in zone 2 (typically 2:20–2:50/500m)
Pro Tip: This is your bread-and-butter aerobic workout. Focus entirely on technique — smooth hip hinge, full arm extension overhead, controlled recovery. If you can hold a conversation, you are at the right intensity. Do this 2–3 times per week as your base.
Workout 2: The 40/20 Blaster
Intermediate · HIIT · 20 min
PM5 Setup: Intervals → Time → 0:40 work / 0:20 rest
Set 1: 10 × (40 sec hard / 20 sec easy)
3 min rest
Set 2: 10 × (40 sec hard / 20 sec easy)
Target: 85–90% max HR during work · Max effort strokes
Pro Tip: The 40/20 format is brutal on the SkiErg® because there is no seat to rest on — you are standing the entire time. Focus on explosive drives during the 40-second work intervals and use the 20-second rest to slow your stroke rate, not stop completely. Track your average watts per interval to measure improvement.
Workout 3: The Pyramid
Intermediate · Mixed Intensity · 28 min
PM5 Setup: Intervals → Time (program each interval)
1 min hard → 1 min rest
2 min hard → 2 min rest
3 min hard → 3 min rest
4 min hard → 4 min rest
3 min hard → 3 min rest
2 min hard → 2 min rest
1 min hard → done
Target: Consistent pace across matching intervals
Pro Tip: The key to the pyramid is pacing. Your 1-minute intervals should be faster than your 4-minute intervals, but the matching intervals (e.g., both 3-minute pieces) should be at the same pace. This teaches you to manage effort across different durations — a critical skill for any endurance athlete.
Workout 4: 200m Sprint Repeats
Advanced · Speed & Power · 25 min
PM5 Setup: Intervals → Distance → 200m / 1:00 rest
12–15 × 200m sprints with 1:00 rest between
Target: 90–95% effort · Stroke rate: 36–42 SPM
Goal: Keep all 200m times within 3 seconds of each other
Pro Tip: Sprint repeats on the SkiErg® develop explosive power and anaerobic capacity. The 200m distance takes roughly 40–55 seconds depending on your level. The 1-minute rest is short enough to keep your heart rate elevated but long enough to maintain quality. If your times start drifting more than 5 seconds, stop the workout — quality over quantity.
Workout 5: The 1000m Challenge
Intermediate–Advanced · Threshold · 30 min
PM5 Setup: Intervals → Distance → 1000m / 3:00 rest
4–5 × 1000m with 3:00 rest between
Piece 1: Comfortable pace (warm into it)
Piece 2: Increase by 3–5 sec/500m
Pieces 3–5: Hold or increase pace
Target: 80–88% max HR · Negative split if possible
Pro Tip: The 1000m is the SkiErg® benchmark distance — long enough to require pacing, short enough to push hard. Use the first piece as an extended warm-up, then progressively increase intensity. Record your average pace for each piece to track improvement over weeks.
Workout 6: The Saw Tooth
Intermediate · Tempo Variation · 32 min
PM5 Setup: Intervals → Time → 4:00 work / 0:00 rest (continuous)
8 × 4-minute intervals (continuous, no rest):
Each 4 minutes = 2 min easy + 1 min moderate + 1 min hard
Repeat 8 times without stopping
Target: Smooth transitions between intensities
Pro Tip: The Saw Tooth pattern teaches your body to shift gears smoothly — a critical skill for Hyrox and multi-event competitions where you need to manage effort across different stations. The "hard" minute should feel like race pace, while the "easy" 2 minutes allow active recovery.
Workout 7: The 5K Time Trial
Advanced · Race Simulation · 20–25 min
PM5 Setup: Single Distance → 5000m
5000m all-out effort
Pacing strategy: Start at target pace, hold steady, push last 500m
Target: 85–92% max HR average · Even splits
Good benchmark: Sub-20:00 intermediate, Sub-18:00 advanced
Pro Tip: The 5K is the ultimate SkiErg® endurance test. The biggest mistake is going out too fast — your arms will fatigue much faster than your legs on a RowErg®. Start 2–3 seconds slower than your target pace for the first 500m, settle into rhythm, and save your kick for the final 500m. Test every 4–6 weeks to track progress.
Workout 8: SkiErg® + Bodyweight Combo
All Levels · Functional Fitness · 25–35 min
PM5 Setup: Intervals → Distance → 200m / Undefined Rest
15–20 rounds of:
200m SkiErg® sprint
→ 10 push-ups (or burpees for advanced)
→ 10 air squats
→ Return to SkiErg®
Target: Complete all rounds, maintain 200m pace consistency
Pro Tip: This workout mirrors the format of Hyrox and CrossFit competitions where you alternate between the SkiErg® and other movements. The undefined rest on the PM5 lets you take as long as you need for the bodyweight exercises. Track your total time to measure improvement — the goal is consistency, not speed on any single round.
4-Week SkiErg® Training Schedule
This schedule assumes 3 SkiErg® sessions per week alongside your other training. If you are also following a rowing training plan, replace one SkiErg® session with a RowErg® session and keep the other two. The plan progressively increases intensity over 4 weeks.
| Week | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 Base | Foundation Builder 20 min steady | 40/20 Blaster 1 set of 10 | Foundation Builder 25 min steady |
| Week 2 Build | Foundation Builder 25 min steady | Pyramid Full pyramid | 200m Sprints 10 repeats |
| Week 3 Intensity | Saw Tooth 32 min continuous | 1000m Challenge 4 × 1000m | SkiErg + Bodyweight 15 rounds |
| Week 4 Test | Foundation Builder 30 min easy | 40/20 Blaster 2 sets of 10 | 5K Time Trial All-out test |
Schedule Notes
Allow at least 48 hours between intense SkiErg® sessions (Workouts 2–8) to let your lats and triceps recover. The Foundation Builder can be done on consecutive days since it is low intensity. After completing the 4-week cycle, repeat with increased targets: faster paces, more intervals, or higher drag factor. Track everything in ErgUltra to see your progression over time.
SkiErg® for Hyrox & CrossFit
The SkiErg® is a staple in both Hyrox and CrossFit competitions. In Hyrox, athletes must complete 1000m on the SkiErg® as one of eight workout stations, sandwiched between 1km running segments. In CrossFit, the SkiErg® appears in competition workouts and is a common conditioning tool in daily programming.
Hyrox SkiErg® Strategy
The Hyrox 1000m SkiErg® station comes after a 1km run. Your heart rate is already elevated, and you need to manage the transition from running to skiing efficiently.
Target time: 3:30–4:30 depending on division
Drag factor: 120–140 (higher than training)
Pacing: Start controlled (first 200m), build through the middle, push the last 200m. Do not go all-out from the start — you still have 5 more stations after this.
CrossFit SkiErg® Tips
In CrossFit, the SkiErg® often appears in calorie-based workouts (e.g., "15 cal SkiErg") or as part of chipper-style WODs.
For calories: Higher drag factor (6–8) generates more calories per stroke
For distance: Moderate drag factor (4–6) for sustainable pace
Transition tip: Practice stepping on and off the SkiErg® quickly — seconds add up in competition
Multi-Erg Cross-Training: SkiErg® + RowErg® + BikeErg®
The real power of the Concept2® ecosystem is combining all three ergometers. The SkiErg® targets the anterior chain, the RowErg® targets the posterior chain, and the BikeErg® isolates the legs. Together, they provide a complete full-body training system with zero impact on your joints.
Sample Multi-Erg Workout: The Triathlon
Total time: ~45 minutes
Round 1: 10 min SkiErg® (moderate) → 2 min transition
Round 2: 10 min RowErg® (moderate) → 2 min transition
Round 3: 10 min BikeErg® (moderate) → 2 min transition
Round 4: 3 min SkiErg® (hard) → 3 min RowErg® (hard) → 3 min BikeErg® (hard)
This workout covers every major muscle group while keeping each individual session short enough to maintain quality. The final round is the test — can you push hard on all three machines after 30 minutes of moderate work? For more multi-erg workouts, check our complete Concept2 workout guide.
ErgUltra is built for exactly this kind of training. The app supports all three Concept2® ergometers, tracks each session separately, and provides unified analytics across all your erg training. Whether you are a dedicated SkiErg® athlete or a multi-erg warrior, every stroke is captured and analyzed.
Track Your SkiErg® Training with ErgUltra
Every workout in this guide becomes more powerful when you track it properly. ErgUltra connects directly to your PM5 via Bluetooth and captures every metric in real time — pace, watts, stroke rate, heart rate, and drag factor. No manual logging, no data loss, no approximations.
Real-Time PM5 Data
Every stroke, every watt, every split — captured via Bluetooth
Progress Tracking
Compare 5K times, interval paces, and power curves over weeks
Multi-Erg Analytics
Unified dashboard for SkiErg®, RowErg®, and BikeErg® training
Plus, ErgUltra syncs your SkiErg® workouts to Strava automatically — so your cross-country skiing friends and running buddies see your training in their feed. For more on how the PM5 Bluetooth connection works, read our PM5 Bluetooth setup guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories does the SkiErg burn?
The SkiErg burns approximately 10–15 calories per minute depending on intensity, body weight, and technique. A 30-minute steady state session burns roughly 300–400 calories, while a high-intensity interval session can burn 400–500+ calories in the same time.
Is the SkiErg good for weight loss?
Yes. The SkiErg engages your entire upper body and core while elevating your heart rate significantly. Combined with the standing position (which engages more stabilizer muscles than seated exercises), it is one of the most efficient calorie-burning machines available. The key is consistency — 3–4 sessions per week at varying intensities.
What is a good 1000m SkiErg time?
For men: under 3:30 is good, under 3:15 is competitive, under 3:00 is elite. For women: under 4:00 is good, under 3:45 is competitive, under 3:30 is elite. These times vary significantly by age, weight, and training background.
Can I use the SkiErg every day?
Low-intensity steady state sessions (Workout 1) can be done daily. However, high-intensity sessions (Workouts 2–8) should be limited to 3–4 per week with at least 48 hours between intense sessions to allow your lats, triceps, and core to recover.
What drag factor should I use on the SkiErg?
Most athletes perform best at a drag factor of 100–120 on the SkiErg. Beginners should start at 80–100, while Hyrox and CrossFit athletes often train at 120–150 to simulate competition conditions. Read our complete drag factor guide for detailed recommendations.
Is the SkiErg harder than the RowErg?
The SkiErg is generally perceived as harder for the same duration because it relies more heavily on the upper body, which fatigues faster than the legs. The standing position also means there is no recovery phase like the seat slide on the RowErg. However, the SkiErg is lower impact and easier on the lower back.
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