Legs · Rowing Machine
Skierg
How to do the skierg, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Rowing Machine
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Timed
- Movement
- Gait
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand facing the SkiErg with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the handles overhead. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at your hips. Pull the handles down in a powerful motion, driving your elbows past your sides and straightening your legs as the handles pass your hips. Raise the handles back overhead by extending your arms and flexing your hips and knees, then repeat the downward pulling motion smoothly. Keep your core engaged and maintain a consistent rhythm.
- 1Feel your lats, core, and legs working as you pull the handles down in a skiing motion
- 2Use your hips to hinge and drive downward powerfully
- 3Keep your arms straight initially and finish by bending elbows toward your hips
Common mistakes
- Avoid hunching your shoulders or rounding your back
- Don't pull with just your arms; involve your whole body
- Avoid letting the machine snap back; control the return
Muscles worked
The skierg works the quads, glutes, hamstrings, upper abs, and calves.
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the skierg for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed April 2026.