Six-time Mr Olympia Dorian Yates may have retired from competitive bodybuilding almost three decades ago, but at 64, he clearly hasn’t lost his competitive edge. Rather than chasing another Sandow trophy, though, he’s been putting his fitness to the test on the rowing machine.
The bodybuilding legend recently shared an Instagram Reel of himself going ‘full pelt’ on the rower, covering 100 metres in just 14 seconds.
‘100 metre row in 14 seconds,’ Yates wrote in the caption. ‘I’ve been using the row machine to blast out 500 metres twice a week instead of doing my usual intervals on the assault bike, since I broke the arm off it!’
‘Actually for the 500 metres, I did some research and my time is only 5 seconds off the world record for my age range. Still got that competitive ego I guess!’ he added.
So, just how impressive is a 14-second 100-metre row? And how does your best effort compare?
What Is a Good 100m Row Time?
According to Rowing Level, the average 100-metre time logged by male users of its database is around 16.5 seconds. Yates’ 14-second effort is comfortably quicker than that benchmark, placing him towards the sharper end of the rankings.
What Are the Benefits of 100m Row Intervals?
If you want to try 100-metre row intervals yourself, aim for 3-5 sets of 100 metres with around 20-30 seconds of rest between efforts. Here are some of the benefits you can expect.
1. Boost Anaerobic Performance
Rowing all-out for 100 metres relies heavily on your anaerobic energy systems and recruits your fast-twitch muscle fibres. Repeated maximal efforts can help develop explosive power and improve your ability to produce high levels of force during short, intense bouts of exercise.
2. Improve Recovery Between Hard Efforts
Short recovery periods force your body to recover quickly before you’re asked to produce another high-intensity effort. Over time, repeated sprint training can improve your ability to tolerate and recover from the metabolic demands of hard exercise – useful whether you’re training for HYROX, another sport or simply want to improve your conditioning.
3. Improve Your Cardiovascular Fitness
While 100 metres is primarily an anaerobic effort, repeated high-intensity intervals also place significant demands on your cardiovascular system. When performed regularly as part of your training, this type of interval work can help improve VO₂ max and overall aerobic fitness.
4. They’re Time Efficient
You don’t need a lengthy conditioning session to challenge yourself. Three to five 100-metre efforts can be completed in just a few minutes at the end of your workout, making them a quick and effective way to add some high-intensity conditioning.
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Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
