How To Improve Your Ski Erg

The SkiErg looks simple. Two handles. Pull down. Repeat.

But if you’ve ever tried to hold pace for 1,000m or survived a 20-minute conditioning piece, you’ll know it’s one of the most demanding machines in the gym.

At REVIVAL Personal Training in Hammersmith, we use the SkiErg weekly inside both 1-1 personal training and Small Group Personal Training (SGPT). And most people are leaving serious performance on the table.

If you want to improve your SkiErg time, build better conditioning, and stop feeling destroyed after 250 metres — this guide is for you.

Why Your SkiErg Isn’t Improving

Most people make one of three mistakes:

• Pulling mostly with the arms

• Staying too upright

• Treating it like cardio instead of a power movement

  
  

The SkiErg is not an arm workout.

It’s a full-body hinge pattern — more like a standing cable deadlift than a shoulder exercise.

When we coach clients in Hammersmith, Chiswick, Shepherds Bush and Fulham, the biggest breakthroughs happen when they understand this shift.

SkiErg Technique: The Fundamentals

If your technique improves, your pace improves. Simple.

1. Start Tall

• Feet hip-width apart

• Soft bend in the knees

• Arms long overhead

• Core braced

You should feel ready to “slam” the handles down, not curl them.

2. Drive Through The Hips

The power comes from:

1. Hips driving back (hinge)

2. Core bracing

3. Lats pulling down

4. Arms finishing last

   
   

Think: Hips → Core → Lats → Arms

If your biceps are burning early, you’re doing it wrong.

3. Finish Strong, Reset Smooth

• Hands finish by your pockets

• Slight knee bend

• Stand tall again with control

  
  

Don’t rush the return. Efficiency matters.

In our SGPT sessions at REVIVAL, we often slow clients down before we speed them up. Clean reps first. Fast reps later.

How To Improve Your SkiErg Time

Improving your SkiErg time requires structure — not just “going harder”.

1. Train Power Separately

If you only ever use the SkiErg in long conditioning pieces, you’ll plateau.

Instead, include:

• 10 x 10 hard pulls (full recovery)

• 8 rounds of 20 seconds max effort / 1:40 rest

• Short 100m sprints with complete rest

  
  

This builds raw wattage.

2. Build Aerobic Capacity

Your lungs often fail before your muscles.

We programme:

• 1,000m repeat efforts

• 5–10 minute steady state intervals

• Mixed ergs (SkiErg + Row + Bike)

  
  

Many of our West London professionals train before work in Hammersmith and need efficient conditioning. Structured aerobic work makes a dramatic difference without adding excessive fatigue.

3. Strengthen The Pattern

If your hinge is weak, your SkiErg will suffer.

Key lifts that improve SkiErg performance:

• Romanian deadlifts

• Lat pulldowns / pull-ups

• Heavy core bracing work

• Sled drags

  
  

Inside both 1-1 personal training and SGPT, we integrate these movements so conditioning improves alongside strength.

Common SkiErg Mistakes

These are the errors we correct daily at REVIVAL:

• ❌ Bending the elbows too early

• ❌ Squatting instead of hinging

• ❌ Letting the rope pull you forward

• ❌ Starting too fast and fading
  

The SkiErg punishes poor pacing.

If you want to improve your SkiErg time, your first 250m should feel controlled — not desperate.

How Often Should You Train The SkiErg?

For most general gym-goers in West London:

• 1–2 focused sessions per week is enough

• Combine technique work + intervals

• Track your times every 4–6 weeks

  
  

Consistency beats random intensity.

SkiErg For Fat Loss & Conditioning

The SkiErg is incredibly effective for:

• Upper body endurance

• Core stability

• Posterior chain development

• High calorie output in short sessions

  
  

But results come from programming — not punishment.

We regularly use the SkiErg in Hammersmith as part of structured 6-week training cycles, where clients build strength first, then express it in conditioning blocks.

That’s why their times improve.

The REVIVAL Approach In West London

Most gyms just throw the SkiErg into circuits.

We coach it properly.

At REVIVAL Personal Training in Hammersmith:

• Every member learns correct hinge mechanics

• SkiErg intervals are programmed with intent

• Progress is tracked

• Strength supports conditioning

  
  

Whether you’re training 1-1 or inside our Small Group Personal Training (SGPT), the goal is the same: Move better. Get stronger. Improve performance.

Want To Improve Your SkiErg Properly?

If you live in:

• Hammersmith

• Chiswick

• Shepherds Bush

• Fulham

• Anywhere in West London

…and you’re serious about improving your conditioning, we’ll show you exactly how to structure it.

No random workouts. No guesswork.Just progressive coaching.

Book A Trial Or Consultation

If you’d like to:

• Improve your SkiErg time

• Build real conditioning

• Train in a results-focused environment

  
  

Book a consultation or trial session at REVIVAL Personal Training in Hammersmith today.

📍 30 seconds from Hammersmith Station

🏋️ 1-1 Personal Training & Small Group Personal Training (SGPT)🌐 www.revivalpersonaltraining.co.uk

West London grows stronger here.