Ski Erg
The Ski Erg is a standing cardio machine where you pull two handles down from overhead in a skiing motion, hinging at the hips as you go. It works your lats, delts, triceps and abs while raising your heart rate. It suits beginners and experienced gym-goers who want upper body cardio without the impact of running.
Muscles worked
The Ski Erg mainly works your lats, anterior delts, lateral delts and posterior delts, with your triceps and abs helping.
Setting up
- Set the damper to 3-5 if you're new. A higher number is not automatically better: it makes each pull heavier and slower, so you tire out before you get a decent workout.
- Stand centrally on the footplates, feet about hip-width apart and flat on the floor, facing the machine. Wear trainers with a flat, grippy sole.
- Take both handles and bring them to just above head height with your arms long and your ribs stacked over your hips. Keep a soft bend in your knees.
- Choose a screen display that is easy to read, such as pace per 500m or time. Pick one number to focus on and ignore the rest.
How to do the Ski Erg
- Start tall with the handles at the top, arms long and your abs lightly braced as if you were about to be nudged in the stomach.
- Begin the pull by squeezing your lats, as if pulling your armpits towards your hips. Your arms stay fairly straight at first.
- As the handles come down, hinge forward at the hips and let your knees bend a little. Keep your back flat and your chest proud.
- Finish with the handles passing either side of your knees or hips, and your abs tight. A light elbow bend here lets your triceps help to finish the stroke.
- Let the handles rise under control as you stand back up, straightening your hips and knees and reaching your arms overhead. Do not let the cord go slack.
- Settle into a steady rhythm: a firm, quick pull down and a calmer, controlled return. Aim to breathe out on the pull and in on the way up.
Form tips
- Think of the pull as lats first, arms second. If your forearms burn long before you feel puffed, you are probably pulling with your arms alone.
- Use your hips as the hinge. Your body should fold forward from the hips, not curl forward from the middle of your back.
- Keep your grip relaxed. Hold the handles firmly enough to control them but avoid a white-knuckle squeeze, which tires your forearms early.
- Aim for a smooth, repeatable stroke rather than going flat out. Count your strokes per minute if it helps and try to keep it the same.
- Stop if anything hurts (beyond normal muscle effort) and get it checked.
Common mistakes
Pulling with the arms only
Stand tall, then start each pull by driving your elbows and handles down with your lats while you hinge at the hips. Imagine your arms are straps connecting your body to the handles.
Damper set too high
Drop it to 3-5 until your stroke feels smooth and quick. If you are slowing down or your form falls apart after a minute, the damper is too heavy.
Rounding the back or over-folding
Keep your chest up and hinge from the hips rather than slumping. Stop the pull when the handles pass your knees, don't crunch down towards the floor.
Leaning back or arching at the top
Reach tall with your ribs down and abs lightly braced, so your hands go up but your lower back does not cave in.
How long and how hard
| Fat loss | 15-25 minutes at a moderate effort where you can say a short sentence, 2-3 times a week. Or try 8-10 rounds of 1 minute hard and 1 minute easy once you are comfortable. |
|---|---|
| General fitness | 10-20 minutes at a steady, comfortable-but-breathing-hard pace, damper 3-5, 2-3 times a week. Add a few minutes each week. |
| Warm-up | 3-5 minutes at an easy pace (you could chat comfortably), damper 3-4, before an upper body or full body session. |
Ski Erg alternatives
Machine taken, or want some variety? These work the same main muscles.
Ski Erg FAQs
What muscles does the Ski Erg work?
It mainly works your lats and all three parts of your delts (front, side and rear). Your triceps and abs help too, as your abs brace and control the hinge on each stroke.
What damper setting should I use on the Ski Erg?
Most people do well between 3 and 5. Pick the setting where you can keep a smooth, quick stroke for the whole session, rather than the one that feels heaviest.
How long should a beginner use the Ski Erg for?
Start with 5-10 minutes at an easy pace, or short bursts of 30-60 seconds with rests in between. Build up gradually over a few weeks as your technique and stamina improve.
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