The most obvious and necessary complementary “exercise” to add to your daily rowing is stretching. Even a few short minutes each day after you row can make a difference.

Some people like to stretch before they exercise. That is a form of warming up, preparing the muscles for activity. That is not what we are discussing here. Stretching before exercise to warm up may be useful, but may also be unnecessary if the exercise you are doing (like moderate indoor rowing) does not involve strain and you start out slowly.

Stretching after your exercise while your muscles are warmed up can help your muscles avoid tightening from the exercise. It can help limit the stiffness you might otherwise feel. Over time, it can help you become more flexible as you become stronger.

Start by selecting at most three or four stretching exercises to do each day after you row. Once you get used to doing those, you can modify what you do or add more if you wish. Do not let the fact that there are many possible stretches interfere with your doing something every day.  In other words, better to do one or two stretches every day than to try to do five but then skip them because you are short on time.

Another way to use stretches is to do them for your entire workout on a day you are too tired or sore to row (or cannot get to a rowing machine).  Select a few stretches and a small number of core exercises.  Alternate between the two every few minutes.  Repeat for the period of time you have available.

When you stretch after exercise, do not strain or force, but hold your maximum comfortable position for thirty seconds to two minutes. Repeat each stretch a second time.

These eight pictures depict a small number of stretches out of many more you can do:

These two pictures (second below) show toe-touching stretches of the legs and back. The stretch of each leg separately, feet separated, is especially helpful because you will feel the muscles on the inside of the thigh tightening up when you row. As with all stretches, reach out to your comfortable limit. Do not bounce or strain to reach farther. When you repeat the stretch the second time, you may be able to reach slightly farther. Hold the position you can reach to allow the muscles to relax in the stretched position.

The hamstring stretch shown above should be repeated separately for each leg, and then with both legs together.

This stretch is based on the hamstring stretch but is actually working other muscles in the hip and leg with the ankle up against the knee (in the photo here, the right leg). Place one ankle against the knee of the second leg. Pull on the thigh of that second leg in order to draw the first leg’s ankle toward the head, stretching that first leg and hip. Then repeat on the other side.

This photo shows another way you can stretch the hamstrings and back.

Stretching the quads along the front of the leg is also important. As your leg strength increases, these muscles will tighten and need more stretching. After stretching one leg, switch legs. Keep the foot behind the leg and only draw the ankle up to a comfortable position.

Other stretches you may benefit from include arm and shoulder stretches, trunk twists, and others. There are many sources of information about stretching, including yoga, but my recommendation is to keep it simple. Add a small number of basic stretches to your daily routine to improve your range of motion. Be sure you stretch the muscles that are sore, the ones you can feel you are using as you row.

One test you can give yourself of your overall flexibility is to slowly lower yourself from a standing position to a squatting position, keeping your heels flat on the floor.  How far down can you lower your body without losing balance? Occasionally, look for other stretches to add to you routine or to use for variety.