EXR and British Rowing proudly announce the renewal of their strategic partnership after a successful initial cooperation in 2023.
Together, both parties aim to promote and transform indoor rowing as a sport.
To commemorate the occasion, monthly British Rowing online events will be hosted in EXR, inviting rowers worldwide to row together online. By finishing 2 of these events, rowers unlock an exclusive British Rowing unisuit for their avatar.
In an exclusive interview, British Rowing’s Project Manager for Indoor Rowing Chris Farrell talks about his work and the impact of virtual workouts on the indoor rowing world.
Question: Chris, the title Project Manager for Indoor Rowing sounds impressive. What is your work like?
Answer: As a project manager for British Rowing, my goal is to grow the number of people taking part in indoor rowing. I believe that rowing is a fantastic form of exercise for all ages and abilities and that can be done all over the world. I love that I am constantly busy developing new projects with partners. On a daily basis, I try to get more people to enjoy and engage with one of the most effective, but also most underutilized pieces of kit available in today’s fitness market.
Q: As a rowing aficionado and head of British Rowing’s indoor rowing team, how do you feel about indoor rowing compared to on-water rowing?
A: I am both an on-water and indoor rower. So I love both. I do however enjoy that indoor rowing is an easy way to get into the sport for the first time, as well as a great tool to help people keep fit. It offers a low-impact cardio workout that uses 85% of your muscles. Both indoor and on-water rowing are brilliant ways to socialize with others through online and in-person communities. They are both also excellent forms of exercise to improve your mental health — whether you row on real water or online in virtual worlds.
Q: Rowing in virtual worlds is something people are curious to explore. What do you personally like about the way EXR enhances indoor rowing workouts?
A: EXR has taken indoor rowing to the next level by creating real-life 3D locations for you to train in whilst using the machine. I love that you can sit on a machine and mesmerize yourself into the visually striking worlds including authentic sound effects. You feel like you're rowing on the water.
With every stroke on the rowing machine, EXR is making indoor rowing workouts more fun as you propel your avatar forward. The app also adds variation to your training with multiple courses, training plans, group rowing events, challenges, and more. The fact that you don’t need to own one specific rowing machine model or brand, can set your own fitness goals, and just enjoy training online makes EXR an ideal partner for British Rowing as we share this vision of accessible indoor rowing for everyone anywhere.
Q: You just mentioned that British Rowing and EXR have common goals that inspired the partnership. How do both organisations profit from this partnership?
A: British Rowing is world-leading in its indoor rowing development for participation growth and engagement with proven insight, in-depth knowledge, and well-known ambassadors. For example, our long list of representatives includes legends like Helen Glover, Charlotte Dixon, Cam Buchan, and Ben Pritchard. The EXR team will continue working closely with the British Rowing indoor rowing team to drive awareness of their app and attend events together. It’s great to see lots of British Rowing members celebrate EXR for the innovative training tool it is. We’re happy to share everything we know about the sport and its athletes to create great experiences for members of both our communities.
Q: What’s the most exciting aspect of this partnership for you?
A: EXR supports British Rowing in its efforts to attract more people to indoor rowing and stay on the machine for longer. Sometimes the mental struggle can be harder than the physical exhaustion, so I’m excited for our members to push their limits thanks to EXR. The app also helps British Rowing to connect with more people worldwide. Together, we’ll make indoor rowing more fun, effective, and inclusive for everyone moving into the future.
For more information, check out EXR's website.