Ski Ergometer

Also known as: skierg

Secondary muscles
Delts, Forearms
Body part
Upper Arms
Position
Standing
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Cardio

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Every stroke on the skierg is a downward drive from arms overhead, so the triceps, lats, and trunk power the machine while the legs mostly keep rhythm. That makes it a rare conditioning tool that spares tired legs, and interval work of thirty seconds to two minutes suits it well.

How to do the Ski Ergometer

  1. Adjust the seat height and footrests to a comfortable position.
  2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
  3. Sit up straight with your feet flat on the footrests.
  4. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
  5. Engage your triceps and push the handles down towards your thighs.
  6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly return to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tip: Reach tall, hinge at the hips and drive the hands down past the thighs on every stroke.

Muscles worked

Primary

Triceps · Arms

The triceps extend the arms at the end of each stroke and burn on longer efforts.

Secondary

Common mistakes

  • Pulling with the arms only — the pull starts with a hinge at the hips and a crunch of the torso, then the arms follow through.
  • Standing straight up between pulls — keep a slight bend in the knees and hips so the legs help every stroke.
  • Short, choppy strokes — reach high at the top and finish with the hands past the hips for a full stroke.
  • Sprinting with no plan — pace to the length of the piece and keep the stroke rate steady.

Where it fits in a workout

The ski erg works as a warm-up before upper body training or as a conditioning finisher. Alternate intervals on the ski erg with kettlebell swings for a hinge-heavy circuit.

How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.

Variations and alternatives

Similar exercises

Without cardio machine

When to talk to someone

  • Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
  • Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
  • Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.

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More exercises

Sources

  1. ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
  2. ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
  3. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
  4. CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)

Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.

Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.