Get Ripped with Rob Gronkowski's 20-Minute Rowing Workout

Rob Gronkowski's unique combination of strength, size and speed makes him one of the most difficult players to cover in the NFL. Thanks to his immense talents, he quickly became one of Tom Brady's favorite targets, and he consistently shreds defenses for massive yards.

For Gronk, strength training is obviously important to maintain his edge. That said, his conditioning also needs to be at an elite level so he can run precise routes, battle with defenders and make important blocks over four quarters.

To improve his conditioning in the off-season, Gronk uses the Gronk Fitness WaterRower. Designed specifically for the Gronk Fitness product line, the Limited Edition WaterRower comes in powder-coated carbon black with the Gronk Spike logo on the side of its aluminum frame. The rower is commercial grade, making it suitable for any setting including, performance facilities, high school weight rooms and home gyms.

This rower's water resistance mechanism makes it unique among competing products. When you perform a row, the patented WaterFlywheel spins inside a plastic cylinder filled with water to create resistance. The harder you pull, the greater the resistance—similar to rowing in a crew boat or kayak.

The WaterRower's smooth action makes it an ideal conditioning tool. Gronk can perform low-impact workouts that improve his endurance without placing additional stress on his muscles and joints. He's able to train hard while allowing his body to recover from the previous season.

This is a full-body exercise. Gronk uses the muscles in his legs, hips, core and back to perform each rep. Using more muscles increases the metabolic-conditioning effect while building strength and muscular endurance.

Gronk's go-to workout to get in shape is an interval routine. He typically rows for one minute at a fast pace followed by one minute of rest—for a total of 20 minutes. Or, he'll row between sets of strength exercises to keep his heart rate up and get an additional endurance boost.

The S4 Monitor on the unit displays key metrics—speed, distance and heart rate—so you can monitor your workout and track your progress.