“What does a rowing machine do for your body?”
Is this the thought that runs through your mind as you walk past one in the gym?
Each piece of equipment in a gym has a specific purpose for your body.
So you begin to go through each piece.
Free weights and weight machines are for strength training. Treadmills, ellipticals and bikes are for cardiovascular exercise.
But rowing machines? What is their purpose?
If you don’t know, you’re not alone! Apparently most people are unaware of what it does for your body because I rarely see anyone in a health club using them.
Simply put – a rowing machine is your body’s best friend. They give your entire body a thorough workout inside and out (literally).
Here’s a short list of what a rowing machine does for your body:
A Rowing Machine Provides a Full-Body Workout
One of the rowing machine’s claims to fame is it’s fantastic for working out your whole body.
Your upper and lower body are required to complete a full rowing stroke. This is a good and bad thing depending on how you look at it.
It’s a good thing because you’ll be getting a solid workout that’s guaranteed to get you sweating.
It’s a “bad thing” because unlike an elliptical, you can’t cheat! Meaning, on an elliptical you can let go of the handles to give your arms a rest but still “keep going”. On a rowing machine, you must use your entire body to complete a full stroke every time!
Okay, it’s not really a “bad thing”! It’s really a good thing since the rower forces you to give it your all, the whole time, without taking any shortcuts!
A rowing machine is one of the few machines on the market that truly works out your entire body.
Muscles Worked on Rowing Machine
The images below highlight the phases of a rowing motion and the muscles engaged during a single rowing stroke:
The “Catch”- Muscles worked: Erector Spinae, Gastrochnemius and Soleus, and Hamstrings.
Start of The “Drive”- Muscles worked: Erector Spinae, Rhomboids, Quadriceps, Gastrochnemius and Soleus, and Hamstrings.
The “Drive”- Muscles worked: Erector Spinae, Rectus Abdominus, Triceps, Rhomboids, Deltoids, Trapezius, Pectoralis Major, Wrist Extensors and Flexors, Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, and Gastrochnemius and Soleus.
The “Finish” Muscles worked: Erector Spinae, Wrist Extensors and Flexors, Triceps, Biceps, Deltoids, Pectoralis Major, Rectus Abdominus, Internal and External Obliques, Quadriceps, and Hamstrings.
(Images credit: Concept2 UK, http://concept2.co.uk/rower/muscle_groups)
If you want to see a complete breakdown of all the muscles used while performing a full rowing stroke check out my full muscle breakdown article.
You can also continue reading below to see the best full-body rowing machine workouts.
A Rowing Machine Provides The Ultimate Cardiovascular Exercise
In a nutshell, cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is an activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it at that elevated heart rate for a period of time.
According to Dictionary.com, aerobic exercises are “any of various sustained exercises, such as jogging, rowing, swimming, or cycling, that stimulate and strengthen the heart and lungs, thereby improving the body’s utilization of oxygen.”
Anyone who uses a rowing machine knows that they stimulate and strengthen the heart and lungs!
Whether it’s when you push off with your legs or use your upper-body to pull the handle to your midsection, a rower requires use of all muscle groups. Your entire body is working which will easily get your heart rate up and keep it there.
This makes rowing extremely efficient at burning calories and shedding fat, since your whole body has to work – the entire time!
I wrote about rowing machines and fat burning in the the article Will A Rowing Machine Help Me Lose Weight?
Since rowing is done at a pace where you’re able to perform the exercise for several minutes at a time without stopping, it’s ideal for aerobic exercise and strengthening your muscles.
Rowers can also perform HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts to incorporate anaerobic exercises into their routine as well!
Being able to perform full body aerobic and anaerobic exercises is one of the main reasons people love using rowing machines!
Adjustable Resistance Allows for Different Cardio Workouts
The ability to switch between aerobic and anaerobic workouts is also easy because most rowers come with adjustable or variable resistance.
For example, if you want to have an aerobic workout but you’re concerned about having enough stamina to finish, you can lower the resistance or row at a slower pace to make each rowing stroke easier. The energy you preserve can then be used later to help complete the workout.
You can also increase the resistance or row faster to get a killer anaerobic workout!
Rowing Is Low Impact and Non-Weight Bearing
Another less known claim to fame for a rower is it’s low-impact and non-weight bearing because rowing is performed while sitting down.
Rowing is ideal for everyone but this makes a rowing machine even more beneficial. Especially for people with weak joints and people rehabilitating after surgery.
High-impact activities such as playing sports that involve a great deal of running and jumping put a lot of stress on your joints and is weight bearing since you have to support the weight of your body.
These activities are terrible for people with bad knees and ankles.
Even if you currently don’t have any bad joints, you might eventually. Especially if you always participate in high-impact activities. So mix your workout up with a low-impact exercise like rowing!
Best Rowing Machine Exercises
Now that we know a rowing machine provides a low impact full-body cardiovascular exercise, we need to know which exercises are the best!
Lucky for us a brand new book named The Erg Book was written with over 375 of the best indoor rowing machine exercises.
‘The Short and Snarky Coxswains’ teamed up with Peter Cannia to provide an informative and humorous book about an otherwise very boring subject.
The book is great for rowers of all experience levels and fitness types. Here is what you will see inside:
- 375+ of the best indoor rowing workouts
- 14-week indoor training plan
- Rowing machine technique tips
- Best body circuit exercises
- Much, much more…
The book is easy to navigate and it is simple to find a workout that fits your specific needs on any given day. You can click the photo or this link for a full review and sample of the book.
Final Thoughts
The next time you ask yourself “what does a rowing machine do for your body?”, you now know that it:
Provides a solid full-body workout
Is a superior source for aerobic and anaerobic exercises
Is efficient at burning calories and shedding fat
Preserves your joints by providing a high-intensity, low-impact and non-weight bearing workout
You are guaranteed to get a gut-wrenching, heart-pumping workout from a rowing machine. They are suitable for all fitness levels, from a complete beginner to a seasoned Olympic athlete. Plus, they have no age limit!
So get out there and start getting a full body workout on a rowing machine!!!
Now it’s your turn to share! Tell us in the comment section below: What does a rowing machine do for your body?
With your new knowledge of how beneficial a rowing machine is to your body you can begin to read rowing machine reviews! Check out the two pages below for help choosing a rowing machine.
Check out my rowing machine comparison page to compare all the different models.
You can also visit the rowing machine concierge page, where you can fill out a form and I’ll choose a model for you!
166 thoughts on “What Does a Rowing Machine Do For Your Body?”
Edwin, I stumbled on your fabulous site by accident, and I’m so glad I did! To be honest, I hate exercise for the sake of exercise. I love cycling, hiking, and enjoyed cross-country skiing as a teen, but I live in a place where I can’t do any of those. I’ve tried the gym routine, and hated it. The only machine I ever enjoyed was the rower, so I’m so glad to hear I can get a great whole-body workout. My question is this: if it is non-weight bearing, I’m still going to need something else to build/maintain bone. I only have room for one machine, so I’ll invest in a great rower. What do you recommend I do for weight-bearing exercise? Something easy, doesn’t take much space (it will have to be indoors most of the year), and might actually be fun?
Mary Ann,
Thanks for checking in and I hope you choose a great rower! You are correct in that you need to supplement your rowing with some weight bearing exercising to help build and maintain bone density. Especially important for women! Based on your requirements of limited space, being indoors, and being fun I would definitely go with a kettle-bell workout. They are an amazing way to build functional strength, have 101 uses, and are inexpensive. When many health professionals are asked “If you could only perform one workout for the rest of your life, what would it be?”, many respond with a kettle-bell swing or turkish get-up (which is a kettle-bell exercise).
I would purchase a kettle-bell from a local store unless you can receive free shipping from something like Amazon Prime. I have heard good things about this Beginners Iron Core Kettlebell DVD and for advanced workouts I recommend The Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout.
Let me know if you need anything else and check out my reviews to help you select a rower!
Thanks a bunch!
Edwin
I did rowing when I was doing a 6 week challenge with crossfit. This is when I realized that I loved this machine and was amazed at how I felt when I completed it. I notice a big difference in my body, muscle, strengthen etc.. I just signed up at the roger rec center where I live & I headed straight to the rowing machine. I too, my iPod nano with me so that I can listen to music while rowing as this keeps me focus. I want to get another 20 to 25 pounds off of my, get rid of the day, strenghtn up my back, core, get the muscle back into my.bady into my back which this will really help my back as well as lose the stomach. While I am rowing at the gym in fron & down is the swimming pool, so m picturing myself swimming, listen to music & rowing. I am hoping within 1 month the stomach is gone, and have build up strenghtn in my lower back, as well. As toned the muscles in my legs not to mention the fat disappearing from me. I am hoping that with me using the rowing machine helps get the blood flow coming back up my left leg and on the inner side of my left leg calf that I start losing this egg/lump. I’m also hoping the rowing will help me with the arthitis in my back, feet and hands.
Hi Edwin,
I as well have stumbled unto this site. I have just recently started using the rowing machine at my gym. I hate working out and I’m not in good shape. But I have already seen great results from using the rowing machine a couple times a week. I have two questions. Is a workout on a rowing machine good for someone with arthritis? My husband needs a low impact workout for his joints. And is a rowing machine something that you would invest in buying and skip the gym membership? If we purchase it, can we get a well rounded workout with it? Thanks!!
Jill,
I’m glad to hear you have been seeing great results from using a rowing machine. Rowing machines are great for people with arthritis because they are non weight bearing machines. I myself started rowing because I started having joint problems. Rowing machines also provide a full range of motion workout and a great weight loss exercise, both of which are good for arthritis. There are a few things to take into account when looking for a rowing machine for someone with arthritis.
First, purchase an air or water rower. They provide the smoothest rowing motion which makes it easier on joints and you can adjust the resistance to make it very easy for your husband and harder when you are using it. Second, make sure the machine has a comfortable bar handle, which most air and water rowers do. This will make it easier to grip and row. The Concept2 Model D is the best machine in my opinion, see my review here or visit my rowing machine comparison chart and sort for air and water rowers.
If you are just looking for a good cardiovascular workout and light strength training then I would say it is ok to skip the gym. Rowing machines provide the best all-around workout over any other gym equipment. A gym is only beneficial if you want a variety of weight lifting machines and different cardio machines like ellipticals and bikes. I would definitely consult with a physician about your husband also. There are some types of arthritis that doctors would not recommend using a rowing machine for and I am not a doctor :) .
I hope this helped and best off luck to you and your husband! let me know if you have any other questions.
Edwin
Thanks so much for this informative site. I first tried the rowing machine when I did CrossFit. I can’t afford CrossFit anymore, but would like to continue rowing. You mentioned choosing a water or air rower. Between the two, which is better, water or air, and why? Thanks again for the great information.
Hi Nicole,
One isn’t better than the other due to there being pros and cons to each. It can really be a personal preference.
You can read my water vs. air rowing machine comparison to see the differences between the two :)
Hi could you please help me. if I used a rowing machine to tone up . would I need to do weight lifting to build legs as well. what will my body look like if I only use a rowing machine. im 70 kilos now and I want to get to 76 kilos of muscle.
Hi Stephen,
If you are looking to build strength/muscle the best/fastest way would be to do heavy squats/deadlifts for low reps. Rowing will 100% build lean muscle but supplementing it with a good weight lifting program will help. You can look up photos of Olympic rowers and you will see what it will look like to combine weight training with a lot of rowing.
So in short, rowing will build lean muscles and will get you more toned. It may not add 6 kilos of muscle, depending on your current body type, so a good weight lifting program will help get you there.
Also, you have to realize there is sometimes a difference between building strength, stamina, and size. Each required a different type of training.
Stamina can be achieved by doing long steady-state exercises or HIIT exercises. Strength can be achieved by lifting heavy weights at low repetition. Size can be achieved a number of different ways but relies on tearing your muscle fibers and healing them. You can look up muscle hypertrophy is you are interested in gaining mass.
Wow, this is amazing. I never knew how great the rowing machine was. I’ve been using it quite frequently for a year now and I’ve started to see a big difference in my muscle mass.
Yes, in my opinion the rowing machine is the best complete body workout workout machine! Glad to see you agree!
I am 71 years old and row on a lake. My muscles don’t get sore. How come?
After exercising for an extended period of time it takes much more to become sore. I normally do not get sore either after doing a regular workout.
You would need to do a different exercise and work your muscles in a different way to get sore.
Hello! I landed on your website while searching for information on rowing. I try and row 1000 meters before and 1000 meters after my workout. That is only 10 minutes of rowing. What is the ideal time to spend on the machine? I have lots of fat to lose! :) Thanks!
Hi Dawn!
There really is no ideal time to spend on the rowing machine because it also depends on what you are doing when you say you are working out. Most people spend anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour rowing. There are a lot of factors that come into play when losing weight such as sleep and stress but the main two are eating healthy and burning calories through exercise. I wrote these 2 articles about losing weight on a rowing machine: Losing Weight on a Rowing Machine and Burning Calories on a Rowing Machine.
Please check them out and let me know what you think!
Thank you for a wonderful article. I absolutly love using my rowing machine with my weights machine. Its great to know I am getting a complete workout with all my muscles and dont need to go to gym. Im very over weight and have started doing 10mins a day to get my fitness alot better. My question is how long should I work up to a day?
Thank uou again for the article :)
Charlene,
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed my article. As far as how long you should work up to a day is really up to you. I would say to try to increase your total workout every week by 10 minutes until you reach 1 hour a day. The key is to listen to your body and make sure you don’t overdue it but still push yourself every workout.
If you work up to 1 hour a day while eating a good diet, I can guarantee you will see positive results. Here are 2 other articles of mine that you may find useful:
Losing Weight While rowing
Burning Calories While Rowing
I hope this helped and let me know if you need anything else :)
I love this article, it provided a lot of information. I do have one question. I have lost 80 pounds the past year doing keto. I’m still doing keto. If I to the high intensity rowing workout (says it burns stored carbs) would I need to increase my carb? With the keto diet I eat no more than 20 carbs per day
Hi Carrie – thanks for reaching out!
I wouldn’t increase my carbs and would stick to the keto diet (like they say – if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!). The keto diet seems to be working very well so that is great to hear!
Your body will use the fats you are eating for energy so no need for more carbs!
Hi, Yours is the first website that showed me clearly which muscles are worked on the rowing machine, thanks I started in the gym about six months ago, instinctually I felt the rowing machine made sense. I do 30 mins (at the moment) and advised by a tainer to do 30sec fast and 30sec slow. I do the same on the cross trainer and I also do some rounds of abs work between the machines. I can see a huge difference in my body. The fat I hated was on my back. Being a woman wearing bras!! there always seemed to be lumps and bumps. Now I wear sweaters and it’s all smooth. I wasn’t overweight, but needed to firm up being in my fifties and had injured my leg. I can’t praise rowing machines enough. I go 2-3 times a week and it’s enough.
Brenda,
I’m so glad to hear that rowing has had a positive impact on your life!! Also, thank you for the feedback, I love hearing from my readers.
Is there any other topic that you would like me to cover? I’m always looking for new ideas to write about. I was thinking about doing an even better breakdown of the muscles used on a rowing machine.
Let me know what you think and thanks again!!
Does rowing strengthen the pelvic floor mucles?
Hi Carrie – it may because it strengthens the core in general but I think doing specific exercises to target this muscle is best. I would google “pelvic floor muscle exercises” for the best options.
Just yesterday I decided to try the row machine. I had no interest about this equipment until I read your site. What an amazing machine! My orthopedic dr instructed me to take it easy on my feet. I have plantar fasciitis, tendonitis and little arthritis on both feet. He instructed me to do low impact exercises and to stay away from treadmills or anything that involves pounding on my feet. This row machine feels safe for my feet. My question to you: as a beginner, what moderate workout plans can you share with me? I’m only doing 15 minutes with breaks in between. Don’t feel it’s a suffient workout for my daily routine. I’m 46 yrs old and I know I can do more.
Diana,
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my site and decided to start rowing!! I would continue to build up the amount of time you row until you reach about 30-45 minutes. When you reach this time you can begin to vary your strokes per minute by rowing harder / faster. If you have a heart rate monitor I would begin to try to hit your maximum target heart rate which you can find here at Heart.org.
Also check out this article of mine for some rowing workouts and my article on burning calories while using a rowing machine.
I plan on doing some more articles for people interested in different workouts and losing weight. Let me know if you have any ideas for topics!?
Thanks :)
hi,
I discovered the rowing machine last week. Have used it everyday since. I love it,love it. Thanks for the insights,will try the programme suggested. I’m hoping to get rid of back fat and have a defined tummy.
i would also love to hear your insights on dumbell exercise.
Thanks.
Njeri,
Glad to hear you are enjoying your rowing machine and good luck with the program! I think exercising with dumbbells is a great supplement to rowing. Building muscle will help you look more toned and burn more calories. If you want, check out my article on how building muscles burns more calories. Lifting weights also helps with increasing bone density which is also a good thing.
Let me know how the program goes and if you have any other questions don’t hesitate to ask! :)
I’m so glad that I found this! I’ve been struggling with cardio workouts because I have a bad spine and problems in my feet and knees. The elliptical and incumbent bike are fine, but after doing only those for cardio for quite some time I am bored. I do them anyway.
The treadmill, even power walking on it, kills me. I tried taking up running last year and it was a disaster. I purchased great shoes for my foot type from a running store, but I still ended up in a lot of pain. I was making good progress with running and it saddened me to let it go, but I had to.
Swimming is great, but it’s winter!
You gave me another cardio exercise to get into at the gym that’s high-intensity but low impact.
I’m 42 and about 15 pounds overweight. But, I’ve lost 50 pounds. Pregnancy disabled me because of my spine issues and I had to lay around for months each time. Plus, I ate too much. Ha ha. Anyway, after two kids in 3 years I found myself overweight. I won’t be having anymore kids and I will get into great shape!
Rachael,
I’m glad you enjoy the site and have found rowing to be an enjoyable exercise! There are so many great benefits of rowing and I’m happy to see so many people starting to see how great it is!!
I also found rowing due to injuries and love it for all the same reasons you do. I even purchased good running shoes but still had joint problems. One thing you may find interesting to look into is developing foot strength. A lot of times shoes act as a cast to our feet and make our feet weak over time. This can lead us to have joint issues and knee pains. Try walking around barefoot and even rowing barefoot to start to regain some foot strength!!
Anyway, just thought you may find that interesting :) . Good luck with your rowing experience and thank you for the comment! Happy rowing!
Hi Edwin,
Cool site, thanks!
I started using a rowing machine at the gym about 11 years ago and a year later I purchased a water rower, which I’ve had great success with until last year when the tank started to leak. I have finally gotten it repaired and am so happy to have it back. If you have little time for exercise it’s also a great choice.
Also, thanks for mentioning that athletic shoes can sometimes cause problems. Most people don’t know this and I think it’s a serious concern.
Jen
Hi Jen,
Thank you so much for the kind words! It means a lot to me :)
I’m glad you were able to get your WaterRower fixed and get back to rowing!
Hello Edwin.
Which Is Best Rowing machine ? Is that “Concept2 Model D” or “Concept2 Model E” little bit I’m confuse to choosing between 2 rower. What is you suggestion between them ?
Thanks!
Jonathan Steve
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for the comment! A lot of people get confused when looking into the Concept2 Model D and E so I wrote an article explaining the differences.
Click here to see my article.
The short answer is I would recommend the Concept2 Model D. Check out my review here.
Thanks!
I have been crossfiting for about 5 months and we do a lot of running. But in December I was in a bad car accident and had a tear on one of my vertebral disc. Well thank God for chiropractic I’m back to crossfit. However, instinctively I had no desire to do the running because of the axial pressure and pounding on my joints. I started rowing about 4 weeks ago since I’ve been back and now I’m hooked! Even for as much as I know about the body I was like dang it why are my adductors sore….it was the rowing! I’m feeling strong ALL over because it is a total body smack down. Thanks for posting this awesome article I will be sharing it with everyone ??
Jen,
Sorry to hear you were in a car accident but I’m glad you found rowing to be so enjoyable! So many people want to run but can’t because of the stress it causes on our body and joints. I wish they would try rowing and realize how amazing it is!
A knee injury caused me to start rowing and it even helped cure my injury. I want to write an article about the benefits of rowing over running and how rowing can actually help heal running related injuries.
Anyway, thank you for the kind words and thank you so much for sharing! I really enjoy when my articles help people. If you ever want any questions answered feel free to ask and I will be more than happy to do the research and write a post about it :)
I am 63 and recently discovered I have moderate to severe osteoarthritis in one shoulder (clavicular joint I think). Any idea if the rowing machine would be good to use in this case?
Lynne,
To be honest I really do not know if a rowing machine would be good or not. In my research over the years I have read that exercise and resistance training can help people with OA by reducing pain and increasing strength and mobility. Rowing machines are often mentioned as great pieces of equipment for people with OA because they provide a smooth, even resistance throughout the entire range of motion and the resistance can be adjusted from very light to hard. I am obviously biased towards rowing machines but I do believe they are a great way to provide low-impact exercise.
I would first consult with your doctor (because I am not one :) ) and see what their opinion is and then maybe visit a gym with a rower and see how you like it. If you feel it is a good fit then maybe you can justify spending the money to buy one.
There are a lot of great articles on the internet about exercising with OA and different supplements that can help as well. Doing some research there may help find more clarity.
Good luck and feel free to ask me anything else!
I just started working out may 5th. I am a very skinny…just 5’7″(people think I’m taller because of my super skinny legs) and 120 pounds. My main reason for working out was to get a better but. I’d also like to gain some muscle mass. So far I have focused mainly on the stair climber (I do 40 floors) and the rower (which I instantly fell in love with) I started with 15 minutes. The second time 25 minutes. 3rd time 35 minutes. My big worry about losing weight. I have started to up my protein to at least 120 per day. Which I believe is per my weight. Also trying to up my calories. But I’m already finding it hard so today I bought my first protein bar. My questions are… am I doing enough to get a great butt and how do I gain mass and not lose weight. I thank you for any advice.
Hi Yvonne,
Thanks for asking these great questions! I will start with, how to gain lean muscle mass? To gain muscle mass you will have to eat more calories than you burn and also take in about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (so you were correct!). Rowing will definitely help build lean muscle mass but it really depends on how much lean muscle you want. I would continue to try to gain weight by eating a higher calorie, healthy diet and rowing. See if you like the results and if you want to add more muscle you will have to incorporate bodyweight/ weight training into your program.
I would do a google search on “how to gain lean muscle mass” to read some in-depth articles about this topic. Here are two Bodybuilding.com articles about how many calories to eat and what foods to eat. I also wrote an article about rowing machines and calories burned if you want to check it out.
A rowing machine is a great way to add muscle to your glutes and it is one of the main muscle groups targeted. Click here to check out my article showing each muscle targeted by a rowing machine. I would continue rowing to gain lean muscle mass and also supplement with some bodyweight exercises. For upper body lean muscle mass I would recommend pushups and pull-ups, two of the best bodyweight exercises. To specifically target your glutes there are a ton of easy bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges, bridges, rear leg raises, etc. Just Google and YouTube search “glute workout for women”. There are endless articles and videos that go way more in depth than I can in this comment.
I hope this information helped! This was a very short answer to questions that have entire books written about them. Please let me know if you have any other questions :)
HI! Thank you very much for the informative read. The rowing machine is perfect for me! Tore my acl a year ago and had no idea of its benefits to the legs as well. I am 22 and not really in to the whole gym work, and happen to have a rowing machine at home along with some free weights and a bench. Was hoping if you could help me put together a weekly routine for some muscle definition. Thanks in advance!
Hi Stefan,
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the rowing machine! There are so many ways to put together a training program and your program should evolve and change over time. I can provide you with an example week that you can follow for the first month or two. In this time I would continue doing research on different routines and begin creating a plan that works best for you. As you start working out you will begin to understand what workouts you like and provide you the most benefit.
Day 1: Free weights and bench- Look up different workouts you can do with your equipment that can target the chest, back, shoulders, and legs. Then rotate between these workouts doing 5 sets of 10 reps each. So for example:
-Chest: 10 reps of bench press
-Back: 10 reps of bent over rows
-Shoulders: 10 reps of ‘Arnold Press’
-Legs: 10 reps of squats holding weights
You can then repeat this 5 times.
Day 2: Long Row- Row at a moderate pace for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Get a good stretch in after your workout.
Day 3: Speed and Power Row- 1 minute of hard rowing, followed by 30 seconds of easier rowing. Repeat four times for one set then take a break of 3 minutes before starting the next set. Do as many sets as you can.
Day 4: Rest and Recovery- Do a long stretch and rest.
Day 5, 6, 7- Repeat the first 3 days of the week. You can modify your weight exercises by doing different workouts but keep the rotation of Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs. You can also modify the Speed and Power row by doing something like 3 minutes of hard rowing followed by 2 minutes of easy and repeating this.
I hope this base week can give you something to work off of. Remember to just have fun with it and always push yourself. Feel free to ask me any questions or email me if you need more details. Cheers!
Hi, I’m 10 stone and really want to lose weight from my stomach, arms and legs, how long do you think I should go on the rowing machine and will it work? will I be lean and thin?
Aisha,
I am positive that a good rowing machine program and clean diet will result in you losing weight. I talk about 2 different workouts in my article on rowing to lose weight.
I would start by working out as long as you feel comfortable and building on your intensity/ time each workout. Remember that diet is a key component of weight loss and is ultimately the most important.
Just remain positive, enthusiastic, and consistent!
Hi I’m Ben.
I’m currently rowing 20,000 m on average a day (5-6) days a week. Burning around 570 cals every 10,000m
Will rowing alone allow me to lose weight and tone up ? Ideally I want to get a six pack but have doubts that this can be achieved from rowing alone ?
Hi Ben,
Yes, rowing alone will 100% help you lose weight and become more tone. You definitely need to make sure you are eating a healthy diet first and supplementing this with a good rowing machine workout. There are plenty of people who workout everyday but are still overweight due to a poor diet.
I like to do body weight exercises with my rowing workouts to add a little more mass and specifically target certain muscles like my chest and core. Two quick videos I do once a week are this 10 minute chest workout and this 10 minute core workout.
Check out my article on losing weight with a rowing machine and watch the video with Gerald Butler. He talks about how a rowing machine was the key to getting ripped for the movie 300.
Hope this info helped and good luck!
I have tried many exercise machines in my days i am 56 yr old Woman ..
Rowing machine gives me everything i need ..
I had many health probs and my physical condition was not too crash hot .
Rowing has given it all back to me .
You just need to keep doing it no matter what..
At least four/ five times a week ..
Best investment i ever made
Glad to hear about your success!! Thank you for sharing :)
Hi Coleen and Edwin, I am the same age as you Coleen and would like a bit of feedback from you both. I have a waterower and can only manage 10 minutes every other day because my back goes into spasm. I’m hoping to gradually increase my rowing time by only a minute a week. My diet is very good and I have an active job in the OR but can’t seem to get passed the 10 minute mark. Any tips !?
Hi Cath – I would try to focus on stretching first to see if that helps with the spasms. I wouldn’t say it is normal to have back spasms after 20 minutes of rowing.
I used to have to stretch for 15-30 minutes every day to loosen my hip flexors, which in return elevated my knee and hip pain when running. It was super annoying because all I wanted to do was exercise but I had to put more time into stretching.
How can a rower help with the hamstring? I was in a motorcycle wreck and dislocated my knee and ankle along with a bad hamstring pull. I have full flex in my knee while sitting or standing, when i walk my knee range of motion is dimenished. My insurance company will not approve more rehab and i have a rower and have started using it since my rehab has been cut off.
Hi Sage,
Sorry to hear about your accident. I’m not a doctor or physical therapist so I’m not sure what exercises will be best for your condition.
All I know is that a rowing machine will strengthen your hamstring and all the muscles surrounding it. Since rowing is non-weight bearing it would most likely be better than other types of exercise. I know they use rowers a lot in rehab facilities so they do function well for rehabbing injuries but I’m just not sure if yours would be a good example or not.
I would continue all the same exercises you were doing when you were attending rehab. That is what I did when I injured my knee and couldn’t go to rehab.
Hi,
I have two herniated discs (L3, L4) that required cortisone injections. The condition has been under control for more than two years and I stretch daily, but do not do a lot of cardio.
What, if any impact, will a rowing machine like the Concept2 D have on my discs and back, in general?
Thank you.
Hi Fred,
As you can imagine a rowing machine incorporates a fair amount of lower back movement and exertion. Each stroke you will be leaning forwards and leaning back. Many people can actually develop lower back pain from rowing due to the fair amount of stress it places on a rower’s back. Proper form can minimize this but studies have shown that rowers exhibit a higher percent of lower back pain than the general population.
I’m not sure how rowing will effect your back but the best way to know would be to try rowing for a few weeks and see how you feel. If you have a gym nearby with a rowing machine that would be ideal. You can also Google search “rowing with lower back pain” and read some of the studies and experiences of other rowers.
Good luck!
Greetings. I suggest you visit Dr. Fiona Wilson for advise on reducing stress to the lower back while rowing.
I also recommend the following technique:
1. Pull as low as possible.
2. lay back at the catch by pivoting just below the ribs.
3. Use a 1:1 work:recovery time ratio, at 25 spm or more. Don’t pause anywhere.
4. Arrange that the legs and arms finish TOGETHER. Hands away quickly to pass the rebounding legs.
5. 2 breaths per stroke – out at the catch and release.
Aim for a comfortable rhythm – like a pendulum.
Have fun.
Hi I am a 53 year old strong woman who has had knee issues my whole life. Can not do any weight bearing exercises at all they kill my knees. I have had both my knees replaced 2 times each. First time in 2009-2011 still have pain can not squat at all or even go down steps properly . I go to the gym 3 times a week and use the rower so I can sit. Can’t really push off with my legs to hard so Can I still get a great workout without using my knees full force?
I also lift some weights as well. I do much better when I can sit it is less painful for my knee joints.