If you regularly walk past the rowing machine at the gym, you might want to consider hopping on it next time. Rowing is not only an excellent cardio workoutbut it also affects a surprising number of muscle groups, making it a great choice for your strength training routineas well.
While the rowing machine – also called an ergometer – may sound complicated, it’s actually incredibly easy to use, he says Caley Crawford, NASM CPTa certified personal trainer and director of education for Terraced house. All you have to do is sit down, brace your feet on the footholds, and then pull back on the handles while using your legs to move away from the steering wheel, also known as the part of the machine that rotates to simulate rowing through the Water.
According to Chris Changpersonal trainer and director of exercise science and programming at a rowing company Egrattathis rowing motion engages the muscles of the legs, body, and arms all at once for a compound strength training movement. “It’s like combining a leg press, Russian weights swing and row for the upper body, all in one cardio-packed workout,” he tells Bustle.
If you want to make cardio easy, you can row slowly and steadily for a gentler workout that strengthens your muscles as you go. flexibility and joint healthCrawford says. Or row faster and longer for a cardio workout that will improve your endurance and leave you sore the next day. Either way you do it, these are all the muscles rowing works, according to trainers.
All Muscle Rowing Workouts
According to Crawford, Rowing recruits more than 85% of the muscles in your body.mainly hitting the legs, arms and core.
Center
To really work your muscles when rowing it’s important to focus on good form, so start by watching the video above to see how to do a proper rowing stroke. You’ll notice that you’re supposed to lean back a bit at the end of the movement; this is called the capture, Crawford says, and it’s the part that involves your movement. abdominal muscles.
It will also engage your core as well as your hip flexors and serratus anterior muscles, as it moves back forward on the trace. This movement helps compress your body like a swing, Chang explains, which helps you build up potential energy for the next stroke.
Quads and hamstrings
Rowing is also considered an important exercise for the legs, says Jane Gumleypersonal trainer and head coach victoria university women’s rowing team “Your rowing power is powered by the big muscles in your legs,” she tells Bustle, which includes the quadscalves and hamstrings.
This is because you bend your knees and then push back on your footholds to propel your body backwards. “Think of all the muscles you activate while you squat,” adds Gromley. “That’s what rowing does over an extended period of time.”
buttocks
Your hips also open during the stroke, which Chang says. engages the gluteal muscles the same way a deadlift would. That is why he will surely feel pain in his lower body the day after rowing, not just in his arms.
lats
Rowing also works the latissimus dorsi muscle located in the back. “In the row stroke, after you kick off your legs, you set yourself up to be in a strong position to pull with your back and lats,” says Gumley. The goal is to squeeze your shoulder blades together as your arms pull back on the handles.
Just make sure you use proper form to get the most out of every hit. “People often make a mistake in the second half of the stroke by sliding in before their arms extend again,” says Crawford. “To ensure proper technique and sequence, think legs, core, arms; arms, core, legs.”
Biceps and Deltoids
the deltoid, located at the top of each shoulder, activate as you row. And then there are the bicep muscles, which Chang says contribute about 10% of the total force of your row when you pull the handles toward your sternum. talk about a full body strength training.
Referenced studies:
Ian Gee, T., Caplan, N., Christian Gibbon, K., Howatson, G., and Grant Thompson, K. (2016). Investigation of the effects of typical rowing strength training practices on strength and power development and performance in 2000 m rowing. Journal of Human Kinetics., fifty, 167–177. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2015-0153.
Kang SR, Yu CH, Han KS, Kwon TK. Comparative analysis of baseline fitness and muscle function in relation to muscle balance pattern using rowing machines. Biomed Mater Ing. 2014;24(6):2425-35. doi: 10.3233/BME-141056. PMID: 25226943.
Experts:
Caley Crawford, NASM CPTcertified personal trainer and director of education for Terraced house
Chris Changpersonal trainer and director of exercise science and programming at a rowing company Egratta
Jane Gumleypersonal trainer and head coach victoria university women’s rowing team
