The Ultimate Full Body Workout
Often, the most popular exercise machines used indoors are the treadmill, bench press and elliptical machines. Whilst these are undoubtedly great for your health and fitness aims when used correctly, rowing machines tend to get overlooked and are not high on people’s radars as a serious option.
Many people, even regular gym-goers, don’t realize how many of the body’s muscle groups are employed to produce the action of rowing. Since most of us are unable to access a lake and a rowing boat, indoor rowing machines are the next best thing to achieve the same effects and benefits. Indoor rowing machines are specifically designed to mimic the action and sensation of real outdoor rowing, meaning you will not be compromising on anything if you use a machine instead.
So, if you are looking to expand your workout routine or simply want to find out more about what you can achieve with rowing, keep reading!
Provides a cardiovascular workout that uses your entire body
Unlike a treadmill, that just works your legs or weights that just work your arms, rowing machines are renowned for their ability to work your whole body. Both your lower and upper body muscle groups are employed to administer a full row-like stroke, guaranteeing you a full-blown workout that will truly get your heart-rate up.
Due to their high cardiovascular benefits, rowing machines are outstandingly efficient at burning calories and raising your heart rate – exactly what’s needed from a cardiovascular exercise! As your entire body will be working hard when rowing, you will be able to achieve your desired cardiovascular benefits much quicker than other machines, giving you faster results.
Better still, you don’t have to go to the gym in order to access a rowing machine. There are so many rowing machines out there on the market to buy for home use. This includes lots of inexpensive options for those who don’t have a huge amount of money to splurge. Check out this row machine comparison and discover the wide variety of heart-pumping machines available, and establish which one best suit you.
Low impact exercise
Unlike running which causes extremely high impact on both the ankle and knee joints, rowing is a virtually impact-free exercise that’s perfect for those with weak or painful joints. In fact, running has been shown to potentially cause more harm than good in the long-run, including excessive joint strain and even heart attacks.
When using one of these machines, your feet are firmly placed onto comfortable foot pads and your hands are constantly holding onto the handles. This means you will never have to worry about any high impact on your joints, making this exercise one of the safest there is in terms of injury.
Adjustable resistance
Sometimes, people avoid rowing machines simply because they think the rowing action will be too hard and intense. This is especially apparent amongst those new to exercise, with many new gym-goers opting for treadmills or elliptical machines instead.
However, many don’t realize that the resistance of most rowing machines can be easily adjusted; the lower the resistance, the easier the rowing stroke will be. So, for inexperienced rowers who need time to build up their strength and ability on rowing machines, you’re able to tailor the resistance of the machine to fit your exact requirements.
As with any form of new exercise, it is vitally important to start slowly and work yourself up to a level you feel comfortable with. So, even if you’re new to rowing and have never tried it before, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to adjust the resistance to ensure a safe and comfortable rowing experience.
Increases muscular strength
In addition to its great cardiovascular benefits, rowing also has the power to significantly improve the muscle strength of both your arms, legs, core and back. Due to the constant pulling and pushing motion associated with each rowing stroke, you’re working out your muscles very evenly. If you slowly increase the machine’s resistance over time, your muscles will respond accordingly, resulting in a steady build-up of muscle strength and endurance that can’t be achieved from many other exercises.
If you are a lover of exercise and have always overlooked the rowing machines, or if you’re just starting out, you now know the benefits of rowing. Better still, if you choose to purchase a rowing machine for your home you will have access to exercise 24/7, meaning you can start increasing your cardiovascular and muscle health at times that suit you best.
Maddison Reid works at her local gym as a fitness instructor. Running fitness classes, she’s also on hand to make sure equipment is used safely and to offer motivation where needed! She writes about fitness matters in her articles which appear on lifestyle blogs primarily.
