Rowing machine exercise is best for complete body toning and fitness. It activates the back, abs, shoulders, chest, wrists, glutes, calf muscles, and hamstrings.
Which muscles targeted in seated rows?
Table of Contents
The seated row focuses on several muscles in your arms and back, including:
- middle back (latissimus dorsi)
- between shoulder blades (rhomboids)
- shoulders, neck, and upper back (trapezius)
- front of the upper arm (biceps brachii)
During the seated row exercise, the basic movers are the rhomboids and lats. The biceps and trapezius help the movement by helping lats and rhomboids.
Rowing Machine Workouts
Row Warm-Up
Before you begin a complete rowing machine exercise, you must warm-up.
How to Do?
- Include low resistance and sit on the rowing machine, hold the pulley’s handle with hands stretched, back straight, and core engaged.
- Keep legs over the leg rest. Keep then stretched.
- Pull the handle to the chest and do not hunch your back or move back.
- Gently get hands back to the beginning position. Do it five times.
- Pull the handle and move front as you stretch hands again. Do this five times.
- Pull the handle of the tool and stretch hands again, flex knees, and slide forward.
- Slide back as you pull the handle of the pulley.
Simple Rowing
How to Do?
- Sit on the rowing machine and keep feet over the leg rest.
- Stretch arms and get the handle firmly in your hands. Make sure the back is not arched and the abs are tight.
- Push with legs, level them till they are stretched. Pull the handle with stretched arms at the same time.
- Lean backward a little while placing arms stretched.
- Draw the handle near the chest. Press your shoulder blades and do not lean back any further while doing so. Use your back muscles to press the handle.
- Flex your knees and slide front as you stretch your hands.
Water Rower Workout
The water rower exercise is the same as a simple rowing workout. There is just a slight difference in the machine design.
Power Curls
How to Do?
- Perform the simple rowing workout three times.
- When you get back and bring the handle near to your chest, curl hands by bending elbows like bicep curls.
- Release the curl and slide front, bending knees.
- Do it again the whole workout 5-8 times.
Sprints or Extreme Rowing
How to Do?
- In this workout, you perform the regular rowing workout, but without holding the handle all the way backward. Raise the speed of rowing while stopping in the drive position.
- Perform it as much as possible in one minute.
- To enhance the workout, you can raise the speed and duration of speed.
Benefits of Rowing Machine Exercises
Effective Calorie Burner
Rowing machine workouts are gasoline for stored fat. Doing 10-minutes of a rowing machine exercise burns 100-200 calories, depending on body weight, resistance, and intensity used.
Great Full-Body Workout
Apart from exercising on upper back muscles, rowing machine workouts also focus on the core, biceps, chest, hamstrings, forearms, and quadriceps. Therefore, you get a complete body exercise without having to hop from one machine to the other.
Improves Muscle Strength
Rowing machine workout helps to improve upper body raise endurance and strength. Researchers also discovered that rowing machine exercise helps with spinal cord injury to regain muscle strength.
Best for Heart and Lungs
Rowing workout helps to increase lung and heart function. Depending on the sets, reps, and resistance used for the workout your breath and sweat in more oxygen, making your heart function harder to meet the oxygen requirement.
Helps Build Muscle
Rowing workout stimulates muscles and causes tear and wear. When you sleep and rest these muscles rebuild themselves thicker and stronger to provide you lean muscles.
Low-Risk and Low-Impact Activity
Rowing workouts are best for people with arthritis and knee joint pain. They are an easy and low-impact workout. Rowing machine exercise also provides a low risk of injuries. Do not add high resistance that makes you perform 3-sets of 15 reps with ease. Include more resistance slowly as your strength grows.
Tones the Arms
The rowing machine stimulates the arms, wrists, and triceps. Triceps are the muscles found at the back of the upper arm. Stretching and pulling the rowing handle helps to tone the forearms and triceps. Gradually, arms begin to look toned and slimmer.
Lower the Risk of Diseases
Upper body fat is linked with metabolic complications of obesity. It removes the risk of growing obesity-linked diseases.
May Lower Belly Fat
Rowing workout activates the ab muscles. These exercises are good for cardio and burn the best number of calories. Therefore, they can help to reduce whole-body fat and tone up belly areas.
What Are the Benefits of Using A Rowing Machine?
Efficient Aerobic Exercise
No matter what age category you fall into, a fitness plan that adds aerobic exercise or cardio equipment is an essential contributor to overall health. The benefit of common aerobic workouts includes increased stamina, weight loss, and a powerful immune system. Endorphins generate while you work out can also help to improve sleep quality or mood. Because it requires the use of larger muscle groups, a rowing machine is an efficient way to raise heart rate and elevate oxygen intake for adequate cardio exercise. The stretchable resistance on most rowers lets you comfortably work up to focus heart rate as well as slow back down to resting rate.
Weight Loss
Regular exercise on a rower can help to tone muscles, burn calories, and increase energy. A rowing machine exercise burns an average of 600 calories every hour. That is more efficient than many other gym machines at home. On a stationary bike without an arm included, you would require to ride around 78 minutes to equal a 60-minute exercise on a rowing machine. On a stationary bike without adding an arm, you would need to ride around 78 minutes to equivalent a 60 minutes exercise on a rowing machine. You can combine it with a balanced and healthy diet, using a rowing machine regularly is the best way to help your fitness goal.
Upper-Body Workout
Rowing machines offer a stellar upper body exercise. Rowers work out the rhomboids in the shoulders, trapezii in the upper back, and lats in the lower back. The benefits of a stronger shoulder and back include improved pose as well as a decrease in back pain. Additionally, rowing machines also offer a good workout for your pecs, biceps, and abs, which helps to grow a stronger core. Because you need to manage a strong grip on the oars, you will also grow stronger hands and wrists, which is a big benefit for everyone who enjoys activities like yoga or climbing.
Lower-Body Workout
The rowing machine also benefits to lower body. Rowing enthusiasts like rowing a lower-body exercise. The main leg muscles include quads in the upper front thighs. However, the calves and glutes also feel the burn. Developing strong glutes and legs will help you look great and activate the lower body to burn calories faster rate. Additionally, it improves the tone and strength, and resistance training on a row machine is the best way to manage balance and flexibility.
Low-Impact Cardio
For overweight or people with joint problems, high-impact exercise may cause high chances than the benefits. A rowing machine is the most suitable alternative for those who are not able to perform weight-bearing workouts, such as hiking, running, yoga, and walking. The rowing motion is low influence and natural, putting decreased stress on the joints. Like stationary bikes, rowers are best for injury blocking and a good way to restore and condition the knees after surgery. While back stress is a concern, you can lower the risk by using the right rowing form. Good rowing pose lets your legs do the work, having the pressure off on the back.
Increased Endurance
If you feel like get-up-and-go, there are chances that you may not be feeling enough physical activity. Rowing machine exercise may feel exhausted at first, but the long-term benefits of the continued workout will raise your endurance and give you more energy. Because rowing workout is cardiovascular and works out all your major muscle groups. It is a step above many other types of exercise equipment. With repeated use, you will get more stamina and promote metabolism. More energy needs more drive to do the things you need.
Convenient
You can buy less expensive rower to use at home for your convenience and comfort. Sometimes getting motivated to workout is more challenging than the workout itself. Uncomplicated and easy workouts, like rowing, are much more appealing. It also best because you can select an exercise buddy to join you for included enhancement.
Affordable
While it is not hard to spend a pretty penny on expensive rowers, you can get many basic machines that will not expensive. You do not wish to sacrifice quality on a rowing machine to save a buck, as there are various models with an extensive feature for below $200. You can get to a rower at the gym, but if rowing is your principal workout, you can keep money in the long run.
Easy to Use
You may find it complicated in the beginning to shape your body with a rowing machine. It is basic to make a point to utilize the correct paddling strategy when you play out the activity. It will profit both raised exercises and less inclined to injury. Your feet should be safely secured in the stirrups with shins close to a 90-degree point to the floor. It is acceptable to hold back straight, center connected with, and column in a smooth movement, and smooth.
It’s Fun
Regular exercise needs a lot of motivation. Making fitness plans that require fitness plan to enjoy success. Because rowing exercise gives a workout to the whole body. Additionally, you can give a challenge to yourself by raising the resistance as you feel more seasoned rower. Turn on the speakers and row to the rhythm of your favorite tracks, keep your favourite show on the TV, or pick a workout buddy for further encouragement. Once you become a pro, you will be feeling great that jumping on a rowing machine will be a surprise.
Common Mistakes
The seated row, such as a workout, needs the right form and movement to be safe and effective. For best results, skip these common mistakes. Take a personal trainer if you need one to one help.
Outward Elbows
Place elbows against to body during the pulling phase except during the wide-grip row. Avoid raising elbows up and out, which engages the biceps instead of the rhomboids and lats.
Shrugged Shoulders
When you pull the weight, put shoulders back and down. Raising shoulders near ears will put too much force on the traps.
Rounded Back
Always balance a neutral back. Engage with your abdominal muscles to prevent arching or rounding of the spine and keep it straight.
Swinging Torso
Skip moving torso because targeted muscles will not feel any tension. Activating your core during the workout will help to balance your torso.
Rapid Movements
Perform every rep slowly to activate muscles and skip jerky and rapid movements.
Partial Range Of Motion
Each rep should go from the full range of motion for optimal benefits. A lowered range of motion lets you lift more weight. Partly stretching your arms will not give correct work to your muscles.
Locked Knees
Locking knees is stressful on the joints, so it is good to flex knees slightly.
Modifications to try
Modifying seated rows are the best way to switch things upward to match fitness level.
Make It Easier
Begin with low reps and lightweight. Once you can perform the workout with the right form, raise your reps and weight.
Make It Harder
If your seated row is easier, try to do these modifications with a challenging workout:
Move the Chest Pad
When doing a seated row machine, adjust the chest pad away from the body. Your body will have to work more to stay calm.
Use One Arm at One Time
Relax on a seated cable-row-machine with one foot on the ground and one foot on the plate. With one arm, keep the cable with the side of the body.
Extend the Pause
At the end of the pulling part, pause for 3-5 seconds to challenge muscles.
Extend The Return
Slowing down on the return will help to increase the intensity.