Rowing is an incredible full-body workout that offers numerous health benefits. Whether you’re out on the water or using a rowing machine, the physical and mental advantages are significant.
In this post, we’ll explore the key rowing machine benefits that make this exercise an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their fitness and overall well-being.
Rowing Machine Benefits: Full-Body Workout
One of the most compelling rowing machine benefits is that it engages nearly every major muscle group. Unlike exercises that target specific areas, rowing works your legs, core, back, and arms simultaneously. The leg drive initiates the movement, followed by the engagement of the core and the pull of the arms. This comprehensive engagement promotes balanced muscle development and enhances functional fitness, which can improve performance in other physical activities.
Cardiovascular Health
Rowing is a highly effective cardiovascular exercise. Regular sessions on a rowing machine elevate your heart rate, improving cardiovascular endurance and promoting heart health. A strong cardiovascular system reduces the risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure, and enhances overall circulation. The rhythmic nature of rowing also helps to regulate breathing and increase lung capacity, making it an excellent choice for those looking to boost their aerobic fitness. Why not try this brutal pyramid rowing workout.
Low-Impact Exercise
For individuals seeking a low-impact workout, rowing is an ideal option. Unlike running or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that can put stress on the joints, rowing is gentle on the knees, ankles, and hips. The smooth, gliding motion minimizes the risk of injury while still providing an intense workout. This makes rowing suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels, including those recovering from injury or managing chronic joint issues.
Weight Loss and Calorie Burn
Rowing machines are highly effective for burning calories and promoting weight loss. A vigorous rowing session can burn between 400 to 800 calories per hour, depending on intensity and individual body weight. The combination of cardiovascular and strength training elements makes rowing efficient for fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass. Consistent use of a rowing machine can help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Mental Health Benefits
Beyond physical health, rowing also offers significant mental health benefits. The repetitive, rhythmic motion of rowing can have a meditative effect, reducing stress and promoting mental clarity. Exercise, in general, triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood lifters. Regular rowing sessions can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance sleep quality, and boost overall mood.
Improved Posture and Flexibility
Rowing requires proper form and technique to perform correctly. This emphasis on technique helps strengthen the muscles responsible for maintaining good posture. Over time, regular rowing can lead to improved posture both on and off the machine. Additionally, the full range of motion involved in rowing helps improve flexibility in the shoulders, hips, and hamstrings. With its wide range of benefits for both the body and mind, it’s no wonder that rowing has become increasingly popular as a form of exercise. Whether you’re looking to improve your cardiovascular fitness, build strength, manage your weight, or simply enjoy a low-impact workout, incorporating rowing into your routine can be a game changer.
Convenience and Accessibility
One of the standout benefits of using a rowing machine is how convenient it is. Unlike outdoor rowing, which is dependent on weather conditions and access to water, a rowing machine allows you to work out consistently all year round. There are even rowing machine challenges that you can join in with annually, like the Concept 2 Dog Days of Summer. Most rowing machines are small and can easily fit into a home gym or living space. This means that you can easily include rowing as part of your daily fitness routine without needing any special equipment or facilities. The convenience and accessibility of rowing machines make them an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their fitness levels or maintain an active lifestyle.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced athlete, incorporating regular rowing sessions into your workout routine can bring about significant health benefits.
- Rowing machines allow for consistent, year-round workouts regardless of weather conditions.
- They are compact and can fit easily into a home gym or living space.
- No specialised equipment or facilities are required to use them.
- Suitable for all fitness levels due to their low-impact nature.
With these advantages in mind, it’s clear why rowing machines are becoming increasingly popular among fitness enthusiasts.
Where to buy a Rowing Machine
Have the rowing machine benefits swayed you into investing into this piece of equipment? Yes, rowing is a difficult workout, but practice makes perfect. Just remind yourself of how many muscles you will be working out every time you step on your rowing machine.
Viavito Sumi Folding Rowing Machine
Buy at Sweatband for £189
The Viavito Sumi is a great and practical folding rowing machine that has a 7kg (15.4lbs) flywheel promoting smooth rowing motion and working your upper and lower body. The machine offers 10 levels of silent, friction-free manually controlled magnetic resistance to get your heart pumping and you burning calories. You can monitor feedback from your workout on the LCD display that shows time, distance, calories, count and strokes per minute. For your comfort there is an ergonomic seat and large foot pedals. The row length is 80cm (31.5”) and this combines with the commercial-quality rollers and the smooth 4-roller system to ensure your rowing is fluid, smoother and enjoyable. Once you’ve finished you can fold up the rower and store it more easily thanks to the transportation wheels.
Half Human Air Rowing Machine
Buy at Sweatband for £749.
Improve your cardio, strength, and endurance with the Half Human air rowing machine. This sturdy, commercial-grade rower features 10 levels of air resistance to let you adjust intensity of each workout and deliver smooth rowing experience and a natural feel. Featuring a smart device holder and Bluetooth connectivity, the rower allows for maximising results while training with D-fit and Kinomap apps. Enjoy structured workouts with coaching and interval training, row all over the world, join multiplayer sessions to compete with friends and get accurate motion recording and exercise analysis. Check your progress on an easy-to-read 5” LCD display and choose from 8 onboard workouts designed to help you hit the target faster. Train in comfort with a large, padded seat and adjustable footrests.
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Attack Fitness Row Attack – Rowing Machine
Buy at Peak Health and Fitness for £1198.80
The Row Attack is designed to create a low impact workout which relieves stresses on body joints and helps with free movement and injury prevention.
The Row Attack is built with a stylish space saving design in order to fit in any home or commercial environment and it is both durable and hard wearing, at a competitive price to provide great value for all users, the Row Attack Rowing Machine is perfect to begin or continue your fitness journey.
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