These Are the Muscles You're Working When You Use a Rower
Rowing is one of the best cardio workouts you can do. Not only does a session on the machine crush calories, but it also helps you build muscle with its strength training benefits.
"Rowing is great for cardio because it allows for a full-body, low impact, mono-structural movement that can be sustained for long periods at a steady state cardio or for shorter, high intensity workouts and sprints," says Ian Creighton, general manager at Brick New York and a CrossFit-level 2 trainer.
You'll get great aerobic training using the rower, especially if you use it the right way.
"Rowing recruits more of your aerobic capacity since all major muscle groups are being utilized to complete one full stroke. As an added bonus, you can train different energy systems," says Hollis M. Tuttle, CITYROW Go Lead Instructor in New York City. (Looking for a new rowing machine? We rounded up 18 of the best.)
The Muscles You Use When You Row
Ultimately, rowing is a total-body workout.
"Rowing activates nine muscle groups and utilizes 85 percent of the body’s musculature, which is why it is such an efficient workout," says Huttle.
Depending on which part of the stroke you're in, you're going to hit different muscle groups.
"The rower is basically the horizontal version of the deadlift and uses similar muscles," says Creighton. "On the drive the main focus is on the posterior chain—the hamstrings, glutes, calves, and spinal erectors are all being used. In the pull, the quads, forearms, biceps, and lats are used as well."
Breaking Down The Stroke
There are four vital parts of the stroke that will set you up for proper form.
The Catch: "Start with a proper set-up at the front of the machine. Shins should be vertical, lats engaged, shoulders relaxed, and core braced. Torso should be leaning forward at a 1 o’clock position with shoulders in front of hips," says Huttle. "From this position, you will be able to create a powerful push off of the machine to initiate 'The Drive' phase of the stroke."
The Drive: "Maintaining a forward torso tilt, start by applying force into the machine to extend your legs," says Huttle. "Continue to push through through your legs and start to hinge your torso backwards. This should be a fluid continuous movement."
The Finish: "Once your legs are fully extended and your torso is at an 11 o’clock position, begin using your arms to pull the handle to the base of your sternum," says Huttle. "Be sure to keep your core muscles activated and tight, like in a hollow body hold."
The Recovery: "Reverse the motion by relaxing your arms away from your torso, hinge forward towards 1 o’clock, and then bend your legs back to catch," says Huttle. "Be sure that the handle passes over your knees before bending your knees. The recovery phase should be half the speed used in the drive, which will allow your muscles to recover and prepare for another strong push."
Rowing Workouts You Should Try
"Depending upon your training goals, you can choose to complete a long steady-state endurance row, push a little harder for a mid-length tempo row, or do multiple short intense sprints," says Tuttle.
If you're new to rowing, give yourself some grace as you get going.
"Rowing is a skill that must be practiced on a consistent basis. Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process of learning how to become a better rower," adds Tuttle.
Here are five workouts that are trainer-approved. Just a quick note for the uninitiated: 'SPM' in some of these plans stands for 'strokes per minute', a helpful measure to gauge your pace. Most machines will have some way to measure this clearly highlighted on the display. 'Calories' are also used as a measure for work, which is a bit more complicated–if your machine doesn't have the ability to show the calorie estimate, just skip those workouts.
Workout 1: 2K Row For Time
"The holy grail of rowing workouts is the 2K Row For Time. It is one of the single best cardio tests that exists," says Creighton. "If you’re a beginner, shoot for sub 8-minutes, intermediate sub 7:30, and elite sub-7 minutes. While this may not burn the most calories, your lungs and heart will be pushed to their max! This burns between 300 to 400 calories (high because of the intensity—if you push to 85 to 95 percent capacity, which is the goal, you will burn more calories)."
Workout 2: 10k Row For Time
"This will be done at a much lower heart rate than the 2k for time, but is great for burning calories and working on increasing aerobic capacity," says Creighton. "Burns between 600 to 700 calories."
Workout 3: 12 EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute) - 15 Cal row
"The goal here is to switch the rower’s measurement unit to calories instead of meters and hit 15 calories in 45 seconds, then rest 15 seconds until the next minute starts and go again," says Creighton. "Repeat for 15 minutes. Burns between 350 to 450 calories (higher because of intensity—this is an internal workout—45 seconds of work, with 15 seconds of rest each minute for 12 minutes)."
Workout 4: 30-Minute Timed Intervals
"It is too hard to estimate calories burned or distance covered/finish time because both depend upon the individual rower," notes Huttle. "The repeating efforts, however, allow the athlete to challenge themselves and experience instant feedback at the completion of each effort."
Dynamic Warmup OFF Machine: 4 minutes
Rowing Warmup: 8 minutes
3-Minute Light Push (LP)
1 min at 20 to 23 SPM
1 min at 24 to 27 SPM
1 min at 28 to 30 SPM
90-second Medium Push (MP)
30 sec at 20 to 23 SPM
30 sec at 24 to 27 SPM
30 sec at 28 to 30 SPM
3-Minute Alternating Light + Heavy Push (HP)
30 sec at 20 to 23 SPM LP + 30 sec at 20 to 23 SPM HP
30 sec at 24 to 27 SPM LP + 30 sec at 24 to 27 SPM HP
30 sec at 28 to 30 SPM LP + 30 sec at 28 to 30 SPM HP
30 Second Rest
The Work = 5-Minute Efforts X3 = 18 minutes
5-Minute Effort
30 sec at 20 to 23 spm LP
2 min at 24 to 27 spm MP
1 min at 28 to 30 spm LP
1 min at 20 to 23 spm LP
30 sec at 28 to 30 spm HP
Note distance covered
60 Second Rest
5-Minute Effort
30 sec at 20 to 23 SPM LP
2 min at 24 to 27 SPM MP
1 min at 28 to 30 SPM LP
1 min at 20 to 23 SPM LP
30 sec at 28 to 30 SPM HP
Note distance covered: the goal to push a little hard and to cover more meters in the same amount of time
60-Second Rest
5-Minute Effort
30 sec at 20 to 23 SPM LP
2 min at 24 to 27 SPM MP
1 min at 28 to 30 SPM LP
1 min at 20 to 23 SPM LP
30 sec at 28 to 30 SPM HP
Note distance covered: the goal to push even harder and to cover a few more meters in the same amount of time
60 Seconds Active Recovery Row
Workout 5: Distance Intervals
Dynamic Warmup OFF Machine: 4 minutes
Rowing Warmup: 1,000 meters
200 meters at 20 to 23 SPM LP
200 meters at 24 to 27 SPM LP
200 meters at 28 to 30 SPM LP
200 meters at 28 to 30 SPM HP
200 meters at 24 to 27 SPM HP
60 Second Rest
300 meters
100 meter at 28 to 30 SPM LP
100 meter at 24 to 27 SPM MP
100 meter at 20 to 23 SPM HP
note finish time
30 Second Rest
300 meters
100 meter at 28 to 30 SPM LP
100 meter at 24 to 27 SPM MP
100 meter at 20 to 23 SPM HP
note finish time - goal is to push hard and finish faster
60 Second Rest
200 meters
100 meter at 28 to 30 spm MP
100 meter at 24 to 27 spm HP
note finish time
30 Second Rest
200 meters
100 meter at 28 to 30 SPM MP
100 meter at 24 to 27 SPM HP
note finish time - goal is to push hard and finish faster
60 Second Rest
100 meters
100 meter at 28 to 30 SPM HP
note finish time
30 Second Rest
100 meters
100 meter at 28 to 30 SPM HP
note finish time - goal is to push hard and finish faster
500 meter Active Recovery Row
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