This 20-Minute Rowing Workout Builds Your Engine and Lean Muscle
Punishingly effective, rarely used and likely to always be vacant, the rowing machine is one of the most versatile pieces of cardiovascular equipment on your gym floor.
CrossFitters and Olympians alike swear by the devilish capabilities of the rower, but the average gym bro and his cronies are likely to give it a wide berth — an unfair treatment to what is one of the most effective pieces of kit in your fitness arsenal.
In fact, according to British rowing, each stroke on the machine uses 85% of your muscles — across the nine major muscle groups — meaning that a full-body smoking is guaranteed, as is a spiked heart-rate.
The Ultimate Rowing Workout
Convinced to give the rowing machine a go? Try this gruelling workout. Thank us (or not) later...
Warm-up:
One-minute light rowing at 18 Strokes Per Minute (SPM)
One-minute medium rowing at 22 SPM
One-minute hard rowing at 26 SPM
One-minute light rowing at 18 SPM
Interval 1:
10 seconds light rowing then 20 seconds hard rowing eight times
Then, this circuit:
250m row + 25 squat jumps
200m row + 20 lunge jumps
150m row + 15 press ups
100m row + 10 squat thrusts (feet on seat)
50m row + 5 burpees
Interval 2:
One-minute sprint row as fast as you can, 30 seconds rest, 1-minute sprint
Cooldown:
Three-minutes light rowing followed by stretching your glutes, hamstrings and quads.
The Benefits of Rowing Workouts
Alex Gregory MBE, a five-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist explains the unending benefits rowing. ‘I see indoor rowing as a really efficient way of keeping fit,’ he says. ‘I make sure I jump on the rowing machine at home for at least 20 minutes every day, as a way to maintain my fitness levels and ensure I get the ultimate total-body workout.’
For Gregory, there are three key elements to perfect rowing technique:
The sequence is key: legs, body, arms, arms, body, legs
Focus on your legs – 60% of the power is from the legs, 30% body, 10% arms
Maintain good core stability
Four Ways to Maximise Your Rowing Workout
Rowing on an ergometer is one of the most technically demanding exercises. Follow these tips from Concept2 rowing expert Carl Bramley to perfect your technique and prevent injury.
'The Catch'
This is where the oar would enter the water in a real boat. With your knees bent and together, lean forward from your hips with your arms straight out in front of you gripping the handle. Don’t split your knees to try and lean further forward or bend with your back.
'The Drive'
The stroke should begin with the legs, the most powerful part of the body. Keep your back straight throughout. As your legs straighten, lean back slightly from the hips and pull the handle to your chest. Finish with your legs straight, leaning slightly back, and the handle just below your chest. Having your elbows by your sides encourages a more efficient stroke.
Recovery
Where the oar exits the water. Don’t lift the handle over your knees on the way back to the catch, this lengthens the handle’s route to the starting position and would capsize a real boat. Get the handle back to the starting position in the shortest distance possible: a straight line.
Timing and Focus
There should be no stationary period. Think of your whole body like a muscle and apply the same technique. The drive is the explosive part and should be completed on a count of one, whereas the recovery should be completed on a count of three.
A smooth technique at 25 strokes per minute is much faster than bad technique at 40 strokes per minute. Make sure to look ahead throughout your session – looking down or to the sides can affect your posture and throw you off your game.
The recovery is essentially the reverse of the drive. You should move your hands and arms away first, then lean forward from the hips and finally begin to bend your knees. Simplified, the action is legs-arms on the drive and arms-legs on the recovery.
Is 20 Minutes of Rowing Enough?
20 minutes rowing is certainly enough to see benefits, but you may get the cardiovascular results you're looking for with far less. Research published in Exercise and Sports Science Review even suggests that just one minute of vigorous exercise could be enough to see health and cardiovascular improvements. So, as long as you are pushing your intensity while rowing, you can cross cardio off your list.
An example of this would be to finish your workout with 10 minutes of high-intensity rowing by completing 500m for time, twice. Complete your first 500m, then take 90 seconds to 2 minutes of rest before starting your next 500m, aiming to beat your previous time.
The Perfect Row
Muscles Worked: Arms, back, legs, cardiovascular system
Difficulty: Medium
Equipment needed: Machine
Sit at a rowing machine with your feet fastened and grab the handle with an overhand grip. Straighten your legs to push the seat back – when your hands pass your knees, pull them up to your chest. Reverse the movement and repeat.
Best Rowing Workouts
If you liked that workout check these other rowing sessions out, with the number one spot from trainer and Battle Cancer founder Scott Britton.
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