Written by Ben Scarles, Head of Strength at Grow (growfitness.co.uk)
Fast progress
Total body workout
A common misconception is that rowing is an upper body workout. But actually, it predominantly works the legs and core to power each stroke. Recruiting 84% of muscle mass, nothing can beat rowing if you’re looking for an effective full-body workout.
Low impact, high-intensity
Rowing is far kinder on your joints than other forms of cardio, like running – however, that doesn’t mean that the intensity is compromised! Quite the opposite. You can burn just as many calories, without putting your joints under excess pressure. Win-win.
Promote heart health
Rowing has been proven to improve your cardiovascular fitness more effectively than other machines, with studies showing significant improvements in heart structure and efficiency evident after a matter of weeks - key to prevent the onset of conditions like CHD in later years.
Body-sculpting benefits
Each stroke is essentially a deadlift, leg press and weighted row movement (like a bent over row or upright row) rolled into one. Every single muscle in your body is pushed as you drive each stroke. It works your entire posterior chain, calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, obliques, pec, biceps, triceps, deltoids… And what’s more, as your core must stay engaged throughout the movement, rowing can help to create that those sleek, defined abs that we all long for.
Burn fat
Rowing is perfectly suited to HIIT training – short bursts of intense activity followed by active rest or paired up with resistance exercises. This form of workout is amazing for torching fat – arguably even better than the poster-child (until now) of fat-burning workouts, spinning.
Good for the soul
Rowing isn’t just awesome for the body – it also has a lot to offer for our mental and emotional well-being, too. The smooth, flowing action is incredibly soothing and calming – the perfect stress-buster after a hectic day at the office.
Fast progress
Once you’ve mastered the rowing technique, you can start to increase your speed – and it’s here that rowing gets addictive, because with regular practice you can make really rapid improvements. Seeing your 3-minute row distance steadily grow each week is incredibly rewarding and will have you strapping your feet into the rower again and again.
Great complement to other forms of training
Because it works to improve both your CV fitness and build muscle, rowing is a great complement to other training, from cardio like running or swimming, to resistance training like weight-lifting. It strengthens the entire body without putting excess pressure on bones or joints, making it the perfect addition to any training regime.
Adaptable
One of the greatest things about a rowing workout is that it can be adapted to suit your fitness and experience – whatever level you’re at, you can get a highly efficient workout and see amazing progress.
Counteract desk hunch
Rowing fights the effects of spending your 9-5 hunched over a desk. By opening up your body as you push back in the drive and lean your torso backwards, dormant back muscles are put through their paces and tension is released.
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