Lately I've been mixing up my cardio routine with the rowing machine, which has the advantage of often being open at the gym when the ellipticals and treadmills are taken. If you've never tried your hand at this old-school contraption, I highly recommend taking a seat and giving it a try.
A 130-pound woman can burn as many as 281 calories in 30 minutes on the rowing machine; calculate your own calorie burn here. For your workout, try this tip from Self: row at a rate of 35 strokes per minute for one minute, then 25 SPM for another minute, then 30 SPM for three minutes, and repeat. But first, you'll need to make sure you're rowing correctly. To see my tips, read more.
- For your first row, set the resistance low while you figure out your form, then slowly ramp it up on subsequent rows.
- Secure your feet on the pads and bend your knees so that your legs form an upward triangle, and slightly lean forward at the hips. Keep your back straight; don't hunch or arch.
- Grip the handle, keeping your elbows at your sides. Push back with your legs until they are almost but not completely extended, keeping your back straight. Meanwhile, let your arms straighten until they are almost but not completely extended.
- When the legs are extended (don't lock your knees!), pull your arms toward you so that the handle is about one inch from your stomach.
- When the legs are extended and the arms are pulled in, recline ever so slightly as you focus on pulling in your abs.
- Straighten your arms and follow the chain as you bend your knees and return to the starting position, leaning slightly forward at the hips.
- Always use both arms, and alternate between overhand and underhand grips to decrease arm fatigue.
Got any tips for the rowing machine? Share them below.
Manoush
I LOVE the rowing machine at my gym. I have very large breasts and this is a really intense but low-impact (low 'bounce') workout.
1I love the rowing machine too, mamasitamali! After just a couple weeks, my upper back is looking hot!
2Thank you! I've been eyeing this machine for two weeks now! I may give it a go today if they're open!
3I don't know if anyone wears jewelry while exercising, but this is DEFINITELY a machine where you should take any rings off to make sure you have a good grip. also, I like to mix it up with "intervals" -- I do 5 minutes at a moderate pace on a lower (2 - 4) setting, and then will switch and do 1 or 1.5 minutes at 8-10 setting really fast. it can really break up a 30 or 45 minute rowing workout
4I love the rowing machine since it's such a good workout but I just get so bored. I like to be able to read a magazine or something while I work out. But that's just me and my short attention span.
5As a former rower, we had to train indoors on ergs (rowing machines). Tip: try to slowing creep up on the seat, then extend forward with your arms as far as possible (great for flexibility) and then jam it back with your legs. Rowing is 80% in your legs... Most people don't know that. Well, we're talking about the rowing that is in the skinny 8 seated long boats people see with coxswains...
6rowing machine is definitely a challenge...I am tired after 3 minutes max. I always have it at the highest intensity though!
7I tried rowing for the first time last week. I wasn't really sure what I was doing, but I liked it. Haha. I'm definitely going to try it again now that I might get the form right. Thanks fitsugar!
8Glad to see a proper break down of the rowing stroke here - it worries me, as a rowing coach, seeing gym enthusiasts begging for back injuries by trying to jam out workouts at 10 resistance with no form.
That said, the only other thing I would add is to remember to control your whole stroke - remember, this exercise comes from a sport practiced in a smooth hulled, rudderless boat that's less than 2 feet wide. There, if you're not controlled, you end up in the water (at 5am in mid-February, which I've done, and don't recommend). Here, you could just be compromising your workout by relying on momentum, but it's still inadvisable. Don't just slide back up to the catch (the compressed position) however fast it wants to roll up...control it, then power back on the legs. Like someone above mentioned COMPLETELY correctly, rowing is 80% leg power...where it becomes that intense full-body workout is in the control.
Oh, and keep your abs tight, sit up straight and try not to look around...completely aside from the fact that it keeps you upright in an actual boat, you'll activate your deep abdominals throughout the stroke.
Lastly - an olympic mid-race pace can be betwen 35-38 strokes per minute...you don't need to do that if you want a 40 minute cardio workout. Keep your stroke rate in the mid 20's, and your split around or just above the 2 minute mark, for a reasonably fit beginner (press the view button a few times until you see a number like 2:00/500m to get your split).
9Awesome. I haven't rowed in a while, but this is a great reminder for me!
10i too am always eyeing the rowing machine but i dont use it for the simple yet silly reason of not being sure how to do it (form etc.). maybe i should just ask someone at the gym to show me! now theres an idea
11I used to row for University of Miami and I was soooooo strong and lean then. Now when I go to the gym I see so many people with bad form and it saddens me. I should really try to get in more time with the erg - although surprisingly the three at my gym are typically in use.
12I love it. I row every summer, but I stopped a little because my shoulders started looking way too broad.
13The rowing machine is my favorite thing to do at the gym
14I've never tried the rowing machine, but I just might give it a go after reading this. Thanks, Fit!
15I'm on varsity lightweight crew right now, so I erg a lot--here's my advice:
1) Changing the drag setting won't necessarily help you get a better workout, but it could hurt your back if it's too high.
2) Use low stroke ratings most of the time, i.e. 18-22, to get good longer workouts in. Anything much higher is just incredibly inefficient over longer time periods.
16maybe you should properly explain the rowing stroke before you screw up th enext batch of morons who gets on an erg
17There are several youtube instructional videos showing how to "erg" properly. Check out this one:
18http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVmMd7FdAA&feature=related
Do not use underhand grip. I do not know where you get this from, but being on a varsity lightweight rowing team in college, and having rowed for over 8 years I know the stroke like the back of my hand. Underhand is only asking for the handle to fly out and smash up against the flywheel.
The stroke is best to start from the release, not the catch, when learning. The breakdown (some of the stuff explained above seemed rather vague):
- Legs straight, back straight and tilted back some, though not too much, hands on the on the far end of the handle, shoulder-width apart, elbows out and bent parallel to the floor, hold the handle 1-2 inches from 1-2 inches below the nipple line.
-then without moving your back or legs, move your hands out so that your arms are straight
-next your back moves from a leaning back position to a leaning forward position, not too much either way, do not hunch. MAKE SURE your arms/hands stay at the same level they were before. I've seen too many people rotate their back and then swing their hands downwards in the process hitting their legs while they row. This is WRONG. Your hands maintain a constant straight line.
-next break your knees so that your butt begins to come up the slide. go all the way to the "catch" where your shins are perpendicular to the ground, don't over extend, don't extend your arms or back further at this point, they should already be set. The movement of your butt up the slide should not be rushed or fast in anyway, it is much slower than the movement back down. Think of the ratio 3:1. If it takes you one second to go back, it should take you 3 seconds to go up.
- at this point you are ready to "row" Do the movement above but backwards, keep your hand/arm movement in a straight line and don't swing them. Apply pressure with your legs only, then when they are straight your back, then your arms. Your back and arms are only there to follow through the stroke, not really to jam more pressure into it, that's how you hurt things.
-start again
hints:
-don't be robotic
-if your hands touch your legs, you're doing it wrong
-keep your flywheel setting between 2-5, anything above is asking for back problems (if you know how to set drag, keep it at 110-125ish. To see the drag on PM2's you hit the furthest two small buttons at the same time "rest" and "ready" on PM3's and 4's theres an option to set drag after you hit "more options" on the main menu)
-if you're new don't go above a 20 stroke rating because the faster you go the more likely you're going to get it wrong, the more you get it wrong, the more likely you're going to hurt your back
19Am I the only one for whom the calorie calculator doesn't work? It's asking for an username and password!
20I love rowing, but it always gives my hands blisters. How do I stop that from happening?
21To prevent blisters, it's not that hard, just get gloves. The ones used for weight-lifting are alright. If you get blisters on your fingers, tape them (zinc oxide tape is really nice).
22Frankly, I don't think anyone should get on an erg/rowing machine without having someone show them how to use them properly first.
I see so many people use the ergs at my gym who don't know what they're doing and they risk serious back injuries.
I row for my college at Oxford university and have to spend a lot of time on the rowing machine.
I hate long endurance pieces so when I have the choice (ie. when I'm exercising alone, not with the coach/captain yelling at me to finish my 5k) I like to do 1 mn sprinting/1 mn off on the erg for as long as I can, I find it less boring and more rewarding.
I wonder who taught you how to use the ergs... cuz they were severely misinformed.
I've been rowing competitivly for about 7 years now, the last three on a college varsity team.
DO NOT erg underhand - like someone else said earlier, it's just asking for the handle to fly out of your grip, and you could end up damaging the handle like that. "Arm fatigue" should never be as much of an issue as leg fatigue or cardio fatigue.
This "set by step" makes it sound like you should bend your knees and then lean forward...it's the other way around. Start with your legs out straight, body leaning back about 110-120 degrees from your legs, and arms pulled in so the handle is just below your sternum. Move your hands out away from the body, let the body follow as the arms are fully extended, BENDING AT THE HIPS, with a STRAIGHT BACK. Then slowly move the legs up, bringing the seat toward your heels. Be careful not to lung your torso once your legs are fully compressed, and DO NOT lean so far forward that your body is going between your knees.
DO NOT keep your elbows tucked in at your sides, let them flare out a little.This will allow you to keep your wrists flat as you pull in, which allows for a greater range of motion, and therefore more efficient strokes, and a better workout.
ALWAYS think slow slide. As you move up from the finish (from the leaning back position) up to the catch (the compressed position), the legs should bend very slowly compared to the rate at which you push off.
Always keep the resistance level relatively low. Even competitive rowers rarely set it much higher than a 4. And if they do, it's probably only for drills.
If your back ever starts to bother you when erging, you're probably not doing it right. Find someone who knows what they're doing to help you, and PLEASE don't ever try to teach someone else how to use the machine, unless you've had proper and extensive instruction yourself.
23"your own calorie burn here"... nice article, with a link that doesn't allow you to use it... geez
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