Five reasons to love the gym rowing machine

When we think about doing cardio inside the gym, surely the first thing that comes to mind is the treadmill or the elliptical . Perhaps some also consider cycling (spinning better, that “copy” better movement pedals road bike classic stationary bike) or the stepper or stair climbing machine.

However, my favorite for quite a while is the rowing machine : sure in your gym there are at least one and, moreover, is almost always free unlike elliptical (which would be my second choice). In the spirit of that you also enjoy these cardio workouts indoor much as me, today I tell you five reasons to worship (and use) the rowing machine .

• Because it is one of the most complete trainings you can do: on the elliptical and on the treadmill the protagonism is carried by our lower train, even more so if we talk about the bicycle or the stepper. But the rowing machine forces us to work both upper train (when pulling the pull) and lower (in a movement similar to that of a deep squat ) and even our middle zone (to maintain a correct posture).
• Because it makes you work the coordination and mobility of your joints: to get a good technique in the rowing machine is necessary a coordinated movement of our upper and lower train, in addition to taking a proper breath to facilitate our movements. Good mobility , especially of the hip and shoulder girdle, at the same time as a great stabilization that will come from the deep musculature of the abdomen , are basic to achieve a fluid movement.
• If you want to burn calories, this is the perfect machine: when it comes to burning calories, although it should not be the main goal of our training but a consequence of it, the rowing machine takes the lead to the elliptical, the stepper and the bicycle. Precisely because of what we mentioned earlier: many muscle groups come into play.
• Because it is perfect to practice HIIT: thanks to the involvement of many muscle groups at the same time and in a coordinated way, the rowing machine makes our pulsations go up quite easily. This is a perfect thing if we want to perform a high-intensity interval training , easily reaching high pulse peaks (more complicated in other machines such as elliptical).
• Because it is a very good training to improve the shape of the buttocks: the explosive thrust at the beginning of the movement of the paddle, when we are in the initial position with the knees bent, is perfect for working the buttocks.

Cheer up, if you have not done it yet, try this gym machine that allows you to do a complete and very entertaining workout, to row!

Summary

This article gives five reasons to use the rowing machine at the gym. It explains that rowing works both the upper and lower body plus the core, improves joint mobility and coordination, burns calories effectively compared with machines like the elliptical, suits high-intensity interval training, and helps tone the glutes through the explosive push at the start of each stroke.

Questions this article raises

• How many rowing intervals make a good HIIT session?
• Is rowing suitable for someone recovering from a lower back injury?
• How does calorie burn on a rowing machine compare with running?