Why You Should Get on the Rowing Machine ASAP
When it comes to choosing your cardio exercise, it just makes sense to go with the moves that give you the best bang for your buck. After all, your time is precious so you want every minute in the gym to count. That’s why you need to make a beeline for the rowing machine next time you step into the club. Here are six reasons why you should get on the rowing machine as soon as possible.
1. It is an Awesome All Over Body Workout
If you’re one of those people who think the rowing machine mainly works your arms and your legs, you may be surprised to learn that this awesome exercise actually activates 86% of the muscles in your body. As a result, it will get you stronger, fitter and leaner. While predominantly lower leg focused, with about 70% of the rowing coming from the legs, the other 30% is all upper body.
A 15 to 30 minute session on the rowing machine will give a great workout to your upper back, chest, arms, abs and obliques. Downstairs they will build, strengthen and shape your thighs, hamstrings, glutes and calf muscles.
This ability to involve all of your muscles makes the rowing machine a smart way to get in a total body workout in less time.
2. It Can Be Used By All Fitness Levels
Anyone can learn the basic row in just a few minutes. Once you’ve got this down pat, it’s pretty difficult to do yourself an injury on this machine. Contrast that to the treadmill where accidents with newbies falling down on the tread are quite common. The rowing machine is also accessible for people with with low vision. In one study, 24 people who suffered from impaired vision were put on a rowing machine workout five days a week for six weeks. Not only were they able to perform the workout with no problems, all of them lost a significant amount of body fat, while improving their cholesterol count and their upper body strength.
3. It is Very Low Impact
An amazing benefit of doing your cardio on a rowing machine is that there is virtually no impact on your joints. In fact, studies have shown that working out on a rowing machine can actually improve the strength, robustness and flexibility of your joints. In one study of 24 people who exercised on a rowing machine for two weeks, it was found that their joint rotations in the knee, shoulder and elbow improved by an average of 30%.
When you compare it to the most common form of gym cardio, the treadmill, the rowing machine comes out miles ahead in terms of its joint friendliness.
4. It is Very Relaxing
When you start rowing, you soon get into a smooth rhythm. Many people find this to be extremely relaxing, in effect allowing them to unwind as they exercise. Because your exercise motion is repetitive, your body is able to perform without much mental exertion. You are, in effect, able to drift away with your thoughts while you are on the rowing machine. Of course, the exercise that you are doing will also produce endorphins, which will make you feel on top of the world.
5. Cardiovascular Benefits
The rowing machine represents one of the best cardiovascular exercises that you can do. It will strengthen your heart, and your blood vessels. This will allow the heart to more effectively and with less effort pump the blood that carries life-giving nutrients and oxygen around your body.
6. It’s the Best Option in the Gym
Although the treadmills and ellipticals may appear to be the most popular pieces of equipment on the cardio floor, this is in no way indicative of the benefit ratio of all of this equipment. Even though it doesn’t get the attention it deserves, the rowing machine is your best option. It will burn more calories than those other two while providing an all-over workout that strengthens as it torches your body fat.
Bottom Line
Next time you walk into the club, go straight past the treadmills and ellipticals and lay claim to a rowing machine. Your workout will be more productive, more total body encompassing and less joint impacting. It’s simply the smartest choice you have!
