Why should you incorporate Rowing into your workout
Rowing is a fantastic exercise which works 9 major muscle groups: quads, hamstrings, glutes, lats, core, shoulders, triceps, back and biceps. In addition rowing is an amazing cardio workout. It is perfect for triathletes and runners who spend hours pounding the roads running as it is low Impact and great for your joints. – Rowing is the perfect exercise for injury prevention, rehab and endurance training.
The correct technique
You will see all sorts of techniques in the gym. There is the guy that will be into his next stroke before he has even finished his first, theres the guy that takes the shortest stroke ever and will take an age to cover any distance, theres the casual rower who would take a couple of decades to row a few thousand meters. There is all sorts going on but we have put a few points together to provide a guide of how to row.
The Rowing Stroke
* Arms are straight; head is neutral; shoulders are level and not hunched.
* Upper body is leaning forward from the hips with the shoulders in front of the hips.
* Shins are vertical, or as close to vertical as is comfortable for you. Shins should not move beyond perpendicular.
* Heels may lift as needed.
The Drive
* Start the drive by pressing with your legs, and then swing the back through the vertical position before finally adding the arm pull.
* Hands move in a straight line to and from the flywheel.
* Shoulders remain low and relaxed.
The Finish
* Upper body is leaning back slightly, using good support from the core muscles.
* Legs are extended and handle is held slightly above your ribs.
* Shoulders should be low with wrists and grip relaxed. Wrists should be flat.
The Recovery
* Extend your arms until they straighten before leaning from the hips towards the flywheel.
* Once your hands have cleared your knees, allow your knees to bend and gradually slide the seat forward on the monorail.
* For your next stroke, return to the catch position with shoulders relaxed and shins vertical.
I have attached a video of the technique here (I prefer a higher pull on the row to squeeze out an extra few meters on each stroke and to really work my deltoid and rhomboid muscles in my upper back)
Most people think you just get onto the rower stick the clock on and start rowing until you get tired. But there are so many variations of workout you can do on the rower. We have provided 3 different workouts below that you can try on the rower which are great for building strength, developing endurance and improving muscle definition.
Workout 1
Row 200m - Rest 25 seconds (Repeat 10 times) Total row = 2000m
Workout 2
Row 500m - Rest 45 seconds (Repeat 5 times) Total Row = 2500m
Workout 3
Row 150m - 20 Press ups
Row 150m - 20 Air Squats
Row 150m - 20 Sit Ups
Row 150m - 20 Jump lunges
Row 150m - 20 tricep close grip press ups
Total Row = 750m
Try one and let us know what you think!