The rowing machine is the perfect low-impact full-body cardio machine for beginners. Here are five rowing machine exercises for beginners and tips for doing them like a pro.
Ready to sweat it out and work hard to burn some serious calories?
It's time to work out on the rowing machine!
Rowing machine exercises are a full-body workout option that will involve almostallyour muscles, push your cardiovascular system to the limit and activate a lot of fat to use it for energy.
With just a few workouts a week, you can get in better shape fast.
In this post, I'm going to share with you some of my favorite rowing exercises for beginners that you can do even if you already haveNeverrowed a day in his life.
Trust me, when you've finished all five workouts, you'll be happy to add them to your monthly training plan so you can benefit from the amazing method of cardio training. It is funmiwill bring excellent results!
Why is the rowing machine so awesome?
Before I get into the actual workouts, I want to take a minute to talk about some of thebenefits of rowing machines, and what makes it worth spending time on the rowing machine instead of other cardio machines in the gym.
Here are the top four reasons why I consider the rowing machine one of my all-time favorites.cardio machines to lose weight:
⭐full body workout
If you look at the list ofmuscles worked on rowing machine, you will be very impressed. Unlike other cardio machines (I'm looking at you treadmill and treadmill) that only work your legs, the rowing machine works pretty much your entire body.
- Your legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves) do all the hard work of sliding your body forward and moving back in the seat.
- Your core (abs and lower back) keeps your upper body stable and in constant motion as you lean back and forth.
- Your "pull muscles" (upper back, shoulders, biceps, and forearms) are activated to complete the rowing motion of pulling the handle.
Actually, the only musclesnoworked are your "pushing muscles" (chest and triceps). Everything else is engaged to perform the rowing motion correctly.
Gain muscle with a rowing machineit's just not possible; it's almost guaranteed!
⭐No impact
I'm a big fan of low-impact and no-impact exercise, especially for those who suffer from joint problems (like lower back pain or knee injuries).
With high-impact exercises, such as running or climbing stairs, there is a great risk of wearing down joints, injuring yourself, or worsening existing injuries.
But low-impact and no-impact exercises like rowing will beAwesomefor your joints. This will give them a break between high-impact workouts, giving their bones, muscles, and joint tissues time to regenerate and recover.
⭐Easy to add variety
When it's time to exercise, youNeveryou have to get stuck doing the same type of training day after day. You can speed up the workout, slow it down, add more intensity, switch to HIIT, or try any number of workouts (as you'll see below).
Whether you are doing your firstcardio training for beginnersor try a more advanced oneHIIT Training Line Machine, you have many options for a smart and effective training: training with enough variety to never get bored.
⭐great calorie burn
If you compare thecalories burned on the rowing machineFor calories burned on almost any other cardio machine, the rowing machine wins nine times out of ten.
Oh, there are some other machines that burn more, for example, the elliptical or Jacob's ladder, but compared to lower-body-only machines (like the treadmill and treadmill), the machine rowing wins.
You will be smart to use therowing machine for weight lossBecause of this. Burning more calories (and calories from fat) will be the key to effective weight and fat loss, helping you get fitter and in better shape at the same time.
All pretty solid reasons to choose the rowing machine as your cardio machine of choice, right?
Rowing machine exercises for beginners.
⚡Workout #1: Slow Row
If you're new to the rowing machine, it's a good idea to start with a workout you can do with confidence.eachTempo.
This won't put too much pressure on your fitness, just make sure you can actually get through the workout without passing out from exhaustion.
The train:
- Spend the first 5 minutes warming up by rowing at a slow pace (18-20 SPM) to prepare your body for training.
- Accelerate to 21-23 SPM and maintain this pace for 2-3KM (which will be approximately 20-30 minutes depending on your paddling speed).
- Cool down with 5 minutes of slow rowing (at 18-20 SPM) once more
⚡Workout #2: Tabata Rowing Session
If you want the best results with the least amount of time, HIIT/Tabata is the way to go!
This workout will have you ready to go in just 20 minutes, but brace yourself: they're going to be aintense20 minutes!
The train:
- Spend the first 5 minutes warming up by rowing at a slow pace (18-20 SPM) to prepare your body for training.
- Row fast (25-28 SPM) for 20 seconds, then row slow (21-23 SPM) for 10 seconds
- Repeat this fast and slow cycle 8 times, for a total of 4 minutes.
- Row at a slow pace (18-23 SPM) for 2 minutes
- Repeat the 4 minute fast and slow cycle 4 times, for a total of 16 minutes of hard rowing.
- Cool down with 5 minutes of slow rowing (at 18-20 SPM) once more
⚡Workout #3: Pyramid Row Workout
love andhatredpyramid exercises!
They can be downright tiring, but boy do they work.
They are amazing for pushing your body to its absolute limits and testing your endurance at high intensity, while allowing for a low enough intensity that you don't crash.
(Doingsquat pyramidsis another one of my "favorite" ways to do Quadzilla lower body).
Get ready for a challenge similar to your last workout, but one that demands your body for longer periods of time.
The train:
- Spend the first 5 minutes warming up by rowing at a slow pace (18-20 SPM) to prepare your body for training.
- Speed up to 22 SPM. Row at this speed for 3 minutes
- Speed up to 24 SPM. Row at that speed for 3 minutes.
- Speed up to 26 SPM. Row at that speed for 3 minutes.
- Speed up to 28-30 SPM. Row at this speed for 1 minute.
- Reduce to 26 SPM. Row at that speed for 3 minutes.
- Reduce to 24 SPM. Row at that speed for 3 minutes.
- Reduce to 22 SPM. Row at that speed for 3 minutes.
- Cool down with 5 minutes of slow rowing (at 18-20 SPM) once more
⚡Exercise #4: Bodyweight Rowing Training
This workout combines rowing with bodyweight resistance training to ensure you get a truly effective workout, one that burns fat and builds muscle.
It will be an exhausting session, but I guarantee that it will be more fun and effective thansoloremo.
The train:
- Spend the first 5 minutes warming up by rowing at a slow pace (18-20 SPM) to prepare your body for training.
- “Sprint row” (above 26 SPM) for 200 meters
- “Slow Rowing” at (21-23 SPM) for 100 meters
- Do a set of 10 push-ups
- “Sprint row” (above 26 SPM) for 200 meters
- “Slow Rowing” at (21-23 SPM) for 100 meters
- Do a set of 10 squats
- “Sprint row” (above 26 SPM) for 200 meters
- “Slow Rowing” at (21-23 SPM) for 100 meters
- Do a set of 10 pull-ups
- “Sprint row” (above 26 SPM) for 200 meters
- “Slow Rowing” at (21-23 SPM) for 100 meters
- Do a set of 20 crunches
- Repeat this cycle of 4 exercises 2-3 times
- Cool down with 5 minutes of slow rowing (at 18-20 SPM) once more
⚡Workout #5: Distance Rowing
Rowing doesn't have to be all about speed; You can also work on your endurance, forcing your body to work longer, even at a lower intensity.
This distance rowing session focuses on rowing as far as possible in a single session, burning more calories over a longer period of time despite the slower pace.
The train:
- Spend the first 5 minutes warming up by rowing at a slow pace (18-20 SPM) to prepare your body for training.
- Speed up a bit (to 21-24 SPM) and hold that pace for as long as you can.
- In your first workout, try to row about 10,000 feet. If you can easily hit this target, aim for 3,500 meters.
- In your second workout, try to row about 4,000 meters. If you can easily hit this target, aim for 4,500 meters.
- On your third workout, set a goal of 5,000 to 6,000 meters.
- With each workout, increase your goal from 500 to 1,000 meters, until you can row 10 km without stopping.
Rowing Machine Workouts for Beginners: Tips to Row Like a Pro
If you are new to rowing and are learninghow to use a rowing machine, here are some tips that will help you makeeachrowing session to the best of your ability:
✅Let your legs do most of the work.
no matter whattype of rowing machinesyou are using, remember that most of the power should come from your legs, not your arms.
It should be a 70/30 split - your legs push hard during the push phase and your arms just workafteryour legs are almost in full extension.
Letting your legs do most of the work is the key to getting a really effective workout and avoiding lower back, shoulder and elbow injuries.
✅Watch videos on rowing technique.
Unless you have a coach available to teach you how to row correctly, it's worth watching someone else do it correctly rather than just reading about it.
You can spend a total of 5-15 minutes on YouTube and learnexactlywhat is the correct rowing technique and how to execute the correct movement every time.
✅Always warm and cool.
One of the biggest mistakes beginners can make is not taking the time to warm up before training.
When your muscles and joints are cold, you are more likely to injure yourself if you start paddling or working hard.
Spending those 5 minutes warming up before properly beginning your workout is crucial to a safe and effective workout.
Cooling down for an additional 5 minutes after completing your workout will also ensure that your muscles and joints are properly stretched and relaxed, reducing the risk of post-workout soreness.
✅Test your rhythm.
If your current stroke rate (based on SPM score) seems too easy, try increasing your pace. Your body will adapt to the exercise during the course of your training session, as well as over the weeks and months of regular training.
What might have seemed like a fast pace when you first started can actually be slow after a few months and not push your body as much as it should.
On the other hand, if you're tired or injured, what once felt like a slow pace may be too difficult right now.
✅Increase resistance.
To make the workout a little more challenging, increase the resistance of the machine (or, if you're using a water rower, row a little faster).
Increased resistance will increase the demands on your muscles, which in turn will increase the energy demands placed on your cardiovascular system.
You'll burn more calories and build more muscle thanks to the higher difficulty.
✅Try HIIT.
For those days when you don't have time for a long rowing session but still want to burn a lot of calories, HIIT training can be your best friend.
Working at a higher intensity burns a lot of energy and pushes your cardiovascular system to its maximum capacity, and the low intensity intervals are enough to keep you from tiring out too quickly.
All you need is 15-25 minutes of HIIT training and you will see results!
Keep these tips in mind the next time you're on the rowing machine, and you'll find every workout that much more effective!
Conclution
No matter how much (or little) experience you have on the rowing machine, you'll find that there are plenty of exercise options out there for you.
The beginner rowing workouts we share above will help you improve your fitness, burn more calories, build muscle, and see real results for the time you spend training on the rowing machine at home or at the gym.
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