Fitness activities are essential for keeping a healthy body. Exercising also helps in maintaining a better mental health condition and toned body.
Many people are partial to using exercise equipment. Among various equipment, rowing machines are one the best aerobic exercise machines available.
This low-impact exercise machine involves 83% of all body muscles. Thus, help users build a rigid, strong core.
In this blog, we will discuss how a rowing machine benefits your abs in detail. If you are thinking of taking up rowing, this article will be helpful for you.
Does a Rowing Machine Work Your Abs?
When you use a rowing machine, you are working your abs in two ways. First, you are working your rectus abdominis, which is the muscle that runs down the center of your stomach. This muscle is responsible for Flexion, or the act of bringing your knees to your chest. Second, you are working your obliques, which are the muscles that run along the sides of your stomach. These muscles are responsible for Rotation, or the act of twisting your torso.
Rowing machines are a great way to work out your abs because they provide a great workout for both your rectus abdominis and your obliques. By working out both of these muscle groups, you will be able to tone your abs and improve your overall fitness.
Top 10 Health Benefits of Rowing Machine
Rowing machine is quickly becoming one of the most popular workout equipment in gyms and homes. This is because of its many health benefits that provide a great workout for people of all fitness levels. Rowing is a low-impact exercise, which means it is easy on the joints. Additionally, rowing is an excellent way to burn calories and tone the whole body. Here are the top 10 health benefits of using a rowing machine:
1. Full-Body Workout
Rowing machines provide a great workout for your whole body. All of the muscles in your legs, arms, and core are used when rowing. This makes rowing an excellent exercise for toning and strengthening your muscles. Additionally, rowing is a low-impact exercise, which means it is easy on your joints. This makes it a great option for people who are looking for a workout that is easy on their bodies.
2. Low-impact Machine
A rowing machine utilizes horizontal movements. Therefore, the impact of gravity on the user is minimal while working out with this machine.
If you have difficulties running or jumping, this machine is an excellent fit for you. Additionally, people with arthritis and joint pains can use this machine as well.
As the users sit down while working out and utilize horizontal motions rather than vertical, rowing machines have relatively low impacts on the body.
3. Effective Aerobic Exercise
Rowing machines are effectively great for cardio workouts. While working with this machine, it can effectively raise your heart rate and oxygen intake.
You can adjust the resistance of this equipment according to your need. You can lower resistance for faster movements or increase it for longer workouts.
It can build your endurance by impacting almost all major muscle groups of your body.
4. Upper Body Workout
Rowing machines are great for your upper body workout. The rowing motion needs you to move your upper body very often. You will change your upper body position constantly.
With better upper body movement, you can have a more muscular back and shoulder. It improves your posture and reduces back pain.
5. Best Calorie Burner
Rowing is a great way to burn calories.
A 155-pound person can burn up to 200 calories in just 20 minutes on a rowing machine.
Rowing is a great cardio workout and is also a great way to tone your arms, legs, and core.
6. Improve Posture
Rowing is a great exercise for improving your posture. The rowing motion works all of the muscles in your back and shoulders, helping to strengthen and tone them. This can lead to better posture and less pain in the back and shoulders. Additionally, rowing helps to improve your balance and coordination, which can also help with posture.
7. Build Bone Density
Rowing can help you build bone density because it is a weight-bearing exercise. When you row, your bones have to support your body weight. This helps to make your bones stronger and can help to prevent osteoporosis.
8. Relieve Stress
It is a low-impact activity that gets your heart rate up and helps you to release endorphins, which are the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Rowing is also a great way to clear your mind and to focus on the present moment. When you are rowing, you are not thinking about anything else but the movement of your body and the rhythm of your breath. This can help to calm and focus your mind, which can be a great way to reduce stress.
9. Better Than Other Fitness Accessories
There are many reasons why rowing is better than other fitness accessories. Rowing is a low-impact exercise, so it is easy on your joints and muscles. Rowing is also an excellent cardio workout, which will help to improve your overall fitness and health. Additionally, rowing is a great way to tone your upper body, including your arms, back, and shoulders.
10. Stay in Shape
There are few better exercises than rowing when it comes to staying in shape. Rowing is a full-body workout that engages all of the major muscle groups, making it incredibly effective in burning calories and improving overall fitness. Additionally, rowing is low-impact, meaning it is gentle on the joints and suitable for people of all fitness levels. Whether done indoors on a rowing machine or outdoors on a lake or river, rowing is an excellent way to stay in shape.
How to Use a Rowing Machine for Abs
Rowing is a great exercise for your core muscles. Some of the best core exercises for rowers include: the Superman exercise, the Pilates hundred, the Russian twist, and the plank. These exercises will help to tone and strengthen your core muscles, which will in turn help you to row faster and with more power.
You need to manually learn the rowing motion to workout with a rowing machine. Once you master it, it gets easier to control the movements.
Here, we will describe the process for you to understand easily.
- Properly sit on your rowing machine. Strap your shoes with the footplate to avoid accidents. Grab the handlebar firmly with your palms. Your knees should be engaged with your abdomen. This position is called “the catch.”
- Push your body backward with your legs. Your upper body should be slightly lean toward your knees at this point.
- When your legs reach their whole length, straighten your body and accelerate with your hip. Don’t tug the handle with extra pressure. Let it follow your hand by firmly gripping. The former and this step is called “the drive” combinedly.
- Finish with your arms pulling the handle under your chest. Your elbows should be behind your body and spread far. Drive most power from your legs. Lean your body a bit backward till it’s comfortable for you.
- Now you should go back to your resting position. The sequence should be completely opposite. First, your hands should come in front of your body, decelerate with your hip, and bend your legs.
- Resting should take twice the time than engaging time.
- While stretching your leg, keep your body lean toward your knees. When pushing with your hip, keep your body at the vertical position, and while pulling with your hands, lean backward slightly. Do the opposite while going to rest.
How to Properly Engage Your Abs While Rowing?
Do not Row Just With Your Hands
Most beginners put too much emphasis on pulling the handle while using a rowing machine. It can cause muscle strain.
Ideally, when working with a rowing machine, 60% of power should come from legs, 20% from the core and the rest 20% will come from hands.
Keep Your Back Straight Throughout Your Stroke
Keeping your back hunched over or rounded can strain your muscles. Sit straight and engage your core while working out. You can pull your shoulders back to avoid caving forward.
When you are using your core to exercise, it will automatically correct your posture.
Don’t Rush While Rowing
If your back is slamming with your lower body experience jerking, you are using the machine wrong. Take your time while exercising. Make sure your recovery time takes twice as much.
While you are driving from finish and recovery to catch, focus on engaging your core. Utilize your hips to control acceleration.
Final Words
Rowing machines are excellent workout equipment to have a full-body workout. Your abs get toned, and you can reduce weight as well with this exercise.
Next time, give your gym’s rowing machine a try. With practice, you can learn to operate it better.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Can you get a six-pack from rowing?
Ans: Experts disagree about whether a rowing machine works major or secondary muscle groups in the abdomen area. If you put in the effort, you can achieve your six-pack objective on a rowing machine. When rowing, there are a few strategies to make sure you’re using the right primary muscle group.
Q. Is rowing better than running?
Ans: Running is a great form of exercise, but it really only involves lower body muscles like your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Rowing, however, targets both upper-body and lower-body muscles. Not only does it strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, but it also strengths your abs, biceps, and back.
