A rowing machine is a great piece of equipment if you are training, trying to improve your overall fitness or a personal trainer looking to build a plan for a client, as it can give you a full body workout with the right programme. The right exercises can help to build muscles, tone muscles, lose weight, provide an aerobic workout or increase stamina.
So, if you are new to rowing and are looking for a workout for beginners, there are some tips below to help you to find the exercise programme that works for you.
Getting started
As with all exercise programs it is important to receive the proper training to make sure that you are using equipment correctly.
This is to ensure that you are using it safely so that you don’t do any damage to your body but also that you are using it effectively and getting the most from your workout.
If you are using a rowing machine in a gym, then the staff there should be happy to help you. There are also lots of great videos on You Tube, demonstrating the correct posture and technique when using a rowing machine.
The other important tip when starting a new exercise is to build up gradually. Start with short, light rowing workouts and focus on getting the right positioning. Once you are used to the machine then you can gradually increase the intensity.
Rowing is a great exercise which burns calories and tones the body. Because rowing uses so many muscles, you can tone your back, shoulders, abs and arms in a single workout.
If you are looking to achieve significant growth for specific muscles though, you will need to combine some exercises with weights as rowing will give a more general and even muscle tone.
Endurance
Endurance exercises are quite straight forward as the objective is to build up to being able to row as fast and consistently as you can. A great way to start is to begin with a five-minute warm-up at a pace that you feel comfortable with.
Next you row for 20 minutes at the highest effort level you can consistently maintain. Make a note of your average stroke rate and average speed and then next time you can build on this target.
Weight loss and burning calories
The higher the intensity and longer that you row for will increase the number of calories burned during a session.
The great thing about using a rowing machine is that many of them will be able to track your speed, distance covered, and calories burned during your workout so you can keep track of your progress as you build up your workout.
Cardio
A great way to get a cardio workout is through a high-intensity interval style session.
Start with a gentle warm up for five minutes. Next row as hard as you are able to for 30 seconds and follow this with a period of rest for a further 30 seconds. Repeat this six times, then rest for 3 minutes. You then need to repeat this process 3 times and maintain the same intensity.
Rowing is a great piece of equipment for improving overall fitness and there are many different ways that using a rowing machine can fit into your exercise programme. If you need further support, then staff in your local gym can put a programme together for you.
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