If you are looking to maximize the effectiveness of your rowing machine, there are many exercises you can do to get the most your rowing workout.
A rowing machine will work many muscle groups including your quads, glutes, hamstrings, rhomboids, erector spinae, rear deltoids, and traps.
If you want to be the best you can be, it’s imperative that you get a rowing machine for yourself so you can consistently work these muscle groups over time.
The ‘key’ to getting the most out of your rowing machine is to do your exercises with different intensities, variations, frequencies, and time lengths. This will challenge your muscle groups in different ways and keep your body in tip top shape. Not only that, your heart and lungs will get a great cardio workout.
There are also many benefits of using a rowing machine on daily.
You can expect to burn calories and lose weight, increase muscle mass and endurance, reduce your risk of many diseases, and improve your overall body and brain health over time.
The next time you find yourself on a rowing machine, try the following exercises to maximize the effects of your workout.
Rowing Machine Exercises
1. Standard Rowing
The best exercise you can do on a rowing machine is a standard row.
Rowing will utilize the quads, glutes, hamstrings, rhomboids, erector spinae, rear deltoids, and traps muscle groups.
Vary the intensity every 30 seconds to turn this into a great HIIT workout.
2. Rowing Side to Side
Another exercise you can do on the rowing machine is to simply row side to side.
Basically, you are going to sweep your arms to the right and to the left as you pull over your hips.
This will work your rotational muscles and your core like your abs, obliques and back.
3. Single Arm Rowing
If you are wanting to work your core and your arms individually, do single arm rows.
You will work your abs, obliques, rear delts, along with your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Mixing in a single body exercise variation is a great way to mix up your workout.
4. Upright Rows
Another great exercise to do with your rowing machine is the upright row.
This will focus the exercise more on your upper back, rear delts, rhomboids, and traps.
It will also put a lot more stress on your erector spinae and lower back.
5. Underhand Rows
A great way to give your biceps a good workout is with some underhand rows.
You can essentially do a bicep curl as you are pushing back with your legs.
Mix up your handgrips to give your workout some extra variation.
6. Rowing Sweeps
If you can separate your grips, you can do some rowing sweeps.
Doing this is as if you are sitting on a sled and pushing yourself on the ground by your sides.
You could also compare this to a straight arm pull down.
7. Rowing Overhead Pulls
Last on this list of exercises you can do on the rowing machine is a rowing overhead pull.
On this one, you are going to keep your arms straight and lift over your head.
It’s an exercise that will really work your upper back area.
Rowing Exercise Without Machine
If you are at a gym or in your home workout area, you may just want to do a simple row without a machine.
To do this, you are going to grab a set of dumbbells and stagger one let forward and one backward.
Bend slightly at the waist while keeping your torso strong.
Pull your elbows back near your sides and let them drop back down.
You can also do this exercise by putting one knee and one hand on a bench and rowing your elbow up beside you with a dumbbell.
Summary: Rowing Machine Exercises
The best rowing machine exercises are going to challenge your muscles, heart, lungs, and endurance. These exercises should be done in different ways, times, and intensities. If you can get yourself to use a rowing machine on a consistent basis, you will shed fat, lose weight, build muscle, increase your endurance and mobility. Make sure you rest and recover and give each rowing machine session your all to see the best results over time.
