Overlooked and Underappreciated: How to Use the Rowing Machine The rowing machine can be intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, it's an effective way to spice up your cardio routine. But while the rowing machine, also called an ergometer, is a calorie buster (about 280 calories in 30 minutes for an 130-pound woman) and a good leg and core workout, improper form can lead to back injuries if you're not careful. Read on for our tips on proper rowing form. Before you start, there are a few things to note about using the rowing machine. Make sure you wear formfitting clothes, otherwise you risk getting fabric caught in it while working out. Don't set the resistance too high — experienced rowers generally use the rowing machine at 3-5 during their workouts, so setting the machine at 2 or 3 is perfect for a beginner. Keep your strokes per minute somewhere in the low- to mid-20s as well. There are different ways to measure your workout, so use the change display button on your machine to track your strokes per minute, calories burned, kilometers traveled, or your split (how many minutes it takes you to travel 500 meters). Beginning Position For your first row, set the resistance low while you figure out your form, then slowly ramp it up on subsequent rows. Secure your feet on the pads with the straps tight enough so your feet don't move around as you slide. Bring your knees up and slide to the top of the machine. Grab the handle using an overhand grip, but don't hold too tightly. Pull the handle with you as you slide to the end of the machine. Your legs should be straight, but knees should still have a slight bend in them so they aren't locked. Lean back slightly and pull your hands up to your chest, holding the handle so it is right below your breasts, with elbows pointing down against your sides. This is the position where you should begin your workout, and it's also your ending position once you complete a full stroke (see below). The Catch Move your arms out first, followed by your upper body. Your back should always stay
straight, not slumped, with shoulders back and abs engaged as you follow through. As your arms extend out, your upper body position will go from slightly angled back to slightly angled forward. As your arms extend and body leans forward, slide your body forward on the seat by bending your legs. Once you are at the top of the machine, your arms will be fully extended and legs will be bent (see below). This part of the stroke is called the catch. The Drive To slide back to your finish position, push off with your feet first, so that your legs straighten but your arms are still extended and your body is still slightly leaning forward (see below). The drive is the part of the workout that mimics pulling the oars out of the water and propelling the boat forward, so it's this part that works your leg and core muscles the most. As you continue to push through with your legs, move your upper body so that you begin to lean back (see below). The last part of your body to return to finish position are your arms; as your upper body angles back, pull the handle and bend your arms so that the handle ends up back to touching the front of your chest, just like how you started (see below). Don't grip the handle too hard; the power should be through your legs, and using too much force while pulling the cable can cause hand blisters as well as back problems. Continue practicing your stroke slowly and at low resistance until you get the hang of it! It can be helpful to break the moves down into a sequence of what should move first: "arms-body-legs" as you pull up to the top of the machine and "legs-body-arms" as you push back. Check out how it should look: Once you've got the moves down, try this rowing machine interval workout. Move over, spin bike. Let's row That unsung hero of the gym, the rowing machine, has made a comeback.
After years of gathering dust in the corner, the machines have become so popular within the past year that rowing studios are popping up nearly as quickly as the spin studios that populated Lincoln Park 10 years ago, and it's threatening to pop some of those Soul Cyclers right out of their saddles. Nearly a dozen spots have opened in Chicago within the past 12 months. Long-time staple Chicago Rowing Foundation has also seen its numbers rise by eightfold in its adult programs since 2010. “My mom has been taking spin classes,” says Dan Hicks, a rowing coach at Iron & Oar in Lakeview, which opened in September. “You don't want to do the workout that your mom does. This generation is looking for something new, and rowing is super effective.” A 60-minute session on the erg (AKA rowing machine) burns 800 to 850 calories depending on your muscle mass and weight, Hicks says. It's also a low-impact form of exercise that works about 87 percent of your muscles, compared with spin, which only tackles 61 percent of your muscles, he says. Many rowers were introduced to the exercise through the super-popular CrossFit, where it plays a big role. Jenn Gibbons, rowing coach at Bluprint Fitness, a rowing studio and CrossFit gym that opened on the near west side on Hubbard Street last October, says she's an avid cyclist and a fan of a good spin class, but she finds that rowing is more fun because you get feedback from each stroke, and it's gentler on your joints (spinning can create overuse injuries). Rowing is also something that everyone can do, despite its challenges, says Betsy Trevarthen, executive director of development and communication for the Chicago Rowing Foundation. “As they say in the rowing world, it's the only sport you can win sitting on your butt going backwards,” she says. Here are a few places you can row. Go Row Go Cycle Studio. This spin studionow offers rowing classes: A full body rowing and resistance workout; a high-intensity row circuit class; and a 45-minute intensive pure rowing class. $23 for a drop-in class, $170 for a month of unlimited classes; 525 W.
Equinox Ropes and Rowers. A high-intensity circuit class that uses water rowers (the rowers have water inside, so it feels more like real rowing). There's a brag board where you can boast about your performance and track your progress from session to session. Offered at Equinox gyms in the Gold Coast, Loop, Lincoln Park and Highland Park. Classes are included with the cost of a gym membership. Iron & Oar. This rowing studio offers eight classes ranging from the Boat Race (two rows of rowing machines are lined up like people in a boat and they participate in a virtual race) to Rowga (yoga followed by a rowing machine workout and back to the mat for more flow again). Chicago Rowing Foundation. This non-profit organization offers programs and classes for kids through adults, beginners through nationally ranked teams on and off the water. Training Alternatives: Rowing Ergometer Training For Endurance Athletes Whether it’s because you’re traveling, your local gym is packed with people, or you’re just looking for a break from riding a trainer or running on a treadmill, a rowing ergometer can be a great option for a cyclist, triathlete, or runner. The rowing movement activates over 90% of the body’s musculature and promotes the strengthening of the smaller stabilizing muscles throughout the abdomen, back, and hips. Strength and stability in these areas helps athletes maintain proper cycling, running, and swimming form, which can be a factor in maintaining higher paces and power outputs for longer periods of time. For endurance athletes however, the cardiovascular component of rowing may be more important and beneficial than the opportunity for muscular development. While many people look at rowing as a power sport, the muscle fiber typing in trained oarsmen resembles those of a distance runner, and elite collegiate rowers can attain VO2 max values between 75-85 ml/(kg/min). If you’re also looking to drop a few pounds, rowing delivers great bang for your buck in terms of energy expenditure. Since rowing involves muscles throughout the body, caloric expenditure rises quickly. During maximal 6-minute efforts, athletes have recorded caloric expenditures of 36 kcal/min. While this may be achievable in other sports, cyclists should keep in mind that the the full-body nature of rowing means you’re burning more calories at any given effort level compared to cycling. Making the cardio scene with the rowing machine (Reuters Life!) - Overshadowed by rows of treadmills and elliptical trainers, the rowing
machine is vertically challenged, usually solitary and often consigned to one of the darker corners of the gym. But experts say if you take time to explore this wallflower of the fitness center, you'll discover a smooth operator that's easy on the joints and endowed with a powerful burn. "It's probably the best piece of workout equipment in the gym," said Dr. Timothy Hosea of the American College of Sports Medicine. "It's a total fitness machine. Unlike running or elliptical, where you use your legs, you exercise every major muscle group in the body in a smooth, controlled manner." Hosea, an orthopedic surgeon based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, has rowed since college. He said the rowing machine actually burns more energy per hour than running or swimming. "The average person can easily burn 700 to 750 calories per hour going at a pretty moderate pace," he said. So why is the rower ignored? Hosea thinks part of the problem may lie in the less-thandignified position of the exerciser. "When you're rowing you're sitting down, and everyone's towering over you," he said. Then there's the learning curve. In the gym physical prowess rules, but the rowing machine requires patience. "It takes time to learn proper technique," Hosea said. "It looks really easy but people don't know how to row in an efficient manner, so tend to avoid that machine." Power in rowing comes from the legs, Hosea said, but many people think it depends more on the arms and back. "They get discombobulated if they don't understand that you drive with the legs first." Another mistake, he added, is putting so much resistance on the machine that core strength is compromised, and the lower back is stressed.