How To Correctly Use A Rowing Machine

How To Correctly Use A Rowing Machine

Often when I go to the gym, it seems that many people don’t have the faintest idea as to how the rowing machine should be used. This is a tremendous shame because a rowing machine is without a doubt one of the most effective forms of exercise. In addition it is ideal for exercising without worrying about putting yourself at the risk of spraining a muscle or harming a joint since it’s a very low impact activity. If the rowing machine is used properly, it can be an excellent way to kick start your exercise routine, or to get a full work out by rowing alone. Now that we have identified why we should bother with a rowing machine, let us consider the basics associated with its usage.

Before you actually use any rowing machine, you need to make sure that you have prepared your body for the task at hand. You will achieve this simply by stretching your muscles and ensuring that they are nice and limber. Don’t let enthusiasm get the better of your hard work, as you will find that if you set the resistance of the machine too high you will end up tiring too soon.

Rowing machines have been specifically created and designed to mimic exercises conducted on water and do so very admirably. Rowing exercise machines work in precisely the same fashion as a boat because they will involve the user sitting at a central location and then using oars at either side to move the machine/boat. It is imperative that you maintain an appropriate grip at all times during this exercise, and so it is recommended that you hold the handles firmly but without straining yourself.

Please note that the muscles that you will use during a workout session with a rowing machine are exposed to a lot of strain and so it is very important you use the machine properly. If you do not sit in the correct manner, or if you extend your muscles incorrectly then you run the risk of causing yourself additional strain and even injury.

A lot of people assume that it is only their arms that can get injured during a rowing machine exercise, in reality, your back will also take a considerable amount of punishment as well. In order to protect your back from injury, make sure that you only ever make use of the muscles in your hips and legs whenever you are rowing. As a general rule of thumb, if you happen to find your back is uncomfortable during the rowing routine, you are most likely doing it wrong.

Once you have managed to get a decent grip of the handles, the next important step is to ensure that you achieve and maintain a decent rhythm which should last for a minimum of two minutes. Make sure that you push yourself beyond your comfort zone but not so much that you end up tiring yourself out before the two minute threshold. After you achieved this, you need to give yourself plenty of time to “cool down”.

In conclusion, there can simply be no denying that a rowing machine is the ideal way to give yourself a full body workout and it is the optimal method of burning fat and muscle toning. What makes rowing such a potent form of exercise is that a larger variety of muscles will be exercised at any given time which means you get a bigger bang for your buck.