7 Benefits of Rowing And How It Helps Your Health

Credit: Unsplash, Victor Freitas

Rowing is one of the most effective ways to get fit and stay healthy. Here are 8 great reasons why it makes sense to take rowing up:

1. Rowing is a full body workout. While the upper body and core are worked, rowing also engages the lower body, and that’s a good way to burn extra calories.

2. It can be a low impact activity. Rowing uses the legs, but it’s not as hard on the joints as other aerobic sports such as running or cycling.

3. It builds endurance and cardiovascular fitness. The more you grow, the longer you can keep at it without getting tired.

4. Rowing is also great for increasing strength, especially in the upper body muscles such as the lats, biceps, and triceps. What’s more, it helps build lean muscle mass and reduce body fat. As a result, rowing can help improve posture by strengthening back muscles

5. It can provide joint relief for arthritis sufferers or others with joint pain. The motion of rowing mimics that of walking, which is easier on joints than many forms of exercise such as running or cycling.

6. You can burn more calories per hour than with most other aerobic exercises. Rowing is one of the best cardio exercises you can do for weight loss because it works for so many different muscle groups at once. You’ve got all of your back muscles contracting as you pull on the handle, your core working hard with each stroke, and your legs kicking on the catch. This provides an intense workout that will help you burn calories in minimal time.

7. The key to effective rowing is a full-body, fluid motion that requires coordination and balance. Rowing machines substitute for virtually any exercise machine at the gym because they target every major muscle group in the upper and lower body, as well as the core muscles that support your back and abdomen

Susan Kowal
Susan Kowal is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor/advisor, and health enthusiast.