The Right Way to Use a Rowing Machine

Once relegated to the back of the gym, the rowing machine is experiencing a surge in popularity — so much so that there are now entire boutique studios devoted to it and its awesome total-body benefits.Trusted Source

But the machine can be intimidating at first. Do I lead with legs or arms? Should my shoulders feel sore? And why do my feet keep slipping out of the straps?

Instead, focus on using your lower-body powerhouse muscles — glutes, hamstrings, quads — to push yourself out and then gently glide back in. Before we dive into more technique, here are two terms that will help guide your workout:

  Rowing terms

Strokes per minute

This is how many times you row (stroke) in 1 minute. Keep this number at 30 or less, Davi says. Remember: It’s about power, not just flinging your body back and forth.

Split time

This is the amount of time it takes to row 500 meters (or a third of a mile). Aim for 2 minutes or less. To increase your pace, push out with more power — don’t just pump your arms faster.

Now that you’ve perfected your form and understand the basic terminology for rowing, take it up a notch and do Melody’s rowing workout here.

You’ll perform moves both on and off the rowing machine to keep things interesting and intense. Expect planks, lunges, and squats (among others) for a total-body workout. It will effectively target and strengthen all the muscles you need to bring serious power into your rowing sessions.