Rowing Machines
ROWING AS AN EXERCISE
Now we all know that rowing is a sport, in fact it is one of the oldest Olympic sports and when you look at any rowing teams they all look fit and healthy. So is rowing using a rowing machine a good exercise to have in our training programs.
Rowing on the water in a boat on a regular basis is a great exercise. Rowing is a cardiovascular exercise that hits all the major muscle groups. It is a great calorie burner and is also a low impact exercise which means injuries are less likely to occur. Although there are some typical complaints from rowers of strain on the Knee joints and forearm tendons also lower back pain can be a common complaint. This is not a big surprise as normally any team rower is rowing for competition, so any non rower using a rowing machine in a gym is not going to be doing the same amount of extensive rowing.
So are rowing machines as good as the real thing ? I don’t think they can simulate the exact experience of rowing a boat on the water, because for one thing you would not have the force of the water or movement of the boat or action of the oars. Instead you are sat on a seat attached to a frame that is fixed to the floor. Also your arms will only be going backwards and forwards rather than the rotational movement when using oars on a boat. But do they need to simulate the exact rowing experience ? No I don’t think they do really.
When you use a rowing machine whether it be at the gym or at home you are still going to hit all your major muscle groups. Your legs, arms, shoulders, back and stomach are all going to benefit. And because it is a low impact exercise as long as you use the right technique you should not have any troubles with injury.
So would I use a rowing machine ? Yes I would I have tried a few now and I love them and when I have gone for it on one of these machines, afterwards I have felt as if my whole body has had a good workout.
So give one a go and see for yourself.
Here are a couple that are at different ends of the scale when it comes to prices, the cheaper one being the first one.
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