When you’re uninterested in the identical outdated cardio routines and able to deal with cussed love handles, the rowing machine may very well be your new greatest good friend. In contrast to treadmills or bikes, rowers ship a full-body exercise that is as efficient as it’s participating. Each stroke works almost each main muscle group—legs, again, arms, and, most significantly, your core—making it a fat-burning software for sculpting a leaner physique. Bonus: it is low-impact, so you’ll be able to go laborious with out hammering your joints.
What makes rowing even higher? Its versatility. The rower adapts to your targets, whether or not you are zoning out with steady-state cardio, firing up your metabolism with high-intensity intervals, or including core-focused workouts. Within the sections under, I will dive into why rowing reigns supreme for weight reduction and share 4 game-changing exercises designed to blast energy, strengthen your core, and soften these love handles.
The way to Use a Rowing Machine
Utilizing a rowing machine might sound easy, however correct type is essential for maximizing outcomes and avoiding damage. Begin by adjusting the foot straps in order that they’re cosy however comfy, making certain your toes are safe. Grip the deal with with each arms, maintaining your wrists straight and relaxed.
The rowing movement has 4 phases:
- Catch: Start by sitting tall, knees bent, and arms prolonged ahead, gripping the deal with.
- Drive: Push powerfully by your legs whereas maintaining your again straight, pulling the deal with towards your decrease chest.
- End: Lean again barely on the finish of the stroke, participating your core and shoulders.
- Restoration: Reverse the motion, extending your arms and bending your knees to return to the beginning place.
Give attention to driving together with your legs fairly than pulling together with your arms. Maintain your actions fluid and rhythmic for one of the best outcomes.
What Makes the Rower Nice for Weight Loss
The rowing machine is one among my go-to instruments for shoppers and athletes for an intense cardio session. Why? It is a full-body exercise that packs a punch, concurrently participating main muscle teams in your legs, again, arms, and core. Plus, it is a unbelievable method to construct endurance and torch fats with out placing pointless pressure in your joints.
This is why I persistently suggest the rower for weight-loss exercises:
- Complete-Physique Engagement: Rowing works all the pieces—your legs drive the motion, your core stabilizes you, and your arms and again end the pull. This balanced effort helps you burn energy shortly whereas firming a number of muscle teams.
- Boosts Metabolism: As a result of it builds lean muscle, rowing does not simply aid you burn energy in the course of the exercise—it retains your metabolism revved up lengthy after you are achieved.
- Low-Impression, Excessive-Reward: Whether or not recovering from an damage or simply preferring to keep away from high-impact workouts like working, rowing is a joint-friendly possibility that also delivers outcomes.
- Versatility: From steady-state endurance rows to explosive high-intensity intervals, the rower adapts to your health targets and retains your exercises recent.
In my expertise, athletes and shoppers recognize how rowing seamlessly combines cardio and energy coaching. For weight-loss exercises, it is unbeatable as a result of you’ll be able to preserve a gentle calorie burn whereas concentrating on cussed areas like love handles. Plus, it is a unbelievable method to enhance cardiovascular endurance.
4 Finest Rowing Exercises To Soften Love Handles
Exercise #1: 1,000-Meter Row with Facet Planks
What you want: You have to a rowing machine and a mat for planks. This steady-state cardio exercise with core-focused intervals will take about 15–20 minutes to finish, relying in your tempo.
The Routine:
- Rowing Machine (1,000 meters)
- Facet Plank with Hip Dips (10 reps per aspect each 2 minutes)
Instructions: Full a steady-state row for 1,000 meters. Pause and carry out 10 aspect planks each 2 minutes with hip dips on all sides. Resume rowing till you attain the 1,000-meter mark.
How To Do It:
1. Rowing Machine
- Keep regular effort all through the 1,000 meters.
2. Facet Plank with Hip Dips
- Start in a aspect plank place together with your elbow straight underneath your shoulder.
- Decrease your hip towards the bottom, then elevate it again up.
- Repeat for 10 dips on one aspect, then swap to the opposite.
RELATED: This is How Lengthy Your Rowing Session Ought to Be for Weight Loss
Exercise #2: Calorie Ladder with Sit-Up Purchase-In and Money-Out
What you want: A rowing machine and a mat for sit-ups. Relying in your tempo, this ladder-style exercise will take about 20–half-hour.
The Routine:
- Sit-Ups (20 reps – buy-in)
- Row Energy (10–50 energy in 10-calorie increments)
- Sit-Ups (20 reps – cash-out)
Instructions: Begin with 20 sit-ups. Then, row for 10 energy within the first spherical, including 10 energy every spherical (10, 20, 30, 40, 50). Relaxation for 1:00 between rounds. End the exercise with 20 sit-ups as a cash-out.
How To Do It:
1. Sit-Ups
- Lie in your again together with your knees bent and toes flat on the ground.
- Place your arms behind your head or cross them over your chest.
- Curl your torso up towards your knees, then decrease again down.
2. Row Energy
- Give attention to a constant effort to finish the assigned calorie depend for every spherical.
Exercise #3: TABATA Intervals
What you want: You have to a rowing machine and a timer. This high-intensity exercise takes 4 minutes per TABATA spherical. If desired, you’ll be able to repeat for extra rounds.
The Routine:
- Rowing Machine (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off) x 8 rounds
Instructions: Carry out maximum-effort sprints on the rowing machine for 20 seconds, adopted by 10 seconds of relaxation. Repeat for a complete of 8 rounds. Relaxation for two–3 minutes between rounds if finishing a number of rounds.
How To Do It:
1. Rowing Machine TABATA
- Set the rower for interval coaching (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off).
- Row as laborious as attainable in the course of the work intervals.
- Use the ten seconds of relaxation to catch your breath and put together for the subsequent dash.
Exercise #4: Row and Core Combo
What you want: A rowing machine and a mat for core workouts. This AMRAP exercise will take 20 minutes.
The Routine:
- Rowing Machine (400 meters)
- Rower Ab Pikes (10–20 reps)
Instructions: Set a timer for 20 minutes. Full as many rounds as attainable (AMRAP) of 400-meter rows adopted by 10–20 rower ab pikes. Modify with rower plank knee tucks if pikes are too difficult.
How To Do It:
1. Rower Ab Pikes
- Place your toes on the rower’s seat in a plank place together with your arms on the ground.
- Pull the seat towards your arms by participating your core, lifting your hips right into a pike.
- Return to a plank place and repeat.
2. Rower Plank Knee Tucks (Modification)
- Begin in a plank with toes on the seat of the rower.
- Pull your knees towards your chest, then lengthen again to the plank place.
- Repeat.
Jarrod Nobbe, MA, CSCS