Rowing machines started appearing at various colleges, universities and rowing clubs in the 1950s but it wasn’t until 30 years later that they became a popular piece of exercise equipment in both health clubs and home gyms. Using a rowing machine as part of your regular routine has a number of benefits and we’d like to point a few of the major ones.

One of the first rowing machine benefit is a fantastic way of burning fat. Exercising on this piece of equipment can be done at such a pace that it allows the user to have an extended aerobic workout. This rhythmic exercise triggers the body to start burning stored fat which can assist you in your weight loss goals. In addition to helping improve the overall condition of your body, it is also an excellent way to burn calories. An intensive session on a rower can burn up to 800 calories in an hour.

The rowing machine is also an excellent way to build and tone muscles. The motion that is required to operate your rower works both upper and lower body muscles. As you pull on the handle, you work your arms, abdominal muscles, chest and back. The reverse motion works the lower body affecting the muscle groups in your legs, hips and lower body. If you’re looking to build muscle mass, program lower distances on the machine using a higher level of resistance. If your goal is to tone your muscles, use a lower level resistance.

Using a rowing machine as part of your regular routine in an excellent way to fit in a cardio workout. This helps improve your blood flow, which in turn benefits the heart and lungs.

The rowing machine is an excellent piece of equipment if you’re looking to burn excess body fat, build or tone your muscles and improve your health through a cardio workout.

Most important is that you workout on regular base and with good rowing technique. If you stick with a good workout schedule it won’t take long to see results. Rowing machines have a lot of benefits for anyone that is looking to get back into shape or those that want to take their physical fitness routine to the next level.

There are a lot of benefits of rowing, but for this post I will emphasize nine most important benefits of rowing machines.

1. Every body wants to lose weight

In order to lose weight, your body must burn more calories than it takes in. Heavy rowing machine workouts can burn anywhere from 500 to 800 calories an hour. You can do your own calculation on this calories burned calculator. Read more about how to loose weight with rowing machines.

2. You want great body shape and definition

A rowing machine will help tone and strengthen your muscles. With rowing machines you work with all the muscles and muscles burns calories more efficiently than fat. So as you row your muscle mass increases and your body will drop weight naturally.

3. Working every major muscle group all at once?

With rowing machines you can. As you catch the handles of the rowing machine and begin to pull forward, you are engaging your pelvis and thighs. As you pull, your arms, shoulders, back, and abdomen get involved. As you slide back, your legs, hips, and torso do the brunt of the work. With regular use of a rowing machine, you’ll notice muscle toning and development in areas of the body that can be difficult to work. The backs of your upper arms, shoulders, and butt all get a good workout with proper rowing form.

4. Great aerobic workout

Rowing provides a good aerobic workout since you are using your entire body and can exercise as vigorously as you want; you can also go at your own pace if you need to work your way up to a better level of physical fitness.

5. Don’t forget benefits for your heart.

Rowing is considered an aerobic activity. It raises the heart rate and gets your blood flowing, in turn strengthening your heart and helping prevent serious diseases in the future.

Best book and DVDs on rowing and fitness

6. Lungs are very important.

The exertion of rowing will get your system moving and leave you a little breathless, particularly if you’re doing some rigorous working out. Over a period of time your lung capacity will increase and your body will process oxygen in a healthier, more efficient manner.

7. It’s rainy, so what?

Rowing machines lets you do a great workout in any weather. You can do your workout in your own environment, that suits you best.

8. Young, old, woman, man, children, youth

Machines are suitable for many people (elderly, woman, man, children, youth). This is because you can regulate your own pace. If you are beginner, you can start slowly, just a few minutes a day with a slow pace. And gradually you will become better and better.

9. Not near a water

A great thing about rowing machine is that is harder to row outside. You have to have a boat or rent one and you must be close to water, lake, sea or river, if you want to row. That’s a difference between rowing machine and let’s says exercise bikes, treadmills. It is better and more fun to run in the nature, that’s also with bikes. Biking in nature is great, a lot of fun, it’s healthier than indoor and even cheaper than buying a good exercise bike.

Best rowing machines for regular rowing workout

Well, if you want to really benefit from using rowing machine you have to use it first regulary. My experience is that rowing machine which is not easy and fun to use, we just don’t use it. Dust is getting on it and we are questioning ourselves why we dont use it.

I had three different rowing machines and only used one. The last one is my magnetic rowing machine. I had piston rowing machine, but workout on it just wasn’t the real deal. Than i bought 200 USD worth rowing machine. I used it for three weeks. And lastly I bought one for 900 USD and that was the right thing. I use it almost every day.

I don’t reccommend that you buy rowing machine for 1.500+ USD rowing machine. They are just to expensive. If you wan’t a great rowing machine where the workout is real, easy and fun, you will have to pay a little more than 200-300 USD. I prepare by mine opininon the best three cost effective rowing machines that there are on the market.

Concept 2 Rowing Machine

What to say about Concept 2 rowing machine model D. Great experience, great fun, it’s the real thing. When you row it’s just as you are rowing on watter. Great computer with heart rate monitor and everybody from amateurs to professional rower athlets use it.

Great Deal on Amazon. ONLY 900 USD. Check now!

Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine

LifeSpan Fitness RW1000 Rowing Machine

Check out Amazon price!

… around 500 usd…

Experience is almost as good as with Concpet 2 Rowing Machine, but is less expensive, take less storage space, less space for workout. Rowing is a great fun and you are doing it with quite a little amount of efford.
LifeSpan Fitness RW1000 Rowing Machine

Phoenix 98900 Power Rower

If you are really on budget, but still wan’t to shape yourself up I recommend This one. The Power Rower is a magnetic resistance rowing machine with a belt drive for a smooth and quiet workout. The four window LCD display lets you monitor all functions during use. The Power Rower folds up and rolls away on casters for storage. Smooth, quiet magnetic resistance for outstanding multiple intensity level workout.
Phoenix 98900 Power Rower

I don’t recommend you some rowing machines that are less than 200 USD, because the filling is just not the same.

Stamina Body Track Glider 1050 Rowing Machine

Stamina Body Trac Glider 1050 Rowing Machine

This home rower work on air resistance to capture the rhythm and feel of rowing on the water by using a carefully balanced and calibrated flywheel.

Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine

Indoor Rowing workout strengthens both upper and lower body with a motion that is smooth, rhythmic and impact-free. Its wide range of motion promotes flexibility in your muscles and joints. Concept2 Model D rowing machines can be found in homes, health clubs, schools and training rooms around the globe.

The Concept 2 Indoor Rower allows you to row as hard or as easily as you wish, making it an extremely versatile machine that can be used by people of all ages and fitness levels. The price is below 1.000 USD, so if you are serious about rowing, you can still afford it. You get a great, flexible, strong and beautiful rowing machine.

Concept2 Model D features

• PM3 Performance Monitor is standard on all Model D Indoor Rowers
• Adjustable monitor arm allows for more compact storage
• Aluminum rail capped with a stainless-steel track allows the seat to move smoothly and facilitates full leg involvement in the rowing stroke to provide a true, full-body workout
• Ergonomic handle allows for a natural arm and hand position while rowing.
• Fan engineered to minimize noise while providing the smooth feel of rowing on the water
• Flexfoot footrests adjust for quick and easy sizing.
• Spiral damper controls airflow to the flywheel allowing users to choose the feel of a sleek, fast boat or a slow, heavy boat.
• Separates easily for storage
• Caster wheels make it mobile.
• Size: 25″ x 33″ x 54.5″
• Weight: 57 pounds

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Functions of a rowing computer – PM3 monitor

Battery powered LCD digital display:

• features time/distance of rowing;
• calories burned;
• power produced;
• stroke rate;
• stroke output (watts, calories, meters);
• average pace of rowing;
• library of preset workouts (timed, distance, timed interval, distance interval);
• projected finish (time or distance);
• split memory recall function;
• optional heart rate monitor interface.
• including Force Curve, Paceboat and Bar Chart.
• C2 LogCard easily and automatically record workouts and track progress without separate paper record of each rowing workout. PC-interface – transfer LogCard data to your personal computer.

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