Rowing Machines

What’s the best machine for a full-body workout? There’s some discussion to be had, but a rowing machine will always be in the top 3. From a cardio workout to muscle building and toning, it provides you with an all-in-one exercise. And at Flex Equipment, we have a wide range of rowing machines for sale - buy one for your home and get to work!

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Rowers Are More Than Just for Your Arms

Nobody would blame you if you thought that a rower is only good for arm workouts. But what if we told you that the strength of a rowing stroke comes from the legs? The rower is a full-body machine - the perfect substitute for exercise bikes or ellipticals if you are looking for low-impact cardio exercises or strength machines if you are looking to build muscle.

And that’s the beauty of rowing machines – you can do all of these exercises in one sitting!

Target All Muscle Groups

Rowing works your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, abdominal muscles, obliques, biceps, triceps, back, shoulders, and your core muscles. In short, when you train on these machines, you are engaging all major muscle groups and you’re improving cardio health. Plus, it’s a low-impact exercise, so it’s easy on your joints.

Using a Rowing Machine

There are many different types of training regimens that you can try out, but it’s key to understand three basic techniques:

  • Catch - where you slide your torso towards your toes, straightening your arms, and lean your torso forward; the catch mimics the moment when an oar enters the water and faces resistance. The catch position is the typical starting position for most exercises.
  • Drive – where you push with your legs and bend your arms while leaning your torso back; your leg muscles provide resistance to the rower’s flywheel for most of the drive, while your back, shoulder, and arm muscles take over when your legs are approximately 80% extended.
  • Recovery – the recovery is opposite to the drive; you use your upper body muscles first, before you let your leg muscles take over until you are in the catch position. The recovery should be slow and steady, while the drive should be comparably quick.

These three techniques combine into a full rower’s stroke and after a bit of practice, the entire exercise should feel like one continuous, smooth motion that engages all of your major muscle groups.

The way to use a machine also varies depending on your goals:

  • For Building Strength – if you wish to build strength, aim for an intense workout with powerful strokes at a low frequency. Muscle gain and strength building are best achieved by a lower number of powerful strokes at a slower rate.
  • For Endurance – professional rowers are amongst the fittest athletes, and if you ever watch the Olympics, you’ll see the incredible power they generate over a sustained period of time. If you’re rowing for endurance, ease up on the power and look for more sustained effort over time.

Don’t forget to include a 5 - 10 minute warm-up with stretching and gentle exercise first, and another 5 - 10 warm-down session when you’re nearly finished training. The warm-up will help you avoid injury, while the warm-down will aid in recovery.

Types of Rowers

There are a few different types of rowing machines:

  • Air-resistant rowing machines – air rowers utilize the air flowing through a flywheel to create resistance. This is the type you will most often find in gyms.
  • Water-resistance rowing machines – this type uses water from a large tank to create resistance. When you pull on the paddles of a water rowing machine, it creates drag, which provides the resistance you are looking for.
  • Magnetic rowing machines – these machines also use a flywheel, but the resistance is not created from airflow but via magnets. The flywheel is made from metal and the magnets get closer or farther away from it to create magnetic resistance. These machines create the least amount of noise.
  • Hydraulic rowing machines – these rowers use hydraulic pistons attached to the handles to create resistance. The hydraulic rower is an old-fashioned indoor rowing machine that you likely won’t see in most gyms, but it can still get the work done.

Regardless of the indoor rowing machine you opt for, all are variations of the same concept – a cardio machine made for a full-body workout.

Are Rowing Machines Good for Weight Loss?

Let’s address the burning question – are rowing machines good for weight loss? The short answer is – yes. Rowers are cardio machines and cardio workouts increase your heart rate, helping you burn calories, consequently leading to weight loss.

However, while the rower can be the basis for your weight loss goals, you always need to keep in mind the other crucial factor – a balanced diet. A combination of cardio workouts and a proper nutrition plan will help you achieve your desired weight.

Buy a Rowing Machine Online

Flex Equipment offers indoor rowing machines for sale and we deliver to your desired address. You can choose from multiple payment options, including buy now, pay later. We will ship your rower to anywhere in Australia – check out how the process works.

And if you are interested in other types of affordable cardio machines, you don’t need to look further. We have everything you need, from treadmills to SkiErg machines, or you can even opt for a cardio bundle to lower the price a bit further.

So get the cardio equipment of your choice and start your fitness journey today!