Rowing offers a fantastic alternative to the usual treadmill and elliptical sweat session when it comes to full-body workouts. Now, you're probably thinking how incorrect that statement must be, considering that you've seen how a rowing machine works. The constant back and forth motion on the machine results from solely using your arms, right? Unfortunately, that's a common misconception. In reality, this exercise uses 86 percent of your muscles, thus being one of the reasons that rowing is a great total body workout. But we’ll delve more into this debate below.

Uses Multiple Muscle Groups at Once

Rowing is a full-body workout that targets most of the muscles in your body. Specifically, you’re working the upper back, pecs, arms, abdominal muscles, and obliques when it comes to the upper body.

Believe it or not, a rowing stroke also works and strengthens the leg muscles, including the quadriceps, calves, and glutes.

It Strengthens Your Cardiovascular System

As a comprehensive form of activity, rowing is great for the heart and lungs. The action works hard to move more blood throughout the body, thus potentially contributing to heart strength over time.

It’s Low Impact

One of the best aspects of rowing is its ability to deliver an intense workout without having to put additional stress on your joints. The activity's mechanics place you in control of the movement and pace.

You Can Still Work Sore Muscles Without Strain

Rowing requires concentric muscle movement that causes your muscles to shorten as tension increases. Focusing on concentric movement during your rowing session will allow you to raise your heart rate more times without getting as sore.

It Torches Fat and Helps Build Muscles

A single session can burn a generous number of calories in just 30 minutes, making it an effective exercise for fat loss. Rowing also serves as an excellent accessory to build muscle, utilizing multiple areas to perform each stroke.

Rowing is fantastic for your body, and the reasons why rowing is a great total body workout are more than you would think. Being a low-impact exercise, rowing allows you to work as many muscles as you can without having to worry about straining your muscles.

For fitness that fits your life, consider visiting us at American Home Fitness. We have excellent home gym equipment for sale in Grand Rapids, MI, that you won't want to miss. Don't hesitate to have a look at one of our showrooms today!