Which Muscles You Work With a Rowing Machine

Rowing is one of the best cardio workouts you can do. Not only does a session on the machine crush calories, but it also helps you build muscle with its strength training benefits.

Rowing is great for cardio because it allows for a full-body, low impact, mono-structural movement that can be sustained for long periods at a steady state cardio or for shorter, high intensity workouts and sprints,” says Ian Creighton, general manager at Brick New York and a CrossFit-level 2 trainer.

You’ll get great aerobic training using the rower, especially if you use it the right way.

“Rowing recruits more of your aerobic capacity since all major muscle groups are being utilized to complete one full stroke. As an added bonus, you can train different energy systems,” says Hollis M. Tuttle, CITYROW Go Lead Instructor in New York City. (Looking for a new rowing machine? We rounded up 18 of the best.)

The Muscles You Use When You Row

Ultimately, rowing is a total-body workout.

“Rowing activates nine muscle groups and utilizes 85 percent of the body’s musculature, which is why it is such an efficient workout,” says Huttle.

Depending on which part of the stroke you’re in, you’re going to hit different muscle groups.

“The rower is basically the horizontal version of the deadlift and uses similar muscles,” says Creighton. “On the drive the main focus is on the posterior chain—the hamstrings, glutes, calves, and spinal erectors are all being used. In the pull, the quads, forearms, biceps, and lats are used as well.”

Breaking Down The Stroke

There are four vital parts of the stroke that will set you up for proper form.

Rowing Workouts You Should Try

“Depending upon your training goals, you can choose to complete a long steady-state endurance row, push a little harder for a mid-length tempo row, or do multiple short intense sprints,” says Tuttle.

If you’re new to rowing, give yourself some grace as you get going.

“Rowing is a skill that must be practiced on a consistent basis. Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process of learning how to become a better rower,” adds Tuttle.

Here are five workouts that are trainer-approved. Just a quick note for the uninitiated: ‘SPM’ in some of these plans stands for ‘strokes per minute’, a helpful measure to gauge your pace. Most machines will have some way to measure this clearly highlighted on the display. ‘Calories’ are also used as a measure for work, which is a bit more complicated–if your machine doesn’t have the ability to show the calorie estimate, just skip those workouts.

Workout 1: 2K Row For Time

“The holy grail of rowing workouts is the 2K Row For Time. It is one of the single best cardio tests that exists,” says Creighton. “If you’re a beginner, shoot for sub 8-minutes, intermediate sub 7:30, and elite sub-7 minutes. While this may not burn the most calories, your lungs and heart will be pushed to their max! This burns between 300 to 400 calories (high because of the intensity—if you push to 85 to 95 percent capacity, which is the goal, you will burn more calories).”

Workout 2: 10k Row For Time

“This will be done at a much lower heart rate than the 2k for time, but is great for burning calories and working on increasing aerobic capacity,” says Creighton. “Burns between 600 to 700 calories.”

Workout 3: 12 EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute) – 15 Cal row

“The goal here is to switch the rower’s measurement unit to calories instead of meters and hit 15 calories in 45 seconds, then rest 15 seconds until the next minute starts and go again,” says Creighton. “Repeat for 15 minutes. Burns between 350 to 450 calories (higher because of intensity—this is an internal workout—45 seconds of work, with 15 seconds of rest each minute for 12 minutes).”

Workout 4: 30-Minute Timed Intervals

“It is too hard to estimate calories burned or distance covered/finish time because both depend upon the individual rower,” notes Huttle. “The repeating efforts, however, allow the athlete to challenge themselves and experience instant feedback at the completion of each effort.”

Dynamic Warmup OFF Machine: 4 minutes
Rowing Warmup: 8 minutes
3-Minute Light Push (LP)

90-second Medium Push (MP)

3-Minute Alternating Light + Heavy Push (HP)

30 Second Rest
The Work = 5-Minute Efforts X3 = 18 minutes
5-Minute Effort

60 Second Rest
5-Minute Effort

60-Second Rest
5-Minute Effort

60 Seconds Active Recovery Row

Workout 5: Distance Intervals

Dynamic Warmup OFF Machine: 4 minutes

Rowing Warmup: 1,000 meters

60 Second Rest

300 meters

30 Second Rest

300 meters

60 Second Rest

200 meters

30 Second Rest

200 meters

60 Second Rest

100 meters

30 Second Rest

100 meters

500 meter Active Recovery Row

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