Are you looking for a dynamic and effective way to lose weight and burn belly fat? Rowing might be the perfect exercise for you. This article explores the numerous benefits of rowing for weight loss, backed by scientific insights and practical advice.
Introduction
Belly fat is notoriously stubborn, but with the right workout routine, you can target this area and achieve the results you want. Rowing offers a full-body, high-intensity cardiovascular workout that engages all major muscle groups, making it an efficient exercise for burning calories and fat. Let's delve into how rowing can help you achieve your weight loss goals.
How Rowing Burns Belly Fat
Rowing stands out as an effective method for burning belly fat due to its comprehensive engagement of major muscle groups and its ability to elevate your heart rate into the fat-burning zone.
Full-Body Engagement
One reason why rowing is so effective for burning belly fat is that it engages all of your major muscle groups. When you row, you're using your legs, back, core, and arms to power through the motion, which means that you're getting a full-body workout. This is important because exercises that only work one muscle group, such as sit-ups or crunches, are not as effective for burning belly fat. By working so many muscle groups at once, rowing burns more calories than exercises that only target one muscle group. This calorie burn helps to boost your metabolism, which in turn can help you lose belly fat more quickly. Unlike exercises that isolate specific muscles, rowing activates up to 86% of the body’s muscles, promoting a balanced and efficient workout.
Reaching the Fat-Burning Zone
Another reason why rowing is so effective for burning belly fat is that it raises your heart rate to the fat-burning zone. The fat-burning zone is a range of heart rate that is optimal for burning calories and fat. During a rowing session, it's easy to raise your heart rate to the fat-burning zone, which is between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. When you exercise in this zone, your body is better able to utilize stored fat as fuel, which means that you'll burn more fat overall. This means that rowing can help you burn calories and fat more efficiently than low-intensity exercises like walking or yoga. Moreover, during a 30-minute rowing workout, you can burn up to 300-400 calories, depending on your weight and intensity level.
Read also: Achieve Weight Loss with CrossFit
Cardio and Strength Training Combination
The combination of cardio and strength training is essential for losing belly fat, and rowing provides both of these benefits. Cardiovascular exercise is vital for burning calories and fat, while strength training helps to build muscle mass and boost metabolism. Rowing workouts are a combination of both cardio and strength training, which is essential for losing belly fat. By combining cardio and strength training, rowing can help you to build muscle mass and boost your metabolism, which is essential for losing belly fat.
Additional Health Benefits of Rowing
Not only is rowing great for burning belly fat, but it also has numerous other health benefits. Regular cardiovascular exercise, like rowing, can help to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Rowing is also a low-impact workout that puts less stress on your joints than other exercises, which makes it a great option for people of all fitness levels.
Improves Heart Health
For example, rowing improves your heart health and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. This is because rowing is a cardiovascular exercise that can improve your endurance and strengthen your heart. Rowing offers full body stimulation, potential muscle and strength gains, and improved heart health. Studies reveal that people who exercise regularly have lower blood pressure, resting heart rate, and LDL (bad) cholesterol, as well as higher HDL (good) cholesterol and a healthier body weight. These positive health outcomes may also reduce your risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and obesity.
Low-Impact Exercise
Rowing is also a low-impact workout that puts less stress on your joints than other exercises, which makes it a great option for people of all fitness levels. Rowing workouts are low-impact, which puts less stress on your joints than other high-impact exercises like running or jumping. This means that rowing is a great exercise for people of all fitness levels, including those with joint problems or injuries. Low-impact exercises are especially good for people with arthritis and other issues with pain.
Builds Muscle Strength and Definition
Rowing can help you build muscle strength and definition, especially in your core muscles. Rowing is an excellent way to build muscle strength and definition, especially in your core muscles. This is because rowing requires you to engage your core muscles to stabilize your body throughout the motion. Rowing machines can change your body due to its full-body workout being a great strength training and cardio exercise. A rowing body transformation typically includes trimming the fat from your arms, legs, upper back, chest, and abdomen. On top of that, the pushing and pulling movements help tone the muscles in your core and limbs. One of the core muscles engaged during rowing is the muscles of the abdomen, especially when you have the proper rowing form.
Read also: Transformations with Ozempic
Scientific Backing
The science behind rowing as an effective workout for burning belly fat is clear. Researchers discovered that study participants’ basic fitness significantly increased, and their muscle and joint strength - in their elbows, shoulders, knees, and lumbar (back) - improved by a whopping 30%. Once the study was complete, researchers found that participants significantly decreased their body fat and improved their back strength and trunk flexion. They also discovered a significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, which is often dubbed the “bad” cholesterol since high levels can increase your risk of heart disease and strokes.
Calorie Burn Comparison
Rowing vigorously on a stationary rower could bump the calorie burn up to 255 (17% increase for a person weighing 125 pounds) to 440 calories (33% increase for a person weighing 185 pounds), depending on the individual. These numbers are very similar to using an elliptical machine, which comes in at 270 calories burned for 30 minutes for someone weighing 125 pounds to 378 calories for someone weighing 185 pounds. The publishers noted that stationary rowing at a moderate intensity could yield anywhere from 210 calories (for a person weighing 125 pounds) to 294 (for a person weighing 185 pounds) for 30 minutes, depending on an individual’s weight. These figures are comparable and identical to using a stationary exercise bike at a moderate intensity.
Recommendations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends that people engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity combined with two days of strength training. However, they also suggest, as an alternative, you could engage in 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week instead, along with two days of strength training.
Rowing vs. Other Cardio Exercises
When compared to indoor cycling, research shows that rowing burns more calories at similar intensities. According to a study at the Biological Sciences department at Ohio university, you burn more calories for the same amount of effort on a rowing machine than you would on an exercise bike.
Rowing vs. Running
While running and rowing are vastly different exercises, you can compare them based on the number of calories they burn. In general, running seems to burn slightly more calories than rowing. For example, a 175-pound (79-kg) person running at moderate intensity (12-minute mile pace, or 7 minutes per km) for about 1 hour burns around 889 calories, or 222 calories every 15 minutes - versus 555 and 139 calories, respectively, from moderate rowing. Notably, running tends to be a higher impact exercise than rowing. This means that rowing may be a better option for people with preexisting injuries or other conditions. As neither exercise is vastly different in terms of calories burned, you should choose whichever you prefer - or alternate between them.
Read also: Weight Loss with Cryotherapy: What to Expect
Rowing vs. Walking
Rowing burns more calories, works more muscles, and is better for those seeking faster results and full-body engagement. Walking requires no special equipment and can be done nearly anywhere. Walking is one of the gentlest cardio options. Walking is easy to incorporate into daily routines, like walking to work or taking a post-meal stroll.
Rowing Machine Basics
Many people struggle to enjoy running or find the impact on their muscles, ligaments and bones simply too much. Running can be difficult at first, and sometimes painful, especially for those who are new to the sport and don’t know how to run properly in order to minimise injury risk. In a 2015, a meta-analysis of 13 studies on incidence of injuries in running, recreational runners suffered an average of 18 injuries per 1000 hours of running. Compare this to injury data in rowing where the average masters age (43-59) rower suffered only 2.25 injuries per 1000 training sessions on the rower. If you are injury-prone, therefore, rowing may be a far safer form of exercise for you, as it avoids the high impact of running.
Home Use
A rowing machine can be perfect for home use. Compared to bulky treadmills or other machines, they are relatively small and can often be stored upright or even folded in two. They also don't all need to be plugged in, so are cheaper to run than machines that require electricity. Unlike treadmills, they are also more neighbor-friendly machines, especially if you live in an apartment block. They’re relatively quiet because there’s no motor running, and no noise from heavy footfall as there might be on a treadmill.
Technique
Whilst there is certainly some technique to learn, and it's a good idea to try and get it right for the most efficient use of the machine, its certainly not a hugely complicated piece of equipment to master. The basics can be picked up in a few minutes and learning efficient technique can help you avoid any common injuries too. Rowing is suitable for all fitness levels because it can be operated at any speed and intensity. Operating a rower at even a very light intensity will still help you to get fit. As you get more experienced at using it, you can also mix up the types of intensity or speeds that you use it at.
The Four Phases of Rowing
Rowing consists of four distinct phases - the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery.
- Catch: Start by sitting down on the pad and securing your feet with the straps. Next, turn on the electronic tracker. Some models turn on automatically when you start rowing. Loosely grasp the oar with your thumbs wrapped around it. Start in the “catch” position with your arms straight, leaning forward at the hips with your shoulders in front of your hips and your shins close to vertical.
- Drive: Next, transition to the “drive” position by pushing with your legs and swinging your body back in a vertical position.
- Finish: Then move into the “finish” position with an arm pull. Your hands should move in a straight line from the flywheel with your shoulders relaxed.
- Recovery: Enter the “recovery” phase by returning to the start position. Let your arms move forward, then tilt your torso forward, and finally bend your legs. Repeat for the desired duration.
The sequence generally followed when rowing is legs, back, arms on the catch, drive, and finish phases; arms, back, legs on the recovery phase. Rowing technique takes times to develop. As such, practicing on a regular basis is necessary before you transition to more advanced workouts.
Rowing Workouts for Weight Loss
To lose weight, you need to develop a calorie deficit. This means that you burn more calories than you take in - normally by controlling your diet and/or expending more calories through exercise. A modest calorie deficit of around 500 calories per day is usually a good place to start. Rowing on a regular basis is a great method of contributing to this deficit. Aiming for higher frequency but shorter sessions is usually the best approach. That may not only better fit into a busy lifestyle, but will have just as much impact on your fitness and weight loss.
Beginner Workout
When you’re starting out, your goal should be to focus on technique while slowly increasing the intensity of your workouts. For this beginner workout, you’ll start slow, with only 20 minutes of moderate intensity rowing time. Use this regimen to get used to the rowing rhythm and create a solid foundation to build upon in future workouts. It will take some time to gauge strokes per minute on your own, though most rowing machines calculate this number on their display. To start, complete this workout 3 days per week until you feel you’re getting the hang of it.
Intermediate Workout
This workout kicks up the vigor a notch via intervals with ascending intensity, starting with lower strokes per minute (SPM) for longer durations and ending with higher SPM for shorter times. Progress to this workout once you’ve mastered the rowing technique on the beginner workout. Higher intensity workouts like this one can increase your exercise capacity over time. This workout provides 15 minutes of intense rowing sandwiched between a 10-minute warmup and 10-minute cooldown. While only slightly longer than the beginner workout, the intermediate one builds intensity throughout, leading to a higher heart rate and more calories burned. Now that you have more experience, you may need to perform this workout at least 4 days per week to see progress.
Advanced Workout
This advanced workout brings the heat by using alternating intervals of high intensity rowing followed by a rest period. Research suggests that high intensity interval training (HIIT) can increase your VO₂ max - the maximum rate at which you can deliver oxygen to working muscles - more efficiently than constant intensity exercise. A higher VO₂ max may reduce fatigue, allowing you to exert more effort when exercising or playing sports. Don’t attempt this workout without at least 6 months of solid rowing experience. During rest periods you can row lightly to keep your blood flowing, though you should use this time to prepare yourself for the next set. Now that you’re advanced, you may need to complete this workout at least 5 days per week to boost your exercise capacity. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the workout to stay hydrated.
Interval Training
There are two main types of cardio training:
- Steady state, where you work at a given intensity for a given period of time
- Intervals, where you mix up periods of high and low intensity
Interval training is consistently proven to be a very effective and efficient way of improving cardiovascular fitness. Only one or two of your weekly workouts need to be interval sessions and there is no need to make them complicated. Here are three simple approaches to intervals during a 20 minute workout - though make sure you warm up properly first.
- 30 seconds gentle pace, 20 seconds medium/fast pace, 10 seconds full sprint. Repeat x 20
- 30 seconds slow, 30 seconds fast. Repeat x 20
- 20 Seconds slow, 10 seconds fast. Repeat x 40
For best results, you should mix up the training.
Increasing Intensity
As you become a more advanced rower, you may want various ways to increase the intensity of your workouts. One of the best methods is by using intervals. For example, interval training may include working at a higher intensity for a given period, followed by a rest period. You then repeat this cycle for a certain number of reps. You can also include other exercises between rowing intervals, which is quite common in CrossFit. For instance, you may row for 5 minutes, then do 10 pushups, and repeat. You can use these methods to increase rowing intensity without greatly affecting the overall duration of your workout.
Frequency
A study from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, put participants through a series of 40 minute (10 minute warm up, 20 minute rowing, 10 minute cool down) workouts five days per week. All benefited significantly from a fitness and body composition standpoint. So aiming to build up to 4-5 shorter sessions per week rather than 2-3 longer sessions is an ideal way to use the rowing machine to lose weight.
Working Hard
In terms of intensity, and dependent on your age, then if you are wearing a heart rate monitor maintaining 70%+ of your maximum heart rate for 20 minutes or more is sufficient. With the RPE scale, working at around a 7 out of 10 of intensity for 20 minutes or more is good. You want to be sweaty and breathless, but able to exchange a few words with someone nearby, not on the verge of collapse.
Choosing the Right Rowing Machine
A wide variety of rowing machines are available on the market. The most common is the flywheel rower, which uses a fan blade that spins when the oar is pulled to create more resistance the harder you row. Another common type is a hydro rower. This machine provides resistance via a water-submerged flywheel that’s said to give a sensation similar to that of rowing a boat. Yet another kind called a magnetic resistance rower has a magnetic brake system that can be adjusted for resistance levels. This type tends to be the quietest. Lastly, hydraulic rowing machines provide resistance via a piston filled with liquid or air. These tend to be the most compact and affordable, though they may not allow a natural rowing motion. Consider reading up on the various models to find the one that best suits you. You may be able to test some of these at an exercise equipment store or your local gym.
Proper Form and Avoiding Injuries
The most common drawback of rowing training is lower back pain. This is typically caused by poor form or a rower’s weak abdominal muscles. When you use a rower, you must remember to push with your legs, then lean back with the ab muscles tight, then bring your hands to your chest. If you push your legs and lean back at the same time, your lower spine overcompensates, thus resulting in lower back pain.
Is Rowing for Everyone?
Yes, rowing is great for anyone and everyone looking to improve their overall health and fitness. Whether you can replace your entire training routine with rowing workouts depends on your overall fitness goals and your exercise schedule. With that said, focusing your training program around rowing, rather than other exercises, is an effective strategy. First off, rowing provides an awesome cardio workout. Second, your entire body is getting a full-body workout with rowing. Rowing machines allow you to set the resistance to an appropriate level, according to the American Council on Exercise, which is one of several reasons why rowing is accessible for many different fitness levels.
Rowing for Seniors
Yes, there are several reasons why rowing workouts are good for seniors. First, it is not weight-bearing so it's easy on their joints and bones. Second, it delays bone mass density loss brought about by aging. Third, it helps improve posture especially when rowing is done correctly.
Rowing and Sleep
Yes, but only if you don't vigorously row. Studies have found that the most effective exercises to relieve chronic insomnia are moderate and high-intensity workouts.
The LIT Strength Machine
The LIT Strength Machine is the ultimate rower you will ever need. What sets the LIT Strength Machine apart from other rowing machines is its all-in-one design that offers signature low-impact resistance rowing. The band technology, coupled with the adjustable water resistance levels, provides a challenging rooster of rowing variations. As we mentioned, rowing engages up to 86% of the body muscles, but the LIT Strength Machine is the only rower on the planet that utilizes 100% of your muscles. It can target even the most stubborn belly fat through Low Impact Training Method principles.
Testimonial
Not long after, she took a job in sales at a new indoor rowing studio called Row House in Temecula, California, which now has 90 studios open and over 300 licensed locations throughout the United States and Canada. The studio wasn’t even open yet when the owners recommended she take a training course to be an instructor. “I ended up doing that and fell in love,” she says. There were lots of things to love about indoor rowing: Her knee never got aggravated, for one, even when she was teaching nine 45-minute classes a week. Then there was the weight loss benefit. Rowing, plus sticking to 30 minutes a day of exercise, has helped Roose keep off the weight she’d previously lost, as well as lose another 10 pounds.