Is Rowing Machine Good for Abs?
Last Updated on October 15, 2023 by Justin Harris
Is Rowing Machine Good for Abs? People are pretty concerned about their fitness nowadays, which is indeed a very positive way of living. You are never going to fall sick as long as you maintain your fitness. On the contrary, people with extra weight and very little focus on fitness are more vulnerable to illnesses.
Irrespective of what you do and what your fitness level is right now, it is never too late to start focusing on fitness. In most cases, it is the lack of time that keeps us away from fitness. However, technology knows no limit, and many advanced fitness pieces of equipment are out on the market, which can help you accomplish excellent and routine workouts without spending much time.
The rowing machine is one such advanced piece of equipment that has brought about a massive transformation in many lives. Many users have experienced tremendous benefits from using the rowing machine. Most importantly, the rowing machine is the perfect equipment for those who are with very little time.
Most of us have already heard a lot about rowing machines. Most people see rowing machines in connection to building abs. If you are up to buying a rowing machine and still unsure if a rowing machine is suitable for building abs, look no further, and this post should clear all your doubts.
Are Rowing Machines Good for Building Abs?
The answer is YES, and a rowing machine offers you full-body workouts to burn the extra layer of fats. Your abs become more apparent when you start getting rid of the extra layers of fats.
Over the years, the rowing machine has been the best fitness equipment for getting a perfectly toned stomach with impressive abdominal muscles. With that being said, it is also essential for you to know the right way to use the rowing machine.
What Is the Right Technique to Use the Rowing Machine?
Even though using the rowing machine, one can have impressive abs; many people fail to get the desired results. To develop good abs using the rowing machine, you have to ensure that you engage your abs well while rowing.
You must ensure that every rowing stroke has the right impact on your body. I know it’s a little technical and may not be easy for you to comprehend at once.
However, a bad posture or a wrong technique can cause you more damage than good, and in some cases, it can even lead to low back pain.
The rowing workout usually involves four crucial steps: Catch, Drive, Finish, and Recovery. Catch involves flexing up your torso forwarded, holding the handle. In the Drive step, you push the straps with your legs and pull the handle towards your upper abdomen.
In the next step, Finish, you must bend your back a bit. However, at the same time, it should not get hunched or rounded. As you do this, your abs will stabilize your body and slow down its momentum. The final step or the Recovery step involves getting back to your catch position.
Let me simplify it further:
- Push the foot straps with your legs first,
- Lean back a bit with your abs tight
- Pull the handle towards your upper abdomen
- Gradually reduce the tension of the chain attached to the flywheel
- Gently get to your previous position back again
Most importantly, you must do it gently and not very fast, especially if you are a beginner. What is most important is to feel the impact of the workout on your abs, and in case it is not having the desired impact, you can always modify your posture a bit.
A Quick Look at the Don’ts
- Don’t pull the handle with just your arms; also, push the foot straps with your legs
- Don’t keep your back hunched or rounded; keep it erect and straight
- Don’t do it too fast; do it gently
Calories You Can Burn Using the Rowing Machine
Any workout is okay as long as it helps you burn a fair amount of calories. As per the research conducted by Harvard Health, one can lose calories between 255 to 400 with good rowing in just 30 minutes.
However, the number of calories one burns depends on one’s weight. While a 125-pound person burns 255 calories with 30 minutes of rowing, a 155-pound person would burn 316 calories, and a 185-pound person would burn 377 calories.
The study also reveals that a 30-minutes workout on an elliptical trainer helps you burn comparatively slightly more calories than rowing. For example, doing a 30-minutes workout on an elliptical trainer, a 125-pound person burns 270 calories.
Other Benefits of Rowing
Full Body Workout
Apart from helping you build an impressively toned stomach, rowing also helps you with a full-body workout. To be precise, rowing can help you with the upper back, arms, obliques, and leg muscles.
Suitable for People of All Fitness Levels
Rowing is undoubtedly a workout that people of any fitness level can take up, and most importantly, one can get the hang of the rowing machine is merely a few minutes. Besides, all you need is to spend just about 30 minutes, and anyone can do it without losing interest.
Low-impact; No Stress on Joints
Many people keep away from workouts, fearing the impact it can have on their joints. However, using the rowing machine will have no impact on your joints. Besides, the rowing machine offers you reasonable control over the pace and movement. Most experts recommend this for patients in the early stages of osteoarthritis.
Great for the Heart and Lungs
You must have already heard people talking about the importance of taking proper care of the cardiovascular system. Taking care of cardiac health certainly makes a lot of sense, considering the increasing amount of heart-related problems.
Using the rowing machine for just about 30 minutes every day can also largely help you maintain good cardiac health. For those who have heart problems, using the rowing machine can strengthen their cardiovascular system. However, heart patients must use it after consulting their physicians only.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Does Using a Rowing Machine Help in Building Abs?
Working out on a treadmill only works on the lower body, and working on the elliptical machine does work on both the upper and lower body but doesn’t help with building abs. The rowing machine is the only machine that helps you the most in building abs alongside providing you with a full-body workout.
What Are Some of the Benefits of Using a Rowing Machine?
Using a rowing machine has the following benefits:
- Build ab muscles
- Strengthen the heart
- Works on the entire body
- Has no stress on joints
- Suitable for people of all fitness levels
The Bottom Line
I am sure you now have a clear picture of every aspect of the rowing machine. A rowing machine is more than how we visualize it to be and has many advantages than only helping in building abs. You can have a full-body workout using the rowing machine.
Final Words
However, if you are just starting, you must put a lot of emphasis on the correct technique for using this machine. A wrong technique can have damaging results. Most importantly, you can expect a massive change in your fitness level in about a month with just a 30 minutes workout on the rowing machine daily.
