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Fitness rowing: The easy way to better health and fitness

24 October 2024

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FROM Flavio Holstein

Fitness rowing is one of the best sports for training the entire body effectively and gently. Regardless of whether you are in the gym or on a Rowing machine Whether you work out at home, fitness rowing can improve your endurance, build muscle and make you feel fitter overall. And best of all: Just 2-3 times a week for 20 minutes is enough to achieve noticeable results - both for your heart and your muscles. In this article, you will find out why fitness rowing is an ideal sport, how you can easily get started and what positive effects it has on your body.

In the video below, our AUGLETICS coach Lars Wichert explains the benefits of fitness rowing and how you can get the most out of your training. At the end of the article, you can take an interactive quiz to find out whether fitness rowing is the right sport for you.

Why is fitness rowing so effective?

Fitness rowing offers a wide range of health benefits. It is one of the few sports that works your entire body and builds your stamina at the same time. And the best thing is: even if you haven't done any sport for a while, you can make rapid progress with fitness rowing. Here are the main benefits:

  1. Full body workoutFitness rowing works almost all muscle groups at the same time. This not only helps to build muscle, but also increases your basal metabolic rate - meaning that you burn more calories even when you are at rest.
  2. Cardiovascular trainingFitness rowing strengthens your cardiovascular system and ensures a better oxygen supply. Even short sessions can sustainably improve your heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease. Regular training makes your heart work more efficiently.
  3. Joint-friendly trainingFitness rowing does not involve any impact-like movements, such as those that occur when running. This makes the training particularly easy on the joints and is ideal for people who are overweight or suffer from joint problems. You can start with a low intensity and gradually increase it.
  4. Stress reduction and mental healthThe rhythmic movement of fitness rowing has a calming effect. It can help to clear the mind and reduce stress. In addition, endorphins are released during training, which ensure a good mood

Person rowing on a calm body of water, close-up of the oar in the water.

How does the right rowing technique work?

The right technique is the key to getting the most out of your fitness rowing and avoiding injury. The movement sequence consists of two main phases:

1st draught: You start in the so-called "lying position", with your legs bent and arms stretched out. First stretch your legs, then your upper body and finally pull your arms towards your body.

2. pre-rolling: Once you have returned to the lying position, stretch your arms out again, lean your upper body forwards and pull your legs up to return to the lying position. Want to know more details? Read our article - Rowing technique for beginners

 

Make sure that the movements are simultaneous and flowing. A common problem for beginners is using their arms too early or leaning their upper body backwards too much. 

Lars Wichert on the benefits of fitness rowing

In this video, our AUGLETICS coach Lars Wichert shows the benefits of fitness rowing, especially at home. He explains why rowing not only promotes your physical health, but also your mental health and why it is perfect for training at home.

In the video, Lars emphasises that fitness rowing strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves oxygen transport and lowers the resting heart rate. It is also a full-body workout that utilises around 80 % of the entire musculature - ideal for increasing the basal metabolic rate and shaping the body. Fitness rowing is also easy on the joints, making it ideal for people with joint problems or for a fitness programme for older people.

HIIT - Rowing: Intensive training for advanced rowers

For all those who want to further improve their fitness after the first training sessions, the HIIT training (high-intensity interval training) on the rowing machine. Here you alternate between short, intense phases of exertion and relaxed recovery phases. The concept is similar to tempo running, where you vary between fast and slow sections.
 

An example of a HIIT rowing unit:
 
  • 1 minute of intensive rowing at a high stroke rate
  • 2 minutes of light rowing to recover
  • Repeat this cycle 6-10 times

This training helps you to increase your endurance and acclimatise your body to higher levels of exertion. However, it is important for beginners to first build up a good basic level of fitness before tackling more intensive units.

Anaerobic threshold: What it means and how to train it in fitness rowing

An important aspect of advanced fitness rowing is the anaerobic threshold. It indicates how long your body can withstand intense exertion before your muscles become fatigued. With targeted training, you can raise this threshold and therefore last longer during intensive rowing sessions. If you would like to find out more about this, take a look at our article on "Rowing technique for beginners" to learn how you can further improve your performance.

Losing weight with fitness rowing: it's that easy

Fitness rowing is one of the best ways to burn calories and lose weight. As you work many large muscle groups at the same time, you use up a lot of energy even in a short session. During an intensive training session on the rowing machine, you can choose between 300 and 600 calories per hour depending on intensity and body weight.

Close-up of a yellow measuring tape and blurred legs of a woman on a scale in the background, symbolising weight loss and fitness.

The best thing is that you don't have to overexert yourself to see success. Just 20 minutes per unit can help to boost your metabolism and increase your fitness. The so-called "afterburn effect" ensures that your body continues to burn calories even after training.

How to get off to the right start with fitness rowing

If you're new to fitness rowing, there are a few things you should bear in mind to get off to the best possible start:
  • Start lowStart with short sessions of around 10-15 minutes and increase slowly. This will give your body time to get used to the new exertion.
  • Learn the right technique: To avoid injuries and make your training effective, the right rowing technique is crucial. In our article about "Rowing technique for beginners" to find out what you should look out for.
  • Regularity counts: To see success, it is important that you train regularly. Schedule fixed times for your training - this will help you to stick with it and make progress.

The AUGLETICS Eight Style: your ideal training partner

If you're thinking about getting a rowing machine, this is the right thing to do. AUGLETICS Eight Style an excellent choice. It offers you the opportunity to train at home at any time without having to take weather conditions into account. Thanks to its quiet operation, you can also train late at night or early in the morning without disturbing your family or neighbours.
With the integrated training software, you can work specifically on your anaerobic threshold, set your target heart rate and monitor your progress. The device is space-saving, compact and therefore perfect for any home gym. It is the ideal choice for beginners and people who want to train regularly.

Test yourself: Is fitness rowing right for you?

Still not sure whether a rowing machine is the right fitness equipment for your home? Then take our interactive quiz now and find out whether fitness rowing is the ideal sport for you.

Conclusion: Why fitness rowing is the perfect introduction to fitness

Fitness rowing is one of the best ways to train your entire body and increase your stamina at the same time. It is easy on your joints, improves your cardiovascular health and helps you to reduce stress. Just 2-3 times a week for 20 minutes can bring noticeable improvements - ideal for anyone who wants to get fitter without overexerting themselves. 

About the author

Picture of Flavio Holstein

Flavio Holstein

Flavio Holstein is the founder and CEO of AUGLETICS, a company that brings the sport of rowing directly into the living room with innovative rowing machines. He has been an enthusiastic rower for over 20 years and at times even trained three times a day to make it into the national team. He was twice German runner-up in the four and eight. With a Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Flavio has the necessary background knowledge to combine state-of-the-art technology with sporting efficiency and make rowing accessible to everyone. His vision: to establish rowing as an integral part of everyday life and thus tackle what is probably the biggest health problem of our time - the lack of exercise.

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