Does Rowing Machine Build Muscle?

A rowing machine is an outstanding tool for cardio exercise. Once upon a time, only professional rowers used to use it for their fitness purpose. But things are different now as any ordinary user can also use this gear without facing many difficulties.

So, are you someone who loves to do cardio workouts but feels bored with the usual cardio you have been doing since a long time ago? Also, do you want to bring a versatile and practical change to your workout routine?Then you can try the following eight rowing workouts.

Table of Contents

1. The 2000-Meter Mix-up

Set the rowing machine for 2000 meters
Start rowing with powerful strokes
At the commencement of each minute,meaning at the starting of 1st minute, 2nd minute, 3rd minute, and so on of hitting rower, unmount from the machine and perform a weighted ladder of hollow rock.
Perform five hollow rocks when you unmount for the first time. Perform six at the second minute and thus keep adding up one hollow rock each time you come down the rower.
Set the target of finishing this task from 15 to 20 minutes.

Here, automatically you will tend to finish the exercise as quickly as possible. Because with every added minute, you will have to do more hollow rocks. Moreover, the hollow rock is quite effective in bringing up better aggression in your workout.

2. The Row and Burpee Challenge

You need to do five sets of 500-meter rows.
Set the target of finishing each row within 1 minute 40 seconds.
Between every round, you have five minutes to rest.
If you can finish the round within 1 minute 40 seconds, you can rest for these five minutes. Otherwise, with every extra second, you will have to do that number of burpees. For example, you

have taken 1:48, so you will have to do eight burpees. If your time is 1:55, you will have to do fifteen burpees. And, if the time is 1:40 or less than that, you do need to do any burpee.
To avoid this penalty, you will naturally want to finish each round within the set time and keep up a good pace.

3. Bobby Maximus’ Row to Hell

Get a workout partner and head start by rowing for 500 meters. After finishing your 1st round, let your partner row for another 500 meters. You have rest while your partner is rowing.
When your partner finishes the 1st round, you immediately mount on the machine and start your 2nd round of 400 meters.
Thus, both of you continue to row alternatively in descending order. The order will be like, 1st round of 500 rows, 2nd round of 400 rows, 3rd round of 300 rows, and so on.

Veteran instructor Bobby Maximus launched this rowing workout. In this exercise, the time of your training and rest are equal. So, you get plenty of time to recover your body from the stress of the workout.

4. The Calorie Count-Up

Set 1 minute of interval in the rower. Aim to burn the predetermined number of calories to get burned within each minute.
At the 1st minute, row for five calories and rest until the next minute starts. Then at the next round, row for six calories and rest until the commencement of the next minute. Thus, continue to row ascendingly by gradually putting more effort over the minutes.
Target to perform for as many minutes as possible, ideally for a minimum of 15 minutes.

5. From The Ground Up Workout

Workout according to these following steps after warming up for five minutes-

Row for 100 meters
Bodyweight squat with ten reps
Row for 100 meters
Bodyweight squat with ten reps
Alternating reverse lunge withtwenty reps
Kneeling biceps curl to overhead press withten reps

One round comprises of these six steps. You are supposed to do three of such rounds with the needed amount of rest.

6. Pump And Row Pyramid

Follow the following steps after doing five minutes of warm-um-

Row as quickly as you can as following:

1st round: 100 meters
2nd round: 200 meters
3rd round: 300 meters
4th round: 200 meters
5th round: 100 meters

Do bodyweight, pushup, and feet-elevated mountain climber respectively in the following manner:

1st round: 5 reps
2nd round: 10 reps
3rd round: 15 reps
4th round: 10 reps
5th round: 5 reps

Finally, end the session with a plank of 60seconds.

7. The 20-Minute Metabolic Thruster Blast

After warming up for five minutes, do these couple of steps

Row as swiftly as possible for 500 meters
Kettlebell or dumbbell thruster with 25 reps

These two steps make one round of exercise. Perform four rounds within 20 minutes. Have rest as you will require between the reps and rounds.

8. Burpee Blast Challenge

Do five minutes of warm-up.
Set the monitor of the rowing machine to display the number of calories.
Row for two minutes as hard as you can. Check the number of calories on the monitor and remember it. This number is the target for the subsequent rows.
Now perform ten burpees.
Again, start to row until you reach the target you scored in the previous 2-minutes row.
Now perform nine burpees.
Again, row until you achieve the calorie goal.
Then perform eight burpees. Thus continue the workout inthe descending pattern of burpee numbers until you reach the round where you will have to do just one burpee.
Aim to complete this workout as quickly as possible, preferably within 30 minutes. Also, do not forget to have rest as your body requires.

Summary

According to the experts, rowing exercise is a full-body workout. It utilizes most of the body muscles at every stroke with minor to no side-effect on the body. Rowing is also effective in burning fat by ensuring top-notch cardiovascular fitness and incredible muscular endurance.

So, you can perform rowing from the eight different upper-mentioned patterns as per your choice. Also, all these varieties of workouts will break the monotony and help you be more focused and calmer.