When using a rowing machine, it is important to practice good form if you want to get the most out of your workout. It is helpful to have a rowing instructor or trainer who is familiar with the machine to teach you the proper way to row.
Catch, drive, recover: It’s important to learn the four core steps of rowing. These are the catch, drive, finish, and recovery. Peloton rowing instructor Alex Karwoski says your starting position should look like this: “Start from a fully compressed position — your arms should be straight, your body should be rotated forward at a slight angle, and your knees should be close to your chest.” From here, you want to push with your legs to propel the seat and handle away from the screen. Karwoski explains, “For the first third to half of the drive, our legs are doing the majority of the work, while our arms and body are tense and holding the pressure.” Then, as the shins come to about a 45-degree angle to the floor, the body swing begins. He says the key to the body swing is to think about “adding momentum” to the handle. The legs have begun to move the internal flywheel, and this is where the legs and body can work together to accelerate the flywheel further. “Ultimately, our arms get involved at the end of the stroke and we pull the handle all the way to the chest,” he says. Once that’s all done, the recovery phase of the stroke begins. This is the exact opposite. First, the arms move away from the body, then the body rotates forward and the legs compress to return to the catch.
Don’t abuse air resistance: Drag factor is most commonly used as a damper lever on a traditional rowing machine. On more modern rowing machines, like some of the ones mentioned on this list, it’s built into the software. “Most people assume that moving from, say, a three to a ten makes the machine harder, but what it actually does is simply increase the rate at which the flywheel slows down and therefore makes the stroke feel harder, because it’s now like you’re rowing through molasses instead of water,” Karwoski explains. In other words, avoid confusing “drag factor” with “speed level” or “intensity.”
Know what the most important measurement is: The most important unit that is measured when you row is output. Karwoski explains that when you row, each stroke takes a certain amount of time, so the work that is being measured is the force that is being applied to move the flywheel. He says, “From the output, we can derive the split, which is given in terms of the time it would take to row 500 meters at your given output and distance.” Another metric to look at is stroke rate, which is the number of strokes you will take, if you maintain your current pace, in a minute. “I encourage people to focus on output because that’s the big number that is usually right in the middle of the screen,” Karwoski said. Keep in mind that different rowing machines will have different metrics that are highlighted, but ultimately it’s about how much force you can apply through the drivetrain to move the flywheel.
Precautions when rowing: As with any form of exercise, it’s important to get your doctor’s approval if you have any health conditions or are pregnant. “If you’re coming back from an injury — and your injury doesn’t prevent you from being on a rowing machine — the rowing motion can be a gentler way to get your cardiovascular fitness back,” says Peloton rowing instructor Katie Wang. It’s a great way to get the benefits of a cardio workout while taking care of your joints and knees.
