The rowing machine is located in virtually all fitness centers around Denmark, side by side with the treadmill and the cross trainer. However, very few people have as much experience with the rowing machine as they have with one of the other aforementioned machines, so this text will hopefully help you become more familiar with the rowing machine.
The rowing machine, care for the whole body
Using a rowing machine trains the whole body, and activates far more muscles than both the treadmill and the cross trainer. In the rowing machine you train your legs as well as your arms and back when you pull the "oar", while on the treadmill you only train your legs. This is one of the great advantages of the rowing machine, as you can kill two birds with one stone and train your fitness at the same time with increased strength.
The rowing machine also provides a very effective way to raise your heart rate and increase your oxygen uptake. The form of training makes you much more persistent in all kinds of sports, as practicing exercise on the rowing machine helps to increase your oxygen intake permanently.
Low time consumption and load
If you don't have much time in your everyday life, one of the best exercise tools is to get a rowing machine. The rowing machine gets your heart rate up from the first move, and is therefore an effective tool if you only have 10-15 minutes available for training during the day.
An often overlooked advantage of the rowing machine is its low load on joints in the legs. Every time you step down on your legs when running, the joints are stressed by the weight of your upper body. It sometimes makes your joints weaker and it can cause pain in the legs.
You will not experience the same problems by using a rowing machine, as you do not step down and strain your legs. Therefore, the rowing machine is also a good and gentle choice for people who have previously had major problems with leg pain after running.
The disadvantages of the rowing machine lie in the technical aspects
The disadvantages of using the rowing machine as one's primary exercise tool are few, but significant. The overriding disadvantage is the possibility of making mistakes when using the machine, as it requires a bit of technique compared to running on the treadmill.
All people can stand on the treadmill and put one leg in front of the other, but the rowing machine requires a little more coordination and technique. Listed below are some of the most classic beginner mistakes, which we focus on so that you can avoid making them if you get started with rowing.
Classic beginner mistakes
The biggest mistake is that you move both arms and legs at the same time when you pull. The whole idea with the rowing machine is that you first push with your legs, and then pull the "oar" towards you with your arms, and thereby train pretty much the whole body.
If you therefore move your arms and legs at the same time, you do not train your body in the same way, and you risk injury.