Victor Forge
Rowing is a full-body workout that targets 86% of the muscles in your body, making it an incredibly efficient exercise. It is a powerful combination of strength training and aerobic exercise, engaging muscle groups in the legs, core, back, shoulders, arms, and chest. Rowing is a great way to strengthen your heart and lungs, and can also improve your mood and sleep quality. The rowing stroke can be broken down into four phases: the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. Each phase targets different muscle groups, including the hamstrings, glutes, calves, quads, biceps, triceps, lats, and abdominal muscles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of muscles targeted | 80%-86% |
| Muscle groups targeted | Upper body, lower body, core |
| Muscle groups | Glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, spinal erectors, forearms, biceps, lats, deltoids, triceps, traps, rhomboids, abdominal muscles, back muscles, chest muscles, shoulder muscles |
| Number of muscle groups targeted | 9 |
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What You'll Learn
Rowing is a full-body workout
The rowing stroke can be broken down into four sections: the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. Each section targets different muscle groups. At the catch, your legs are compressed and your shins are vertical. Your triceps work to extend your arms, and the flexor muscles of your fingers and thumbs grip the handle. Your back muscles are relaxed, and your abdominals are flexing your torso forward. As the drive finishes with the arm pull-through, nearly all the muscles of your upper body engage. At the finish, the abdominals stabilize the body, and the glutes and quads are contracting. The biceps and many of the back muscles are also contracting to help keep the torso in the finish position and to internally rotate the upper arms.
The muscles targeted during rowing include the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs, biceps, lats, traps, deltoids, rhomboids, and lower back. Rowing is a great way to strengthen and tone these muscle groups while also improving cardiovascular health. It is a particularly good exercise for the heart, as it combines the two fundamental stresses that the heart responds to: pressure and volume.
Rowing is also an accessible workout that can be done at a variety of intensity levels, making it a great option for people of all fitness levels. It is a particularly good option for those who find most exercises boring, as it provides a challenging and engaging workout that is also enjoyable.
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The four phases of rowing
Rowing consists of four phases: The Catch, the Drive, the Release, and the Recovery. Each phase flows seamlessly into the next, with the whole body involved in moving a rowing shell through the water.
The Catch is the most important phase of the row, where you are loading up potential energy like a coiled spring. Your legs are compressed, and your shins are vertical. With a long spine, fold forward from the hips so your body leans to 11 o'clock. With your shoulder blades tucked, reach your arms as far forward as possible. Pull yourself into the Catch to load the spring, and brace your midsection to maintain a rigid body. The power in the Drive phase comes from 60% legs, 30% body, and 10% arms.
The Drive is the only phase of the row where you are generating power, so you’ll want to get the most power out of each stroke to be efficient. Drive your feet into the footplate while keeping your core firm to maintain a long, neutral spine with your body leaning forward. Once your legs straighten, pivot from the hips to swing your body angle from 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. Your shoulders should be behind your hips with your arms fully extended. Draw the handle toward your chest with elbows driving away from the body, finishing at the chest.
The Release is the point at which the oar comes out of the water, and the individual returns to reset their body into the ideal compact position necessary for the Catch phase. The Recovery is the rest phase of the row when your body slides back forward toward the tablet. Staying relaxed during the Recovery phase will pay dividends in your workouts, especially in longer rowing sessions, by giving you a little rest each stroke to recharge for the next.
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Muscles targeted in the catch phase
Rowing is a full-body workout that targets 80 to 86% of the muscles in your body. It is a horizontal deadlift and uses similar muscle groups. The four phases of the rowing stroke are the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery.
The catch is the first phase of a stroke. During the catch, your legs are compressed, and your shins are vertical. Your triceps work to extend your arms, and the flexor muscles of your fingers and thumbs grip the handle. Your back muscles are relaxed, and your abdominals are flexing your torso forward. Your lats are engaged, shoulders relaxed, and core braced. Your torso should be leaning forward at a 1 o'clock position with shoulders in front of hips. This is the setup for the drive phase.
During the drive, your legs push against the footrest, and your hamstrings, glutes, and quads are activated. Your core is fully engaged as you hinge at the hip to bring your body upright. As you pull the handle to your chest, your biceps activate and your shoulder muscles contract.
The finish is the final part of the rowing stroke. In this step, the abdominals stabilize the body, and the glutes and quads are contracting. The biceps and many of the back muscles are also contracting to help keep the torso in the finish position and to internally rotate the upper arms.
The recovery is the first three steps in reverse. During the recovery, you extend your arms out in front of you, keeping them parallel to the ground. Then, you hinge forward from your hips and bend your knees using your hamstrings to pull you forward. Keep going until you're back in the initial "catch" position.
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Muscles targeted in the drive phase
Rowing is a full-body workout that targets 80%-86% of the muscles in your body. It is a horizontal deadlift and uses similar muscle groups. The drive phase of rowing focuses on the posterior chain, specifically the hamstrings, glutes, calves, and spinal erectors. The glutes are the powerhouse that provides the push needed to drive the rower seat backward. The hamstrings work as partners to the glutes and support the powerful push and extension of the hips. The calves provide support for power application and support ankle mobility, strength, and function when moving the body forward.
The quads are also targeted during the drive phase. The four muscles that make up the front of the thigh serve as stabilizers and shock absorbers for the hips and knees. They are key to supporting the coordination of the glutes during the drive phase. The abdominal muscles are also engaged during the drive phase, working to stabilize the body and flex the torso forward.
The upper body is also engaged during the drive phase, with the biceps and back muscles contracting to help keep the torso in the finish position and to internally rotate the upper arms. The triceps engage to push the arms forward and away from the body.
Overall, the drive phase of rowing targets a wide range of muscle groups, providing a comprehensive full-body workout.
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Muscles targeted in the finish phase
Rowing is a full-body workout, with 80%-86% of the body's muscles being utilised in a single rowing stroke. The finish phase of the stroke is the final part of the stroke, after the power has been delivered to the oar.
During the finish phase, the abdominals are engaged to stabilise the body and the torso is kept upright. The glutes and quads contract, and the hamstrings and calves contract as you slide up to the catch. The biceps and back muscles are also contracting to help keep the torso in the finish position and to internally rotate the upper arms. The triceps engage to push the arms forward and away from the body.
The finish phase of the stroke is the culmination of the resistance phase, where the resistance is transferred from the legs, to the body, and finally to the arms. The core is engaged to hold the body strong while the arms draw the handle through to the chest. The shoulders will be slightly behind the hips, and the core will be engaged to work to stabilise the torso.
The finish phase is an important part of the rowing stroke, as it helps to control the amount of energy required throughout the movement and maximises the efficiency of energy expenditure.
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Frequently asked questions
Rowing is a full-body workout that targets 86% of the muscles in your body. It is a great way to build muscle and improve cardiovascular fitness.
The drive phase targets the hamstrings, glutes, calves, and spinal erectors.
The pull phase targets the quads, forearms, biceps, and lats.
Rowing targets a higher number of muscle groups compared to other cardio workouts, making it an efficient and effective exercise for improving overall health and well-being.
