Dominic Stone
Rowing is a full-body workout that engages 80%-86% of the body's muscles, making it an excellent exercise for improving cardiovascular fitness and building muscle. The rowing stroke can be broken down into four phases: the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. Each phase uses different muscles, from the legs, back, core, and arms, with the legs doing 65-75% of the work and the upper body 25-35%. The catch phase, for example, involves the triceps, flexor muscles of the fingers and thumbs, abdominals, back muscles, hamstrings, and calves. The drive phase then activates the leg muscles, shoulder muscles, biceps, back muscles, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of muscles worked | 80-86% |
| Muscle groups | Upper body, lower body, core |
| Muscle groups in upper body | Biceps, lats, rhomboids, shoulders, triceps, deltoids, pecs, forearms |
| Muscle groups in lower body | Calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes |
| Muscle groups in core | Abs, obliques |
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What You'll Learn
Rowing uses 80-86% of the body's muscles
Rowing is a full-body workout that uses 80-86% of the body's muscles. It is a coordinated muscle action that involves every large muscle group in the body. The legs do most of the work, but the upper body and core are also put through their paces.
At the beginning of the stroke, or the "catch" phase, 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 you initiate the "drive" phase, the powerful muscles of your legs, hamstrings, glutes, and quads do most of the work, with the remaining power coming from your upper body and core. Your biceps engage to pull the handle toward your abdomen, your back muscles work as you swing your torso open, and your glutes and hamstrings contract to extend the hip.
As the drive finishes with the arm pull-through, nearly all the muscles of your upper body engage. The abdominals stabilize the body, and the glutes and quads contract. 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.
Rowing is a great way to strengthen your heart and lungs, and it is beneficial to your overall health and well-being. It is a low-impact form of cardio that provides an effective calorie burn, making it a great choice for improving cardiovascular fitness.
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The legs do 65-75% of the work
Rowing is a full-body workout that uses 80% of the body's muscles. It is a coordinated muscle action that involves every large muscle group in the body. However, according to the AFPA (American Fitness Professionals & Associates), 65-75% of the work done by rowers comes from the legs, with the remaining 25-35% coming from the upper body.
The rowing stroke can be broken down into four phases: the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. At the catch, the first phase, your legs are compressed and your shins are vertical. Your triceps extend your arms, and the flexor muscles of your fingers and thumbs grip the handle. Your back muscles are relaxed, and your abdominals flex your torso forward.
The drive, the second phase, begins with pushing off the balls of the feet. As the drive continues, the entire foot comes into contact with the foot stretcher, and you push with the entire sole of the foot. The legs provide the majority of the power in this phase, with the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps all engaging to provide stabilisation and power.
In the third phase, the finish, the abdominals stabilise the body, and the glutes and quads contract. The biceps and back muscles are also contracting to keep the torso in the finish position and internally rotate the upper arms.
Finally, in the recovery phase, the triceps engage to push the arms forward and away from the body, and the hamstrings and calves contract as you slide up to the catch position.
Overall, while rowing is a full-body workout, the legs provide the majority of the power and do the majority of the work, especially in the drive phase.
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The back and core are key
Rowing is a full-body workout that targets 80 to 86% of the muscles in your body. It is a great way to strengthen your heart and lungs, and it is beneficial to your overall health and well-being.
During the drive phase, the back muscles work together with the hamstrings, glutes, calves, and spinal erectors to generate power and propel the body forward. The core muscles are also fully engaged during this phase, as the body hinges at the hip to bring itself upright.
In the pull phase, the lats, which are the V-shaped muscles on either side of the spine, are activated along with the quads, forearms, and biceps. The core muscles continue to work to maintain balance and control during this phase.
By focusing on proper form and technique, rowers can maximize the engagement of the back and core muscles during each phase of the stroke, improving their performance and avoiding common injuries.
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The arms and shoulders are also used
Rowing is a full-body workout, with 80% of the body's muscles being used. While the legs provide most of the power, the arms and shoulders are also used extensively.
The arm muscles used in rowing include the triceps, biceps, and forearms. The triceps are used to extend the arms and push the handle away from the body, while the biceps are used to pull the handle towards the body. The flexor muscles of the fingers and thumbs are also used to grip the handle.
The shoulder muscles are contracted during the drive sequence, and the deltoids are used to pull the handle towards the body. The trapezius and rhomboid muscles in the upper back are also activated during rowing.
It is important to note that rowing with improper form can lead to excess muscle strain and injury. For example, using the arms and legs simultaneously during the drive phase can put unnecessary strain on the upper body. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain proper technique and build up intensity gradually to avoid injury and maximize the benefits of rowing.
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It's a full-body workout
Rowing is a full-body workout that targets 80-86% of the muscles in your body. It is a highly efficient workout that provides an excellent way to strengthen your heart and lungs, benefiting your overall health and well-being.
The rowing stroke can be broken down into four phases: the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. Each phase engages different muscle groups, ensuring a comprehensive workout.
During the catch phase, your legs are compressed with vertical shins, and your calves, quads, and hamstrings are engaged. Your core muscles, including your back and latissimus dorsi (lats), support your arm movements, while your abdominal muscles flex your torso forward. Your triceps extend your arms, and your finger and thumb flexor muscles grip the handle.
In the drive phase, you push off from the foot pedals, straightening your legs and engaging your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and spinal erectors. As you pull the handle towards your chest, your upper body is activated, including your forearms, biceps, lats, rhomboids, and shoulders.
The finish and recovery phases require eccentric control, where you reverse the motion and focus on the next drive. By using your triceps to extend your arms away from your torso and hinging your hips forward, you engage your hamstrings, glutes, and calves to guide yourself back into the catch position.
Overall, rowing is an excellent exercise for those seeking a full-body workout that targets a wide range of muscle groups in the upper body, lower body, and core.
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Frequently asked questions
Rowing is a full-body workout that uses 80% of the body's muscles. The major muscle groups targeted are in the legs, back, core, and arms.
The rowing stroke is broken down into four phases: the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. At the catch, your legs are compressed and your shins are vertical. Your triceps work to extend your arms, and your finger and thumb flexors grip the handle. Your abdominals flex your torso forward. During the drive, your legs, back, and shoulder muscles are engaged. As you work through the drive sequence, your biceps, glutes, hamstrings, and quads are activated. At the finish, your abdominals, glutes, quads, biceps, and back muscles contract to stabilise the body. During the recovery, your hamstrings and calves contract as you slide up to the catch.
According to the AFPA, indoor rowing consists of 65-75% leg work. Gina Vita, an ACSM-certified personal trainer, also states that rowing is a "pushing" sport, with most of the power coming from the large muscle groups in the legs.
During the drive, your arms should be extended. Push with your legs and don't bend your arms until your hips hinge and you start to lean your torso backward.
