Rowing is a great all-rounder exercise, because it engages a wide range of muscles throughout your body.
Whether you have a boat to hand or you prefer to just hit the rowing machine in the gym, rowing is a great exercise to get the blood pumping and strengthen a variety of muscle groups. It's also a fairly low-impact sport, so is a good option for those not want to put their joints under too much pressure.
What muscles does rowing work?
Rowing predominantly targets the back, core, legs and arms, so it's a useful full-body workout. In fact, according to the English Institute of Sport, rowing engages and activates 86% of the body's muscles.
The four main phases of the row stroke include the catch, drive, finish and recovery, each which engages the muscles in slightly different ways.
It's important to work on your technique so you don't injure yourself – poor posture can lead to strain, and if you're abdominal muscles aren't engaged properly you could develop lower back pain, because your spine is forced to overcompensate. Keep your abs tight throughout and don't lean back, pushing predominantly with your legs first and then pulling your arms back towards you.
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Paddleboarding engages similar muscle groups to rowing, but rowing relies more heavily on the legs and back muscles, while paddleboarding mainly uses core and upper body muscles. Check out our round-up of the best places to paddleboard in the UK here.
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How rowing works the back muscles
The major back muscle groups – rhomboids, trapezius and latissimus dorsi –are activated in rowing.
On every rowing stroke, the shoulders are also activated to create a smooth motion.
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How rowing works the core muscles
The abdominals play a key role in rowing to stabilis your upper body, while the obliques are activated as the torso is rotated.
How rowing works your arm muscles
The biceps brachii muscles are engaged during the pulling process in rowing, generating the power needed. The triceps (at the back of the upper arm) aren't really engaged during rowing.
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How rowing works your legs
The quadriceps on the front of the thighs get a good workout while you are doing the push-off stroke, which then activates the hamstrings at the back of the thighs.
The glutes are also used to stabilise the pelvis.