Rowing machines, or indoor rowers, simulate water rowing and engage your upper and lower body in the same way as the outdoor sport does. The rowing machine can be a challenge to your muscular and cardiovascular system, and the amount you use it will depend on your ultimate exercise and fitness goals. However, you will increase your risk of injury if your rowing machine workouts exceed what you can handle physically.

Muscle and Cardiovascular Benefits

Rowing machines rank among the top calorie burning machines along with the treadmill and stair climber, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. What sets them apart is they are less likely than some activities to injure bone and muscles because they don’t require you to hit pavement with your feet or perform other high-impact motions. Rowing machines also work and add some tone to various muscle groups, including your arms, back, chest, abs and legs. For these reasons, rowing machines make an effective all-in-one workout you may perform on a regular basis.

Benefits of Alternating Exercises

One primary pitfall of doing the same rowing machine workout on a daily basis is it doesn’t keep your body challenged. Your body’s physiological systems start adapting to a repetitive workout program within about six to eight weeks, according to the American Council on Exercise. This means your body doesn’t respond as well to the same stimulus and you reach a physical plateau. One way to spice up your activity routine is to alternate between rowing and a combination of running and weight lifting. If you want to stick with solely rowing, alternate between a high and low intensity of exercise at random intervals within the same workout to keep your body guessing.

Warning

Although rowing is considered a low-impact sport, it can cause injury if you overextend yourself. Some common rowing injuries are low back pain, rib stress fractures, nerve impingement and blisters on the palms, according to the Saint Vincent Health System. Stretching between intervals of rowing and keeping your training sessions to about 30 minutes should help reduce back pain, according to the Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention Sports Injuries campaign. Doing core and upper back strengthening activities on the side should help reduce rib stress. Look for other signs that you’re training past your current physical capacity. Reduced physical performance, loss of coordination, higher resting blood pressure, headaches, sore muscles, digestive problems and sleeping problems are just a few indicators that you’re doing too much too soon. Slow down and see your doctor if you think you’re suffering overtraining symptoms.

Preventing Overtraining

You ultimately need about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week. It is ideal to spread it out across the whole week, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This doesn’t necessitate exercising every day, although you may find that you exercise best when dividing the exercise time across seven days. Also aim to get in strength training workouts twice a week. If you’re just getting started, you may need to start at a lower level of activity and work your way up over time.