Try a HIIT rowing machine workout for fat loss

If you are looking for something different than a treadmill workout or stairmaster workout, you should try a rowing machine workout. A high-intensity interval training rowing machine workout is great for fat loss.

Rowing workouts can get your heart rate up and a full-body workout. I don’t know about in your gym, but at mine, they are usually overlooked machines. The indoor rowers usually sit empty.

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through those links. See my disclosure for more information.

What are the benefits of rowing?

Rowing is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise, but it also serves as moderate strength training since you’re working against the resistance of a flywheel,

A rowing machine is a low-impact workout that works major muscle groups of your body in one smooth motion. Your upper body gets definitely gets a workout from the natural movement of each pull.

Rowing burns more calories faster, cutting cardio time significantly, but still getting a great workout. 

It’s also a great alternative to other HIIT workouts, running intervals or jump rope intervals.

It’s an entire body workout

Remember, you want to keep your heart rate elevated and your perceived threshold nice and high. With rowing, you can push extra hard early in the workout and as you get tired, you can gradually slow your pace to maintain an appropriate working threshold.

Unlike with other types of exercise, with rowing there is no need to change the weights or move to another piece of equipment.

One of the most common misconceptions about HIIT is that it has to be high-impact, but it doesn’t; it’s all about intensity, not impact. The periods of speed and recovery can also be the same duration—again, it’s all about the intensity of the effort.

High-intensity intervals can burn more calories in less time than moderate exercise, while also improving your conditioning and cardiovascular endurance—and providing the same heart-health benefits of other cardio exercises. 

Why a high intensity interval training workout?

HIIT sessions involve doing repeat cycles of short bursts of intense exercise periods followed by easy recovery periods. Typically the high intensity periods last between 15 seconds and a minute, with recovery periods lasting between 30 and 90 seconds. You can do anywhere between 4 and 12 repeats.

While steady-state cardio is what burns fat, doing a HIIT training session makes your body burn even more fat and calories, even hours after you have stopped exercising.

A HIIT workout has become extremely popular for these reasons. Who doesn’t want to burn more calories for hours after an exercise by increasing your metabolic rate?

The HIIT rowing machine workout

Aim for 20 minutes. See how many rounds you can do within that time.

How to row properly

Getting tips from the U.S. Olympic Rowing Team was one way that helped me with my rowing technique. It’s important to have good technique so you can get the full benefit of using a rower.

While rowing, for maximum fat burning results, pay attention to specific parts of your body. Your back must be in the naturally arched position while you perform both the forward and backward rowing stroke. On the backward stroke, your knees must be entirely straight before your pull the handle to your torso.

An alternative to an elliptical machine and treadmill

When it comes to exercise machines at the gym, you may overlook the rowing machine at first.

The treadmill focuses mainly on the lower body, while the rower provides a full-body workout. While the rowing machine and elliptical both work the upper and lower half of the body, the rowing machine also works the abs with each stroke.

If you live in an apartment or small space, you will find a rowing machine can be folded up, so you can store it away when you’re not using it.

Also, if you live in a condo or apartment where people are below you, a rowing machine is quieter than a treadmill.

Rowing machines also tend to be more affordable than an exercise bike and treadmills.

Wrap up

You can use an indoor rowing machine regardless of your fitness level. Rowing machine workouts allow you get a full-body workout without all of the impact of other high intensity workouts.