A rowing machine can provide you with a full-body workout that also increases your cardiovascular fitness without high-impact stress on your bones and joints. The American College of Sports Medicine states that rowing "offers the opportunity for a wide range of training from fat burning and aerobic conditioning to high-intensity anaerobic and interval VO2max training." Most rowing machines let you increase the resistance as your body adapts to the exercises. Rowing machines work numerous muscles in the body.
Arms
As you pull the rowing handle toward your body, you are flexing your arms by using your biceps. As you release the handle, you are controlling the movement with your triceps. With enough tension, you are working all the muscles in your upper and lower arms as you row.
Back
Back muscles are the main target of the rowing machine. The muscles of the middle back are the primary target of the rowing exercise. When you lean back and pull, you work the trapezius muscle. If you sit up straight and do not lean back, you instead work the latissimus dorsi in the lower back.
Abs
Although the rowing machine does not specifically target the abdominal muscles, it works the muscles in your back, and the abdominal muscles support and oppose the back muscles. As you relax your back muscles during the release of the row, your abs are helping you to control your movement.
Legs
The All Rowing Machines website states that "while the upper body is what the rowing machine benefits the most, its effects on lower body strength will also be noticeable in time." Your calf muscles are used for bracing and pushing, and your quadriceps muscles are strengthened as you work to straighten your legs during the row and push with your legs while completing the rowing motion.
Heart
Your heart is the most important muscle in your body. Rowing is a cardiovascular exercise that increases your heart rate. Increasing your heart rate helps to strengthen your heart and increases your lung capacity, reducing the risk of heart disease.
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