You don't have to have a rowing machine or a gym membership (or a canoe) to enjoy the benefits of rowing exercises. With a couple of exercise bands--also known as Thera-Bands--you can create your own rowing machine at home. Rowing exercises are good for the arms, shoulders and back, as well as the abdominal muscles.
Step 1
Wrap one exercise band around a study object in your home, such as a chair or table leg, or a nightstand. If you don't have anything to wrap the bands around, wrap them around the balls of your feet. The band should be relatively low to the floor, approximately parallel to your chest when sitting on your buttocks on the floor.
Step 2
Grasp each end of the exercise band. You can wrap the end of the band once or twice around your wrists, depending on the amount of tension you want.
Step 3
Sit straight, legs straight on the floor in front of you or slightly bent, whichever is most comfortable.Tuck in the abs, sit tall and straight and try not to bend forward at the waist.
Step 4
Pull your elbows back, keeping your hands even and tension evenly distributed on each side of the exercise bands. Contract the upper back muscles while you pull the elbows to your side. Resist the urge to pull the elbows past your torso as this reduces the effectiveness of working the shoulders and upper arms and upper back muscles. Then, slowly release tension and return to starting position, arms pulled forward.
Step 5
Perform at least 10 to 15 repetitions of this move, maintaining a constant and even tension in the bands. Do between one and three sets of these exercises. If you want to add a challenge, perform the rows while seated on an exercise ball, engaging the abs while balancing on the ball at the same time.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise ball (optional)
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