Rowing is a low-impact form of exercise performed in a boat or on a machine that simulates rowing. The action quickly elevates your heart rate and causes you to break out in a sweat. The end result is a high caloric expenditure and weight loss. Rowing also taxes muscles through the whole body. The core muscles sit in the center, and they are part of this recruitment.
Function of the Core
The core consists of the area around your pelvis and trunk. During the rowing motion, you have to forcefully contract the muscles in this area to maintain good bodily alignment and generate power. You also specifically target the core muscles in the lower back when you perform a back extension. This occurs when you bend your torso backward while pulling the handle toward your body.
Specific Muscles Worked
The core contains multiple muscles working together. A common belief is that this area includes just the rectus abdominis, obliques and erector spinae. These muscles are part of the core, but there are several more; the multifidus, transverse abdominis and hip flexors are included as well. The rectus abdominis runs from the chest to the pelvis in the center of the stomach. The obliques run diagonally along the sides. The erector spinae run from the back of the head down to the lower back along the sides of the spinal column. The transverse abdominis is a deep muscle in the stomach area. The multifidus muscles are attached to the spinal column in a diagonal orientation.
Additional Muscle Recruitment
Aside from the core, you activate numerous other muscles while rowing. The latissimus dorsi, rhomboids and biceps in your upper body all get recruited when you pull the handle toward your stomach. A number of lower body muscles, including the glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings, also see action when rowing.
Contributing Factors
Rowing machines come equipped with a resistance adjustment. By turning it up, you increase the resistance on your muscles and are forced to contract your core with more emphasis, which also happens when you row at a fast pace.
Core Training Exercises
Using a rowing machine activates your core, but it does not lend itself to maximum gains in strength. If this is your goal, perform weight training exercises that specifically target your core muscles like crunches, Russian twists, planks, sit-ups, back extensions and hanging knee raises. You are best served adding resistance with these exercises to maximize your strength gains.
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