The indoor rowing machine is one of the most underrated pieces of equipment in the gym. Rowing, while cardiovascular in nature, involves muscles contractions over the entire body making it highly metabolically taxing. In other words, rowing is an excellent calorie burning and strength building exercise. Power production is generated at the legs, transferred through the torso and ends in the arms. Proper technique is imperative when using a rowing machine for both safety and efficiency.
Lower Body
The quadriceps, the large muscles of the thigh, are your main source of force and power in rowing. This group of four muscles is responsible for extension at the knee joint. They activate at the start of the rowing stroke and continue working through the finish.
The hamstring muscles run down the back of your thighs and are responsible for knee flexion. They are predominantly active when pulling back up the slide during the recovery phase of the rowing stroke.
Also called the gastrocnemius and soleus, the calves runs up the back of your lower leg and are responsible for plantar flexion of the foot, or pointing your toes. The calves are active at full extension in the rowing stroke when only your toes are still in contact with the foot boards.
Trunk and Core
Rectus abdominus, the large muscles running down the center of your abdomen, are used throughout the rowing stroke for trunk stabilization and during the recovery phase to pull your torso back into compression.
Transverse abdominus, the deepest muscle in your abdomen, is activated throughout the stroke to stabilize your lower spine and during the recovery phase to assist in compression.
Obliques, the muscles of your side body, are activated during the entire rowing stroke for trunk stabilization.
Erector spinae, the muscles running the length of your spine, are activated to maintain a strong connection between your legs and back. These muscles are imperative for force transfer from the legs to the upper body.
Upper Body
Latissimus dorsi, the largest muscle of your back provides the most force generation of your upper body during the rowing stroke. Lats are initially activated to maintain the torso-leg connection and then to complete the stroke with the handle into the body.
The deltoids--shoulder muscles--stabilize the shoulder joint and maintain handle height throughout the movement. The rhomboids are upper back muscles and serve to pull your shoulder blades together at the end of the stroke.
The muscles of your upper arm--biceps--are used in pulling the handle into your body at the finish. Your triceps--back of the arm muscles--are activated when pushing the handle forward back into compression.
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