Will Rowing Machine Build Muscle? Tips & Techniques

Are you wondering whether a rowing machine can help you build muscle or not? You’re not alone.

The rowing machine is often praised as an excellent full-body workout, but will rowing machine build muscle? Or is it just a toning exercise equipment? Let’s find out.

Muscles Worked on Rowing Machine

Rowing is a full-body workout that engages 86% of your major muscle groups. So what are the muscles targeted by rowing machines?

Lower body-Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes

Rowing consists of 4 phases: catch, drive, finish, and recovery; the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes are crucial for generating power during the whole rowing workout. In the drive phase, your legs are activated to push your body: the quadriceps extend your knees while the hamstrings and glutes extend your hips. While in the finish phase, these muscles, especially the glutes, are fully engaged to maintain stability.

Core-Abdominals, Obliques, Lower Back:

The core is often ignored by many rowing beginners. Indeed, the rowing stroke relies heavily on the core to maintain balance and prevent injuries. As you lean back and pull, your abdominals and obliques engage to maintain posture and balance. The lower back muscles are also worked to help support the spine during the rowing motion.

Upper body-Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Upper Back :

As you push and lean back, the biceps work to pull the handle towards your chest, the triceps extend your arms and the forearms grip the handle. The shoulders (deltoids) are also crucial, especially when pulling the handle toward you. Your upper back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius, are engaged in pulling the handle.

Rowing exercises engage many muscles throughout your whole body. That's what makes it an excellent full-body workout to help build muscles.

Will Rowing Machine Build Muscle?

According to Healthline, the only reliable way to drive muscle growth is to use your muscles against moderate to heavy resistance. Rowing machines do provide resistance and help to engage and strengthen muscles over time. However, this resistance is generally not as heavy as it is provided by weightlifting, which is designed specifically for muscle growth.

That is to say, rowing can help beginners or those who are looking to improve muscle endurance to build muscles. The key is to choose a machine with the right resistance levels. If you gradually increase the resistance and add your workout intensity, you can stimulate muscle growth, particularly in the legs, back, and arms.

However, if your goal is to build significant muscle mass, you should consider combining rowing with strength training. Recommended exercises are bench press, deadlift, chest press, and barbell squat. For beginners, try workouts like squats, push-ups, planks, bicep curls, lunges and burpees. For specific muscle group building, choose targeted resistance training exercises. The rowing machine, on the other hand, can help complement in improving cardiovascular and endurance boost. If you want to build muscles with only a piece of rowing machine, Tousains 3 in 1 rowing machine will be your best choice with its unique features. 

Maximizing Muscle Growth with Rowing: Tips & Techniques

To optimize your workout results, try to follow the tips listed below:

Increase Resistance Gradually: Higher resistance will engage your muscles more effectively and simulate the effect of weight lifting. To carry your workout safely, start at a moderate resistance level and increase it as you build stamina and strength.

Keep a Proper Form: This is the foundation of engaging the above-mentioned muscles while rowing. For beginners, it is essential to take some to learn the proper rowing form to ensure the effectiveness of rowing and avoid injuries.

Incorporate Interval Training (HIIT): Alternate between bursts of intense rowing (20-30 seconds) and slower recovery periods (1-2 minutes).  This increases the intensity of the workout, burns more fat, and encourages muscle building.

Combine Rowing with Strength Training: Rowing is not enough to help build significant muscle mass. Try to incorporate other workouts to help you target specific muscle groups. For instance, if you want to build abs, incorporate ab-focused exercises like Russian twists, crunch, and planks.

Increase the Session or Stroke Rate: The stroke rate is the number of strokes you take per minute (spm).  Concept 2 says that the spm for a steady-state workout is 24 to 28 (perfect for longer workouts). This helps build endurance more effectively.

Create Distinct Workouts with the Rowing Machine: You can perform more than just rowing on the machine! For example, try an exercise where you place your feet on the seat of your rowing machine, put your hands on the ground, and simulate a plank posture while pulling the seat towards your head and back. 

Rowing Workout to Build Muscles

Here’s an example of a rowing workout. Based on your fitness levels and workout goals, adjust the duration and intensity as you wish:

Warm-up (5-10 minutes): Start with a light rowing pace to warm up your muscles and prepare for the workout.

Steady-State Rowing: Row at a moderate resistance for 10-15 minutes, focusing on form and smooth strokes. This targets muscle endurance and helps tone muscles.

Interval Training: Row at maximum intensity for 30 seconds, then slow down to a recovery pace for 1 minute. Repeat this cycle for 10-15 rounds.

Cool Down (5-10 minutes): Gradually decrease your stroke rate and resistance. Stretch your muscles to prevent soreness and injuries.

Conclusion: Will Rowing Machine Build Muscle?

As a full-body workout machine, rowing is a fantastic exercise for muscle engagement and endurance boost. It helps you build muscle but not as much as you might expect. While for beginners, it is an excellent way to develop strength in key muscle groups. Try to practice tips like incorporating HIIT, increasing the duration or combining other weight training exercises, and you will enjoy a distinct rowing experience.

If you have limited space at home and prefer a foldable rowing machine at home, Tousains 3 in 1 rowing machine will be a great option to be considered. Compared with other rowing machines that only allow rowing, this equipment enables you to do strength training targeting your abs and upper body with its unique design. Want to know what makes this machine stand out? View Tousains website and explore its features.

FAQ

Can rowing replace weightlifting for building muscle?

While rowing is great for engaging 86% of your muscle groups, it won’t provide the same muscle-building effects as weightlifting. For significant muscle growth, combine rowing and strength training.

How often should I use the rowing machine to build muscle?

To build muscle, aim for 3-4 rowing sessions per week. Remember to increase the intensity gradually to challenge yourself and optimize your workout results.  

Is rowing effective for building arm muscles?

Yes! Rowing engages the biceps, triceps, and forearms, providing an effective workout for your arms. Tousains 3 in 1 rowing machine, with the function of a small cable crossover, allowing you to target your arms more effectively.