What resistance should I use on a rowing machine?

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A question of resistance - how hard should you set the rowing machine?

Do you like rowing, not only on rivers and lakes, but also in the gym or on the rowing machine in your home gym? Perfect, because the rowing machine is an intense workout tool that lets you warm up and strengthen. However, it only works if you choose the right resistance . In this guide, you'll learn how to do that with every workout.


Training on the rowing machine - which resistance is the right one?

Of course, you can't set the resistance on the rowing machine across the board. A wattage that is not even suitable for an Olympic athlete to warm up can hopelessly overstrain you as a beginner. At the same time, you should of course differentiate between whether you want to warm up on the rowing machine, increase your endurance or train your muscles . Because all of these make different demands on your training equipment. The only basic rule you should remember is: better too little resistance than too much. No one has ever been injured by too good an execution, but too heavy a weight can easily lead to muscle injury . Because under too much resistance, it is not primarily your circulation that suffers, but above all your technique. The body tends to lift too much weight with jerky full-body movements. Not only are you prone to injury, but you also don't strengthen your muscles as much as you should.


What should I consider when buying a rowing machine?

So, before all zeal, there is always the correct execution. Accordingly, you should follow these rules: During continuous load, as it is the case during warm-up or as endurance training , you should always keep a steady breath. This ensures aerobic muscle work. At the same time, your loading pulse should be at 50 to 70% of your maximum pulse (220 - age). A higher load for the muscles is achieved between 70 - 80% of your maximum pulse. If, on the other hand, you use the rowing machine for muscle building and want to train your muscles at their peak, you should train with 80-90% load over a short period of time. These sprints are also a good cardio workout, but they challenge you differently.

The perfect rowing machine resistance

So whether you're a beginner or a pro, you'll find the perfect resistance for your level on most rowing machines. On rowers with built-in training computers , you'll also find programs with variable programs that vary the resistance around a fixed pole. This expands your options to include variations like circuit training, which adjusts the resistance for you. And as long as you follow the rule of thumb "technique before resistance," you'll have a lot of fun on the rower and achieve quick results.

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Editors fitnessmarkt.de (EA)

Bildnachweis: #164864707-nd3000-AdobeStock

Published on: 10 February 2018

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