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Now that you’ve decided to forgo the nearby gym and create a workout space in your own home, it’s time to pick a cardio-friendly machine. While both rowing machines and treadmills are great options, one comes out on top, working more muscles in a less jarring manner.
If you’re on the fence about what machine to purchase to supplement your weight routine at home, don’t stress. We’ve narrowed down all of the important information that you should know before making the big purchase.
Performing cardiovascular exercise several times per week is a great way to shed a few pounds but it should also be combined with some sort of strength training. Running, jogging, fast-walking, and walking at an incline on a treadmill will usually result in fat loss. But after a treadmill workout, you’ll have to incorporate dumbbells or strength training so that you’re toning while shedding fat.
With a rowing machine, you’re sculpting your muscles while burning fat. One could say that using a rowing machine is like killing two birds with one stone. So, if your fitness goal is to burn fat while adding sculpted, functional muscle, a rowing machine is a better choice.
Cardiovascular exercise comes with a long list of benefits so even if you find it tiresome and challenging, it needs to be added to your fitness regimen. With two to three hours of moderate to vigorous cardio per week, you will reap benefits like lower blood pressure, regulated blood sugar, reduced chronic pain and asthma symptoms, regulated weight, and a strengthened immune system.
Regular cardiovascular workouts can also help you get longer, more restful sleeps at night. It will also ensure that your skin and muscles stay healthy, as well as keeping your weight within an optimal range. If you’re using your rowing machine for several hours per week, you don’t need to feel guilty when you overindulge in birthday cake and ice-cream.
When walking on a treadmill, the principal muscles that are engaged are your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. If you bump the speed up to a run, jog, or sprint, your abdominal muscles may also get a good workout. Plus, the higher the incline on your treadmill, the harder your calves and glutes will be working.
But on a rowing machine, you’re working several of the same muscle groups as you would on a treadmill, along with your upper body. During a rowing session, your deltoids, pectoralis muscles, upper back, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, biceps, and forearms are all engaged, helping you move the handles forwards and backwards with the applied tension. As for your lower body, your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves are all working together while your abdominal muscles and mid-back keep your core strong and stable.
Fitting in exercise can be challenging for those of you who have a busy schedule. However, you want to get the most out of your limited time, and that’s why rowing could be the best workout for you.
Unlike some other cardio machines, rowing works both the upper and lower body simultaneously. Because they work your arms, legs, and core all at once, you can save time on your workout by using a rowing machine instead of several machines.
Additionally, rowing is a low-impact exercise, so it’s easier on your joints than running or other high-impact activities. As a result, you put less stress on your body after a tiring busy schedule.
And because rowing machines are based on the concept of interval training, you can also get a cardio workout while you are strength training. As a result, rowing machines are one of the most convenient exercise methods.
Rowing is very much a full-body workout from the start, which means that it engages your whole body instead of just the lower portion. Spending some time on your rowing machine will activate nearly twice the muscle mass compared to cycling on a stationary bike or running on the treadmill. Just one single stroke on the rowing machine will engage every muscle located above the hips.
As for treadmills, sadly, they’re not ideal for strength training. Treadmills are more geared toward people who aren’t interested in working all of their muscle groups.
Like swimming, cycling, and fast-walking, rowing is considered an aerobic exercise. This means “with oxygen” as your breathing controls your performance for this specific form of physical activity. The cardiovascular exercise done on a rowing machine will help you lose weight, increase your stamina, support your immune system, and lower your blood pressure, among others. It is one of the most effective cardio workouts that you can do.
Treadmills are also capable of fat-blasting but at a price—they are more expensive and can take a toll on your joints.
If you’ve got a bad back or neck, and shoulders that often hold a lot of tension, a treadmill is going to exacerbate these painful issues. The impact of your feet hitting the treadmill during a workout can be very jarring and places a lot of stress on your bones and joints. Using a treadmill for cardiovascular exercise if you’ve got joint problems will result in increased visits to the chiropractor or massage therapist. It just isn’t worth it!
In addition, accident prone individuals should stay far, far away from treadmills as a fall can be extremely dangerous. If you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing, a fall on a treadmill can result in broken bones, abrasions, friction burns, and trauma.
But don’t fret as rowing machines are much less scary. If you improperly use a rowing machine, you could be prone to tendonitis or upper back pain. Avid rowers should consider purchasing a pair of rowing gloves to avoid developing any blisters or calluses on the inside of their hands.
A rowing machine with a smooth, fluid motion is going to be lower impact and easier on your joints. People with back problems, like scoliosis, are actually encouraged to use a rowing machine on a regular basis as it helps build up their core muscles. Having a strong core when you have back problems can alleviate pain and increase range of motion.
The amount of time needed for an effective workout on a rowing machine is substantially less than what you’d need on a treadmill. On a rowing machine, all you really need is 15 to 30 minutes, three to four times per week at 80 percent of your full intensity. But when on a treadmill, 30 to 40 minutes is recommended for each session.
Rowing machines usually cost less than treadmills, which is another reason why it’s the right piece of cardio equipment to add to your home gym. High-quality rowers can cost around $2000, whereas high-quality treadmills can cost around $4000. To browse the Impact and Tough rowing machines from Aviron, click here.
Overall, a rowing machine is a much more effective and joint-friendly way to get in your recommended cardiovascular activity. Along with toning your muscles, it will help you shed any excess weight while providing you with all of the beloved benefits of cardio. Rowing machines also cost less and will help those with back issues build a core, giving them some much-needed pain relief. The right rowing machine will also come with games and pre-planned workouts so that you can get the most of your time spent rowing. Along with keeping all of your muscles engaged, the right rowing machine will also keep your brain engaged.
