You’re standing in the middle of the gym, scanning the rows of treadmills. Every single one is taken. To your left, there’s a lone machine tucked in the corner, gathering dust, with a long rail and a pull-handle that looks more like a medieval torture device than a fitness tool. Most people walk right past it. They think it’s just for backs. Or maybe they think it’s too hard. But honestly, if you’re asking is rowing a good exercise, you’re actually asking if there’s a shortcut to getting stronger and leaner without spending two hours on a boring elliptical.
The short answer? Yes. It’s arguably the best thing you aren’t doing.
Rowing is weird because it defies the standard "cardio vs. strength" divide. You’re sitting down, which feels like a cheat, yet your heart rate is screaming. You're using your legs for 60% of the power, but your lats are on fire. It’s a total-body contradiction.
The 86 Percent Rule
People usually think rowing is an "arm workout." That is a massive misconception. If your arms are the first thing to tire out, you’re doing it wrong. Professional rowers and kinesiologists will tell you that a proper stroke engages roughly 86% of your muscles.
Think about that for a second.
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Eighty-six percent. When you run, you’re primarily smashing your joints against the pavement and using your lower body. When you bike, your upper body is basically decorative. But on a rower—specifically if you’re using a high-quality machine like a Concept2 or a WaterRower—you are engaging your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, core, lats, traps, shoulders, and even your forearms.
It’s a kinetic chain. It starts at the feet and explodes through the hips.
I’ve seen marathoners hop on a rower for the first time and get humbled in three minutes. Why? Because the aerobic demand is astronomical when you’re asking nearly every muscle group to consume oxygen simultaneously. It’s a metabolic furnace. According to Harvard Health, a person weighing 185 pounds can burn around 377 calories in just 30 minutes of vigorous rowing. That outpaces many other forms of steady-state cardio by a wide margin.
Why Your Joints Will Thank You
Running is great until your knees decide they’ve had enough. I know so many former runners who had to hang up the laces because of meniscus tears or chronic inflammation.
Rowing is different.
It’s zero-impact. Because your feet stay connected to the footpads and you’re in a seated position, there’s no jarring force traveling up your spine or through your ankles. This makes it a gold-standard exercise for people recovering from certain injuries or those carrying extra weight who want to protect their cartilage.
But don't mistake "low impact" for "low intensity."
It’s intense. It’s just "kind" to your skeleton. You can reach 100% of your maximum heart rate without ever feeling a "thud." That’s a rare combination in the fitness world.
The Myth of the "Bad Back"
"I can't row, I have a bad back." I hear this constantly.
Listen, if you have a herniated disc or an acute injury, check with a doctor first. Obviously. But for the average person with a "stiff" back, rowing is actually a secret weapon. Most back pain comes from weak glutes and a lazy core. Rowing forces you to stabilize your spine using your transverse abdominis and erector spinae.
The catch? Form is everything.
If you hunch over like a question mark, yeah, you’re going to hurt yourself. You need to keep a proud chest. You need to hinge at the hips. If you treat the stroke like a sequence—legs, then hips, then arms—the back stays protected. It’s a moving plank.
Comparing the Gear: Air vs. Water vs. Magnetic
If you're looking to start, you'll see three main types of machines. They aren't created equal.
The Concept2 RowErg is the industry standard. It uses air resistance. The faster you pull, the more resistance the flywheel creates. It’s loud, it feels "crisp," and it’s what every competitive athlete uses. If you want to compare your times to others online, this is the only way to go.
Then you have WaterRowers. These use an actual tank of water. They’re beautiful. They sound like a mountain stream. The resistance is "smoother" and feels more like being on an actual lake. Many people prefer these for home use because they look like furniture and aren't as noisy as air fans.
Finally, there are Magnetic Rowers. These are usually the cheapest. They’re nearly silent. However, they lack the "dynamic" feel. On a magnetic machine, the resistance stays the same regardless of how hard you pull. It’s fine for a casual sweat, but it doesn't mimic the physics of water very well.
Is Rowing a Good Exercise for Weight Loss?
Let’s be real. Most people want to know if this will help them lose the spare tire.
Weight loss is mostly about your kitchen habits, but rowing is a powerful tool for creating a caloric deficit. Because it builds muscle while burning fat, it raises your basal metabolic rate. You’re basically turning your body into a more efficient engine.
Dr. Cameron Nichol, a former Olympic rower and doctor, often points out that rowing is "time-efficient fitness." In a world where we’re all busy, rowing gives you the biggest bang for your buck. You don't need an hour. A high-intensity 20-minute interval session on a rower is significantly more effective than 45 minutes of light jogging.
Getting the Technique Right (The 60-30-10 Rule)
If you just sit down and pull, you’ll burn out in sixty seconds. You’ll hate it. You’ll never come back.
To make is rowing a good exercise a reality for your body, you have to internalize the ratio of power:
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- 60% Legs: The drive starts with a leg press.
- 30% Core: You lean back slightly (to about 11 o'clock).
- 10% Arms: You finish the pull to your ribcage.
The recovery—moving back toward the machine—should be twice as long as the drive. It’s a rhythm. Power, then breathe. Power, then breathe.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Death Grip: Don't squeeze the handle like you’re hanging off a cliff. Hold it loosely with your fingers. This prevents forearm fatigue.
- The "Rainbow" Pull: Don't lift the handle over your knees. Your knees should flatten before the handle moves past them.
- Setting the Damper to 10: On a Concept2, that little lever on the side isn't a "difficulty" setting. It’s like gears on a bike. Most Olympic athletes row on a 3 or 5. Setting it to 10 just makes your form sloppy and exhausts your muscles before your lungs can even get a workout.
The Mental Game
There is a meditative quality to rowing. Once you find your "split" (the time it takes to row 500 meters), you enter a flow state. The repetitive nature of the stroke, the sound of the air or water, and the focus on posture can be incredibly grounding.
But it’s also a mental toughness builder. There is no coasting on a rower. On a treadmill, the belt keeps moving even if you’re tired. On a rower, the machine stops when you do. It demands honesty.
Real-World Results
I spoke with a guy named Mark who started rowing at 45. He was 40 pounds overweight and had chronic lower back pain from a desk job. He started with just 10 minutes a day.
"The first week was miserable," he told me. "My butt hurt from the seat and I felt like I couldn't breathe."
But he stuck with it. He watched a few YouTube videos on form (Dark Horse Rowing is a great resource). Within three months, his back pain vanished because his core finally woke up. Within six months, he’d dropped 25 pounds. He wasn't even dieting strictly; he was just burning so much more energy than before.
Actionable Steps to Start Today
Don't just jump on and pull for 30 minutes. You’ll quit.
First, find your baseline. Sit on the machine and row for 500 meters at a comfortable pace. Note the time.
Next, focus on the "Pick Drill." For the first 5 minutes of your next workout, only use your arms. Then add the back hinge. Finally, add the full leg drive. This builds the muscle memory for the proper sequence.
Try a "1-minute on, 1-minute off" routine. Do this 10 times. During the "on" minute, try to keep your stroke rate (the number in the corner of the screen) between 22 and 26. Don't go faster. Focus on the power of each individual stroke rather than how fast you can flail your arms.
Finally, track your progress. Most rowing machines allow you to save your workouts or link to an app. Seeing your 500m split drop from 2:15 to 2:05 is a massive dopamine hit.
Rowing isn't a fad. It’s been around since people needed to move boats, and it’ll be around long after the latest "miracle" gym gadget has been recycled into scrap metal. It’s hard, it’s honest, and it’s probably the missing piece of your fitness puzzle. Get on the machine. Start pulling. Stop walking past the best workout in the gym.