It’s a common saying that “cardio is killing your gains.” But is this really the case? The short answer is NO. However, you can’t blame those that think so because they are somewhat correct. It comes down to how much cardio you are actually doing. You don’t need those 30 min treadmill sessions after your workout, but you also shouldn’t just skip cardio all-together. What if there was an exercise that could save you time and gains while increasing your cardiovascular health? Well, there is but you’ll rarely see anyone doing it. It’s called rowing.
Why You Should Do It
There’s a machine in every gym and I’d be willing to bet no one will be using it. Adding around 10-15 minutes of rowing after your workout will contribute significantly towards getting you in the best shape of your life.
But, how could one single exercise make the difference? Well, rowing is probably one of the most well-rounded exercises right next to sprints. The reason being that rowing will help build muscle and increase your muscular endurance, all while keeping your heart nice and healthy.
One thing that usually goes unnoticed with rowing is that it’s actually a full-body movement and it uses more legs than upper-body. The machine will work the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, but will also give your core a killer workout. Of course, it’s great for the upper-body as well and will tear apart your upper back, deltoids, lats, biceps, and triceps with every stroke.
Rowing is a very low impact exercise meaning it is very easy on the joints. As we age, low impact exercises become increasingly important for a healthy and functional body. This makes rowing a fantastic exercise for everyone.
Rowing burns more calories than any other form of cardio making it perfect for weight loss. Don’t worry though, just because it burns lots of calories doesn’t mean it will burn your gains away too. As long as you continue eating those big meals and lifting those big weights, your muscles will grow and your fat will vanish.
Form
Before you add this to your routine, let us go over the proper form.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ82RYIFLN8
How To Implement
Now that you have the form down, let’s go over how you can add this to your routine. If your goal is to build muscle, I suggest adding a 10 to 15-minute session after you finish lifting. This will increase the stimulus for your muscles and will continue to break them down even more. You will feel the burn so much that you won’t even realize you’re doing cardio.
If your goal is to lose weight, I suggest adding a 20-minute session to your routine and try to work towards a 30-45 minute session. This, added alongside your routine, should help you crush your goals. If you don’t have a current routine then rowing is a great place to start.
In Summary
Rowing is a great exercise to add to any routine regardless of your goals. It works your entire body while providing a great cardio workout. It can be used to help gain muscle mass and to help lose fat. Either way, it’s a must-add exercise that everyone can and should do.