Fitness Friday 286: The Total Body Shred Rowing Workout

Fitness Friday - Eat Spin Run Repeat

Hello there, friends!

How are you doing? Happy St Patrick’s Day, and I hope you’ve had a fabulous week. Despite an injury that’s slowed down my training a bit (which we won’t dwell on because that won’t make it better), I’ve got so much to be thankful for. As you may know if you’ve been reading along regularly, ever since January 1st I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal and recording 5 things daily – sometimes more. On this particular Friday, those include:

  • The fact that my manicure lasted all week (Sally Hansen top coat for the win!)
  • Getting together after work with some of my teammates earlier this week to celebrate a birthday
  • Plans to meet a friend for a run + plan an upcoming trip on Sunday (more deets coming very soon)
  • Anticipation of hot yoga tomorrow
  • Coffee/juice with a new blogger friend on Sunday
  • Heck – it’s Friday! Let’s do a happy dance!

…and on that note, I’ve got a workout for you. ?

Source: Gymaholic via Pinterest
Source: Gymaholic via Pinterest

Work It Out

For years I’ve been the world’s biggest anti-fan of the rowing machine, but my recent adventures in Crossfit have made it a necessary evil. Interestingly, while it’s still not my first choice of sweaty activity, it is starting to suck a little less. Just like anything else, with practice comes skill and its always fun to make progress. The workout I’ve got for you today does indeed require the rower, but you’ll split up the high intensity 400m rowing intervals with strength-based moves that allow your heart rate to come back down a bit.

A pro tip before you start: Check out this article from Greatist on how to master rowing machine form. One of the mistakes beginners make is thinking it’s all about trying to pull the chain back as hard as possible with the arms, but the reality is that there’s a LOT of leg action happening here, and if you can get a really strong push with your legs, you’ll go farther with fewer strokes.

Source: Pinterest
Source: Pinterest

The Total Body Shred Rowing Workout

Start with an easy warm-up of your choice to get the body prepared to work. Hop on a rower and keep a set of dumbells nearby for the strength sets. You’ll do 5x400m sprints (or 2000m total) with strength exercises in between. These moves aren’t meant to be rests – you’re still working – but your heart rate will come down a bit.

The goal is to complete the total rowing time as quickly as you can, so the faster and more efficiently you row, the sooner you’ll be done. Cool down with some easy rowing or walking and a good total body stretch.

Fitness Friday 286- The Total Body Shred Rowing Workout - Eat Spin Run Repeat

Click here to print/download the PDF.

Note: For a dumbell cluster demo, click here. In short, they’re a quick dumbell biceps curl up to your shoulders as you lower into a squat, then an overhead press as you stand.

[Tweet “How fast can you row? Work every muscle with this strength/cardio Total Body Shred Rowing Workout”]

Turn It Up

Sadly I haven’t stumbled across many Spotify gems lately, but carrying on my love from last week for One Republic, I have another song in a remixed version. Back when I was teaching Les Mills RPM cycling classes, Dash Berlin was an artist commonly on our music releases. A quick Youtube search led me to discover that there’s a Dash Berlin remix of The Future Looks Good… and it’s pretty darn good for working out! Have a listen below.

Can’t see the video? Click here.

Have A Read

Now over to you! What are your thoughts on the rowing machine? Do you use it much, and if so, what sort of workouts do you do on it?

1 thought on “Fitness Friday 286: The Total Body Shred Rowing Workout

  1. Perhaps one of the best rowing machine benefits is the workout they give the lower body. In fact, rowing enthusiasts consider rowing primarily a lower-body workout

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