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Rowing is a sport for everyone

This is an excerpt from Indoor Rowing by Caley Crawford & Michelle Parolini.

Rowing is a sport for everyone. The rowing machine, also known as the erg (short for ergometer), is low-impact, making it accessible for those who may need special consideration when designing and following an exercise program. Special populations include older adults and those who have a medical or physical condition or possibly have a transient (temporary) medical condition like pregnancy or perimenopause. We’ll look at four special population groups here: older adults, peri- and postmenopausal women, pregnant women, and postpartum women.

Older Adults

As we age, we are continually looking for ways to stay strong, mobile, and moving. Castillo-Garzón and colleagues (2006) state, “Appropriately undertaken, physical exercise is the best means currently available for delaying and preventing the consequences of aging, and of improving health and wellbeing.” As we age, several physiological changes happen that can cause us to slow down or even move differently. It’s important to note that aging is individual and is different from person to person. Factors such as lifestyle, genetics, and environment play a significant role in how aging affects each individual.

Some notable areas of the body that undergo changes over time are the bones, joints, and muscles. After age 35, bone breakdown occurs faster than bone buildup, which can result in a gradual loss of bone mass. For those with osteoporosis, loss of bone mass occurs at an even greater rate and can accelerate further after menopause. A loss of bone mass in the vertebral column and muscle mass loss in the supporting muscles can cause a person’s overall height to shrink. Understanding how to row with good posture will not only increase the level of output on the rower, but it will also help keep the spine moving well and reduce bone and muscle compression.

Changes in the cardiovascular system as we mature may cause the heart to become less efficient at pumping blood to working muscles. Arteries become less elastic, leading to increased stiffness and thicker capillary walls. This may cause a slight increase in blood pressure. Proper warm-ups and cool-downs are essential for all older adults. Paying attention to how different movements impact your heart rate will allow you to select and develop the right training plan for you.

Diminished proprioception and balance are two factors typically associated with age. Proprioception refers to your understanding of where your body is in space. Why is proprioception important? Proprioceptors in tendons, muscles, ligaments, and joint capsules all work together to give feedback to the body so that it can work efficiently (Ferlinc et al. 2019). As our bodies age and those connections don’t work quite as well, decreased proprioception affects everything from balance to ease of movement. Rowing can help increase our levels of proprioception by challenging us to perform the proper stroke pattern of legs, body, then arms on the drive and arms, body, then legs on the recovery. This heightened awareness of our movement not only works to strengthen those connections, but it can also bring about lower split times and more production on the machine.

Older athletes should consider the changes in joints and tendons that come with age, which can result in reduced flexibility and an increased risk of injury. Rowing is a low-impact form of movement that allows for full range of motion (triple flexion at the catch into triple extension at the finish) and lubrication of the joints with every stroke. Allow for longer warm-ups and cool-downs, and be OK with where you are in this stage of your life! We’re aiming for longevity and overall health maintenance. Rowing provides a good mix of aerobics, strength and flexibility, and accessibility for all fitness levels.

Perimenopause and Menopause

Perimenopause can be described as the time when a female’s ovaries gradually stop working (Johns Hopkins University n.d.b), which is a precursor to menopause. Common physical symptoms of perimenopause caused by changing hormone levels include hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, headaches and migraines, muscle aches and joint pain, and changes in metabolism and body shape. Symptoms can last for months or years and change over time.

Menopause occurs when you stop menstruating and go through 12 consecutive months without a period. Your doctor can take a blood sample to check hormone levels and confirm the onset of menopause. Postmenopause can create a host of issues, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, moodiness, anxiety, and depression, brought about by hormonal and physiological changes.

Consistent cardiorespiratory exercise and strength training, coupled with stretching and meditation, can greatly improve how you go through this phase of your life. Rowing can help manage weight and maintain muscle, especially in the legs. Regular physical activity can combat the bone loss that occurs as a result of menopause. That same physical activity will act as a mood booster by releasing endorphins and keeping your heart healthy! Finally, staying active seems to have a positive impact on the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.

Pregnancy

Rowing can be a great form of exercise during pregnancy due to its low-impact and non-weight-bearing cardiorespiratory benefits. As suggested with any form of exercise while pregnant, it’s important to check with your doctor to ensure exercise is safe. All pregnancies are different, and you may encounter unique circumstances that will or will not allow you to continue exercising.

Two considerations for rowing while pregnant are making sure that you have the proper form and that you understand how to adjust your intensity throughout your workouts. As the second and third trimesters come, the level of intensity that your body will be capable of will drop. The beauty of rowing is that it is effort based and easily adjusted with each stroke. A good rule of thumb is to perform a “talk test” throughout your workouts. The talk test simply allows you to ensure you’re able to talk throughout your rowing efforts, which will help to maintain your intensity at a safe level.

Postpartum Considerations

Rowing can be an effective part of a postpartum exercise routine. Like rowing while pregnant, it’s important to get clearance from your doctor before starting any exercise routine postpartum. Depending on whether you had a cesarean birth or a natural birth, your timeline for returning to exercise will differ. Typically, women who give birth via c-section will have a slightly longer timeline due to the time required to recover from surgery.

While rowing is a fantastic form of exercise for pre- and postpartum bodies, one factor to consider as you’re ramping up is the core component of the exercise. Especially for women who have undergone a cesarean birth, the abdominal muscles will take some time to rebuild. The best approach to rowing postpartum, regardless of the type of birth, is to slowly increase the intensity and volume over time. It’s important to start slow and listen to your body as best you can. Layering rowing into your postpartum routine has the benefit of strengthening your abdominals and improving your core connection very quickly. Rowing’s low-impact and non-weight-bearing nature will help you ramp up your exercise without risking wear and tear on the body and joints. As always, form will be a very important component as you look to incorporate rowing into your pre- and postpartum exercise routines.

Rowing may not be the favorite workout for all people, but it works well for many. One of the key factors in gaining significant benefits and results from rowing is proper form, which we’ll discuss more in chapter 3. Improving your body mechanics and timing in your rowing stroke can make a huge difference in your ability to get results. Rowing is effort based, so as you begin to learn how to activate more muscles in the stroke due to better body positioning, you’ll enhance your ability to generate power on the drive. Before we get to how to improve your form, chapter 2 helps you understand the rowing machine itself so you can feel confident on the machine, whether it’s your first or thousandth workout!

More Excerpts From Indoor Rowing

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