Health & Fitness Tools

Tips For Using a Rowing Machine

26th April, 2009 - Posted by health news - No Comments

The idea of how to use a cheap rowing machines begins before you ever go near the machine itself. The design of the machines is in such a way that they are meant to replicate the actual exercise made on water and with some little practice, it can be very easy to use.

The first thing to do is adjusting the foot straps, as the user you are advised to make sure that your heel is resting comfortably against the base of the foot pedal and that the strap has been well secured. Temptations of going bare footed are there, but the pressure from the rowing will make your feet soles so uncomfortable. Take an extra minute to lace up a pair of sneakers. A good rowing grip is the one that is firm and at the same time relaxed. A grip that is too tight will cause your limbs to suffer fatigue faster – your grip can either be overhand or underhand and alternating between the two during a long workout will decrease your arm fatigue.

Just like with other exercises, your body mechanics technique while using a rowing machine is of great importance. In particular, a rowing machine user who does not follow instructions is liable to suffer back strain; to avoid this back strain the user is advised to use the leg and hip muscles. It is advisable not to over arch the back as you finish each stroke, just sit up straight and bend forward at the hips with your elbows remaining close to your body while pulling the handles.

There are three phases of rowing; these are the catch, the power stroke and the recovery. The catch phase position is achieved when you come forward on the rower, during this time your knees are bent against your chest, the upper body leans slightly forward while still maintaining a good posture i.e. making sure the back is not hutched over with the head being up. The power stroke is achieved by pushing against the foot pedal while extending the legs and making sure the hands are on the abdominal area; it is advisable one exhales while doing this stroke – at full extension, the user is also advised to avoid leaning back too far because this may bring about back strain. I recommend taking a look at some home rowing machine or water rowing machines to help you stay in shape.

The recovery phase just involves straightening the arms, bending the knees and bringing the hands forward again. At that point one will have finished a rower cycle and this is repeated over and over to achieve desired results