When someone says cardio, do you think treadmill, bike, elliptical?  The word on the fitness street is that rowing is the new “it” cardio. You may have seen this contraption (known as an ergometer) sitting in the corner of your  gym, and never really thought twice about it, or really how it could possibly give you a good workout, if one at all. Well, listen up: some statistics say rowing burns the most calories, in the shortest time, with the least perceived exertion. Anti-exercisers of the world, this is for you! The typical ho-hum treadmill running session can do many great things for our bodies, but it can also wreak havoc on our joints, ligaments, and tendons. Not necessarily the case with rowing. With 60% of the workout coming from the legs, 20% from the core, and the other 20% from your arms, you will hit all your major muscle groups, minus the pounding on the joints…Talk about (softly) multitasking!

NLT: Before rowing got its new found fame, you would have to row solo staring at a wall.  Now, fitness gyms all over are jumping on the boat, so to speak, and offering their own rowing classes. Equinox offers a new class called “Shockwave” which is about 30-45 minutes of rowing and circuits of strength training to buff your bod. Some rowing exclusive gyms are popping up around town, too. “Go Row” in Hoboken NJ is a new fitness studio that offers rowing only classes. Go to a class and sweat on a high-tech rowing machine which creates the feel of being on the river with a circulating fan said to simulate the rush of water. To me, that sounds like a great way to burn calories, be social, and get some peace of mind. Not in NYC? No problem. Cities all around the country have rowing gyms…just ask Google. Who knows, you might just find a new exercise to row yourself slim!

Posted on: Jun 12, 2012

Tags: burn calories, exercise, row