Coming up with beginner rowing machine workout ideas isn’t always easy. Some trainers find it hard to generate new and varied workouts for newbie clients. It can also be tricky to pitch it at the right level of difficulty.
Fortunately, all of the hard work has been done for you in this article. Our guest author is a rowing machine expert and perfectly positioned to advise on the best workouts for clients who are new to exercise.
In this article – Sumanth Jois of the Rowing Factory shares 10 of the best rowing machine workouts for beginners that you can use with PT clients.
When it comes to cardio, rowing is a highly effective option. It recruits 80% of the body’s muscles to deliver a complete workout. This makes it pretty much unmatched in the cardio sphere.
For clients who are new to rowing, it’s important to teach them the correct technique and form. Once they’ve mastered this, you can switch up their program based on their fitness goals.
To make things super-simple, here are 10 of the best beginner rowing machine workouts…
1 – The +2 Rowing Method
- Start by rowing for 120 seconds, aiming for 20 strokes per min.
- Increase the tempo for the next 120 seconds by aiming for 22 strokes per min.
- Up the pace again for the next 120 seconds, aiming to reach 24 strokes per min.
- Then dial it down for the last 2 minutes with easy, light strokes.
- Repeat this pattern x4.
2 – 30/20 Rowing Machine Workout
- Row for 30 seconds.
- Rest for 30 seconds.
- Repeat this for 20 minutes in total.
3 – Cardio Boost Workout
- Row for 100m + 20 bodyweight squats (x3 reps)
- Rest for 60 seconds
- Row for 100m + 20 crunches (x3 reps)
- Rest for 60 seconds
- Row for 100m + 20 pushups (x3 reps)
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4 – The Dakota Johnson Workout
- Warm-up by rowing for 2mins using light strokes.
- Next, switch to rowing with maximum effort (without losing form) for 30secs.
- Take a short break for 30secs.
- Repeat twice.
5 – The DB-KB Rowing Workout
Round 1:
- Row for 500m
- 10 Kettlebell swings
- 10 Dumbbell shoulder press
- Row for 250m
- 15 Kettlebell swings
- 15 Dumbbell shoulder press
- Row for 150m
- 20 Kettlebell swings
- 20 Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Rest for 1 minute
Round 2:
- Row for 300m
- 10 Kettlebell Goblet squats
- 10 Sit-Ups
- Row for 200
- 15 Kettlebell Goblet Squats
- 15 Sit-Ups
- Row for 100
- 20 Kettlebell Goblet Squats
- 20 Sit-Ups
6 – The 3min Beginner Rowing Workout
- Row for 3mins at a comfortable pace, aiming for 20 strokes per min.
- Rest for 1min.
- Row with max power and force for 3mins, aiming for 22 strokes per min.
- Rest for 1min.
- Row for 3mins at a comfortable pace, aiming for 24 strokes per min.
- Rest for 1min.
- Row with max power and force for 3mins, aiming for 24 strokes per min.
- Rest for 1min.
- Row for 10mins at a comfortable pace.
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7 – The 3×5 Method
- Start by rowing for 5mins at a rate of 26 strokes per min.
- Rest 3mins.
- Row for 5mins at a rate of 28 strokes per min.
- Rest 3mins.
- Row for a final 5mins at a rate of 30 strokes per min.
8 – The Upper Body Rowing Workout
- Row for 200m
- 10 push-ups
- Row for another 200m
- 10 incline push-ups
- Row for 200m
- 10 decline push-ups
- Row for 200m
- 10 inverted row
- Row for another 200m
- 10 pull-ups
- Repeat this x3
9 – The Medball Slam Workout
- Row for 600m
- Complete 10 medball slams to the ground
- Row for 500m
- Complete another 10 medball slams to the ground
- Row for 400m
- Complete 10 medball slams to the ground
- Row for 300m
- Complete another 10 medball slams to the ground
- Row for 200m
- Complete 10 medball slams to the ground
- Row for 100m
- Complete another 10 medball slams to the ground
10 – The Advanced On & Off Rowing Workout
- Row at max speed for 60 seconds.
- Reduce the pace, using light, easy strokes for 60 seconds.
- Row at max speed for 120 seconds.
- Recover for 60 seconds by rowing at a slower pace.
- Repeat this cycle 4-6 times.
So, there you have 10 beginner rowing machine workout ideas for exercise newbies. Introducing the rower into your or your client’s gym routine is a fantastic way to train major muscle groups while getting cardio in at the same time.
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