Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
How to Use the Row Machine
A workout on the rowing machine is a great addition to your gym routine. Rowing is one of the best exercises you can do for your back because it involves so many different muscles. And since you use triceps and biceps to stay stabilized, you’re sneaking in an effective arm workout as well.
A workout on the rowing machine is a great addition to your gym routine. Rowing is one of the best exercises you can do for your back because it involves so many different muscles. And since you use triceps and biceps to stay stabilized, you’re sneaking in an effective arm workout as well.
That said, if your form is off, you may not reap any of these muscle-sculpting benefits. To prevent little mistakes from holding you back from your fitness goals, watch this video to see the correct way to use the row machine. It will walk you through the proper positioning.
Here are the basics: Once you’re seated, take a look at your knees. Make sure they’re not locked or hyperextended, and that they are slightly bent. Then, while holding the handle of the cable with both hands, next make sure your back is straight, not rounded or leaning forward.
To keep your back stable (and safe) throughout your workout, focus on engaging your abs. You’ll also get an ab workout at the same time (win, win!).
When you’re ready to begin, pull the cable only to your chest and continue engaging your arms, back, and abs as you return the cable to its starting position.
Heat Illness: Symptoms and How to Treat It
When your body has to work extremely hard to cool you down, you can develop heat exhaustion. During heat exhaustion, the body’s core temperature is usually less than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, but blood pressure is low and the heart is not pumping blood as efficiently as it should.
At this stage, the body is still doing what it’s supposed to. “You’ll be very fatigued and sweating a lot and thirsty—so those natural defenses against heat and dehydration are still working,” says Peter Shearer, MD, associate director of the Mount Sinai Hospital emergency department in New York City.
Heat exhaustion does not necessarily lead to heatstroke—but it could, says exercise physiologist Michael Bergeron, PhD, president and CEO of Youth Sports of the Americas. Bergeron describes exertional heatstroke as “a clear medical emergency affecting multiple body systems,” which usually occurs when the body’s core temperature rises above 104 degrees.
Heatstroke causes the central nervous system to malfunction. It can also damage the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, and muscular tissue. “Your body loses the ability to thermoregulate, so at that point it’s much more difficult to reverse itself,” says Dr. Shearer.
This Rowing Routine Is the Best Low-Impact Workout You Haven’t Tried Yet
Follow along with Row House coach Caley Crawford.
If you’re looking for a low-impact, calorie-torching workout, you’ve come to the right place: In this video, Caley Crawford, a coach at boutique fitness studio Row House, will guide you through a 30-minute sweat sesh that includes both on-the-rower and off-the-rower exercises to challenge your core, and your upper and lower body all at once.
First up: a quick refresher on proper form, to ensure you reap the maximum benefit from your efforts. Crawford breaks rowing down into two positions: Catch is when you’re at the front of the rowing machine and your knees are tucked into your chest. And finish is when you’re at the back of the machine, and your legs are stretched out.
RELATED: You’re Using the Rowing Machine All Wrong—Here’s a Quick Fix
In the catch position, your heels should be slightly raised; and there should be a 6 to 8-inch gap between your heels and the seat. Your hips are back, and your shoulders are angled forward at about one o’clock. But make sure not to arch your back. To prevent hunching, focus on engaging your abdomen, and keeping your spine neutral.
In the finish position, your shoulders should be behind your hips and your body should be angled at 11 o’clock. Try to keep your shoulders down, and your posture tall. In finish, your core should be at “peak engagement,” says Crawford, and your legs should be completely straight.
Once you’re comfortable with your form, you’re ready to crush Crawford’s workout. And keep in mind, the harder you push with your legs, the greater resistance you’ll feel from the rower. Or as Crawford puts it, “The machine is going to give you what you put into it.”