{"id":455587,"date":"2026-06-01T15:13:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T15:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/455587\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T15:13:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T15:13:09","slug":"the-top-6-rowing-machine-mistakes-youre-making-during-your-cardio-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/455587\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 6 Rowing Machine Mistakes You\u2019re Making During Your Cardio Workout"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rowing machines are one of the best low-impact yet efficient ways to get cardio in your workout routine. However, if you\u2019re new to rowing machines<\/a> or don\u2019t have much experience with them, you might be using this fitness equipment incorrectly. Rowing requires a specific technique that takes some practice to grasp and to get the most out of your workout.<\/p>\n

We spoke with a personal trainer to understand the common mistakes made with a rowing machine and how to fix them with simple cues.<\/p>\n

1. You\u2019re mainly using your arms instead of your legs\u00a0 \"Man <\/p>\n

Rowing is mainly a leg exercise and shouldn’t be dominated by the arms.<\/p>\n

Anatoliy Cherkas\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

One of the mistakes most people make when using a rowing machine is focusing too much on their arms rather than their legs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people sit down and immediately pull with their biceps like it\u2019s a cable row,\u201d says Gerard Washack, personal trainer and owner of Strong Republic Personal Training<\/a>. The problem with this approach is that rowing mainly requires leg strength.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 60% of the power should come from your legs driving against the foot plate, 30% from the hips and back opening up and only 10% from the arms pulling the handle in at the very end,\u201d Washack explains.<\/p>\n

To help people improve their rowing technique, Washack says he changes how the handle is held: \u201cI have people row with their hands off the handle and tuck the handle into your hip crease and just push with legs, then hips, then arms in that order.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. You\u2019re not postured correctly \"person <\/p>\n

Pay attention to your posture during your rowing setup.<\/p>\n

18042011\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Poor posture is another mistake rowing machine users tend to make. If you have rounded shoulders and a hunched back, you\u2019re not getting the most out of your rowing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spine has to stay long and the chest open during the whole move,\u201d says Washack. He cues clients by telling them to imagine they\u2019re sitting on a barstool with their chest up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Proper rowing should look long and smooth, with the legs pushing first. Then, the back opens, and the arms pull last. On the way back, the arms go away from the body first, the body hinges forward and then the knees bend last. By following these cues, it should feel like your legs are doing most of the work.<\/p>\n

3. The damper is on the wrong setting \"woman <\/p>\n

Focus less on the damper number and more on your effort.<\/p>\n

Microgen\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

The damper, the dial found on the side of a rowing machine, controls how much air flows into the fan. This is what you use to adjust the resistance of the rowing machine, and it influences how heavy the stroke feels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBeginners usually move it to 10 because they think harder is better,\u201d Washack explains, adding, \u201cThe damper isn’t a resistance setting like a weight stack; instead, it’s more like a gear on a bike.\u201d Depending on your fitness level, he recommends the following:<\/p>\n

Beginners should keep the damper settings between three and five.Intermediate users who have their form down can set the damper between four and six.Advanced rowers who focus on interval training or power can aim for seven or eight, and sometimes 10, on the damper.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ultimately, though, it\u2019s more about the effort you put into the row. \u201cElite competitive rowers usually train at four or five,\u201d Washack says, but they\u2019re focusing on their output versus the number on the damper.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. Your rower lacks maintenance \"People <\/p>\n

Be sure to keep your rowing machine clean so it lasts a long time.<\/p>\n

PeopleImages\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

The damper, the dial found on the side of a rowing machine, controls how much air flows into the fan. This is what you use to adjust the resistance of the rowing machine, and it influences how heavy the stroke feels.\u00a0Although a rowing machine doesn\u2019t require as much maintenance as other types of fitness equipment<\/a>, you should still do your best to keep it clean and replace any worn-down parts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Washack recommends inspecting your rowing machine every month. \u201cInspect the chain or belt for wear, the seat rollers for dirt and the foot straps for fraying.\u201d You should wipe down the seat and handle after every use, as sweat that falls onto the seat track can wear down the machine.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Depending on the type of rower you own, you may need to focus on different parts for maintenance:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Air rowers: If you own an air rower like the Concept2<\/a>, these are the easiest rowing machines to take care of. The chain will need occasional oiling, and the flywheel cage (the enclosure where the fan sits) needs to be kept dust-free.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Magnetic rowers: These are rowers that have the most electronic parts and mechanical complexity — similar to some of CNET\u2019s favorite rowing machine<\/a> picks. \u201cThe magnetic resistance system can wear or shift over time, and the cables connecting the resistance to the console can fray,\u201d Washack explains. \u201cI recommend checking those connections every couple of months.\u201d<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0You\u2019re using the rower for the wrong workouts \"group <\/p>\n

Work smarter with a rowing machine by experimenting with intervals.<\/p>\n

SeventyFour\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Unlike a treadmill or an exercise bike, where you can do long, steady workouts, a rowing machine is best used in short bursts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Washack likes prescribing intervals to clients who use the rowing machine. \u201cPrograms like four rounds of 500 meters with two minutes rest between are my go-to,\u201d he says. \u201cAnother day, I do a longer, steady aerobic piece, 30 to 45 minutes at a conversational pace where your legs are working but you could still talk.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

For clients looking to improve their power and speed, Washack focuses on eight rounds of 250 meters with a minute rest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

6. It’s your primary workout \"Woman <\/p>\n

Make sure you have a well-rounded workout routine that includes rowing as your preferred form of cardio.<\/p>\n

Srdjan Randjelovic\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Unlike a treadmill or an exercise bike, where you can do long, steady workouts, a rowing machine is best used in short bursts.\u00a0While rowing machines are great cardio machines, they shouldn\u2019t be your main form of exercise. You should be following a strength-training program in addition to your rowing workouts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cCombine rowing with two days of traditional strength training, and you’ve got a complete program,\u201d recommends Washack.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overall, finding a form of cardio you enjoy is important, since it will keep you consistent, and including strength training and mobility exercises will help you remain fit and strong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rowing machines are one of the best low-impact yet efficient ways to get cardio in your workout routine.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":455588,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[565,134,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-455587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/455587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=455587"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/455587\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/455588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=455587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=455587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=455587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}