What type of exercise equipment is better for your health and fitness goals: a rowing machine or a treadmill?
If you are wondering which one to choose, the answer will depend on what you want to achieve. To get a better understanding of rowing machine vs treadmill let understand the core functions of each machine.
Why the Rowing Machine is as Good as Running
Known as ergometers, they have been around since 1818 when James Starley invented them in England. They allow users to row across a body of water using oars like an actual boat would use its oars.
The user stands on the footplates that pivot up and down and pull back with their arms extended like holding onto two oars while sitting in an imaginary boat seat. Rowing machines can be used by anyone, from beginners who want to learn how to row properly all the way up to professional rowers who are training for races.
They work by using a flywheel and a resistance mechanism to provide tension against the users’ motion, forcing them to exert energy with each pull or push to hold their position against the force of the machine.
Rowing machines come in three main types: air-resistance rowing machines, magnetic-resistance rowing machines, and water-resistance rowing machines.
Benefits of Rowing Machine
- Strengthens the lower body
- Burns calories for weight loss
- Builds muscle tone and strength
- Improves cardiovascular health
- It can be done at home or in the gym
- Safer than running on a treadmill
- Burns more calories than other cardio machines
- Improves body coordination and balance
- Tone for your legs, knees, arms, and abs
Disadvantages of Rowing Machine
- Rowing is boring and monotonous
- It takes too long to build your strength
- Requires a lot of space
- You can’t vary the intensity or location of your workout.
- If you have joint pain, the rowing machine can exacerbate it
- And Most Importantly, it’s not for beginners
The Pros and Cons of Using a Treadmill to Get Fit
The benefits of running are many. It increases endurance, burns calories, and helps you maintain an ideal weight while strengthening your heart, lungs, and other muscles. Treadmills have been used for generations as a simple way to simulate walking or running without actually having to go outside and run. You can burn more calories and get better results inside on a treadmill, but it’s not always the best choice.
Treadmills come in three main types:
- manual treadmills
- motor-driven treadmills
- interactive treadmills
Benefits of Treadmill Running
- Allows you to vary your workout intensity (speed and incline)
- It burns more calories than other cardio machines
- Improves cardiovascular health
- Improves stamina and endurance
- It can improve muscle tone and strength if you add weight lifting to your routine. (Note: make sure you are using the correct form when weight training)
- Safer than rowing on a machine, especially for new runners or those with knee or joint pain.
Disadvantages of Treadmill Running
- It’s boring and monotonous. It requires you to keep your feet planted on the moving belt, making it more difficult to change speeds or directions.
- Because of this, treadmills are better for running than walking. In fact, most treadmills are pre-set at a certain speed and incline for walking, but not running. So, if you want to run on a treadmill, be sure you know how to change the settings.
- Treadmills take up lots of space in your home or gym. Unfortunately, most machines are also big heavy pieces of equipment that can be difficult to move and store when not in use.
- The treadmill can also be dangerous if you try to do too much, too fast. If you’re a beginner or have had a recent joint injury, using the treadmill may not be the best idea. Improper use can lead to sprains, stress fractures, and other injuries more likely to happen because of your new activity.
Is a rowing machine or treadmill better for weight loss?
A common misconception is that rowing burns more calories than walking or running on a treadmill; it’s the best choice to help you lose weight. But this is not the case. When you increase your intensity and speed, you can burn many calories using almost any cardio machine. Furthermore, you don’t have to purchase anything special or invest in extra equipment to accomplish this.
Rowing is an enjoyable activity with long-term benefits such as a strong core, reduced back pain, stronger joints, and better overall body coordination. When used properly, it can also help you lose weight. But rowing is not a magic formula for weight loss. You will have to build up your strength and stamina over time before you begin to see results.
If losing weight is your goal, you need to pair rowing with diet and exercise. It’s also important that you monitor the calories you’re taking in versus the calories you burn. Over time, this will create a calorie deficit that will help accelerate weight loss.
4 Steps to Take to Lose Weight Using Rowing Machine (or Treadmill)
1. Set realistic goals — If your goal is to lose 20 pounds by next month, it’s most likely not going to happen. It takes time and commitment to shed the pounds. Set a goal that is reasonable for you and your current situation, then build up from there as you progress
2. Track your calories — How many calories are in the food you eat? Do you have an idea of how many calories are burned doing different activities or exercising? You can track your calories using a fitness tracker, smartphone app, or a notebook.
3. Add interval training — Your body will adapt after just a few workouts, and the same routine can become boring and not challenging anymore. However, if you want to continue seeing results, you must incorporate some form of interval training into your workout regimen.
4. Mix up your workouts — There are many ways to exercise and equally as many opinions on best. When using a rowing machine or treadmill for weight loss, you will achieve the best results by incorporating both into your workout regimens. For best results, always opt for the most calories burned per workout and time spent exercising.
Muscle Building: Rowing Machine vs. Treadmill
Though both of these exercise machines will help you build muscle, the treadmill has more of an impact on lower body muscles. This is because running or walking on a treadmill does not require as much upper body strength. If you want to build muscle in your arms and shoulders, the rowing machine is better.
You can have a hard workout on a treadmill. To do this, you can either change the speed or incline. But either way, it will not be as good for your muscles as when running outside or doing other exercises.
One thing rowing machines do is build muscle. Unlike running or biking, when you grow, you’re strengthening muscles on both the upper and lower body as well as your core. And because it’s easy to make a workout more strenuous via damper settings, rowing is one of the best choices for people who want to focus on strength gains.
Impact consideration of rowing machine and treadmill
An important factor to consider when choosing between a treadmill and rowing machine for losing weight or breaking a sweat is the impact on knees and ankles. This is especially true if you have had problems with your knee, ankle, or hip in the past.
Because running involves repetitively pounding on hard surfaces like concrete, it can cause all sorts of problems in your knees and ankles.
The good news is that some of these problems are avoidable by simply leaving the running shoes at home and opting for a treadmill over an asphalt path when outdoors or using a rowing machine as an alternative to pounding the pavement on sidewalks.
Rowing Machine vs Treadmill: Which Is Better?
It all depends on what you want out of your workout and which machine better suits your needs. The bottom line is that both machines are great for losing weight and improving overall fitness, but they’re not ideal for every situation. Therefore, it’s important to know how to use both effectively before deciding which is best for you.
If you’re looking for a high-end workout machine that targets multiple muscle groups and provides the most results, then the rowing machine may be the ideal choice. Just remember, it’s not something you can do continuously like running. It takes time to get used to, so remember to start slow and ease into it.
If you’re looking for something easier to learn how to use or a machine less intense on your joints, then a treadmill is the way to go. Plus, you can easily incorporate both exercises by alternating between them one day or week. This will allow you to get the most out of your workout time.
Convenient Options: Treadmill and Rowing Machine Treadmill is a good option for the person who likes to exercise on their own schedule with minimal interruption from others. As babies can be entertained in front of the TV while running, it sounds more convenient if you have 100% control over everything.
However, many rowers find rowing machines more convenient in some ways, like not having to wait for or buy gasoline and searching for the time to use them.
Rowing is a natural movement with no impact on joints. Unless you are doing something wrong, it does not cause any pain in your legs at all. If you are having trouble with your knees, it is better to choose a rowing machine than a treadmill.
This is because the impact on your joints in running and walking will cause knee pain in the future due to cartilage loss of the joints. Medical research shows that individuals who have had problems like this are more prone to osteoarthritis later in life. This research is based on the person’s lifestyle.
So, when you are choosing between a rowing machine and a treadmill to lose weight or get fit, it is clear that there are many factors to consider before making your decision.
Both feet are placed evenly on each footrest on a rowing machine with legs straight down toward the floor. Your back should be standing straight up with your arms extended forward, holding onto the handle.
As you pull the handle back toward your body, envision that you are using the machine’s resistance to help pull your shoulder blades down and back. The motion will feel like a “rowing” movement as opposed to a “pushing” motion.