Here’s a sweeping statement: there aren’t many people out there who actually enjoy exercising. That post-sweat high? Definitely. Pumping iron to you puke? Not so much.
Which is why we’ve sussed all the options to find a workout that will get us maximum gains in the minimum amount of time. Something that incorporates cardio, strength and endurance. Introducing… the rowing machine.
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Speaking to Business Insider, former Olympic rower Dr Cameron Nicol, said the piece of equipment beat out the cross-trainer, exercise bike and treadmill as the “most time efficient total body workout” of them all.
Alongside researchers from the UK’s Roehampton University, he previously ran an experiment on the matter and proved that rowing activates nine separate muscle groups. Think legs, back, shoulder, chest, arms (etc) which roughly equates to 85 per cent of the muscles in our bodies.
[Rowing] gives you more back for your buck,” he explained.
But if it’s so effective, why has ours been gathering dust in the garage since the 80s? Dr Nichol has an answer for that too: “As a rowing industry we’ve known for decades that we’re responsible for not communicating how to row well,” he said. “It’s really a valuable movement, but the problem is we don’t grow up with it, where we do running and cycling.”
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