Look no further than rowing for one of the best full body workouts

There are many different cardio exercises to choose from when trying to build your workout. One of the best overall movements you can perform, though, is rowing. There is a reason why every CrossFit around the country has multiple ergs at their facility. From whatever stance you want to take, this exercise always comes out on top. Rowing makes for an efficient warm-up or cool-down as part of any workout. It is also a great pairing as part of any circuit or any interval program.

Muscle Groups Involved in Rowing

Rowing offers a very high calorie burn, increases work capacity, while building overall muscle strength and endurance. According to the English Institute of Sport, a rowing workout employs nine different muscle groups recruiting about 85 percent of your muscles. See the major muscle groups worked below (colored in blue).

Phases that Make Up a Stroke

There are four phases that comprise each rowing stroke. These include the catch, drive, finish and the recovery. Let’s look at the muscle group breakdown for each of these phases.

Catch

The catch is the beginning of a rowing stroke where the seat is all the way forward and you’re positioned close to the front of the machine. The catch phase uses the following muscles to perform the action:

Deltoid
Trapezius
Serratus Anterior
Erector Spinae
Rectus Abdominus
Hamstring
Triceps Brachii
Tibialis Anterior
Gastrocnemius

Drive

The second phase of a rowing stroke is the drive. It begins by pushing off from the feet until your legs are almost fully extended. Any rowing coach will tell you that 70-75 percent of each stroke comes from the hips and legs. The remaining 25-30 percent comes from the arms and upper body. The drive incorporates two parts,(1) the body swing and (2) the arm pull through. The drive phase engages the following muscle groups:

A. The Drive (body swing emphasis)

Brachialis
Erector Spinae
Quadriceps
Gluteus Maximus
Hamstrings
Biceps Brachii
Brachioradialis
Gastrocnemius
Soleus

B. The Drive (arm pull through)

Trapezius
Posterior Deltoids
Teres Minor
Brachialis
Brachioradialis
Extensor Carpi Ulnaris
Flexor Carpi Ulnaris
Latissimus Dorsi
Pectoralis Major
Biceps Brachii
Quadriceps

The Finish

During this third phase, your core muscles are used to stabilize your body, while hinging slightly backwards at the hips. The finish ties it all together using the following muscle groups:

Trapezius
Posterior Deltoids
Brachialis
Biceps Brachii
Brachioradialis
Gluteus Maximus
Latissimus Dorsi
Forearm Extensors
Quadriceps

Recovery

The final phase of a rowing stroke, the recovery, is the first three steps in reverse. The last phase pulls it all it together in one beautiful, rhythmic motion. The following muscle groups are targeted during recovery:

Trapezius
Rectus Abdominus
Hamstrings
Anterior Deltoid
Triceps Brachii
Wrist Extensors
Gastrocnemius

Rowing is too good not to be part of your Jefit strength training program. Add it to your next circuit, or try doing some 500 meter splits (1:30 is considered a very good time) using the new Jefit cardio feature. When in need of a good, longer workout, time yourself doing a 2,000 meter row. If none of this gets you excited, use rowing as part of your warm-up before your strength training session.

Stay Strong Together

Jefit has a community that’s responsible for more than 92,500,000 workouts to date! The app, which recently passed 12.5 million downloads, comes equipped with an advanced customizable workout planner and training log. The app has ability to track data, offer audio coaching cues, and can share workouts with friends. Take advantage of Jefit’s exercise database for your strength workouts. Jefit was named best strength training app for 2024, by PC Magazine, Forbes, and Garage Gym Reviews. Visit our members-only Facebook group.

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Michael Wood, CSCS

Michael Wood, CSCS, is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Content Manager for JeFit app. Michael is a former Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of Connecticut and Exercise Physiologist at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. He is the Founder of Michael Wood Fitness, named twice to "Top 100 Trainers in America" by Men's Journal and voted Best of Boston by Boston Magazine. Michael previously taught at the University of Connecticut and Boston University. He is the author of TBC30: 6 Steps to a Stronger, Healthier You.