Team GB's Anna Watkins and Katherine Grainger with their Olympic gold medals © RexAs well as sheer enjoyment, there are many benefits to being involved in rowing, including improving your general health and fitness as well as the great feeling of being part of a team, achieving goals and enjoying the company of others. These are reasons why you should get into rowing.
Fitness through rowing
Rowing is a total body workout, using all of the body’s major muscle groups (arms, legs, back, abdomen, and buttocks) making rowing a superb aerobic and resistance training conditioner.
Solo or social rowing
Rowing is great if you are interested in solo sports and just relaxing and training by yourself. Equally, joining in with others can be a great way to build lifelong friendships.
[Related article: Grainger/Watkins win Olympic gold, two rowing bronzes]
Rowing as a stress buster
Rowing is a great way to release the stresses of the day by providing both a stress busting physical workout, as well as enjoying the calming affect of tranquil outdoor waters.
Weight loss through rowing
Rowing is a great calorie burner and combined with healthy eating, will help shed pounds as it conditions the muscles, and therefore increases your metabolism. Research has shown that rowing burns calories faster than biking at the same perceived level of exertion.
Rowing teamwork
Rowers who take part with others, as a member of a team have to learn to be an integral part of that team; rowing in synchronization with the others. It is a great feeling when achievements are made and your team effort has played a vital role in that success.
[Related article: Gold for men's four and women's lightweight doubles]
Rowing: a sport for life
Rowing is a lifelong sport than can be performed and enjoyed at any age. It is not like some high impact sports that you may have to give up once wear and tear take its toll!
Rehabilitation through rowing
Although a strenuous workout, rowing is low impact on the joints, so if you are recovering from an injury, rowing provides the perfect cardiovascular and muscle toning workout with minimal impact.
Improved rowing flexibility
Rowing exercises muscles through a wider range of motion compared to other activities — muscles are stretched and the joints move to a greater extent — thereby promoting flexibility and mobility.
[Related article: British rowing shines on home regatta]
Back strengthening
While the legs provide most of the power of the rowing stroke, the upper body adds the rest and rowing is one of the few aerobic activities that can condition and strengthen the back.
Rowing versatility whatever the weather
Rowing is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors. However, if the weather does take a turn for the worse, you can always perfect your rowing technique either in the gym or at home using a rowing machine. Read more on realbuzz.com...
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How to get involved in rowing
How rowing gets you fit
