Is Rowing Good For Back Fat?

Everyone wishes they could get rid of their back fat.

Unfortunately, fat cannot be spot reduced. The muscles in certain areas can be toned to appear firmer, but incorporating lots of cardio exercises into your workout plan is the only way to lose fat anywhere.

Although the rowing motion could make it seem as if the rowing machine only exercises the shoulders and arms, it actually works the entire body. When you give it a try, you’ll feel the impact and burn (and the soreness the next day) throughout the body, even though you’ve only performed one exercise.

Let’s explore whether rowing is a good exercise option to help you lose back fat, as well as the best ways to use a rowing machine to maximize fat loss and calorie burn.

Does rowing reduce back fat?

You can strengthen your muscles and lose body fat with a decent cardio workout, like rowing machine exercises. Rowing will tone and improve back muscles, which will eventually help you lose back fat. Toned muscles look thinner.

When done regularly, rowing can help reduce body fat, especially back fat. It is not possible to use a rowing machine to target a specific area, such as back fat or belly fat.  However, a healthy diet paired with cardio and general exercise leads to overall toning and weight loss.

If done regularly, rowing is a good cardio exercise for weight loss. Depending on the intensity of your workout and body weight, rowing for 30 minutes can burn anywhere from 250 to 400 calories.

Rowing is also a strength exercise that engages the core and works the upper body (shoulders, back, arms), lower body (thighs, glutes, calves), and core.

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The main benefit of muscle growth and toning is that it results in sustainable weight loss that is not easily reversible.

After a few weeks of using the rowing machine regularly, you will notice that your back, along with your entire body, is getting more toned and slimmer.

In addition to being a physical benefit, a stronger back gives your entire body a sturdier foundation, which minimizes your risk of muscle issues and long-term injury as you age.

How to get rid of back fat using a rowing machine

Rowing on a rowing machine is an exercise that mimics the motion of rowing a boat. It helps strengthen major muscle groups throughout the body and is also great for your cardiovascular health.

A rowing machine is a fantastic, practical addition to your home gym because it offers a full-body workout and allows you to workout whenever it’s convenient for you. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about going to the gym or the weather. You are also more likely to exercise if the equipment is close at hand.

Form

If done correctly, rowing is one of the best low-impact exercises that engage a wide range of muscle groups throughout the body.

While rowing might help to strengthen your back muscles and lower your risk of injury or pain, poor rowing technique can have the opposite impact. It is essential to first ensure that your feet are strapped in securely and flat against the foot pedals. Then, grab the handlebar and move backward while extending your legs as you pull the bar towards your chest. Finally, slide forward smoothly while extending your arms and bending your legs towards your chest.

Your back should be straight, and your feet should remain flat against the pedals the entire time. This helps maximize the exercise’s effectiveness while minimizing the risk of back or foot injury or pain.

The rowing resistance can be easily adjusted, with lower resistance providing a mild workout and higher resistance working your muscles more intensely. This helps improve your fitness level, maximize fat burning, and promote muscle growth.

Routine

It is critical to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose back fat. Since everyone is not built the same, the total number of calories you need to consume or burn should be determined by a diet professional or calculated using credible online tools.

You should use the rowing machine for anywhere between 20 and 60 minutes, three to six days a week, depending on your exercise regimen. However, this depends on your fitness goals and whether you have incorporated other exercises into your workout plan.

If rowing is your only form of exercise, a one-hour session may be ideal. However, if you combine it with other exercises, a 20-minute session is sufficient.

When trying to lose back fat, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great addition to your normal workout routine. It is a form of interval training where you alternate between quick, high-intensity bursts of exercise with slower, lower-intensity periods.

For instance, 30 seconds of high-speed, high-resistance rowing can be followed by 45 seconds of slow, low-resistance rowing, for 20 to 30 minutes.

Fitness experts recommend incorporating HIIT exercises into your workout routine to ensure that you continue to burn fat after you finish your workout. This is due to the consistently higher heart rate, which makes HIIT highly effective for burning fat and losing weight.

Extra benefits

Rowing also improves your cardiovascular and mental health. Another important benefit of rowing is stress reduction. Furthermore, because it is a low-impact workout, it is ideal for active recovery, such as for people recovering from an injury. This is a great feature for beginners who want to start their fitness journey with a controlled workout.

The bottom line

The short answer to whether rowing is good for back fat is “Yes, rowing can be a good way to reduce back fat.” Rowing is a full-body workout that can help build strength and improve your overall fitness. When combined with a healthy diet, it can help you lose weight and burn fat, including in the back area.

When it comes to a cardiac workout, calorie burning, and the number of muscle groups that are worked, rowing machines are arguably the most effective pieces of training equipment ever created.

It’s time to get moving, hop on a rowing machine, and start sweating off that back fat!