I have begun rowing…again. I’m not into endurance or long sessions, but using HIIT mostly a couple times a week and working in other exercises in a circuit fashion. For example: Row 1,000 meters, 20 KB swings, 20 Pushups. 750 m/30 swings/30 pushups. 500/40/40. 250/50/50. Question: can rowing actually build muscle?
Rowers will typically have more muscle mass than runners, cyclists, swimmers, and other endurance athletes. So compared to this group of athletes, they are muscular. Compared to athletes who do more explosive work, like sprinters, throwers, and olympic lifters, they will be less muscular.
To sum: you can build muscle rowing. Depending on your aesthetic and athletic goals, this may or may not be satisfactory for you. Regardless, if you enjoy it then it can be a great addition to your training and conditioning.
I don’t write this to demean you at all, as you’re an intelligent poster, but consider this.
Basketball players will typically be taller than baseball, golf and tennis players. To sum: basketball will make you tall.
Is it that rowing, as a sport, makes athletes more muscular, or is it that rowing, as a sport, rewards a more muscular athlete? Are runners less muscular because running MAKES you less muscular, or are less muscular athletes better suited for running than more muscular runners?
I’ve known a few rowers, and strength training was always part of the training protocol along with rowing. I’m sure rowing, as an activity, can develop muscles, but I gotta figure this sorta chicken and egg thing results more in stronger muscular dudes making better rowers.
And I share this more as a competitor in another sport where this can happen. People see big jacked strongman and think “oh man: strongman makes you jacked!” and think the secret to mass and strength is lifting stones and kegs. Those are cool, but most strongman are getting jacked on the basics and then getting good on the events.
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Great analysis. My foundation training is toward body building. I love powerlifting, but as I age (78) powerlifting has led to too many injuries, so I’ve moved to more machines. I do include Rack pulls, fairly heavy Squats and occasional trap bar DL. I’m adding some additional work like battle ropes, KB swings, farmers carries and now rowing… all high intensity, to stay lean and not be boring. Just FYI.
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If nothing else, I’d have confidence in the ability of rowing to maintain muscle.
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I can definitely work up DOMS on the higher resistance settings on my Concept II, but I’m a runner and bought it when I once again decided that I had to break up with running for good because it kept hurting me, and needed a new date. I can’t stomach the thought of an elliptical, which is where old runners usually go to die.
I use the rower for a cross-trainer, and mostly do higher resistance for limited time, since I’ve gotten back together with running for the moment.
Yes, this.
Awesome, and extremely not-boring!
This is all satisfactory, will build muscle, and will keep you healthy.
And you, along with this list of stuff you’re doing, is the reason why I get so out of sorts when I hear people in their 30s (yes, even late 30s) complaining about being old. Good job, man.
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I really like the concept II rowers.
If you do your rows just trying to have a smooth power output through out by pulling evenly start to finish they’re so-so.
If you take off from the start of the stroke explosively like you’re doing 2/3 of a clean, they’re awesome.
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A max effort 2000m row is one of the most miserable things there is, by the way.
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