Recently we acquired some new Concept 2 Rowers inside of the facility. Everyone likes the nice and shiny equipment, but are they actually using it properly. Everyone knows that when a facility gets something new, there is always one person who has to be the first to use it. 

Too many times I see trainers just sticking their clients on the rower and walking off to tend to others things until they finish. Would you want to work with someone who does that? What a waste, right? 

Here we will break down the sequence of the rowing motion to help you get the most out of you High Intensity Cardio Sessions. 

Getting Started: Pick an intensity to start with. It goes up to 10, which is the heaviest resistant you can row. Be sure to start light, then gradually increase it as you become familiar with the sequence of events

1. The Catch: your legs are compressed and you shins will remain vertical. Your triceps work to help with arm extension and the flexors of your fingers and thumb will grip the handle. Keep your back muscle relaxed and tense up your abdominals to help with torso flexion. 

2. The Dive: Initiate the drive with your leg muscles and keep the muscles of your shoulder contracted. As you continue through the drive sequence, you keep you biceps engaged to help pull the handle towards your abdomen. You will tend to use your back muscle more often as your torso swings open. Your gluten and hamstrings contract to help with hip extension through he movement. Nearly all of the muscles in the back will be engaged as you finish the drive movement. 

3. The Finish: At the finish, the abdominals help stabalize the body as the gluten and quads are contracting. The biceps and many of the muscles in the back will also stay contracted to help with keeping the body in the finish position. 

4. The Recovery: The triceps with start to engage to help push the arms forward and away from the body. The abs will help keep the torso flexed forward. The calves and hamstrings will begin to contract as you move your body back into the CATCH position. 

Its as simple as that. Seems a bit over your head probably.  If you do this effectively you will start to get more out it, than just going through the same motion as the guy at the gym told you to go through. Its better to get an experts help on this, so you don't get your self hurt. 

A sample Workout could include, but not limited to:

100 meter row

25x squat hops

1 minute wall sit

200 meter row

25x push ups

1 minute plank

300 meter row

5x inch worms

1 minute bridge

*4 rounds

Rower breakdown adapted from: http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/muscles-used