Ready, Set, who wants to Row?

Torch calories and firm up (all while sitting down).  Who has not yet tried the rowing machine at their gym?  It happens to be one of my personal faves.  I like to fit in 10  to 20 minutes in a circuit of cardio.   Pass that crowd waiting at the treadmills or ellipticals and make a beeline to the rowing machines.  You will burn up to 50% more calories while strengthening nearly all the muscles from your shoulders to your calves.

Here's what you can do to get a decent workout.  Simply set the damper (a device on the side of the flywheel that controls the drag) between 3 and 5, choose a pace mode, and row.  After 9 minutes get up and stretch and walk around for a minute (you can do walking lunges or squats).  Sit back down and finish up your second half.

Form check:
1.  Wrap fingers lightly around the handle and keep wrists straight.
2.  Extend arms in front of you, keeping shoulders relaxed - no hunching!
3.  Hinge forward from the hips and bend knees until their over ankles.
4.  Push through feet, extend legs, and lean back slightly; keep shoulders relaxed.
5.  Draw elbows straight back to sides until hands reach ribs.
6.  To start the next stroke, extend arms, and then bend knees to slide the seat forward.

Enjoy something new....change is good especially to challenge your muscles!