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Compare Rowing MachinesHIIT Workout At Home: Why rowing should be in your routine
Are you wanting to get a great HIIT workout – that stands for High Intensity Interval Training – at home? Do HIIT workouts give you the results and energy you’re looking for in your exercise routine?
When you’re hungry for a helping of HIIT, rowing will give you everything you need. In this article we’ll explain why.
What exactly is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) anyway?
High intensity interval training has become trendy in recent years for its ability to increase exercise capacity in short amounts of time. But interval training itself is nothing new and has been a recipe for success in athletic training for decades, dating back to the 1970s.
Why has HIIT become so popular? For starters, our lives have gotten busier than ever before, and we’re looking for ways to get more out of the time we put aside for our workouts.
The other reason HIIT workouts have increased in popularity is that interval training workouts have been shown to not only improve cardiovascular fitness, but also efficiently increase VO2max. Endurance athletes are increasingly shifting some or all of their cardio to interval training as a way to develop more stamina, strength, and endurance.
Why rowing is the perfect HIIT workout for all levels
If you’re hooked on HIIT, rowing is one of the best ways to incorporate effective interval training into your routine. Here are a few reasons why rowing gets the job done so well compared to other high intensity interval workout solutions.
Rowing uses the majority of muscles in your body
The best interval training workouts recruit a large percentage of muscle fibers in the body at once, forcing your body to tap energy reserves and put in a lot of work. When you’re rowing correctly, you’re using a majority of your muscle groups both in the upper and lower body, and these muscles are working against resistance with every single stroke.
Rowing meets you wherever you are
Whether you’re a competitive athlete with years of experience or a newbie who’s never rowed before in your life, rowing will meet you exactly where you are. The sport is accessible enough that you can start rowing today even if you’ve never done it before, yet technical enough that you can work on your form and make improvements for months and years to come.
Rowing is a high intensity, low impact solution
Other high intensity sports or workouts can strain your joints and take a toll on your body over time, especially if you aren’t taking adequate rest days. With rowing, you won’t have that problem, because rowing is one of the most low impact workouts you’ll find.
“Low impact” doesn’t have to mean low intensity or low energy. When done right, a rowing workout can push you to your limits and help you measure your progress. The risk of injury is one of the lowest of any sport or activity, and rowing can give you everything you need to succeed.
Get your HIIT workout at home with Hydrow
If you know that high intensity interval training is your thing, Hydrow is an effective and sustainable way to meet your goals. It’s also pretty fun! Here are some of our features that will help your future interval workouts be better than ever.
World-class coaching
Hydrow’s Athletes include Olympians, national champions, and seasoned coaches. They not only guide you and keep you motivated throughout workouts; they’re in a boat matching you stroke for stroke on the water! Interval work on Hydrow is divided into three types of classes:
- Drive workouts, in which you’re pushing yourself to the limit in short, max-effort bursts,
- Sweat workouts, in which you practice holding a healthy pace for slightly-longer intervals (Think two to four minutes in length), and
- Breathe workouts, in which you hold a longer interval and pace to practice consistency and focus.
No matter what type of interval work you’re looking for, it’s available on demand when you use Hydrow.
Progress metrics
Are you motivated by seeing steady improvement over time? If the answer is yes, you’ll love the metrics that are available to you on Hydrow.
After taking Hydrow’s 5-minute assessment row, you’ll receive an email with your personalized effort zones. During your rowing workouts, the Hydrow athlete will tell you which effort zone to be in during your workout. Aim to hit and hold your split within your effort zones in various workouts, and you’ll notice over time that your splits begin to improve and speed up during your workouts. Our Athletes coach you throughout your workout, giving you the form tips and motivation you need to reach your goals.
Community and accountability
With Hydrow, you can tap into a vibrant, thriving community without leaving your home. In addition to a lively members-only Facebook group, we host training camps and other challenges all throughout the year to keep you inspired and motivated to go after those tough intervals with gusto.
Want an even more real feeling? Join us for live workouts, held Tuesdays through Saturdays and powered with our Live Outdoor Reality™ technology. Join your favorite Hydrow Athlete and fellow members as you tackle interval-based workouts together in real time! Workouts are 100% live and anything goes.
High intensity interval training has become one of the most popular options in fitness today. But pushing yourself doesn’t mean you have to wreck your body or isolate yourself in the process. Hydrow gives you everything you need to take your interval training game to the next level; learn more today about everything we have to offer, and we’ll see you out on the water!