Is Rowing Good for Abs?

If you are looking for a workout that focuses on your core, you may have found yourself wondering whether rowing is good for your abs. Rowing is known as a low-impact, full-body workout that can have particular benefits for your abdominal muscles as you move through each rowing stroke.

Learn more about rowing’s impact on your abs below, including whether a rowing machine is a good exercise for abs—and why. 

Is a rowing machine good for your abs? Yes!

Rowing can be very good for your abdominal muscles, specifically the muscles of the core. When you row, you engage a variety of muscle groups, including your legs, back, and arms, but the core muscles play a crucial role in stabilizing your body and generating power during the rowing motion. 

The primary core muscles involved in rowing include the: 

• Rectus abdominis (front of the abdomen)

• Transverse abdominis (deep core muscles)

• Obliques (side of the abdomen)

These muscles work to keep your torso stable and support your lower back as you move through the rowing stroke. They help you maintain proper posture and control your movements, which is essential for effective rowing. 

Rowing also allows you to change your resistance and intensity, allowing you to emphasize your core engagement. The cherry on top is that rowing is a sport of repetition, so not only can you work strength and power with your core, but you can also build endurance and consistency, leaving your core feeling thoroughly worked. 

What connects the power from your legs to the handle? You got it—your core! This means your core is responsible for holding the power generated from your legs as they kick back with your hips. That’s no small task, but the core’s job isn’t done yet. When the legs are down and exhausted, the core then swings to hold pressure on the handle. The position the rower is left at “the finish” almost feels like an abdominal exercise. In some rowing workouts, instructors may even have you pause here, where you will feel your abs tremble as you work to maintain your engagement and posture. 

5 reasons rowing works your abs

Below, we’ll dive into five reasons that rowing machines are great for your core, including: 

1. Rowing is a full-body workout

2. Rowing improves your posture

3. Rowing requires core stability for form and to generate power

4. Rowing is a dynamic movement

5. Rowing increases your endurance

Let’s dig in! 

1. Rowing is a full-body workout

With rowing, you touch on both strength and cardio as you work 86% of your body’s muscles, including your legs, core, and upper body. This is great for maximizing your workouts in a short amount of time if you have a busy day ahead. 

With other workout equipment like treadmills and ellipticals, you have to add exercises to your training routine to target different areas of your body like your abs. However, with rowing, you get a great bang for your buck, as even a 20-minute workout can lead to a massive impact on your body. 

2. Rowing improves your posture

In today's world of commuting and looking down at phones and computers, good posture is something everyone needs. Because rowing is a sport of leverage, posture is paramount from start to finish. As you strengthen your core muscles while logging meters on your rower, you will notice how this translates to better posture throughout your day.

3. Rowing requires core stability for form and to generate power

As noted above, the core is what connects the power of the legs to the handle in your hand. If the core isnt engaged and connecting the two, you're not getting the most out of your workout.  

4. Rowing is a dynamic movement

Think posture meets power. Rowing is all about being long and dynamic, which means you are touching on different areas of your core as you stay long and engaged. You are also performing this movement in an athletic manner that requires your body to be in tune and ready to adapt to the ever-changing speed of your rower and the resistance that comes with that. 

5. Rowing increases your endurance

As mentioned above, your core is used in every part of the rowing stroke. But on top of that, the repetitive nature of rowing engages your core in that powerful dynamic rowing stroke anywhere from 20 to 34 times a minute. Couple that with a 15- to 45-minute workout, and your abs are doing some serious work! Training these repetitions builds muscular endurance that will help you be active for longer. 

However, it's important to note that rowing alone may not be sufficient to develop a strong and defined abdominal area. To achieve well-developed and visible abdominal muscles, you may also need to incorporate specific core-focused exercises and pay attention to your diet to reduce body fat levels, as visible abs are often the result of low body fat.

Get started with rowing with Hydrow

In summary, rowing can help strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles as part of a comprehensive fitness routine that includes cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and proper nutrition. If you are looking to incorporate rowing into your exercise routine, be sure to check out Hydrow. We offer multiple types of rowing machines, along with on-the-water rowing machine workouts led by world-class Athletes.

Learn more about the benefits of rowing with Hydrow and in our blog, “How Does Rowing Change Your Body?”