The Best Machine to Use in the Gym Is…
…the rowing machine.

Talk about retro! The rowing machine, once relegated to high school and college gyms, is making a big comeback as more people realize the extraordinary fitness and calorie-burning benefits, reports WTOP News in Washington, D.C.
Long ignored as gym rats preferred the treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical trainer instead, the rowing machine–officially called the ergometer–is growing in popularity.

“It’s the most indispensable piece of cardio equipment in the gym,” personal trainer Fairfax Hackley explained to WTOP, adding that he insists each of his clients put in time on the rowing machine.

Why? It targets core muscles. “It’s a total body workout,” he explained. “It hits your shoulders. It hits your chest. It hits your arms. It hits your back, your lower back, your glutes, [gluteal muscles], your quads, even your calf muscles.”

What is a rowing machine or ergometer? It provides a non-weight bearing cardio workout, which makes it easy on the knees and ankles. To use it, you sit down and most of your weight is on the seat. But don’t think for a minute that this is an easy workout. It’s not! It’s very intense and difficult. You will feel it.

Why use it? The simple answer is to burn calories–a lot of them! “Because you’re using your whole body, the calorie count is generally over 500 calories per hour,” Hackley told WTOP.

–From the Editors at Netscape
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