How Are The Rowing Machine and Elliptical

Cardiovascular System

Both of these machines aim to train the cardiovascular system, making them very similar, with some nuances around which style of cardiovascular training they are most effective for. The rowing machine and the elliptical both stress the cardiovascular system in order to create cardiovascular adaptations and use energy (k-cals).

Neither Are Weight Bearing

Non weight bearing cardiovascular training is very effective for those who are just easing into cardiovascular training as it does not stress the joints and muscular system too aggressively. This means that it causes no soreness which helps when building a sustainable training routine.

How Are The Rowing Machine and The Elliptical Different

Rowing is a Full Body Workout

Rowing is much more of a full body workout than the elliptical. The upper body and the lower body are crucial to rowing technique whereas with the elliptical it is much more of a lower body workout. The elliptical does involve slight upper body movement, that being said this does not require the use of a lot of energy.

Rowing is More Technical

Rowing requires a great deal more technique than using the elliptical. The rowing machine is very easy to perform with bad technique which is not only inefficient but can put the body in uncomfortable positions, especially when dealing with high levels of fatigue. This is an important different between the two when programming for yourself or your clients.

Rowing Is More Effective for HIIT

It is very very rare that people perform high intensity interval training on the elliptical, this machine is very rarely used for this style of training. This is because the way the machine is made does not make it an effective tool for HIIT. The rowing machine on the other hand couldn’t be more different, once you have excellent technique, it is one of the most effective tools there is for high intensity interval training.

The Elliptical Is Beginner Friendly

The elliptical is perfect for those who have not done cardiovascular training for a long period of time and need a gently, non-technical way to increase their heart rate to a sustainable level for a prolonged period of time. The rowing machine is often too technical for a beginner and it is much harder to keep a low heart rate.

Why This Is An Important Comparison

It is important to make the distinction between the rowing machine and the elliptical because they are different tools that are effective at different aspects of training for different individuals. The elliptical is amazing for low intensity steady state for sedentary individuals and should be used in this case. For advanced individuals looking to use a tool for high intensity interval training the elliptical is extremely ineffective and should be avoided, whereas the rower is perfect for this individual.

Factors to Take Into Consideration

Technique Capabilities

The rower is a very technical machine, there should be a period of skill acquisition prior to using it for both HIIT and LISS (low intensity interval training). The elliptical however requires literally no technique, this needs to be taken into consideration when selecting which machine you are going to use when designing your training programme.