Rowing as an Aerobic & Anaerobic Workout

Rowing, like many cardio activities, can work either your aerobic or anaerobic energy system depending on your intensity. Rowing is a calorie blaster that also builds muscle. It's most effective for fat burning and fitness improvement if you do it both aerobically and anaerobically in the same workout through interval training. You can row outdoors on the water or with a rowing machine at the gym.

  1. Aerobic Rowing

    • When rowing at an aerobic pace, your body is able to take in enough oxygen to meet the demands of your muscles. During aerobic exercise, proteins, fats and carbohydrates are metabolized as fuel for energy output. According to sports and fitness expert Brian Mac, you're getting an aerobic workout if you're working at 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

    Anaerobic Rowing

    • Increasing your intensity to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate or higher causes you to cross the anaerobic threshold, also known as the lactate threshold. This is the point at which your body stops metabolizing energy aerobically, and does so anaerobically. Your anaerobic energy system metabolizes stored glucose, and oxygen deficiency makes the cardiovascular system work harder and become stronger as a result. Because anaerobic exercise expends so much energy, it can only be sustained for a short period. This is why interval training is necessary.

    High-Intensity Interval Training

    • High-Intensity interval training involves doing steady-state cardio with quick bouts of high-intensity work. The high-intensity portion will be done at 75 to 90 percent of your maximal intensity. Constantly switching between using your aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways makes your body work harder. According to "Men's Health" magazine, high-intensity intervals burn more fat and build more muscle than steady-state cardio. HIIT also boosts your metabolism for hours after your workout. An example workout would be to row at a steady pace for about three minutes, then perform a high-intensity burst for one minute. Repeat the sequence three to 10 times, depending on your fitness level.

    Benefits

    • By working both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, high-intensity interval training makes for a very effective rowing workout. According to a 2009 study done at the University of Tasmania in Australia, competitive rowers who did high-intensity interval training for just four weeks improved their race times over rowers who just performed steady-state training. The study notes that high-intensity interval training increased VO2 max in the rowers, which helped them improve times. VO2 max refers to your body's maximal ability to transport and use oxygen during exercise.

    Considerations

    • If you're rowing on the water, you can increase your intensity by moving your paddles faster to increase your speed. If using a rowing machine, increase damper speed to up the intensity. Warm up your muscles at the beginning of your workout by rowing at an easy pace or doing a light jog for five to 10 minutes. Cool down and stretch at the end of your workout to avoid tight muscles and injuries.