The indoor rowing machine (ergometer) is widely known as a highly effective tool for cardiovascular fitness and endurance training. Many users question whether it can also stimulate muscle growth, a process known as hypertrophy. The rowing machine is a uniquely compound movement that engages a vast percentage of the body’s musculature. This allows it to function as both a powerful cardio engine and a resistance training tool, depending on how the user approaches the exercise.
The Rowing Stroke and Primary Muscle Engagement
The rowing stroke is a continuous, four-phase sequence requiring the coordinated action of nearly every large muscle group, making it a true full-body exercise. The initial stage, the “catch,” involves the triceps extending the arms forward while the core stabilizes the torso in a forward-leaning position. This sets the body up for the powerful concentric contraction that follows.
The primary power phase is the “drive,” beginning with a powerful leg push engaging the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. As the legs extend, the torso pivots backward, recruiting the erector spinae and back muscles for stability and force transfer. The final component of the drive is the arm pull, where the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and biceps contract to draw the handle toward the abdomen.
The “finish” is the brief moment of full extension, where the glutes and quadriceps are fully contracted and the abdominals stabilize the body’s slight backward lean. This is followed by the “recovery,” an eccentrically controlled return to the catch position. During recovery, the triceps push the arms away, and the abdominals and hip flexors control the forward pivot of the torso.
Optimizing Rowing Workouts for Muscle Growth
Shifting a rowing workout’s focus from aerobic conditioning to muscle hypertrophy requires specific adjustments to the machine settings and the workout structure. The fundamental requirement for muscle growth is high mechanical tension, which is manipulated by adjusting the resistance and the stroke rate.
The resistance, or “drag factor,” is controlled by the damper setting, which regulates the air entering the flywheel cage. While a high damper setting makes the pull feel heavier, it is more effective to find a drag factor that allows for a strong, explosive pull. Maximal hypertrophy is achieved by focusing on high power output per stroke rather than simply pulling against the highest setting.
To maximize muscle-building stimulus, the stroke rate (SPM) should be kept relatively low, typically 18 to 24 SPM. A lower stroke rate forces the user to generate maximum power on each stroke, emphasizing strength over cardiovascular endurance. This approach is similar to lifting heavy weights with fewer repetitions.
Structuring the workout as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is more effective for muscle building than long, steady-state rows. Short bursts of maximal effort, such as 100-meter sprints followed by rest, create the necessary mechanical damage and metabolic fatigue. This training leverages the full-body compound nature of the stroke to recruit a large volume of muscle fibers quickly.
Integrating Rowing into a Total Strength Program
While rowing can build muscle, especially for beginners or those returning to exercise, its ability to drive maximal hypertrophy is limited compared to traditional free-weight training. This limitation stems from the difficulty of achieving true progressive overload on a rowing machine in the same way one can with barbell exercises. Free weights allow for precise, incremental increases in load that directly target specific muscles, which is the primary driver of muscle size.
The rowing machine is an excellent tool for developing muscular endurance, functional strength, and balanced muscle development across the entire posterior chain. It works well as a powerful warm-up to prepare the body for heavier lifting by activating the glutes, hamstrings, and back. For strength athletes, rowing serves as an efficient conditioning tool that maintains muscle mass while improving work capacity.
Rowing is best viewed as an accessory exercise within a comprehensive strength program, rather than the sole method for building large muscle mass. It provides a unique stimulus for total-body strength and conditioning that complements the muscle-isolating and maximal-load capabilities of traditional weightlifting. The machine’s low-impact nature also allows for frequent training without the joint stress associated with heavy barbell work.