Rowing Vs. Running: Which Among The Two Is A Better Workout For You?

Rowing vs. running, which do you think is a more effective workout? Do you prefer the land or do you love water activities more? Do you want to experience them both? Go ahead and check available products here. You might find something you’d love and enjoy.

Choosing a better workout

As much as possible, we always want to choose a better workout for our condition. We aim to have a workout that suits our health and fitness needs. But how can we say it is a better workout? For instance, rowing vs. running. Which one is a better workout?

In this article, let us compare the differences between rowing and running. In the end, we might be able to see which one is a better workout. Please come and join me!

Rowing

In the world of sports, what comes to mind is that rowing is normally done in waters. However, in the world of health and fitness, there are already available rowing machines. These rowing machines have become popular in recent years. In effect, its number has grown higher inside the gym as well as homes. But what do rowing machines provide that made people get in the craze over it? Let me tell you about it.

Benefits of rowing

Here are some of the benefits you can gain from using a rowing machine.

1. Low impact: You can consider this as one big benefit of rowing. If you happen to experience pain in your joints, particularly in the hips and knees, rowing is a better option for you. Being a type of workout with low impact, choosing this is better for people with arthritis. This workout will be easier for their joints. Additionally, rowing is also beneficial to those recovering from an injury.
2. Safer for people with impaired vision: Since rowing machines are stationary, those who have problems with their vision can use this. Settling on it, finding your rhythm, then letting your body experience the workout it needs.
3. Strengthens the upper body: Rowing is a better provider of strength in the upper body. It is a type of full-body workout. It does not only focus on the arms but also the back, pecs, abdominal muscles, obliques, and even the leg muscles.
4. A good cardio workout: All the cardio benefits associated with running are also present in rowing. Rowing machine strengthens the cardiovascular system. In this case, rowing is a workout good for the heart and lungs.
5. A better option for burning calories: After your workout, a rowing machine can still elevate your metabolism for several hours. In effect, you will experience more calorie burn.

Running

Running is a kind of high-impact cardio workout. It is quite hard on the joints. However, it is a very common type of exercise that the majority loves doing so. Running is a form of cardio exercise that is easily accessible as well as improves aerobic fitness. Let us now breakdown the benefits of running.

Benefits of running

1. No equipment needed: It is a less expensive type of workout because it does not require any equipment at all. Anyone can do running anywhere. However, it would be best to choose a safer place when running.
2. Develops strength in your bones: Running provides strength to the bones. The presence of gravity while running allows an individual to develop more bone density.
3. Promotes better sleep: Running improves the sleep quality of an individual. It allows you to fall asleep quickly. This applies effectively to athletes wherein sleep is an important factor to maintain good performance.
4. Improves cognitive function: As running raises the heart rate and blood flow, it also increases the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. It is also an effective way to stimulate the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This factor allows for the growth and survival of neurons inside the brain. Additionally, it improves mental health and an effective way to prevent depression.
5. It is a good aid to lose weight: Since you are moving your entire body as you run, there is a higher burning activity of calories. Maintaining a regular running activity will keep off the calories away from your body.

Other comparisons between rowing and running

1. Cost: Running is the best option for this category. It is free of charge, with no need for equipment. Unlike rowing that you will be needing an expensive rowing machine. A little expensive compared to treadmills though.
2. Duration: Between running and rowing, you will feel more tired in rowing. Having the same duration, rowing allows you to activate more muscle groups compared to running.

Conclusion

The effectiveness of a cardiovascular workout does not fully depend if it’s low impact or high, or if it is indoor or outdoor. What you need to consider is the kind of workout you need for your body. Between rowing and running, you can see that both have benefits. It’s just that they differ on the kind of benefits it provides. But the truth is, they are both effective workouts in their phases.

One thing more to consider when you want to do a workout, it would be best to choose the workout to enjoy more. By all means, enjoying the workout will keep you motivated to continuously do it every day. Aside from that, what you prioritize to achieve in your workouts is also a big consideration for this.

Take away

On the positive side, why don’t you just consider doing a little of both? It’s just a matter of proper balance and management of both workouts. Asking a professional trainer will surely help you. Doing a little of both these workouts will surely increase your chances of improving your overall health. If you don’t like running maybe you can try cycling; view indoor bikes at recumbentbikeaustralia.com.au.

In either case, there is no chance not to gain a single benefit at all. A serious and committed mindset to achieve your fitness goals is only what it takes for a workout to become completely effective.

In the final analysis, the effectiveness of a workout will truly depend on your needs and your commitment to continuing to do it.