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Heres What Experts Had to Say

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On the weekends, my days are a lot less hectic.

If I feel like walking the last mileor running an extra onetheres time.

woman sweating in the gym

personal trainer and director of education for Row House

She is also a former instructor at Mile High Run Club in New York City.

Thats where the debate of rowing versus running comes in.

How you define effective, however, depends on what youre looking for when you exercise.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

Some people prioritize burning calories (aka energy).

She is a trainer atCityRow, one of the fastest-growing indoor rowing franchises in the country.

She was also a fitness instructor atMile High Run Club, an indoor running studio in New York City.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

If anyone is equipped to explain the benefits of rowing versus running, its her.

We also chatted withCaley Crawford, a NASM-certified personal trainer and director of education forRow House.

In other words, youre in good hands.

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

personal trainer and director of education for Row House

The Benefits of rowing

1.

Its low-impact

Tuttle says that one bigbenefit to rowingversus running is that its lower impact than running.

Its a good workout for people who may have arthritis because its easier on their joints, she says.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

This also makes it a very efficient workout.

You get all of that in one workout.

But it would be difficult to do that while running on a treadmill, she says.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

Because of this, rowing can helpimprove posturewhen youre off the machine, too.

Rowing strengthens your lower body

Rowing is primarily leg driven, Tuttle says.

This is one benefit that rowing and running have in common.

The heart is a muscle and increasing your heart rate helps strengthen it.

For this reason,cardiologists recommendengaging in a cardio-based exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

However, she notes that the best cardio is the one youre more likely to do consistently.

It also can build from muscle pull as you push away at the catch.

You just need a quick catch that is generating power (i.e.

we need to create load and force to the body.)

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This comes with good form, Crawford explains.

But again, it depends on how you use the rowing machine.

(A2,000-meter row, perhaps?)

The best rowing machines

The Benefits of running

1.

It doesnt require any equipment

While rowing requires a rowing machine, running doesnt require any equipment.

This makes it less expensive and a workout that can be done virtually anywhere.

Running strengthens your bones

This is a benefit to running that Tuttle says people dont often think of.

Its good for your heart

Running benefits the heart in the same way as rowing, Tuttle says.

Running is an excellent means of conditioning the cardiovascular system.

The typical runner tends to have a slow resting pulse rate and high maximal oxygen consumption.

Rowing is great cross-training for runners, mainly because of its full-body, low-impact nature, she explains.

It will allow runners to get more workouts and conditioning in without tearing apart their joints.

And yes, incorporating rowing into your fitness routine can help improve your run times.

Additionally, rowing is a lot about timingslow recovery, quick and explosive drive.

The better you get at that, the more explosive your running will be.

Rowing vs. running: Whats the more effective workout?

The truth is, theyre both effective workouts.

Otherwise they are less likely to stick with it.

Workouts should be fun!

She also says that theres room for both, too; she certainly didnt choose between them.

Rowing vs. running FAQ

How much rowing time is equal to running?

Crawford says its difficult to compare times.

So in case you were wondering, yes 20 minutes of rowing is enough.

She adds that an hour or rowing (although doable) is a long time for most people.

Typical rowing workouts range from 30 to 45 minutes with varying degrees of intervals, she says.

Is it harder to run or row 5K?

Plus, she loves rowing.

How long does it take to see results from rowing vs. running?

The short answer: It depends on what results youre looking for.

Most rowing metrics will start to improve pretty quickly (split time/avg.

), Crawford says.

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