How to Do
The heavy rowing should begin with good posture to avoid injury. Brace the spine by drawing your lower abdomen inward. Your core muscles should be activated to support your posture as you perform the exercise.
If any pain is experienced, immediately stop the heavy rowing.
Beginning
Movement
1. Sit tall on the rowing machine, arms straight, back erect, knees and ankles flexed, and shins roughly vertical. Pull your shoulders down and brace your core with your lats in this position. This interaction will aid in the protection of your lower back. Then bend forward slightly while maintaining a tall back.
2. Begin by pressing with your legs while keeping your core braced and contracted. Hinge at the hips and lean back to around 45 degrees when your legs are straight. The final step is to pull the handle towards your body, a few inches over your belly button, with your arms. Take note of the order in which the body moves: legs, core, hips and shoulders, and arms.
3. Although you won't rest here for long, this is the resting posture opposite the catch position. Legs are long, shoulders and back are angled away from the legs, hands (and handle) are drawn in close to the body, and elbows are tucked into the torso.
4. Return to the catch position by performing the drive movements in reverse order. Extend the arms, swing the hips forward, and bend the knees to bring the torso over the legs.
ACSM Recommendations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American College of Sports Medicine advocates that you take part in a combined 30 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic or anaerobic activity most days out of the week.
What does that mean for you?
Based on the intensity and your typical hour-long strength training and cardio program, that usually works out at three to five sessions each week.
