Spin Bike vs. Rowing Machine: A Spin Instructor Compares (2023)

FAQs

What's better a spin bike or rowing machine? ›

In general, bikes and rowing machines burn equal calories.

However, rowers are frequently used for HIIT workouts and offer the benefit of after-burn, where the body continues an accelerated rate of burning calories long after the workout. Taking this into consideration, HIIT rowing burns more calories than biking.

Injury risk

Rowing is quite demanding on the back muscles and if done without the proper technique, it could cause an overuse injury to the back. The stationary bike puts very little strain on the back and is gentle on the joints overall. It's even often used as a rehabilitation tool after injuries.

A 50-minute rowing class can burn up to 1,200 calories, twice as many as spinning.

Most agree equivalent distances are about a 5 to 1 ratio depending on who is commenting, a runner or cyclist.

With that said, the rower is much more suitable for steady-state cardio as you can easily row for 30 or more minutes, while the air bike is a better option for HIIT workouts where you need to give your maximum for a short burst of time, then rest and repeat.

Burn the Most Calories: Running

Rowing at a moderate pace burns about 504 calories. That's not a dramatic difference, but if your main goal is calories burned, Holland says running tends to be the better workout, especially because it's easier to integrate sprinting into the mix.

While rowing machines and exercise bikes have similar health benefits and are great cardio options, they each have aspects that are better or worse for certain individuals. If you have back or knee problems, riding an indoor cycling bike might be better for you.

It's easy on the joints.

Rowing is a low-impact sport, so it's perfect if you're nursing an injury. With your feet planted on the footpads and your hands locked on to the grips, there's little to no impact on the ankles, knees, hips, elbows and shoulder joints.

In terms of time, weight loss is best achieved with consistency, so aim for at least 30 minutes per day on a rower, anywhere from 4 to 6 times a week. Make sure you're getting enough rest days, especially if you're just getting started!

While most spin classes are 60-90 minutes long, classes at Total Row are only 30-45 minutes. Because rowing workouts are usually more anaerobic and incorporate many more muscles, its calorie-burn is significantly higher (we've seen research suggesting 2x as many calories burned per 50 minutes!!).

Will rowing 30 minutes a day weight loss? ›

When rowing for weight loss, workout consistency and duration are key. For maximum results, strive to complete 30–50 minutes of rowing five to six times per week. Aim for a comfortable intensity of moderate, steady work where you can still carry on a conversation. Add intervals for variety.

While we recommend having a rest day between workout days a few times per week, if you're smart about how you train, you can row everyday without overdoing it. It's a good idea to alternate between light days and hard days.

Rowing workouts around 20 minutes in length

Studies show that endorphins, the neurochemicals that release during exercise and make you feel good, regularly kick in around the 20-minute mark. A workout around 20 minutes can give you a full-body burn that leaves you feeling good for hours to come.

Rowing is a total-body workout, meaning it will strengthen major muscle groups in your arms, legs, and core and increase cardiovascular endurance. In short, if you consistently use the rowing machine, you'll notice that you'll become stronger and less out of breath. You may even notice some muscle gain.

If you aren't using proper form, using an indoor rower can lead to back pain or injury that can put you out of commission for weeks. Because they are relatively large machines, many rowers aren't easy to move and can't be folded up for storage when not in use.

Unlike other cardio options, the rowing machine has the edge of simultaneously being a strength and cardio workout, notes Tyrrell. "Rowing workouts let you build more muscle by raising the resistance level, whereas treadmills, spinning bikes, and elliptical machines offer limited muscle-building benefits," he says.

It depends on your priorities. If you're looking for a rowing-first experience that best replicates the water-based workout, then Hydrow is the frontrunner. However, if you're already part of the Peloton community, you'll find the seamless transition between products and the variety of classes worthwhile.

You can expect to notice more definition in your muscles within the first week of daily rowing machine workouts. It takes about 90 days to get an amazing rowing body transformation result. Rowing is a learned movement.

Recent studies have proven that a older person using a rowing machine helps for building physical strength and stamina, stimulating growth of bone and bone mineral density increase. Indoor rowing is perfect for people aged 40, 50, 60 and even older.

You might notice it as a knee click when you're rowing. IT brand friction occurs from repeatedly bending your knees. The normal movement of the IT band during flexion and extension irritates nearby tissues, causing pain on the outside of the knee.

Is rowing good for arthritic knees? ›

A rowing machine used to simulate the action of rowing a boat can provide a great cardiovascular and strength workout for people with arthritis — working both your upper and lower body.

Elliptical pros

Low-impact exercise typically puts less stress on your joints than high-impact exercise. This makes the elliptical a safer option if you have a musculoskeletal condition such as low-back pain, knee or hip pain, or other health conditions like arthritis or osteoporosis.

Rowing can disrupt the spines structure and lead to inflammation on your sciatic nerve. Sciatica pain causes constant discomfort and can impact the quality of your daily life. It's important you seek medical attention at the early signs of nerve pain to avoid further injury.

Any exercise that loads the bones sufficiently can increase bone mass. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that rowing fulfills this criterion and is an effective means of building BMD.

What really is the best time for rowing? According to some studies, the ideal time to engage in physical activity is actually the mid- to late-afternoon. Your body is warm, your muscles are loosened up, and you generally tend to feel awake, alert, and better overall.

The beauty of a rowing stroke is that it activates the lower body (like your quadriceps and glutes), upper body (like deltoids and lats), and core muscles (the coveted abdominal muscles) all at once. Many believe that rowing is all about leg strength, but as you can see, this couldn't be further from the truth.

Generally, that is between 4.5 to 6.5 on the resistance setting; however, every machine varies so it's a good idea to calibrate the drag factor each time you use the erg to work out.

Even once you've found your spinning legs, daily sessions may still be overkill. But if you're looking for a high-intensity workout a few days a week—and especially if running or other forms of vigorous aerobic exercise hurt your joints—spinning may be the ideal way to keep your heart and body in shape.

Yes, when used effectively, a row machine will help lose belly fat and tone your stomach. There are several ways that a rower can be used to target the midsection. The best is to incorporate other exercises such as push-ups, pikes, and planks.

Whole body exercise not only improves the health of the muscles in your arms, legs, core and back, but also in your heart and blood vessels. Unlike running or cycling, rowing recruits large muscle groups in both your upper and lower body from the very first stroke, and strengthens your heart and cardiovascular system.

How long does it take to burn 500 calories on a rowing machine? ›

Depending on your age, heart rate, weight, and intensity of rowing workout, it can take you 35-60 minutes to burn 500 rowing calories.

Rowing machines are much better for combining cardio with muscle building. This maximizes your calorie-burning potential, as you'll burn fat both during the workout and for the rest of the day. It's a more balanced total body workout that is great for losing weight in a more controlled manner.

The tradition of early-morning practices dates back to the early years of competitive rowing. In English rivers, where trade and transportation dominated the waters, competitive races were held at dawn to ensure that they would not be hindered by boat traffic.

Your muscles will feel tired (unrecovered) and sore to the touch. After rowing, you may feel this in your back, glutes, or shoulders. This muscle soreness should be in the thicker, middle region of the muscle (not near joints and tendons) and should go away within 48-72 hours.

The workout

Rowing speed is measured by your stroke rate, which is usually displayed on the machine's screen. Mr. Galvanek and Mr. Bergenroth recommended rowing for 20 or 30 minutes at a pace of 16 to 20 strokes per minute when you're starting out.

Indoor rowing is perfect for those who have a busy schedule and don't have a full hour for gym visits. If you focus your mind on putting in maximum effort from start to finish, you can squeeze in a great 15-minute or 20-minute full body workout that will burn more than 200 calories.

A good distance for 20 minutes is 5047 m. This is the average distance for 20 minutes across all ages and genders. The furthest distance for 20 minutes is 6434 m.

A good distance for 30 minutes is 7436 m. This is the average distance for 30 minutes across all ages and genders. The furthest distance for 30 minutes is 9651 m.

Is rowing good for losing belly fat? ›

Compared with other forms of exercise machines, using the rowing machine is an efficient way to blast calories and slim you down everywhere — including your belly. Besides, it is low-impact and offers you a full-body workout as well as build strong and defined muscles, including your abs.

Just 30 minutes on an indoor rower can help you to burn up to 300 whopping calories.

One of the most proven and effective ways to lose weight is to use a rowing machine. In fact, Harvard Health Publishing says that while most exercise machines work only certain parts of your body, rowing machines come the closest to providing a full-body workout, which can maximize your weight loss efforts.

Rowing boosts weight loss by providing a significant calorie burn, though you should be sure to pair it with a proper diet. It's comparable to running in terms of calories expended, though it has less impact on your joints.

Rowing is a total-body workout, meaning it will strengthen major muscle groups in your arms, legs, and core and increase cardiovascular endurance. In short, if you consistently use the rowing machine, you'll notice that you'll become stronger and less out of breath. You may even notice some muscle gain.

YOU'RE LOSING FAT – AND GAINING MUSCLE

But you're also gaining muscle. Though rowing isn't necessarily the most effective or efficient ways to gain muscle, it's not unusual for rowers to add muscle mass in their legs. That can obviously affect the reading on the scale.

If you just want to lose fat, then a treadmill is a better choice. However, if you want to burn fat while building muscle and improve your overall fitness, rowing machines are better for losing weight.