We start with the assumption that we all know what a rowing machine is. In case there is someone coming across the term for the very first time here though, a brief disambiguation would be well in order. This would be with a view to make it clear that the rowing machine is not some sailing implement (which mechanizes the 'rowing aspect' in boat sailing), but rather a machine used to exercise the body. This is to say that it is a machine that simulates the rowing action in a static setting, not for locomotive purposes, but rather for exercise purposes. The machine is a fantastic exercise aid when you are looking to build strength. It is also great when you are looking for cardiovascular exercise.
As with anything in life, there is the right way to make use of a machine, just as there is a wrong way to go about it. If you don't make use of the rowing machine in the right way, you may not get optimal benefits out of it. Worse still, it could end up causing some harm to you. There are therefore some mistakes you need to avoid, when making use of a machine for exercise purposes.
One of the most commonly made mistakes in rowing machine usage is where the rower jerks the machine's handle back with their arms. This is a mistake which is very easy to make, seeing how the mechanics of rowing machine usage work. What you should aim to do is to keep the machine handle movement independent of your bodily arm movement. This will keep you from early fatigue, while also giving you the opportunity to get optimal benefit from your exercise.
As you may be aware, there are four rowing machine usage phases, namely the catch, drive, finish and recovery positions. These are, in a way of speaking, the phases you go through in each effectively carried out rowing machine stroke. There are also some mistakes you need to avoid with regard to these phases.
Opting to start the drive phase with your lower back, rather than your legs, is a sure way to ruin your experience. The right way to start the drive phase is with your legs. This is challenging though, and many people opt to start the phase with the lower back. In doing this, they forget that they got into the exercise in a bid to 'challenge their bodies.' Besides making for a sub-optimal exercise experience, this can also lead to unnecessary stress on the lower back region of the body, which is highly undesirable. It is in your best interests to go about your machine drive phase in the right way - with the legs rather than with the lower back.
Turning to the catch position, the most commonly made mistake is where rowing machine users opt to lean far too forward. This ends up compromising your exercise experience. Again, it can lead to too much stress on your back. You need to moderate your forward movements in the catch position.
In the back position, the reverse situation applies as an error: where rowing machine users end up leaning much too far to the back. Like the other machine usage mistakes, this can not only lead to a sub-optimal exercise experience, but also extreme lower back stress. The end result would be a situation where far from being beneficial to you, exercise turns out to be of harm to you. It is therefore in your best interests to avoid this, and other previously mentioned rowing machine usage errors.
