Rowing Machine for Glutes - 2023 Updated Guide

Last Updated on October 28, 2021 by Jeff

An indoor rowing machine is the perfect exercise machine to use if you want to get a good cardio workout, lose weight and tone your body. You may already be aware of the benefits of a rowing machine for abs, but did you know that you can also use a rowing machine for glutes?

In our guide to the benefits of using a rowing machine for glutes, you’ll learn how using a home rowing machine can tighten and tone a saggy butt. We also include some helpful tips on how to maximize your workout to tone that tush.

Our Guide To Using A Rowing Machine For Glutes

Consistent use of a rowing machine for toning will sculpt your muscles and give your body definition, and this includes your glutes. Yes, indoor rowing can provide an effective butt-busting workout.

But before attempting to row your way to a better butt, you need to understand the role glutes play in rowing. When pushing with your legs against the boards as you pull the handle with your arms, your glutes become engaged.

Focus more power when pushing with your legs than when pulling with your arms, and you’ll soon notice the benefits to your core, back, legs, and butt.

Frequency And Duration Of Rowing To Sculpt And Tone Glutes

Rowing requires time to tone your body when your muscles are not in shape. Slowly build up your strength and endurance before increasing your workout intensity. The time needed to achieve this will vary from person to person.

New rowers should start slowly because rowing can place strain on the lower back. Start by doing shorter, lighter rowing workouts of about 20 minutes 3-4 times a week, to gain the necessary back, leg, and ab strength needed for more regular rowing.

This initial conditioning period will help you to shed excess fat and gain new muscle strength. Once both your strength and stamina improve, you can raise the intensity and increase the duration.

Useful Tips For Targeting Your Glutes More Efficiently While Rowing

Observe Correct Rowing Form

Maintaining proper rowing posture will lessen pressure on your butt and prevent aches and pains during your workout.

Be careful not to lean too far back when completing your rowing stroke, as this can cause excess pressure on your tailbone and sitting bones.

If you feel pressure on these areas, try shifting slightly forward or backward in your seat to alleviate some of the pressure.

Keep your spine straight through each stroke, and ensure that your arms are straight when pulling the handle back and forth.

Rowers sometimes tilt to one side depending on whether they are right or left-handed, and this can cause more pressure to one side of your butt.

Watch The Angle

Keep your upper body at an angle of about 45 degrees during your workout. Leaning too much or bending forward as the seat and handles move puts pressure on your back, causing discomfort and increasing the risk of injury.

To get the most out of your rowing machine workout, begin movements with the legs and glutes. Keep the knees slightly bent while the seat slides or while pulling the handles towards your core area.

Alternate Endurance With High-Intensity Workouts

Two types of rowing workouts exist but have very different effects on muscle tone. We recommend alternating these workouts as you become accustomed to rowing.

High-intensity rowing requires at least 20 minutes at greater resistance and speed and works your muscles harder while raising your heart rate to burn calories.

Endurance rowing requires sustained movement of up to an hour or longer but will challenge your muscles more gently.

Squeeze Those Buns

Row for 10 minutes at a moderate pace and initiate your leg drive with a squeeze of your butt. Keep squeezing all the way through your stroke, right to the finish, and then stop on the recovery. Alternate this with your regular rowing sessions.

Why You Need Stronger Glutes

Building strong glutes does more for you than help you look great in jeans.

Your glutes help stabilize your lower body, like your abs, back, and core muscles become engaged to keep your upper half balanced and upright.

Strong glutes improve mobility and stabilize your hips and pelvis, which will alleviate discomfort in your lower back and decrease the risk of injury while rowing.

Possible Causes Of Butt Pain While Rowing And Ways To Prevent It

Sometimes, rowing can be a pain in the butt. Literally. Understandably, this could cause you to lose the motivation to keep on rowing.

You need to use your glutes while sitting on them, which can cause some discomfort. While rowing, your butt bears most of your weight as you move back and forth over your tailbone, butt, and sitting bones.

Possible Causes Of Butt Pain

When starting any new type of exercise, you will experience aches and pains for the first week or so. You will become accustomed to sitting for long periods and start to strengthen the muscles worked by a rowing machine. As your glutes become stronger, you will experience less pain.

It is also possible that you are not correctly positioned in the seat, which can lead to poor blood circulation. After about 20 minutes of rowing, this can lead to pain and discomfort.

Ways To Prevent It

Before any form of exercise, including rowing, it is essential to do a few stretches to loosen up your muscles and encourage good blood circulation. Being more flexible will also allow you to maintain proper positioning while rowing.

A good warm-up is essential to any workout. Aim to do at least 5 minutes of warm-up rowing to kickstart your circulation.

Ensure that you are properly positioned in the center of the seat. Being off-center by even an inch on either side will cause more pressure to one side of your butt than the other, resulting in discomfort and pain.

While seated on your rowing machine, you shouldn’t feel uneven pressure on any area of your butt. However, any activity which puts pressure on an area for an hour or more is going to cause discomfort. If you row for an hour or more at a time, expect some degree of butt pain.

How to Use A Rowing Machine For Glutes FAQ

Which muscle groups does indoor rowing target?

Rowing especially targets your upper body, including your deltoids, triceps, wrist extensors and flexors, pecs, and trapezius muscles, as well as your biceps, giving you strong rowing machine shoulders to be proud of.

But rowing also works the hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves in your lower body, along with your all-important core muscles such as the abs and obliques.

How big will my muscles get with rowing?

While using a rowing machine benefits bodybuilding, it depends on your individual workout routine.

If you are merely wanting to get into shape and are wondering, ‘Will a rowing machine make me bulky?’ don’t worry. Using a rowing machine will not give you huge muscles like The Hulk unless you want them.

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