Row, Row, Row Your…Belly Away? My New Fitness Obsession

So you bought a rowing machine. What’s next? I got my first exposure to a rowing machine at the local Y. It was great. I really enjoyed it. I found the most difficult part about rowing was my husband standing over me. It made me feel constrained. Ha! Ha! Imagine you are rowing – stroke after stroke and someone is standing nearby watching over you. The rhythm just wasn’t there. I just couldn’t get in the groove. Then someone is standing over you staring at your every stroke and talking to you. It just didn’t happen.

“Row with your heart, and the river will echo your soul’s song.”

— Herman Melville

Anyways, I walked away from that rowing machine that day with a definite enjoyment of rowing away. Not long after, we quit the YMCA because I really dislike paying for something I do not own. I only get to rent it for a bit. I am sure you can relate. We are experiencing changes in our environment where we only get the privilege of using something but not quite owning it. For example, Amazon’s Audible, Spotify, Microsoft Office, Apple products, and Google are just a few. Granted, Google could be contested. We don’t actually pay them. They just take our information and use it for their purposes. There are others who could be included in this same theme, but we are not discussing this. We are speaking about rowing machines and my experience.

Years have gone by. I finally bought it a week ago and I am loving having it around. I have been rowing every day since I got back from my work trip. I am hoping to firm up. I am going to confide I have been getting a bit of belly and derriere. I have tried to get it off. But, it keeps hanging around me. They say you can not get rid of a menopause weight because of these hormones things. Yuck. I reduce calories and do a variety of things to try to lose it. It is difficult because I travel. I know that is only an excuse. I work out at home.

So here I am, a proud new owner of my very own rowing machine. No more sharing, no more renting, no more interruptions. Just me, the rower, and a little slice of sanity.

Now, let’s talk about rowing. If you’re new to it, you might think it’s all about pulling with your arms, but here’s the secret: rowing is mostly a leg workout. In fact, about 60% of the power comes from your legs, 20% from your core, and only 20% from your arms. Once I learned that, everything started to click.

Rowing has a rhythm. It’s a cycle of four simple phases:

• The Catch (starting ready position)
• The Drive (push with legs, then core, then arms)
• The Finish (handle near your ribs, slight lean back)
• The Recovery (arms forward, lean forward, bend knees, repeat)

When you get into that rhythm, it feels almost meditative. Stroke after stroke, it’s like breathing—push, glide, return.

And the benefits? Rowing works about 85% of your muscles in one movement. My arms, legs, and core all get in on the action, and yet it’s gentle on my joints. For someone like me, dealing with hormone changes and a traveling lifestyle, it’s the perfect balance of cardio and strength training.

I’ll be honest, I’m rowing for more than just enjoyment. I want to tighten up this belly and backside that menopause seems determined to gift me. They say it’s hard to lose the hormonal weight, but I am defiant and rowing gives me hope. It burns serious calories, tones muscles, and best of all—it feels doable. It’s something I actually want to come back to every day.

So if you’ve just bought a rowing machine—or you’re thinking about it—stick around. In the next sections, I’ll share what I’ve learned about technique, what mistakes to avoid, and how to get the most out of your new fitness friend.

Technique for Beginners: Finding Your Rowing Groove

When I first started rowing, I thought it was all about yanking that handle with my arms. Nope. That was my first mistake. My back wasn’t happy, and it felt awkward. The truth is, rowing is a leg-driven workout. Think of it as a smooth chain reaction: legs first, then your core, and only at the end do your arms finish things off.

Here’s the basic rhythm in four steps:

1. The Catch (the setup)
   • Sit tall with your knees bent, arms straight, and hands holding the handle in front of your shins.
   • Shoulders are relaxed, core is tight, and you’re ready to push off.
2. The Drive (the power move)
   • Press through your legs like you’re pushing the floor away.
   • Once your legs are almost straight, lean back slightly at your hips.
   • Finally, pull the handle in toward your ribs.
3. The Finish (the exhale moment)
   • Legs extended, core strong, leaning back just a little.
   • Handle snug to your torso, elbows back, wrists flat.
   • This is the “power pose” of rowing.
4. The Recovery (reset for the next stroke)
   • Arms extend forward first.
   • Then hinge your body forward.
   • Finally, bend your knees and glide back into the starting position.

The key is to keep the order right: legs → core → arms on the drive, and arms → core → legs on the recovery. If you mix it up, things get sloppy fast.

Also, don’t rush. The drive is quick and strong, but the recovery is slower, almost like a sigh of relief. The rhythm is usually about 1 part drive to 2 parts recovery. That slower glide back is where you find your groove.

One more tip? Relax your grip. I learned this the hard way after my first few sessions left me with sore hands. Hold the handle like you’re holding a baby bird — firm enough not to drop it, but gentle enough not to crush it.

When you nail the rhythm, rowing feels almost like a moving meditation. It’s not just exercise; it’s flow. Stroke after stroke, you get stronger, calmer, and more centered.

Why Rowing? The Benefits That Keep Me Coming Back

So why rowing? Why not the treadmill or the elliptical or all those other gadgets we see collecting dust in people’s basements? For me, rowing just clicked. And the more I looked into it, the more I realized I might have stumbled on the perfect all-in-one workout.

Here are some of the biggest benefits I’ve noticed (and science backs me up on this):

1. It’s a Full-Body Workout

Rowing isn’t just arms (even though it feels great for the arms). It works about 85% of your muscles in one movement. Legs, core, back, arms—everything joins the party. That means I can feel my whole body getting stronger without having to do a dozen different exercises.

2. Joint-Friendly but Powerful

I’ll admit it—I’m not looking to pound my knees or wreck my hips. Rowing is smooth and low-impact, but it still makes me sweat. It’s cardio without the punishment, which means I can keep going day after day without worrying about sore joints slowing me down.

3. Cardio + Strength in One

This is what sold me. I don’t have endless hours to work out. With rowing, I’m getting my heart rate up and building strength at the same time. It’s efficiency at its finest.

4. Good for Hormone Weight & Midlife Changes

Let’s talk real life for a second. Menopause weight is no joke. The belly and the backside like to stick around no matter how many salads I eat. But rowing helps because it’s a calorie burner and a muscle builder. Muscle keeps metabolism humming, which is exactly what I need right now.

5. Stress Relief & Rhythm

This one surprised me. Rowing has a rhythm that’s calming, almost meditative. Stroke after stroke, it feels like I can row out my stress. After a long day, it’s a reset button for my mind.

6. Progress You Can See

Rowing machines track everything—distance, strokes, time. I love being able to look at the screen and see that I went a little farther or rowed a little longer than yesterday. It’s small progress, but it keeps me motivated.

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For me, rowing feels like a secret weapon: it’s simple, it’s effective, and it fits my life. And that’s the real benefit—it’s something I actually want to do.

Ready to Row With Me?

I’ve only just started this rowing journey, but I can already feel the difference. Stronger muscles, a clearer head, and a sense of, “Yes, I can do this.” It’s not about being perfect. It’s about showing up, finding your rhythm, and enjoying the ride.

If you’re curious about rowing, I encourage you to do a little digging. Read up, watch a few videos, maybe try one at your gym or even at a friend’s house. See if it clicks for you the way it did for me.

And if you decide to get your own rowing machine, I’d love for you to join me on this adventure. Let’s row our way to stronger bodies, calmer minds, and a little more confidence each day. Stroke by stroke, we’ll get there together.

I row not just to move—but to be moved. By grace, by rhythm, by the quiet strength of showing up.