Rowing Machine Vs. Elliptical

Amy TokicLast Updated: February 14, 2019

 

Struggling to figure out which piece of cardio equipment is right for you? If you’re deciding between the rowing machine vs. elliptical, it’s a good idea to look at the pros and cons of each, along with which one you enjoy using the most.

Always remember that if you don’t do the workout, you won’t benefit. So if you hate using an elliptical trainer and are constantly finding reasons to skip your sessions, then likely, the rowing machine is going to be the better choice for you.

This said, if you have no real preference, then it comes down to the goals you have in place and then benefits each machine has to offer.

Let’s take a closer look at how these compare.

Rowing Machine Vs. Elliptical: Calorie Burn

First let’s consider the factor that most people will find most important when selecting their cardio equipment – the calorie burn. Chances are, if you are involved in cardio training, unless you’re working on improving your endurance for sport, you’re looking, at least to some degree, for weight loss results.

This means how many calories you burn will be critically important to your success. If you’re going to be in the gym for an hour exercising, you’re going to want to ensure that you optimize how many calories you burn so you can see the best possible rate of weight loss taking place.

Burning 200 calories, for instance, is not nearly as beneficial as burning 600 calories, so this can have a huge bearing on which you choose.

Lucky for you however, when comparing the rowing machine vs. elliptical, the calorie burn, assuming you are going at the same relative intensity level, is the same. You’ll be focusing on using both your upper as well as lower body when doing these activities so this will translate to a good calorie burn on both sides of the equation.

Do note however, if you happen to feel more comfortable on one machine and are therefore able to work at a higher overall intensity level because of it, then you will likely burn far more calories on that machine over the other.

So factor that into your decision.

Rowing Vs. Elliptical Training: Joint Impact

Joint impact is another element that must be considered. If you want to keep up with your workout program long-term, it’s vital that you are thinking about keeping your joints healthy and happy.

Aches and pains in the knees, shoulders, back, or ankles are definitely going to make it hard to keep up with the intensity of the workouts.

So which is the winner here? Once again, they both are non-impact so that’s a nice benefit. It’s not like running or walking where each step you take, you bear your own body weight – and more. You are fully supported by the machines as you go.

The one thing you do want to note is that the rowing machine is going to cause the knees to move from a straight position to a bent position over and over again.

While you aren’t bearing weight while doing this, you are still pushing against resistive forces. For some people, this could potentially lead to pain over the long term.

If that is the case, you may be better with the elliptical trainer. While this machine still does require some knee bend as you do the workout, it’s not as great of a degree as the rowing machine is.

Rowing Machine Or Elliptical – Injury Risk

Which now brings us to our next factor: injury risk. Does one machine pose a greater threat of injury than the other?

Between the elliptical vs. rowing machine, we see that again, they are fairly equal. The answer will depend on which area of your body is more prone to injuries.

With the rowing machine, knee injuries will likely be most likely since the knee is moving from a fully stretched to fully bent position as noted above.

With the elliptical, the greater injury risk is likely to your lower back if you are not keeping your back in proper alignment and ensuring your spinal column is in position.

Keeping your abs tight while using the elliptical trainer can help with this. But on top of that, it also comes down to how the elliptical is positioned and your own biomechanics. Some people simply do not feel comfortable on any elliptical trainers, so if that’s the case, rowing may be your better choice.

Rower Vs. Elliptical: Ease Of Use

If you are hitting the gym for the first time and looking for a machine to hop on and go, you’ll actually find that the treadmill earns top marks here. If we were to do a comparison between the rowing machine vs. elliptical vs. treadmill, the treadmill would definitely win out as you can just walk on it – something that almost all of us have been doing since an early age.

The elliptical and rowing machine do take some getting used to, but most people will find the rowing machine easier to pick up.

The elliptical can feel off for the first little while, but most people will quickly adapt and show no signs of struggle. So don’t let this deter you – it’s a minimal difference between the two.

Elliptical Vs. Rowing Machine: Total Body Workout

Moving on, now we must consider how good of a workout you actually get on these machines. It’s one thing to burn a lot of calories, but another to actually be strengthening your body and becoming more fit.

The good news is that regardless of which machine you choose, you will see notable fitness improvements.

The nice thing is that both of these incorporate the lower and upper body into the activity, which is what helps to also increase the overall calorie burn while providing good muscle strengthening benefits.

Unless you choose not to use the arms on the elliptical training, you’ll get good muscle strengthening benefits for your chest, back, shoulder, biceps and triceps while you also work your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Even the calves will be worked to some degree to help stabilize the body. And since you are standing, your core will also be getting a workout.

On the rowing machine, you won’t be getting much chest or shoulder stimulation, but your back and biceps will be worked heavily.

You’ll also get good quad and hamstring stimulation and your glutes will be worked to some degree as well. The calves won’t get that much of a workout while on the rowing machine, but that’s easily resolvable by performing some calf raises as soon as you get off the machine.

Both machines are great for building strength and boosting endurance. The elliptical machine is a bit more well-rounded because it works more upper body muscles, but once again, in a comparison between the rowing machine vs. elliptical vs. treadmill, both are definitely the better choice compared to the treadmill.

Rowing Vs. Elliptical: Programming Factors

Another consideration to take into account is the programmability of the two machines. Which machines can you most easily program? Or are you stuck doing a similar thing for your sessions?

Here, the elliptical does win out to some degree. With the elliptical, not only can you change the resistance levels, but you can also (usually) change the incline in which you are working with. This can change the overall stress pattern on the muscles, really altering how the workout feels overall.

With the rowing machine, you are really only able to change the resistance level, so this machine falls a bit short when it comes to variety.

For this reason, if you are someone who gets easily bored with your workout routines, when choosing between the rowing machine vs. elliptical, you may find you’re best off opting for the elliptical trainer.

You’ll also find that elliptical machines typically come with more built-in programs than rowing machines, so this allows you to just hit a button and you’ll be directed through a workout session.

Rowing Machine Vs. Elliptical: Transferability

Last but not least, think about transferability. Which workout will you receive the best benefits in terms of being able to transfer what it gives you to other areas of your life?

Basically, which will help you out with all your other activities the most?

Here, the elliptical wins out to a small degree. Since it mimics walking/jogging more and you also get the pushing and pulling movement pattern in there, it simply has more of a transfer to everyday movements.

Rowing, while it does too, doesn’t do so as much, so if you are really after functional fitness, opt for the elliptical.

As you can see, these stack up well against each other. Both machines are terrific options and generally speaking, will allow you to see excellent results from your program. In an ideal scenario, you would do both as part of your routine, however if you can only choose one, choose whichever you find most enjoyable.