# 7 Rowing Machine Mistakes: What They Are And How To Fix Them **By Tuyet Nguyen · Published June 5, 2023 · Updated June 7, 2023** Rowing machines like the Aviron can be incredibly effective and fun cardio and strength training tools when used correctly. With a few simple tips, you can avoid common mistakes beginners make and start getting the most out of your workouts. --- ## Rowing With Your Arms Only One of the most common mistakes fitness beginners make is rowing with only their arms. This can lead to injuries because it severely strains your upper body. Rowing requires 86 percent of your muscles to be used, with each stroke relying on 65 to 75 percent leg effort and 25 to 35 percent upper body effort. To correct this mistake, engage your core muscles and use your legs to drive the stroke. Your arms should work in tandem with your legs and not do all the work. With each stroke, lean forward slightly from the hips, then drive back up through your heels. Relax your shoulders — don't hunch them around your ears. Keep your grip light; you shouldn't be white-knuckling the handlebars. --- ## Hunching Your Back Hunching your back makes the shoulders rise, the chest sag, and the lower back slump, putting strain on your spine and making it harder to row effectively. The correct posture is to sit up straight with your shoulders back and down. Engage your core to maintain a strong and supported position. Keep your feet planted on the footrests and grip the handle with your hands at shoulder level. As you row, use your legs and back muscles to power the movement and resist the urge to hunch your shoulders or round your back. --- ## Going Too Fast Going too fast can be counterproductive because it takes away from the workout and puts unnecessary strain on the body. It's always better to have a slower and more accurate form. Ways to set a challenging but achievable pace: - **Pay attention to your breathing.** If you're panting and out of breath, you are probably going too fast. - **Focus on maintaining good form.** If your technique starts to suffer, you are tiring out and need to slow down. - **Listen to your body.** If you feel like you're about to collapse, it's time to back off the pace. - **Use a rowing machine like Aviron**, which includes interactive coached programs to ensure you maintain the proper pace. When you establish a rhythm and focus on technique steadily, you'll eventually get to a point where you row like a pro. --- ## Forgetting to Breathe Not breathing properly can make the exercise more difficult and lead to fatigue. The key is to breathe in rhythm with your strokes — inhale when you drive your legs back, and exhale as you pull the handle towards your chest. This will help you stay relaxed and make it easier to maintain a consistent pace. With practice, proper breathing will become natural and help you get the most out of your rowing workout. --- ## Rowing Behind Your Hips If you row with your back curved and hips rolled forward, you're rowing behind your hips. This puts unnecessary strain on the lower back and makes it difficult to generate power from the legs. The proper technique is to keep the shins vertical and drive the knees forward so that the legs are directly underneath the hips. This engages the large muscles of the legs and allows you to row with more power and less risk of injury. --- ## Improper Grip Of The Handle Many people grip the handle too tightly, which can cause fatigue and pain in the arms and shoulders. Gripping too loosely can lead to loss of control and an increased risk of injury. An improper grip can also cause blisters and muscle pain, creating unnecessary tension in your forearms. The correct grip: - Palms facing down with thumbs wrapped around the bar on the underside - Hands placed shoulder-width apart - Top of wrists flat and not rolled to the outside - Knuckles facing forward - Arms parallel to the body Mastering the proper grip will significantly improve your rowing experience. You may also want to consider rowing gloves to protect your hands. --- ## Summary Common rowing machine mistakes and their fixes: | Mistake | Fix | |---|---| | Rowing with arms only | Engage core and drive with legs (65–75% leg effort) | | Hunching your back | Sit tall, shoulders back, core engaged | | Going too fast | Focus on form, breathing, and a sustainable pace | | Forgetting to breathe | Inhale on the drive, exhale on the pull | | Rowing behind your hips | Keep shins vertical, knees driving forward under hips | | Improper grip | Palms down, thumbs under bar, hands shoulder-width apart | --- For a top-quality rower with an array of instructional programs perfect for beginners, learn more about the Aviron and its supportive community: [Why Aviron] : https://www.avironactive.com/why-aviron/ **Tags:** Aviron, Health & Fitness **Canonical URL:** https://www.avironactive.com/rowing-101/rowing-machine-mistakes/