Rowing Machines Versus Treadmills: Which Is More Effective?

One of the most difficult parts of building your own home gym is deciding between the incredible variety of machinery and equipment is available. In particular, two popular and effective machines for losing weight include the home gym rowing machine and treadmill. Whether you can’t or don’t want both, let's take a look at whether rowing machines or treadmills are more effective so that you can make an informed decision.

Calorie Burning Potential

The reason these two pieces of equipment are so popular is how effective they are at burning calories. There are few exercises with as much energy-expending potential as running, and treadmills can help with that because of how well they engage your cardiovascular system. While running on a treadmill provides regular exercise, you must remember the extent of your results lies with how hard you work.

As for rowing machines, they don’t engage with your cardiovascular as well as treadmills do, but they are better for building muscle because they engage with multiple muscle groups during the workout. Rowing machines easily rival the potential of treadmills in terms of building muscles and burning calories.

Joint Impact Considerations

An important consideration for those who struggle with joint pain is the impact exercise has on said joints. With this sort of context, the question of whether rowing machines or treadmills are more effective is definitively answered: rowing machines provide much less impact than running does. Rowing machines are the better option for protecting your joints while still getting an effective cardio workout.

Weight-Loss Potential

While the number of calories a machine can help burn is incredibly important, it’s not the only factor to consider for weight loss. In particular, we mentioned that rowing machines are better for building muscle. Keep in mind that muscle is heavier than fat, meaning you may not see much loss in weight even if you burn off all the fat. This isn’t a bad thing, however, as you’ll still be in shape, look great, and have an easier time staying fit going forward. For all of these reasons, we recommend rowing machines as the more effective choice of exercise machinery.