Row row row your boat. Alright, I’m calling it…I think the next big fitness craze is going to be rowing! And, I’m 100% in support of it!  I LOVE rowing. Unfortunately, my gym doesn’t have a rowing machine, which is such a bummer because it’s an amazing full-body workout. Every time you row back (it’s called a stroke), you use 84% of all of the muscles in your body. Crazy right?! Spend 30 seconds on one of these and I guarantee you’ll feel it immediately. All of your muscles from your hammies and glutes, to your arms, back and core have to be engaged through every stroke in order to keep proper form and a consistent pace. (Check these drawings out for more detailed instructions on proper form and the muscles used here.) Not only is it great cardio for your heart, it’s also a great form of resistance training. And the best part of it is that it’s low-impact, which for me is something I like because of my knees. As of now, most of the rowing studios that have popped up are still in New York.

Last June, my boyfriend and I visited and, of course, I made him take a class with me at CityRow in Union Square. (The other popular rowing studio in New York is called Row House NYC.) I had so much fun and, boy, were we sore the next day! The class we took incorporated rowing intervals on their water-based machines with core work on the floor.  The music and energy during the class was awesome!  Needless to say, we were drenched in sweat within 5 minutes.  And I. don’t. sweat.

ailis garcia the strong movement city row fitness trend

I can’t wait for rowing to make it’s way to OC/LA.  I’ve been searching for almost a year for a rowing studio with interval rowing classes and have only seen 1-2 pop up (iRow & LIT Method) in the last couple of months that I can’t wait to try. I think it will definitely be the new “spin.” (I remember taking a SoulCycle class in New York in 2008 before it took over the world and sparked this cycle mania everyone and their mother has.) As much as I love spin (I’m actually starting to like it a lot more now), it’s not a full body workout (some classes do incorporate weight training on the bike). And for people that want to get more bang out of their buck, I think they’ll find it in rowing!  Let me know what you think if you’ve tried rowing in the comments below or know of a rowing studio!  In the meantime, most gyms (except mine :/) have a rowing machine or two that are usually never used and probably dusty.  So, dust one off, hop on and give it a try!