Bodyweight Rowing Machine Exercise Guide
Master the bodyweight rowing machine motion to improve shoulder mobility, back posture, and upper body endurance without any equipment.
How to Perform
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you and your torso upright.
- Raise your arms in front of you at shoulder height, bending your elbows to a ninety-degree angle as if holding invisible oars.
- Pull your elbows back forcefully past your torso while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Extend your arms back to the starting position in a controlled, rhythmic motion to complete one repetition.
- Maintain a braced core and a tall spine throughout the duration of the set to prevent slouching.
- Increase the tempo of the rowing motion to elevate heart rate while keeping the shoulders retracted.
Common Mistakes
- Rounding the lower back during the rowing motion.
- Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears, which causes neck tension.
- Failing to fully retract the scapula at the peak of the movement.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Shoulders
Stabilizers
- Upper Back
- Rear Deltoids
- Core
Related Guides
- Arm Raises (T/Y/I) — Shoulders
- Arnold Press — Shoulders
- Australian pull-ups — Shoulders
Shoulders · Shoulders