Indoor Rowing Recovery

Indoor rowing is having a well-deserved moment. It’s both low-impact and intense, and no matter which brand of machine your facility uses, a well-instructed experience will fatigue the same muscles and make participants glad they showed up. While it may be low-impact, rowing does include repeated spinal flexion and hip and knee extension; it’s therefore important to weave in stretches that counteract imbalances.

The following well-rounded cooldown addresses muscle groups affected by rowing, helping attendees to unwind and look forward to the next class.

Indoor Rowing Rocking Cat-Cow

• Start on all fours, shoulders over wrists, knees in line with hips.
• On exhalation, round spine from neck to tailbone, pulling navel in, rocking back over heels.
• On inhalation, extend spine and drop navel toward floor
  while shifting body forward, feeling a gentle stretch in forearms and wrists.

Child’s Pose With Twist

• Start (or stay) in all-fours position.
• On inhalation, reach and twist one arm toward ceiling.
• On exhalation, rotate arm and slide on floor underneath opposite shoulder. Send hips back toward heels.
• Repeat, opposite side.

Ergometer-Supported Hip Flexor Stretch

• Kneel beside machine, outside leg in lunge position, leg closer to machine extended back.
• Place inside hand on gliding seat for support; press hips forward.
• Switch sides.

Wide-Leg Forward Fold With Supported Twist

• Stand beside ma­chine, facing lengthwise.
• Step legs out to wider than shoulder distance; fold forward from hips.
• Bend knees as needed to maintain extended spine.
• Reach hands forward and place one hand on seat.
• Glide seat to back of rower, keeping spine long, allowing thoracic rotation.
• Repeat, opposite side.

Ergometer-Supported Pyramid Stretch

• From wide-leg orientation, turn toes toward back of rower.
• Lean chest forward and hinge from hips.
• Reach for seat with hand closer to rower; glide seat back as far as possible while keeping spine and legs long, back heel down.
• Repeat, other side.