Rower vs. Treadmill: A Comparative Guide to Full-Body Cardio

Rower vs treadmill: which is the best cardio machine? It’s one of the most common questions we hear at GymQuip.

Our answer? It depends.

It depends on your body. It depends on your fitness goals and preferences. And it depends on your budget and available space.

There’s a reason why treadmills and rowing machines are so popular, and amongst the first pieces of equipment added to both home and commercial gyms: they’re fun, challenging, accessible, and most importantly, effective.

So in the battle of treadmill vs rowing machine, which is the best cardio machine for you? In this guide we’ll compare these machines in terms of calorie burn, muscle engagement, joint impact and overall effectiveness to find out.

Rower vs treadmill: which machine burns more calories?

The main reason for the popularity of rowers and treadmills (and cardio machines in general) is their ability to burn calories and help you lose excess weight.

It is generally accepted that you burn more calories on a treadmill than you do on a rowing machine for an equivalent workout: an average of 9.3 cals/min for running compared to 7.6 cals/min for rowing.

Those average figures can vary wildly depending on body type and exercise intensity, as shown by the table below, which features figures based on someone who weighs 80kg.

Rower vs treadmill: which machine engages more muscles?

If you’re looking for a full-body workout, the choice is obvious: rowing machines offer perhaps the most complete form of exercise in the gym. A single stroke on these machines will engage 86% of your major muscle groups, including your arms, shoulders, back, core, glutes and legs.

Treadmills, meanwhile, focus more exclusively on the lower body. These machines primarily engage your calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes, and to a lesser degree your core.

As such a rower is more effective than a treadmill for toning and strengthening your body. By upping the resistance and completing short, high-intensity training intervals, you can enjoy cardio exercise that also includes a healthy dose of strength training, for a truly holistic workout.

Rower vs treadmill: which machine is more joint-friendly?

Maybe you have an old injury that causes you pain. Maybe you live with a joint condition like arthritis. Perhaps you are limited in your mobility, or just simply find jarring movements uncomfortable.

If you tick any of these boxes, a rower will offer a far more enticing and lower risk cardio workout than a treadmill.

Rowing machines offer perfectly low impact exercise. The seat glides along a rail, while the handle extends and retracts smoothly from the flywheel housing. The result is the most fluid form of motion, which is appropriate for a machine built to replicate the feeling of rowing on water.

Running on a treadmill, meanwhile, is a relatively high impact activity. It’s fine if you’re fit and healthy, but if you bring any physical issues to the table, a rower might be a wiser choice.

Rower vs treadmill: which machine fits your lifestyle?

Let’s look beyond the physical effects of these machines, and consider any other factors that might be at play:

• Budget: While you can get a quality machine at approximately the same price point, high-end treadmills tend to be pricier than high-end rowing machines.
• Space: Rowers and treadmills take up similar amounts of space when in use, but a rower can be stored vertically, which is only possible if you choose a foldable treadmill.
• Learning curve: Running is the oldest form of exercise, and requires no training. Rowing is a little more complex – you need to practice proper form to avoid injury and maximise effectiveness.
• Versatility: Both types of machine allow you to customise your workouts: treadmills in terms of speed and incline, rowers in terms of resistance.

Should you choose a rowing machine or a treadmill?

Rower vs treadmill: which is the best cardio machine for you? Let’s compare rowing machine benefits and treadmill benefits to summarise which is good for what.

 

Choose a rowing machine if:

• You want a full-body workout
• You prefer high-intensity interval training to steady state cardio
• You’re looking for a low-impact exercise option
• You want to add strength training to your cardio workout

 

Choose a treadmill if:

• You enjoy running or walking as your primary form of exercise
• You want to burn more calories per minute
• You don’t want to learn a new exercise
• You’re training for an endurance event like a marathon
  

 

GymQuip: your home gym experts

At GymQuip we’ve spent the last three decades helping people reach their fitness goals, by providing all the advice, encouragement and equipment you need to create the ultimate home or commercial gym.

One of Australia’s largest fitness showrooms, at GymQuip we offer a complete range of cardio equipment, including high-end treadmills and rowers from the world’s leading fitness brands.

We offer an even larger range of home gym equipment through our online store, which we can deliver to your door anywhere in Australia. And you can be confident of getting the very best deal, because if you find one of our products cheaper elsewhere, we’ll beat that price by 5%!

Not sure what equipment you should choose? Get in touch and our friendly team will be happy to help!