Rowing machine muscles worked: how one stroke trains almost your entire body
Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert
Nov 23, 2025 · 10 min read
While often mistaken for an upper-body exercise, the rowing stroke is a sophisticated power movement that engages 86 percent of the body’s muscle mass. Here is the clinical breakdown of the muscles a rower works and how to optimize your form for maximum benefit. “Many patients assume rowing is an arm workout, but bio-mechanically, it ...