Indoor Rowing Recovery
This cooldown leaves participants feeling energized and mobilized.
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.
Staci Alden
Staci Alden is committed to helping group fitness managers elevate their programs, instructors, and leadership skills through her writing, presentations, and YouTube channel. For more than a decade, she has overseen a team of over 100 private Pilates and group fitness instructors at a luxury health club in Seattle, Washington. Staci also is certified as a master Balanced Body® barre and MOTR® instructor.
