The Row Revolution

Rowing has been dubbed “the new spinning” as a wave of indoor rowing studios with dark rooms and upbeat music have been sprouting up in the US and UK. that trend has sailed its way to Singapore with the opening of Row Revolution, the island’s first dedicated indoor rowing studio. a common misconception with the rower is that it trains only your upper body. “about 80 per cent of power for each stroke is generated from your legs, back and core,” says Row Revolution founder David han. here, your stats are flashed on the screen as you tackle rowing intervals and static exercises designed to fire up your core muscles. the best part? Zero impact on your knees. Visit www.rowrevolution.sg for more info.

- Lauren Mazzo

Big HIIT, low impact

This rowing circuit proves you can get a serious calorie burn and build strength while still going easy on your joints.

Even though it’s low-impact, don’t let that fool you. this total-body workout will be just as fiercely sweaty and sculpting as your usual high-intensity routine, without the running, jumping, and other jolts.

“You are still elevating your heart rate and achieving excess postexercise oxygen consumption, or epoC, where your body continues to burn calories after your workout,” says Justin Norris, a co-founder of the lit Method studio in Los Angeles. the difference is that Justin designed this pyramid-style circuit to have zero poundings by using a rowing machine (you can find one in any gym) for speed intervals and joint-friendly body-weight moves for resistance that correct muscle imbalances and help reduce injury. this combo, Justin says, “will build you, not break you.”

Rowing is the perfect cardio for keeping your workouts low-impact because it still recruits a whopping 86 percent of your muscles, research in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found. your power output is distributed varyingly among your legs (60 percent), core (20 percent), and arms (20 percent).

To keep yourself accountable – and your intensity through the roof – race against yourself as you do the row intervals. try to improve your 300-meter, 200-metre, and then 100-meter rowing times throughout each circuit. Do this workout three times a week on alternate days, Justin says, and aim to crank out more reps of each body-weight move as you progress.

Warm-up

Row for 200 meters at a slow and controlled tempo.

CIRCUIT 1

UPPER BODY

300-meter sprint

1-minute push-ups

300-meter sprint

1-minute mountain climbers

300-meter sprint