Which is better Treadmill or Rower?
A loaded question?! Here are the factors I consider in this debate:
- Convenience vs the outdoor sport
- Impact on body
- Accountability
Both treadmills and rowers make running and rowing much more convenient indoors. They allow you to maintain your conditioning for each sport no matter the weather and from the comfort of your home or gym. For some, these machines even make these sports more accessible, especially rowing which is usually only available near water and requires boats.
Different makes and models of the two machines do their best to mimic natural running form or the feel of rowing on the water. Personally, I prefer running outside for the variety of terrain, benefits of fresh air and Vitamin D. I would also choose to row on the river then on an erg for the feel of the water and also fresh air, but many factors can prevent me (or you) from getting to a trail or on the water.
How accessible, for example, is rowing the Charles River 3x-5x weekly?
I live a stone’s throw from the famous Charles River in Boston, MA, site of the annual Head of the Charles Regatta. But even for most of us in the Boston area who do live close, the Charles River, the price of the boat, the ability to transport or store the boat, access to the river or its boathouses and the variable weather here severely limit my ability to row it. This holds true for most people who live close to similar rivers. While I really enjoyed the river in college, I didn’t realize how blessed I was to have such great access.
How convenient is running around your neighborhood before or after work?
I would be first to choose a run around the neighborhood, but that’s not always easy when the harsh New England winters hit up here. And as my professional career has become busier, I find it harder to make my own schedule and often have to squeeze a quick work out in between video conference calls. My friends with families face their challenges too, with school and kid commitments taking up the day. Sometimes the treadmill is much more convenient and can offer a quick, high-intensity workout when needed.
Consider those questions for yourself, and now let’s dig deeper into the individual machines and how they might help you physically.
Physical Benefits of Treadmills
Treadmills are made to provide more convenience to running and simulate outdoor running as close as possible. Importantly, you can run indoors in a more comfortable climate and between lunch breaks easily. Physically, most treadmills provide a little more relief from the impact of the pavement. For example, slat treadmills, which have individual slats connected together distribute your weight across the belt slightly better than single belt models, though some belt models do offer additional shock absorption under the belt to also reduce impact.
Another benefit of treadmills is the ability to adjust speed and incline. This allows you to design workouts that would challenge you in ways you may not be able to do yourself outside or find when running around the neighborhood or on your favorite trail. Running in general is primarily a cardiovascular intensive exercise, so treadmill training likewise should be considered as a primary way to improve your cardio performance.
Physical Benefits of Indoor Rowers
Indoor rower training simplifies getting the physical benefit of outdoor rowing without the challenges of access to boats and water. Like treadmills, indoor rowers don’t perfectly replace the outdoor activity, but they come close enough to remain a key part of your cardiovascular and strength training.
Physically, rowing machines, unlike treadmills, are much more low impact and gentler on the joints. Most models are self motorized; the user has to generate the power and the resistance (e.g. by pulling against a fan or water tank), which requires activation of over 80% of the body’s muscles. Though heavily leg-driven, rowing also recruits the core and the muscles in our upper body therefore, making it a much more full body workout than many other machines including treadmills.
Another benefit of the variable resistance of rowing machines is that workouts can be oriented toward strength or cardio in design. This means that you can access a wider range of workout types that either complement treadmill training or can replace it. For example, it;’s possible to do HIIT workouts on a rowing machine that will equal the intensity of a treadmill run. On the other hand, you can structure a rowing machine workout to focus on high-resistance strength training to complement endurance running on the treadmill. Rowing machines offer greater flexibility with lower impact on the body.
How to Stay Motivated on an Indoor Rower or Treadmill
Finally, and most importantly, is ensuring you have the proper motivation to use a machine to improve your physical fitness. It can be downright lonely and boring to stay put in one place and repeat the same motions over and over again. When we are outside running or rowing, usually others are present also exercising or even just observing. Their presence alone can subconsciously motivate us to hold ourselves accountable to working hard. Have you ever picked someone in front of you at a race and tried to catch up with them? A study by Santa Clara University in 2010 demonstrated the presence of others during an intensive exercise helped increase someone’s own exercise intensity. This is exactly the psychology of accountability — humans need each other present to do better.
Machines, like the treadmill or rower, don’t have that human accountability — just hard metrics, cold steel and numbers most often on a basic LCD screen. On the treadmill, we have our mile time and own personal records to drive us. On our rower, we have our power output (wattage), our split time and stroke rate. There’s not much more that most machines offer than that.
Lately though, social technology has enabled people to be together even if they are not physically present. Virtual connections through apps and social media enable me to still “feel” the virtual presence of others. I might physically be alone, but being able to connect those metrics with other users creates that accountability, whether it be for competition or simply to not be alone when working out — it makes ALL the difference. Through time, familiar faces will show up on the leaderboards, creating a sense of community. That’s the power of apps like Regatta — it empowers me with the social connection to others who share my passion for exercise, especially on the machine of my choice at the home or at the gym.
In summary and with those factors in mind, I lean towards the rower as my go-to piece of equipment. In my humble opinion, it touts convenience, the longevity of our bodies, a more effective workout, and more metrics to play with. What do you think … what is YOUR preference?
Join Coach Victoria in the Regatta App for rowing and treadmill classes.
