PORTLAND, Maine — The Form Lab in Portland focuses on movements that can be incorporated into daily lives to make people healthier and stronger.
The gym officially opened its doors in March. Since then, trainers have been teaching clients how to improve the way they move their bodies. The goal is to incorporate the movements into everyday life to help get the most out of each workout and minimize long-term aches and pains.
This week, the folks at The Form Lab are showing us how to get the most out of rowing. This exercise involves using a rowing machine.
Andrew Blais is the co-founder of The Form Lab and said many people are intimidated by the exercise, but they shouldn't be.
"Don't be intimidated by the rower. It's a very good form of cardio and it's super low-impact, so anyone can do it right," Blais said.
Blais added that one common problem he sees with folks using the rowing machines is their posture. People are slouching, their hips are forward, and they are bringing their arms over their knees when they are coming back to the starting position. Blais said this isn't the form you should aim for because it can actually hurt you more than it can help.
There are tips and tricks that can help you get the most out of your row. Blais demonstrates a few of them in the full 207 video.
"It's a good opportunity to get your heart rate up," Blais said. "If you row hard for 20 to 30 seconds you're going to be pretty winded whereas it could take you a couple of minutes to get to that higher heart rate, that breathy feeling when you're outside on a run."
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