| Did you know that in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the | | | | groups, it can help you work out your biceps, triceps, |
| United States of America took home one gold, one | | | | glutes and abdominal muscles, among others. Your |
| silver, and one bronze in the sport of rowing? That | | | | muscles are strengthened in this exercise as is your |
| makes rowing the USA's eighth biggest medal winning | | | | cardiovascular system. For those of you who want to |
| sport after swimming, track and field, gymnastics, | | | | lose weight, rowing is the perfect exercise to help you |
| shooting, fencing, cycling and equestrian. The US team | | | | to do it. You sweat a lot while rowing, and this is |
| in the Women's Eight Event took the top prize. Michelle | | | | particularly so if you do it in strong sunlight. Although |
| Guarette won the silver in the Women's Single Sculls. | | | | twists and sprains are very rare in this activity, you |
| The US men's team in the Men's Eight Event bagged | | | | have to be careful with your technique. If you don't do |
| the bronze. So did you know that rowing is one of the | | | | it in the proper style, you may risk ending up with back |
| oldest sports in the modern Summer Olympics? It | | | | pain or even injuring your spine. |
| became an Olympic sport during the first staging of | | | | For those of you who do not have access to large |
| the quadrennial meet in Athens, Greece in 1896. | | | | stretches of water, there is in fact a way for you to |
| For those of you who are not familiar with rowing, it is | | | | benefit from the sport of rowing in the comfort of your |
| a method of moving a small boat along with oars, and | | | | own home, or in a gym. The way to do this is by using |
| is a popular pastime where there are lakes and rivers. | | | | a rowing machine. |
| Rowing can be either a recreational activity or a | | | | You can be your own Olympic rowing gold medalist at |
| competitive sport. It may look simple but it requires a lot | | | | home by using a rowing ergometer, which is a rowing |
| of skill incorporating strength, balance and endurance. If | | | | machine that helps you to have an effective |
| you are doing it as a team, you must possess good | | | | cardiovascular workout. The upper and lower parts of |
| coordination and rhythm. If you want to compete in the | | | | your body get the exercise they need, and you work |
| sport of rowing, you can take part in different kinds of | | | | off about 15 calories a minute with this type of |
| competitions, such as time trials and endurance races. | | | | exercise. This means that by spending just twenty |
| There are also what are called bumps races and | | | | minutes working out on the machine, you can lose |
| stake races. In the Olympics, however, the type of | | | | about 300 calories. An indoor rower is another rowing |
| race that takes place is the side-by-side format. | | | | machine you can use at home. It gives you the feeling |
| You might be surprised to learn that you can benefit a | | | | that you are actually rowing on water, and at the |
| lot from rowing as far as your health and fitness is | | | | same time it helps you achieve the benefits that you |
| concerned. Because rowing involves all your muscle | | | | would get if you were rowing on a river or lake. |