How Long Should I Row to Lose Weight?

Although you'll need to do more than just row to lose weight, this full-body cardio exercise works virtually all your muscle groups and burns calories at a rapid rate. Your level of activity and caloric consumption partially dictate how quickly you lose weight, but rowing at even a light effort for an hour a day, five days a week, can help you lose a pound per week.

The exact length of time you spend rowing depends on your pace. On a rowing machine, it's simple to adjust the intensity of the workout to suit your level of fitness. In 60 minutes of stationary rowing at a light effort, a 155-pound person burns 669 calories. The same person burns 844 calories in 60 minutes of stationary rowing at a very vigorous effort. To lose a pound of fat per week, you must burn a total of 3,500 calories more than you consume. If you row five days a week, you must average 700 extra calories burned per day.

Regular rowing sessions can burn numerous calories, but you're more likely to attain weight-loss success if you address your calorie intake. Diet goes hand-in-hand with exercise for weight loss; you don't have to follow an accepted dietary plan, but cutting back on your intake of unhealthy foods is necessary. Such items to avoid include those high in sugar and fat, soda and alcohol.