Whilst so many of us know that we need to get moving to get in shape, fitness is not always that easy to attain. Of all the low-impact exercises which anyone in almost any state of physical fitness can utilise, one of the most popular low impact workouts is a rowing machine regimen.

It is always advisable to get limbered up prior to actually getting on the machine, no matter what make or model you happen to own. Just as you see runners do their stretches before jogging around the park, anyone who is going to embark on a workout that is as much cardio as it is for slimming down or building upper body muscle mass should likewise start with warm-ups.

If you are looking for a low impact cardio workout, a rowing machine is the perfect piece of equipment to have on hand. However, remember to keep your warm-ups low impact as well or you might just undo the benefits you are trying to achieve. Since most machines allow you to set your own resistance, you can gradually work your way up to greater endurance.

Some machines allow you to set your own distance as well. Anyone who hasn’t hit the gym in a number of years is well advised to keep resistance and distance low in the beginning. It isn’t always a matter of working harder but of working smarter when you are trying to get in shape. Those who overextend at the beginning aren’t as likely to want to get back into it as quickly with muscles which are too tight and sore.

Of course it is good to keep in mind that you will experience some amount of tightness or soreness in your upper body as you begin exercising again, even with a low impact rowing machine. The trick is to build resistance, speed and distance gradually so that you ‘feel’ the workout but aren’t totally exhausted and bent over in pain at the end of each session.

Many people suggest that during the first month you start at 20 strokes per minute but by the end of that month you should have worked your way up to 25. Under normal circumstances this may be alright, but one thing to keep in mind is that you need to start at the level you are at right now. If you can’t handle 20 to begin with it is not a problem. The key is to continually push past your current rowing machine limits for optimum results.