You don't have to be interested in losing weight to start exercising regularly, but if weight loss is the reason for getting started with a daily routine of exercising your limbs and muscles then rowing could be of enormous benefit to you. Weight loss isn't always easy - diets come and go and can be harmful to your body. A lasting solution to lose the extra pounds is a change of lifestyle, with regular exercise combined with healthy and nutritional eating habits.

Burn more calories than you eat and with even just a moderate increase in your level of exercising can lead to long-term weight loss, a trim harmonious body tone into the bargain, even with little or no change in your diet. Eating a healthy diet which includes fruit, vegetables and whole grains, will give your body a good, lasting nutritional, daily balance. No weight-loss plan can offer beneficial results quickly and those that proclaim they can will probably give you bad side-effects, but if you're willing to put in the personal commitment and have a little patience, regular exercising with a rowing machine can provide the necessary ingredients to get you in shape.

Rowing is one of the most beneficial exercises and a rowing machine in your home-gym will give you the incentive to start on the weight loss program you've perhaps been planning. There are other types of fitness equipment on the market, but on the whole, most types of exercising equipment work for the lower half of the body, exercising with a rowing machine however, uses the whole of your body; the benefits of exercising is felt in far less time in comparison to exercising with other fitness equipment. Experts say that when exercising with a rowing machine, a 30 minutes workout is the equivalent to a 45 minutes workout session on an exercise bike for example. Rowing is also considered an excellent way of exercising to improve cardiovascular fitness.

If weight loss is your goal or getting into shape and just keeping physically fit, then consistency and duration of your workouts are very important. If you opt to purchase a rowing machine for exercising, schedule a regular time to row each day so that you won't have to make a daily decision about whether to row or when to do it. You are more likely to keep to your plan when it's written down and you've made a commitment to follow through.

The longer your rowing session is at any intensity level, the more calories you will burn. Rowing at a higher intensity level will also burn calories faster, but rowing so intensely that you can only last for five minutes is not a good idea, you'll most likely lose interest and your rowing machine will be left to gather dust in the corner.

The best guideline for weight loss and getting into shape is to aim for rowing sessions that are at least 30 minutes long and at a comfortable pace. An ideal weekly rowing schedule for weight loss would be to row between six to seven thousand meters at moderate speed and within a thirty to fifty minute period/session, five to six times per week. Couple this with a healthy diet of fruit, veg and whole grain and you'll be knocking off the pounds in no time and be feeling good all at the same time.

Rowing machines give a excellent exercise session as the entire body is incorporated into the workout - arms, torso and legs are all used; as well as being a great workout for your heart it's excellent for toning your tummy, thighs and arms. Working up good tummy muscles will protect your back in the long term, and you'll be less prone to back problems than those without good tum-muscles.

If you're new to rowing, start with a five minute session at moderate speed for a couple of days or until you get used to the machine. Then gradually increase the session time and the speed. Once you start rowing regularly, start a journal or log-book and note down each session i.e. the amount of time, strokes per minute and the distance. If you are using rowing to lose weight, note down what you have eaten and the amount of calories you've taken in. Remember to weigh yourself and note down your weight when you start your session and when you finish.

It's important to stretch before and during your rowing sessions for example stretch for five minutes, then row for five minutes more. If your muscles aren't warmed up, you could get cramps which are very painful so to avoid these stretch and warm up. After every session fill in your journal so that you always know what you did on the last session. After three or four days, you should be ready to row for twenty minute intervals at a good, intensive speed, then stretching for five minutes and then rowing again for twenty minutes. Use variety in your sessions, take breaks, walk around and then go back. Record all the meters you row, log them in your journal. You'll see and feel the difference very quickly if you keep to your schedule.

There are many types of rowing machines, so if you're unsure of which one suits you best go to your local showroom or gym and try each one out to find the rowing machine that suits you best.