CARDIO COMBAT: Rowing vs. Cycling

Here we tell you which is the better choice for slashing calories

November 13, 2012

	Rowing	Cycling
Muscles Used	Whole body (except chest)	Lower body
Range of Motion	★★★★★	★★
Calories Burned/Hour	606	498
Pro	Low impact	Low impact
Con	Access to rowing machine	Access to bike

Winner: Rowing
The biggest differences between these cardio options are the amount of muscle mass involved and the range of motion through which it’s used. Specifically, the whole-body nature of rowing utilizes more oxygen and burns more calories. This allows you to work harder for longer periods, which yields a greater aerobic benefit. The only con we can find? The availability of stationary bikes vs. the availability of rowing machines.