Rowing is a dynamic form of exercise – one that involves both the body’s respiratory system and its major muscle groups. As such, it’s often approached with confusion by strength trainers and cardio experts alike, each treating it as if it were a foreign discipline. The nutritional side of things can be especially confusing – should you eat for muscle gain or maximum weight loss?

The simple answer is to eat depending on your goals. There’s a common saying that weight loss is almost entirely dependent on diet, with goal-driven exercise only playing a minor part. When you exert energy on a rowing machine, it’s your diet that will dictate how it’s recovered and processed by your body.

Protein supplements are worthwhile for rowers aiming to gain muscle mass, as an intense rowing workout is likely to provide enough muscular stress to promote growth and development. However, it’s obviously a part of dieting that’s largely unnecessary (and potentially a hindrance to progress) for those aiming to lose weight through low-resistance usage of a rowing machine.

Eat according to your goals and you’ll see accelerated results from your exercise. With both your diet and your results-driven exercise routine complementing one another, you may see a dramatic change in your body’s composition within weeks.