Diabetes & Rowing
If you have diabetes, regular rowing can help you control the disease in many ways.
Control Your Weight and Body Fat
Rowing can help you control your weight and body fat. Burning excess body fat and decreasing your weight, in turn, helps the body by restoring normal glucose metabolism and increasing insulin sensitivity. Rowing is a very effective exercise to help you reduce excess body weight and fat because of the involvement of many muscle groups. Rowing uses upper body, lower body and core muscle groups, thereby creating a large demand for calories. In addition, muscles continue to burn extra calories for a while after you finish exercising. The more muscles you use in your exercise, the more muscles will continue to burn these extra calories.
Reduce Blood Glucose Levels
Regular rowing increases glucose uptake by the muscles and enhances the ability to store glucose. How does rowing help reduce blood glucose levels? Rowing engages all the major muscle groups. While rowing, these muscles are contracting and relaxing and they use sugar for energy. To meet the energy need, the body uses glucose supplies in your blood, reducing your blood glucose level. The length and intensity of your workouts will determine how much your blood glucose is reduced.
Other Benefits
Aside from these two important benefits rowing also:
- Improves blood circulation
- Improves muscles strength
- Lowers blood pressure
- Helps to protect against heart and blood vessel disease by lowering bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol
- Increases energy levels
- Enhances work capacity
- Reduces stress
Additional Resources
Resources for more information about diabetes and exercise:
Important Notes:
- The American Diabetes Association recommends that anyone with diabetes have a thorough medical exam before starting an exercise program.
- Checking your blood sugar before, during and after aerobic activity can help you avoid setbacks and reach your exercise goals.
Paul Beech manages his diabetes with indoor rowing
