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With rowing studios like CityRow, RowZone, Brooklyn Crew, and GoRow quickly cropping up in NYC, New Jersey, LA, and Chicago, is rowing kicking spinning to the curb and becoming the new workout craze? According to celebrity trainer Hannah Davis, that's exactly what's happening on the fitness front.

"A lot of people are looking for a different form of cardio that won't hurt your crotch, like spinning does," Davis says. "And rowing is safe, efficient, and effective."

So why is rowing better in Davis's opinion? "What happens is you're bent over at your computer all day and in the spinning class you're in the same position, so you're not strengthening the muscles in your back that weaken and aren't activated as you sit typing at your computer all day. With rowing, yes, you're starting in that bent over position, but you're only there for one second before you're opening up your body as you pull the tension from the rowing machine back toward you, working those dormant back muscles. Rowing also gives you a total body workout, since you're engaging your core, which is going to be moving a lot of the weight, your arms, and your legs." So, instead of sitting somewhat stationary on a bike to get your cardio in for 60 minutes, Davis recommends rowing instead since you're engaging your entire body, including your chest and arms.

Another plus to rowing: doing intervals of it blasts fat fast. "In an average workout session you'll want to do five intervals of 200 meters (the machine will tell you when you've reached this goal), which takes about 90 seconds to complete," she says. "So, to break it down, you would do 200 meters and then rest for 60 to 90 seconds. Followed by another 200 more meters, resting again, and then repeating this entire sequence three more times."

Worried it's going to give you a super muscular swimmer's back? Don't be. Davis says, "It won't give you a big, muscular back because the resistance isn't too intense."

Don't live in one of these major cities mentioned aboved? Well, you're still in luck, because you can find a rowing machine in most gyms.

Here's to mixing up your workout routine with rowing. Who's in?

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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