Blast fat and build muscle with this all-in-one workout

There's never a waiting list for the rowing machine. But if you use the right form and regimen, this floor skimmer can torch more calories than a treadmill, build your upper body into a broad V shape, and injury-proof your lower back. To make it work, you first need to find a groove, says Bill Manning, an assistant rowing coach at Harvard University. "If you don't have rhythm, you'll tire quickly and won't yield serious output." Follow Manning's tips and workouts to reap the benefits of rowing.

Your Perfect-Form Primer

1. Sit with your legs bent, shins nearly vertical. Lean your upper body toward your knees but keep your back and shoulders straight. Hold your arms in front of you and grab the handle with an overhand grip, wrists flat.

2. Without moving your arms or leaning backward, push off with your legs, driving your feet into the stirrups while keeping your back straight.

3. When the handle is over your knees, pull the bar toward your lower chest. Lean your upper body back until your shoulders are behind your pelvis. Draw your elbows behind you and continue to push with your legs.

4. As the bar touches your lower chest, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Relax your arms, let the cable gently pull your arms back toward the flywheel, and lean forward at the hips. Once the handle passes your extended knees, bend them to slide forward on the seat.

Common mistakes, like hunching your shoulders and leaning too far back, diminish pulling power and strain your back.

The Workouts

Day 1 The Pyramid

Row hard (90 percent of your maximum) for 5 strokes and then do 5 easy (60 percent). Now row 10 hard and 10 easy. Repeat but increase your count to 15 each, then 20, 25, and 30. Next, go back down the pyramid, decreasing by intervals of 5. Repeat when you're able.

Day 2 The 1-to-1

Row hard for 1 minute and then do 1 minute of easy strokes. Repeat, alternating hard and easy, for 15 to 20 minutes. Gradually increase your time to a half hour. Aim for 18 to 20 strokes per minute. After several sessions, shoot for 30 strokes per minute.

Day 3 The Sprint

Set your machine on a 500-meter interval program with 2 minutes of rest. Row at 75 percent of your max and then rest 2 minutes. Do 10 intervals.