It is easy to see how the SkiErg can offer a challenging workout. However, you may wonder what benefits this cardio machine offers.
These benefits range from relatively unique aspects thanks to the cardiovascular-focused pulldowns to more general exercise effects that deserve a mention because they are so valuable.
1. Upper body cardiovascular training option
Your cardiovascular system is the circulatory system inside of your body and includes the heart and blood vessels. These transport many types of important nutrients, oxygen, and waste throughout your body.
When you move more intensely your body needs to transport these things, which means using your heart and lungs, at more intense levels.
By doing this in safe amounts, giving your body enough nutrients, and giving your body enough rest, you can actually strengthen your heart and lungs.
In turn, this leads to a wide variety of other benefits (1, 2, 3).
So far this sounds and is not much different from SkiErg substitutes and other forms of cardiovascular exercise.
However, the SkiErg is somewhat unique in that it allows you to train your cardiovascular health without moving your legs too much if you adapt your technique.
Instead of going through your knees and tilting your upper body forward, you can just pull down the handles without moving the rest of your body too much.
This can be helpful for individuals with lower body injuries who still want to train cardiovascular health and people who want to keep their leg muscles fresh for the next exercise.
2. Works muscles all over your body
While the SkiErg is mainly an upper body cardio machine, it also engages a variety of muscles.
Most people should not expect too much, if any, actual muscle growth from this activity but even then, working your muscles can still offer benefits.
Some of these include slowing down degradation, making the muscles healthier, and improving muscle endurance.
The main muscles worked with the SkiErg include:
- Triceps (back upper arms)
- Forearm grip muscles
- Latissimus dorsi (middle/upper back)
- Lower parts of the pectoralis major (lower chest)
- Rectus abdominis (abs)
Additionally, using the SkiErg works a variety of leg muscles to a small extent.
Whether or not you will actually grow and strengthen some of the weaker muscles involved in this activity depends on how strong they are and your choice of the damper setting.
In case you can do more than 20 repetitions, you should not expect too much muscle growth. If that is your goal, you want to turn to weight lifting exercises instead of the SkiErg.
3. Relatively compact storage
The SkiErg dimensions still require a decent amount of room to use but the amount of storage space this machine takes in can be relatively low.
Especially if you choose to mount the SkiErg to a wall instead of on the separate platform.
Most people have at least somewhat of a limitation in terms of space when putting together their (home) gym.
Choosing machines that are relatively compact in terms of storage like the SkiErg allows you to use the same room for more other exercises and activities.
4. Offers a full body warm-up
By now it should be clear that the SkiErg works a variety of muscles and involves movements in multiple joints in both your upper and lower body.
Warming up the muscles and body parts you will use intensely can help you avoid injuries and improve performance.
The SkiErg allows you to do a full body warm-up with one machine. This benefit is definitely not unique to ski machines but it does deserve a quick mention.
5. Can help you lose weight
Excess body fat can lead to a variety of negative effects on your health. While some individuals can also overdo it, many people would benefit from losing a bit of weight, more specifically body fat.
One popular way to make this happen is exercise. By moving more intensely than usual with something like the SkiErg, your body uses up more energy which can be measured in calories.
A rough estimation is that a 155-pound individual will burn around 249 calories during 30 minutes of using the SkiErg at moderate intensity.
Keep in mind that this is an estimation. In reality, the numbers can be different for you due to reasons like your hormone levels, body weight, body composition, exact workout intensity, etc.
In any case, it is clear that the SkiErg can be good for weight loss.
One last important thing to note is that other lifestyle habits like nutrition still influence your body weight a lot. You can use the SkiErg a lot and still gain weight if your habits in other areas are suboptimal.
6. Low-impact exercise
Certain types of exercises and sports like running, volleyball, and tennis require mini jumps and put your body under shocks.
When done to safe extents, this can actually lead to more strengthening.
However, for many exercise beginners, this can also lead to pain and injuries. Especially if the individuals also have a few extra pounds to lose.
In a situation like that, it is typically smarter to start with low-impact exercises like using the SkiErg. Injuries can slow down your workout progress for weeks and potentially longer.
Low-impact exercises like using the SkiErg do not involve any jumps or (that many) shocks but still allow you to get fitter and strengthen your body until you are also able to do the heavier workouts (if you want).
7. Adds some variety
Many people exercise for the health benefits but there are also individuals who enjoy doing it (at least somewhat).
Two things that can make your exercise routine even more fun and interesting are using new fitness equipment and doing new movements. The SkiErg can help with both of these things.
Besides just making the time spent working out more fun, adding variety can also help benefit consistency with your exercise plan.
Just creating a good workout plan is not enough to get the health benefits. You also have to do the actual workouts which many people find the challenging part.
8. Improves coordination
Using a SkiErg is not the most complicated type of exercise ever but you will likely challenge your coordination skills with this machine.
Similar to other skills, your coordination can get better by doing things that feel challenging in this area. Many people forget to implement this type of training but coordination is a valuable fitness component.
Better coordination does not only benefit your performance in technical exercises and sports. Daily activities like walking up the stairs and carrying things may become safer and easier to do.
