No longer will only New Yorkers benefit from a CityRow session, because the fan favorite rowing studio is about to expand nationwide – and could soon be coming to a city near you.
Currently, the company has location in the Union Square and Upper East Side neighborhoods in Manhattan, but founder Helaine Knapp revealed to Well+Good that the residents of Ann Arbor, Michigan will soon be getting a new CityRow location.
Michiganders, let’s celebrate!
CityRow recently partnered with franchise growth equity firm Franworth to grow their dedicated and loyal following across the country. The total-body, high-intensity but low-impact workout utilizes water-based machines (water is placed in the tanks, which contain a propeller that spins as you row) to promote strength training… all in under one hour.
Founded by Knapp in 2014, the company has already seen major success, and garnered an impressive cult following among the NYC fitness community. When Knapp was diagnosed with a herniated disk at age 27 and had to undergo surgery, she looked for a low-impact workout that she could complete as part of her recovery. She discovered rowing, founded CityRow, and the rest is history.
Now, Ann Arbor (home to the University of Michigan) will soon get in on the rowing hype.
And this is not the rowing machine workout from your dad’s generation. The 50-minute classes include workouts on and off the machine, alternating between rowing and mat work. The company has reported that you can burn anywhere between 400 and 600 calories per class thanks to the HIIT style of workout, all whilst improving your endurance.
Since it all started as an injury-recovery workout, the CityRow classes all center upon safety and reducing the risk of injury in performing the moves. As a low-impact workout, rowing is easy on the joints while still giving you the sweat session you need.
According to the company, “each stroke on the row machine works 84% of your muscles for a true total body workout. By coupling rowing with complementary sculpting exercises, CityRow hits every part of your body for head-to-toe toning — you’ll feel it in muscles you didn’t even know you had!”
