A rowing exercise machine includes a base frame, a paddle unit, a first rotating shaft, a paddle linkage unit, a resistance unit, a pull bar unit, a second rotating shaft, and a pull bar linkage unit. When a first operating force is applied to the paddle unit, a paddle one-way driving wheel and the first rotating shaft are driven to rotate in a first rotational direction. When the first operating force disappears, the paddle one-way driving wheel is idling on the first rotating shaft in a second rotational direction. When a second operating force is applied to the pull bar unit, the pull bar linkage unit is driven to rotate in the first rotational direction. When the second operating force disappears, a second return force drives a pull bar one-way wheel to be idling on the second rotating shaft in the second rotational direction.