If you’re thinking of buying this kind of equipment, this is a great choice!
Specs, prices and tips! Everything you need to know before buying your new rowing machine
Why buying a Rowing machine?
The rowing machine is one of the most complete fitness equipment you can find on the market to developing aerobic fitness and building a healthy heart.
The rowing stroke when using an indoor rower is composed of 65-75% leg work and 25-35% upper body work.
Even though rowers or rowing machines are relatively cheaper than other fitness equipment like treadmills or exercise bikes, it is a considered purchase which needs a little bit of thinking about.
So, how do you actually find the right rowing machine? This article will guide you through some of the key features and fundamentals elements to look for when buying a rowing machine for home:
Key specs of the machine:
- comfort,
- technology,
- storage,
- programs,
- console
Resistance type:
- magnetic,
- hydraulic
- electromagnetic,
- water based
If you already know what to look for in a rowing machine, have a look at our top 3 recommended rowers for each of the following budgets:
Key specs of an indoor rowing machine
1) The resistance / Type of flywheel
All rowing machines get their resistance from a source of energy. The most popular one is the air which is used and created by spinning the flywheel. There are mainly 4 types of resistance
and each of them have their specifications, more information about each type of resistance further down this guide.
2) Comfort
Having a nice padded set is important for any rowing activity. The gliding seat has to be wide enough to accommodate your movement.
3) Storage
Rowing machines take some space as they are designed to replicate this gliding movement as you would experience on a real-life water rower. This means that it’s quite handy to be able to fold up your rower.
Some do fold and some don’t, depending on the price of course. But nowadays, most of entry and mid-range budget rowers can be folded away anyway. Nonetheless keep it in mind before buying your machine.
4) Console & Infotainment
Whether the console displays basic or complex information, any information is better than nothing. From calories burnt to distance achieved or even interactive gym classes, the console is an important element of a rowing machine. It is definitely a spec to consider.
Type of resistance
There are 4 popular types of resistance with a rowing machine.
1) Flywheel Resistance (also known as Air Resistance) Our favourite and most popular in 2019
The flywheel resistance is one of the most popular resistance systems when it comes to rowing machines. The resistance is created by the pulling motion, therefore is created by the wind generated by your pulling force.
This means you set your own pace. The more you pull, the harder the resistance will be. You can understand why such a resistance has become one of the most popular resistance principle. We’d recommend the flywheel resistance.
2) The Hydraulic resistance
As the AFPA (Fitness Association) explains really well, the hydraulic rowing machine may be the best way to go if space is a concern, or if you’re on a tight budget and you want an economical indoor rower. Hydraulic rowing machines receive its tension from the amount of air or fluid that’s compressed with a cylinder, and can be adjusted by most models of indoor rowers.
However, this type of resistance doesn’t allow you to pull in a straight line which means that you can’t sync your arm and leg movements. We don’t recommend this system for this reason..
3) The Magnetic Resistance
The magnetic resistance is probably the second most popular type of resistance after the flywheel resistance. It has its advantages. The main advantage is that because the resistance is operating on a magnet principle to slow down the wheel, there are no (or very few) frictions. That means that there are no noise with the magnetic or electromagnetic resistance.
4) The Water Resistance
The water resistance is the less popular type of resistance yet probably the most elementary one. Similarly to the air flywheel resistance, the water resistance also has a flywheel. This flywheel is partially immersed in water to emulate the dynamics of a boat moving through water. This type of resistance makes it a perfect training machine for those who participate in outdoor rowing. We’d recommend this system only if you’re an outdoor rower.
Let’s wrap this up
If you look for all of the above bits and bobs, you should get the perfect machine.
But of course, now that you have an idea of how to choose the perfect rowing machine, we recommend that you have a quick look at the best rowing machines we’ve selected for different budgets. See below for more information.
