Hydro Rower is a highly interactive and uniquely designed rowing machine, each level contains hundreds of exercises.

As the gold standard for rowers, Concept2 RowErg has the best combination of function, storage and cost.

A well-built basic rowing machine that provides thorough exercise without sacrificing quality. Excellent rower for beginners.

Like high-quality aerobic exercise, but hate running? Can't run due to injury or physical condition? A rowing machine may be the right workout solution for you.

Boating, sometimes called "boating", has been a sport since the 17th century, when the orthodox British raced along the Thames. A century later, Oxford and Cambridge started rowing teams and added a pantheon of competitive sports and event students from two prestigious schools to prove their school's advantages. The rowing machine or rowing machine was developed to replicate the movement dynamics, speed, pace, and strength necessary to become a successful rower. Rowers have recently become popular in the United States. This may be due to the growing interest in low-impact exercises, or it may be due to its ubiquity in functional gyms. 

Rowing machines have many advantages: they provide users with high-quality, low-impact aerobic exercise, and if performed correctly, they can exercise up to 86% of their muscles. And, most importantly, the rowing machine is not running. We analyzed the best rowing machines available and put together this list to help you make the best choice for your fitness and pricing needs.

If Concept2 is the rower’s Cadillac, then the Hydrow rower is the rower’s Tesla Model S. Hydrow may be the most technologically advanced rowing machine on the market, equipped with a 22-inch high-definition screen display, pre-installed exercises, ergonomically designed upholstered seats and a patented computer-controlled resistance system. Hydrow Rower's resistance range is 1 to 300-104 is the default setting, which is said to accurately replicate the feeling of rowing in open water.

The Hydrow rower has a beautiful and stylish design, including an ergonomically designed upholstered seat on a 10-roller system to provide long-term comfort during long exercise sessions. The high-definition display with front speakers provides a responsive and user-friendly system that contains hundreds of exercise video libraries taught by key professional athletes hired by Hydrow. The resistance can be adjusted up to 240 times per second, and the electromagnetic resistance system of the Hydro Rower ensures extremely quiet operation, allowing users to exercise without disturbing the rest of the house. Finally, although the Hydrow Rower can be neatly stowed away, the stylish design is good enough that you may not want it.

Can accommodate users up to 6'6" and 375 pounds

Interactive online courses, leaderboards and competitions

A monthly paid membership is required to get the maximum fitness value

Users cannot use their own music

No, seriously, why are they so expensive?

The Concept2 rowing machine is the most well-known and common rowing machine on the market, suitable for professional rowers. When rowers are associated with CrossFit Games, the popularity of Concept2 rowers has skyrocketed, and military and experienced readers will be familiar with Concept2 rowers because it is the rower most likely to appear in military stadiums around the world.

Recently, Concept2 renamed Model D to RowErg (and their supporting machines BikeErg and SkiErg). The name RowErg comes from the dynamometer, referred to as "erg", which is a device for measuring work. Concept2 RowErg can withstand up to 500 pounds, which should accommodate most users.

Concept2 RowErg is the gold standard for rowing machines in many ways. Although it is not the best rower, it does not have all the bells and whistles, and it is not the cheapest option, but it does perform the best among rowers with all the things you want and need at a relatively low price. combination. The performance of Concept2 RowErg is excellent and consistent. It is designed to be easy to move and can be easily stored. More importantly, Concept2 RowErg is suitable for users of any experience level from novice to Mat Fraser.

Compatible with most heart rate monitors

High maximum user load capacity

Basic and date digital display

Produce a lot of noise

Stamina ATS Air Rower is an excellent rowing machine for beginners. It has a sturdy design that can meet the fitness needs of beginners and even intermediate users. Its display is very limited, only showing your speed and an additional indicator: calories burned, distance traveled or elapsed time. Stamina ATS Air Rower is a simple rowing machine that can get the job done-and because of its low price, it will never go bankrupt.

Large pedal suitable for users of any body type

No built-in games or health monitors

Only show speed plus an additional indicator

The Ergatta rowing machine is the second most expensive rowing machine in this review, but it is also the rowing machine with the most advanced and sophisticated electronic equipment, and is likely to be the best-looking and most luxurious-looking rowing machine on the market today.

The Ergatta rowing machine is both a digital masterpiece and an incredible beauty. The rich colors of the American cherry wood frame are comparable to some of the best wooden furniture, which means you may not want to put the Ergatta away when you are finished. The retro wooden design is in sharp contrast with the cutting-edge digital technology. The display is a 17.3-inch touch screen with 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution

Ergatta workouts are mainly based on users setting and achieving personalized goals and competing with the Ergatta online community, which makes it an ideal training program for those who thrive by competing with their own personal records or others. The digital display has an appearance very similar to that of a video game, and the machine can automatically adjust the difficulty after tracking the user's progress. The monthly subscription fee for online resources is $29. Ergatta is compatible with Bluetooth and can be used for music and interface with a heart rate monitor.

Handmade in Rhode Island with American cherry wood

Customized exercises and real-time remote interactive competitions with other Ergatta users

Accommodates users up to 6 feet 8 inches and 500 pounds

No mentor; very dependent on competition with the online Ergatta community

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW 5515 is an excellent rowing machine, suitable for beginners who are new to rowing machines and on a limited budget. It has enough basic facilities to make a viable fitness equipment, but it lacks many of the more advanced features of more expensive rowing machines. The price is reasonable enough to make upgrading to a more expensive rowing machine a viable option for those who find themselves serious about rowing machine exercise.

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW 5515 is a very small rowing machine, but it is not too small to be used. It has an easy-to-adjust knob dial to change the resistance. The display is small, but it covers enough data for basic exercise. There is no speaker or Bluetooth connection for users to integrate music, although in the age of wireless earbuds, this may not be a problem for most users. Low cost means that new users can use it as an entry-level rowing machine and then switch to a more expensive machine without worry. The rowing machine is very low from the ground, so the footprint is quite small. It is also large enough to fit most users. The 250-pound weight limit can cause problems for heavier users.

The display shows the elapsed time, stroke count and calorie count

The display does not show intensity or speed

No exercise tracking, classes, or games

NordicTrack RW900 is a well-designed rowing machine that provides users with great flexibility. NordicTrack workouts are supported by iFit, which provides multiple fitness options for rowing and non-rowing workouts. NordicTrack offers a 30-day free trial of iFit, an interactive digital fitness program of iFit Health and Fitness Inc., the parent company of NordicTrack. The 22-inch high-definition touch screen display is rotatable, so users participating in iFit training courses can use non-boating courses and still clearly see the screen for guidance and feedback.

NordicTrack RW900 can choose to use magnetic resistance or air resistance. Magnetic resistance allows the iFit program to automatically adjust resistance based on the user's performance, while the air resistance option allows the user to maintain manual control of the resistance level. Magnetoresistance also uses SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance to achieve exceptionally quiet operation. The rower supports Bluetooth, allowing users to synchronize music and instructions to their favorite headphones or earbuds. iFit can provide stunning and immersive images of famous water bodies, including the Thames. iFit allows up to four user profiles with annual membership.

Choose magnetic resistance or air resistance

iFit 30-day trial membership

The screen can be used for rowing and non-rowing training

Heavier than the average rowing machine

IFit subscription is required after the initial 30 days

I have been using a rowing machine as a cross-training tool for many years, and in recent months this has become even more important when I am unable to run due to a leg injury. As an equipment reviewer for tasks and purposes, I conducted a comprehensive review of everything from hiking shoes to throwing axes. For this particular article, I have aggregated data from multiple sources and compiled a comprehensive guide using my own experience using rowing machines. You can use it to make choices that suit your training, fitness, and budget needs. . 

The type of rowing machine usually refers to how the rowing machine of that category provides resistance. The four types are air, water, magnetic and hydraulic. Everyone has their own advantages and disadvantages, but the final choice should be based on your personal needs. 

The working principle of the air rower is to generate resistance through the internal flywheel located at the front of the rower. The zipper of the rower is attached to the flywheel, and the harder and faster it is pulled, the greater the resistance and the greater the difficulty. Air rowers are the most popular type of resistance and the most common. Concept 2 rowers use air resistance. 

Air rowing machines are often easy to put away, but they are usually the noisy one of the rowing machines.  

The paddlers use a flywheel system, but the flywheel is wrapped in a water tank. Like an air rower, the flywheel creates resistance to water, and this resistance increases your workload. The paddle is usually made of high-quality wood, which makes the paddle look elegant, almost like furniture. This can offset their larger size and limited hiding ability. Frank Underwood used the paddle in "Game of Thrones." 

Many experts agree that the paddle has a smoother pull and can better replicate open waters. The rowing of water rowers is generally more consistent than that of aerial rowers. Water rowing is quieter than aerial rowing, but it is not. The hiss of water can hypnotize and relax. The Ergatta rowing device is a water rowing device. 

Magnetic rowers use a flywheel, which has a series of powerful magnets that are set at different distances from the flywheel to increase or decrease resistance. Magnetic rowers are the quietest of the rowers, which makes them ideal for apartments and apartments. The resistance is manually adjusted, rather than increasing or decreasing with the user's effort. 

The hydraulic rower uses (spoiler alert!) hydraulic pistons to generate resistance. At the beginning of the exercise, the piston is set to a specific resistance. Like the magnetic rowing device, the hydraulic rowing device does not rely on the user's effort to generate resistance. However, the piston heats up significantly during exercise, resulting in a slight decrease in resistance because the heating mechanism finds less resistance. The hydraulic rowing machine is usually the cheapest rowing machine style.

The flywheel is part of the rowing machine, which uses water, air, magnetic force or hydraulic pressure to generate resistance. It is the big round wheel at the front of the rowing machine. They differ in the way they generate resistance and the noise they generate-air and water make the loudest sounds, while magnetic ones are the quietest. The working principle of the magnetic flywheel is to adjust the magnet closer or farther away from the flywheel to increase and decrease the resistance. For water and air resistance, the resistance mainly depends on the strength and speed with which the user pulls the cable. 

The damper is an instrument on the flywheel side of the air resistance rowing machine. The damper controls the air flow to increase or decrease resistance. Many competitive rowers set the damper to a lower setting to more effectively simulate the resistance encountered by water, while higher resistance provides a harder workout, but does not mimic the feeling of water. 

The pedal is just as it sounds, where you place your feet, just like the pedals on a bicycle or stationary bicycle, but with less movement. Depending on the model of the rowing machine, the pedals have different sizes and adjustable levels. The position and function of the pedals will affect the function of the rowing machine for users of different body types. Foot pedals can also be tied to your feet to improve stability during exercise. 

Simply put, the guide rail is the spine of the rowing machine on which the seat slides back and forth. They are usually made of steel or aluminum. Some well-designed rowers will take steps to ensure that the seat slides along the rails as smoothly as possible. 

This is self-explanatory. The seat is what you sit on and can be made of hard plastic or padded material. The seat rollers are wheels that roll when the seat moves up and down on the track of the rowing machine. 

The handle is the horizontal bar at the front of the rowing machine, which is connected to a chain or belt. Pulling the handle engages the chain or belt and creates tension throughout the movement. The user is reminded not to release the handle without guiding it back to the starting position, as the handle will bounce back and damage the rowing machine or the display of the rowing machine. The handles are made of a variety of materials, some of which are more contoured than others. 

The display is the screen or monitor on the front of the rower, allowing the user to track time and progress. Displays can range from very small text-based displays to large, exquisite touch-screen high-definition displays, comparable to the best TV and computer monitors. Some models also allow users to provide a tablet computer as a display. The display provides users with various indicators and measurement values, including speed, elapsed time, pace, distance, calories and heart rate. Some monitors can play videos, lessons, instructions, and leaderboards. Others have speakers and/or Bluetooth compatibility.  

The most obvious benefit of using a rowing machine is the ability to perform excellent aerobic exercise and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) without the high impact associated with outdoor running or treadmills.  

Rowing machines are usually long but thin. Some folds are used for storage, while others are designed to stand upright to better manage space. Unlike treadmills, elliptical machines, or stationary bicycles, most rowing machines are relatively light and designed to be stored out of the way. If you have limited space, such as an apartment or condominium, this makes them a very useful fitness tool. 

A 2008 study found that those who use proper form and technique on a rowing machine can exercise up to 86% of their body muscles. A rowing exercise evaluated by the American Fitness Professionals Association consists of 65% to 75% of leg work and 25% to 35% of upper body participation. 

This is mainly just to attract attention, but cycling and stationary bicycle will increase the chance of male erectile dysfunction, genital numbness and infertility. However, your faithful rowing machine will provide you with opportunities for indoor aerobic exercise and will never challenge your masculinity.

Pricing considerations for rowing machines range from a few hundred dollars to more than two thousand dollars. As a buyer, you must decide what you need, what you don’t need, and what your budget supports. Beginners can use a rowing machine at a much lower price, while professional athletes or more experienced users may need something more expensive. 

The pricing of rowing machines can be divided into three basic categories: 

Think of rowing machines in different pricing categories, just like you imagine a car. They will all complete the basic tasks you need them to complete, but some will make the ride more interesting. And you, the buyer, need to carefully balance your needs, desires, and budget. 

Your premium rower will provide you with a good service, but without any extra decorations, laces and whistles. You will get a high-quality rowing machine that can meet your needs: to keep you in shape. With a value rower, you may have limited display options and very basic connectivity. With these rowers, you may want to wear wireless earbuds to play your favorite cardio playlists from your personal music catalog or streaming music service. These are great rowers, and you can take part in it to see if you really plan to use rowing as part of your fitness plan or if your rowers plan to sit in a corner filled with clothing. 

The mid-range rowing machine brings everything. They have a wide range of operations, from very basic facilities to very high-end electronic products. With a mid-range rower, you will find that the rower has more refined features in many situations, such as smoother pull and more consistent resistance, and better interconnection with wireless devices such as heart rate monitors. With a mid-range rowing machine, you will find better accessories to track your workout, progress, and goals. 

There are everything for quality rowers. You will get the highest performance machines equipped with the most advanced electronic equipment and connectivity. These are the only ones on the list that deserve to be called luxurious. With premium rowers, you can access a personalized training plan and high-definition video guidance. Many even include interactive views of famous waters, where you can pretend to be rowing while exercising. 

There is no shortage of comments on rowing machines. Although I wanted to physically test every rowing machine mentioned in this article, when I submitted a voucher for nearly 12 rowing machines, my editor laughed for nearly 45 minutes. Instead, I did the next best thing and read dozens of articles written by people who have already done this work.

When I started to study rowing machines, I focused on some specific indicators: function, connectivity, display, and structural design. How do specific rowers do their basic work in providing high-quality training methods? Will the rower connect to your heart rate monitor or smart watch, app or online program to track your goals and progress? Does it have a clean design? Is it elegant or practical? Is the rowing machine best for your family room or garage gym? How much weight can the rowing machine bear? 

Just like buying a car, boat, or bicycle, all relevant variables will provide a good service to the buyer before swiping a debit card. I compiled all this data into an excellent news report to help you make your choice.

You have questions, tasks and goals have answers.

A: The most important thing to use a rowing machine is to maintain the correct posture and technique to avoid injury. The effect of rowing machine exercise is small, but the proportion of muscles you use is very high (up to 85%). Just like weightlifting, there is time to push with the legs and time to use the upper body. 

Since I am not a certified personal trainer, I will respect those with professional knowledge and suggest that you seek the help of a personal trainer or use a video teaching guide to learn the correct technique step by step. 

Answer: The answer to this question depends on your personal fitness goals. Aerobic exercise can last 45 to 90 minutes, while anaerobic exercise like HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) can last 5 to 20 minutes. 

Answer: The rowing machine is an excellent choice for aerobic exercise during pregnancy. The rowing machine exercise has little impact and does not have the same balance precautions as treadmills and elliptical machines. As with any physical activity during pregnancy, you should consult a medical professional before accepting a new fitness program. 

Paul O'Leary is an Army veteran and tactical junkie. He has toured many times in Atropia and other theaters, and once ate a Norwegian reindeer MRE. He considers himself a connoisseur of fine bourbon, wine and cigars. He also writes for the Duffel blog. Follow him on Twitter @pauljoleary. If you purchase products through one of our links, Task & Purpose and its partners may receive commissions. Learn more about our product review process.

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