For your daily cardio workout if you are looking for a piece of new workout equipment to shed extra kilos, then a rowing machine could be the best choice that you should consider buying. Incorporating this equipment for your daily cardio workout offers an incredible total-body workout. Exercising over these machines works majorly on muscle grips of the legs, glutes, abs, arms, shoulders and back, activating about 85% of all muscles. Besides all, rowing is an effective exercise for both cardio and strength training. And unlike other high-impact exercises that put stress on your joints such as running, jumping or sprinting, rowing is kinder on your body and it burns just as many, if not more, calories in the same amount of time. With the help of this article, we will enlist the top 10 rowing machines that you can consider buying as home gym equipment.
The Need for a Rowing Machine
Apart from other cardio exercising equipment, the rowing machine has an added advantage as far as your workout is concerned. Exercising with these machines mimics the same, just like rowing a boat. The resistance of the water increases your heart rate and builds strength. And unlike running and other high-impact exercises like HIIT workouts, it’s a low-impact workout that goes easy on your joints, making rowers ideal for just about anyone, especially those recovering from an injury or who are newer to exercise. Although rowing might appear to be mostly an upper-body workout, your legs and glutes are actually the main muscles driving your stroke. Rowing is 80% legs and 20% upper body. But it also forces you to engage your core and back, so you feel completely connected from your feet to your shoulders.
Factors to be Considered Before Buying a Rowing Machine
- Noise Level – Noise level can be really important if you are using a rower in an open space with other people. Magnetic rowers may be the best in terms of being the quietest. However, as a general rule, the higher quality machines will usually be quieter due to greater build quality.
- Maintenance – Maintenance is equally important to be considered before buying. A machine that has many detachable parts can be easier to fix since you would only need to replace the one broken part. A machine with more complicated parts, like a chain and a fan, may need to be fixed professionally. However, you have to change or clean the water in a water rower periodically, which you don’t need to do with a fan-based rowing machine.
- Monitoring Controls – Unless you have gone for an extremely budget or compact machine, your rowing machine should have a monitor. The monitor should allow you to track certain things such as time used, distance travelled and calories burned. Rowing machines on the higher end of the market may give even more information. This may include heart rate and so on.
- Resistance – There are a few different types of resistance you can choose from. Water or air resistance tend to be the best options for a smooth experience and maximum resistance options. Also, some rowing machines don’t have adjustable resistance, and it will just change based on how hard you pull. However, others have specific resistance levels you can set and change throughout your workout. If you have very specific training goals, that sort of precision can be helpful.
- Construction – The quality of the rowing machine should be a factor when deciding which one to actually purchase. It is important to inspect how smoothly the seat is allowed to slide across the rail. You should also keep an eye out for the quality of the seat because this could have a huge impact on the general enjoyment of the machine.
Top 10 Rowing Machine For Your Daily Workout Regime
1.) Concept2 Rower – This rowing machine is one of the best equipment that you should consider buying. This machine has a digital monitor that tracks your pace, watts, stroke rate, calories, and more. This information is automatically stored on a USB drive or internal memory after every workout. It uses air resistance, which minimizes noise and provides a smooth ride. It comes with Bluetooth, so you can connect wirelessly to a variety of apps. Besides all, the equipment comes in both standard and elevated seat heights.
2.) Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Rower – This equipment comes with an LCD monitor that displays stats like your workout duration and calories burned, as well as an easy-to-use adjustable dial that offers eight levels of magnetic resistance.
3.) Echelon Smart Rower – This equipment can handle multiple fitness levels, as far as your fitness is concerned. This rower can be set to 32 levels of magnetic resistance, making it the ideal pick for a home with multiple users.
4.) Stamina Body Trac Glider 1050 – This rowing machine from stamina is ideal for apartments, and it weighs only 39 pounds (17.7 kg). It has foldable arms for compact storage and a multifunctional LCD screen to track your metrics. It uses hydraulic cylinder resistance, so the rowing motion isn’t as smooth as some others, but it offers a wide range of motion when rowing.
5.) MaxKare Foldable Magnetic Rower – This machine from MaxKare is affordable, reliable, and easy to operate. Designed with a magnetic control flywheel and offering 16 levels of resistance, this rower is appropriate for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Users like the extra-long slide rails, which make the rower ideal for taller people. The LCD monitor tracks your workout duration, stroke rate, row count, and calories burned. And the machine is foldable for easy storage.
6.) Nordick Track Rower – This rower machine comes with an adjustable console, so you can rotate the screen when not on the rower. What’s more, this magnetic-resistance rower has 26 resistance levels to provide workout variety. Finally, if you need a boost of motivation, take advantage of the Automatic Trainer Control, which allows your trainer to adjust the resistance.
7.) Schwinn Crewmaster Rower – This rower machine comes with an extra-large seat designed to cushion your backside while you work out. Additionally, it has oversized pedals and a large LCD screen that tracks your distance, workout duration, row count, stroke rate, calories burned, recovery time, and pulse. The electronic display rests on an adjustable console that you can adjust to different heights. This rower uses magnetic resistance and comes with 10 resistance levels.
8.) Women’s Health Men’s Health Bluetooth Rower – This rower machine has high-quality Bluetooth connectivity and offers in-app affordable rowing classes making this rowing machine worth considering. This rower uses magnetic resistance and comes with 14 levels of resistance. It also includes a basic digital display for keeping an eye on your stats, though you will need four AA batteries to keep it powered. The machine is equipped with a phone holder, so you can stream classes while rowing. You get access to workout programs, including coach-led videos on the MyCloudFitness app, available both on Android and iOS platforms.
9.) WaterRower Classic – This rower machine is a Rhode Island-based company that makes indoor rowing machines known for their beautiful wooden design. Each rower has a circular tank at the centre that you fill with water. As you row, a cable pulls a paddle inside the tank, which creates resistance. Besides all, it also has S4 digital monitor that displays time, distance, speed/intensity, stroke rate, and heart rate. The Water Rower is also easy to lift up and store in a vertical position, making it a good option for apartments or smaller spaces.
10.) Aviron Impact Series Rower Machine – This rower machine is made up of dual air and magnetic resistance. It is one of the lighter machines on the list, weighing only 97 pounds (43.9 kg), and its base folds upright for easy storage. Another thing to note is that you’ll want to place your rower in an area with a strong Wi-Fi connection to get the best gaming experience.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
