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What are the greatest Rowing Machines Benefits?

Do you want to know why rowing machines are the best fitness equipment for cardivascular exercises? Read an article about rowing machines benefits.

There are many manufacturers of rowing machines out there. In later table I present few of most popular manufacturers with links to their websites and some of reviews of rowing machines on this websites.

It’s difficult to say who produces best rowing machines. All of them are good, but because there are many shapes, style, models, it’s almost imposible to say this one is best. You should consider many factors when buying rowing machines:

• available budget
• available space in the room
• the purpose of your excercise
• type of rowing machines (air, water, magnetic, hydraulic…)
• needed accessories (heart rate monitor, …)
• etc.

On the market you will find for models:

• air rowing machines
• hydraulic rowing machines
• water rowing machines
• magnetic rowing machines

The list of some of rowing machines manufacturers is in the below table. In the proceeding weeks I will post some descriptions of their products, not just rowing machines, but also other fitness equipment that they produce.

Rowing Machines Websites

Rowing Machine Company	Website link	On Amazon	Reviews
Bodycraft	Bodycraft website	Buy on Amazon	VR100
Concept2	Concept2 website	Buy on Amazon	Model E, Model D
HCI Fitness	HCI Fitness website	Buy on Amazon	Coming Soon
Kettler	Kettler website	Buy on Amazon	Outrigger, Favorit
Lifecore Fitness	Lifecore Fitness website	Buy on Amazon	R900
Lifespan Fitness	Lifespan Fitness website	Buy on Amazon	Coming soon
Stamina	Stamina website	Buy on Amazon	Track Glider, 1205, 35-1400 ATS
WaterRower	WaterRower website	Buy on Amazon	Coming soon

Benefits of home hydraulic rowing machines

• The hydraulic rowing machine may be the best way to go if space is a concern.
• The hydraulic rowing machines may be the best solution if you’re on a tight budget and you want an economical home rowing machine.
• Provide a good home excercise for a low price
• They do offer all the benefits of home rowing as more expensive home rowing machines-

Deficiencies of home hydraulic rowing machines

Although hydraulic based indoor rowers are low-cost, they differ from air, magnetic and water rowers because the rowing machine technique doesn’t allow you to pull in a straight line. The majority of based rowing machines require you be placed in an exercise position that does not allow you to perform a natural rowing motion. Because of this, you are unable to naturally synchronize your arm and leg movements together.

Examples of home hydraulic rowing machines

The Stamina 1205 Precision Rower review

Buy Stamina 1205 Precision Rower

The Stamina 1205 Precision Hydraulic Rowing Machine is one of the first choices that you can make, if you are just starting rowing at home. Rowing machine provides all the health and fitness benefits of rowing by working all of your major muscle groups, including your legs, arms, back, abs, and glutes.

Stamina rowing machine price is under 300 USD, which makes it one of the cheapest rowing machine on the market. But despite this budget price, benefits of workout with this rowing machine will be almost the same as with more expensive ones.

Read full review of The Stamina 1205 Precision Rower review.

Stamina Body Track Glider 1050 Rowing machine

Buy Stamina Body Track Glider Hydraulic Rowing Machine

Amazon.com Product Description

Do you have limited workout space but plenty of motivation? Turn to the Stamina Body Trac Glider hydraulic rowing machine, which offers a compact footprint of only 23.5 inches wide by 46 inches long, but offers the same terrific workout performance as machines twice its size. The Body Trac Glider is outfitted with a tough steel frame and an aluminum center beam that’s designed to withstand years of use. More significantly, the machine’s ball-bearing roller system and adjustable cylinder resistance arms mimic the smooth motion of rowing on the water. And because rowing is widely recognized as one of the best all-around activities for cardiovascular fitness and strength, the Body Trac Glider makes an ideal workout accessory for anyone who wants to get in tip-top shape.

The Body Trac Glider folds up for easy storage in a closet.
Rowing provides an efficient, effective, low-impact workout that utilizes all the major muscle groups, including the back, legs, arms, abdominals and buttocks. It is also one of the best exercises for building a strong back, as well as one of the most effective low-impact aerobic exercises for increasing your metabolism. As a result, you can efficiently burn calories and fat without impacting your joints. In addition, the rower includes a multifunction fitness monitor that tracks your workout time, stroke count, and calories burned during your workout, along with the total strokes you’ve accumulated since owing the machine. The monitor displays each data point for six seconds before rotating to the next.

Other features include gas shock resistance, a manual resistance control knob, a comfortable molded and padded seat, and a capacity of 250 pounds. The Body Trac Glider–which folds up for easy storage in a closet or corner–carries a one-year warranty on the frame and a 90-day warranty on parts.

Stamina 1215 Orbital Rowing Machine with Free Motion Arms

Buy Stamina 1215 Orbital Hydraulic Rowing Machine

Amazon.com Product Description

Enjoy one of the best all-around activities for cardiovascular fitness and strength with the Stamina 1215 Orbital Hydraulic Rowing Machine. The 1215 Rower has full range-of-motion rowing for a truer rowing motion that mimics rowing on the water with a padded seat that glides on a ball bearing roller system, rowing arms with adjustable resistance, and foam grips that keep hands stable and comfortable.

Compact and portable with a footprint of just 32.5 x 48 inches and a weight of 47 pounds, the 1215 Hydraulic Rowing Machine is a great way to get a workout in smaller spaces. The multifunctional fitness monitor keeps you motivated and on track to reach your fitness goals showing speed, distance, time, stroke count, and calories burned during your workout.

Rowing is widely known to be one of the best all-around activities for cardiovascular fitness and strength. Rowing is a total body workout that is efficient, effective, low-impact and utilizes all major muscle groups including the back, legs, arms, abdominals and buttocks. It is one of the best exercises for building a strong back, as well as one of the most effective low-impact aerobic exercises for increasing your metabolism for more efficient calorie and fat burning without the impact on your joints.

Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Hydraulic Rowing Machine

Buy Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Hydraulic Rowing Machine

Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Hydraulic Rowing Machine with its special lever technology enables rowing which is very similar to the authentic rowing on the water. The resistance force can be regulated with hydraulic cylinders, pedals are adjustable to the size of user’s foot.

This rowing machine very authenticly imitates rowing on the water with special mechanism. Rowing intensity can be set with a knob on the top of every cylinder. This machine has 12 levels so it is convenient for all kinds of training.

Read full review of Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Hydraulic Rowing Machine.

HCI Fitness Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine

HCI Fitness Sprint Outrigger Scull Rowing Machine

Amazon.com Product Description

The Sprint Outrigger Scull Hydraulic Rowing Machine gives you the ultimate experience in Piston Rowing. Designed with German engineering influences, the Sprint Rower is the most affordable and highest quality Outrigger on the market today. It features two hydraulic cylinders with the ability to set force resistance on a scale of 1 to 12, and a comfortable ergonomic seat with smooth running rollers mounted on rails. Strap your feet into the large footplates, they will pivot slightly to support your natural motion as you row. The Display shows you time, stroke count, total strokes, and calories. Also, it includes built-in workout programs based on both calories and strokes. When in use, the unit is 55 in L x 68 in W x 15 in H and supports up to 275 lbs. When you need to store the unit, it folds to easily fit under a bed or in a closet. Warranty is one year on all parts.

Kettler Favorit Hydraulic Rowing Machine

Buy Kettler Favorit Hydraulic Rowing Machine

Kettler Favorit Rowing Machine is a compact high-quality piston rowing machine that provides a full body workout within a limited space and budget. Excercise on Kettler favorit rowing machine combines both aerobic exercise and strength training.

Kettler rowing machine is truly versatile for training in the major muscle groups. Aluminum bracket combined with high quality ergonomic cylindrical seat provides ongoing in quiet workout.

Read full review of Kettler Favorit Hydraulic Rowing Machine.

Stamina Body Track Glider Rowing Machine

Winter is almost over. Did you also gain some extra weight over the winter time? And you are thinking of how to lose weight? Do you have a half an hour a day? Great, so there is no reason that you could not lose some weight.

The right answer is rowing machine. The rowing machine is fitness equipment ideal for losing weight. With exercising on rowing machines you burn your calories more effective, because you exercise almost all muscle groups of both the upper and lower body regions.

Why?  With proper rowing machines techniques in four steps,  you doing exercises for your arms, shoulders, stomach, back, ass and legs. You can read more about proper rowing machine techniques on one of my previous posts.

Rowing exercise machines are great for both aerobic (heart and lungs) and anaerobic (muscle strengthening) benefits. All you have to do is just rowing an half an hour, not every day, but every second day. Most important is that you exercise in a fat burning heart rate zone.

Rowing machine exercise make whole your body to work, so you don’t need to workout for a long time. A half an hour rowing machine exercise should look something like this:

1. First 5 minutes – warm-up (a light resistance setting, rowing slowly, concentrate on your rowing technique and rhythm)
2. Next 20 minutes – exercising in fat burning heart rate zone
3. Last 5 minutes – cool down (Gradually slow your rowing speed and reduce the resistance to a minimum.)

If you still not convinced that rowing machine is a fitness equipment for you, there are still more benefits of rowing machines.

How to choose the right rowing machines?

There are a lot of different rowing machines, cheaper and more expensive. Which to choose?

• Air rowing machines - in this group is one of the most popular rowing machine Concept 2 rowing machine, which is used in many fitness houses, professional rowers using this machine to prepare themselves during winter time. They require quite a lot of space and cost from 500 USD to …
• Water rowing machines – One of the most expensive, but great fitness equipment. Require more space, but they are a great simulator of a real thing, rowing on the water.
• Pistons rowing machines – the cheapest ones, but if you are planning just too lose weight and on budget, that’s the rowing machine for you

What ever rowing machine you choose, most important is still your decision to workout and losing weight.

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The answer lies in the aerobic rowing exercise. It is not only good for burning fat (which also indirectly benefits the heart), but also strengthens your heart, and maintains it healthy.

The first step of any aerobic exercise is calculating the approximate target heart rate. Armed with this number you will take full advantage of each practice, without overloading your heart (Caution! People with heart or other problems should consult their personal doctor, specialist or personal trainer).

Calculation of the target heart rate zone

Any aerobic exercise is based on the calculation of the target area heart rate.

First you must calculate your maximum heart rate.

The easiest and best known method to calculate your maximum heart rate (MHR) is to use the formula

FOR MEN (you can find heart rate chart here)

MHR = 220 – your age

FOR WOMEN (heart rate chart)

MHR = 226 – your age

For example I am 31 year old, so my maximum heart rate is:

MHR = 220-31 = 189

There are more formulas for calculating maximum heart rate.

Now that you know your maximum heart rate, you must determine your rowing exercise heart rate zone.

Heart rate zones

We know four different heart rate zones:

Recovery zone/fat burn zone -60 % to 70 % MHR

Aerobic zone -70 % to 80 % MHR

Anaerobic zone – 80 % to 90 % MHR

VO2 max/red line zone – 90 % to 100 % MHR

How to calculate heart rate zone?

My MHR is 189. Let’s say that I want to excercise on my rowing machine in the aerobic area, that is between 70% and 80 % of my maximum heart rate (MHR). So the calculation goes:

0,7 x 189 = 132

0,8 x 189 = 151

So my aerobic rowing zone is betwen 132 and 151 heartbeat per minute.

You can use this calculation and exercise zones for all your exercises, not only for exercises on rowing machines.

But you still need some monitor equipment for exercising within this heart rate zone. There are numerous rowing machines that includes heart rate monitor. For example:

But for those that doesn’t have heart rate monitor, you need to buy some. The best and most practical for all excercises are heart rate monitor watch, like:

• Timex T5G971 Unisex Sports Personal Heart Rate Monitor Watch
• Polar F6 Men’s Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black Coal, New Design)
• Reebok Fitwatch 10S Strapless Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Blue)

But there are many more and you can get it it many different colors, with different functions and in different shapes. But most important, you should use one for better results.