Rowing machine experiences?

[Janet H]

I am considering a rowing machine purchase - does anyone have any first hand experience with rowers? Any advice?

 

[MC Rider]

Had one years ago, used it some. But before long it became a clothes rack.
Gave it to friends when I moved across country.
I think a real rowboat or canoe would be a lot more fun, if you have somewhere to use one. I found the machine boring. Ymmv.

 

[aja8888]

Had one years ago, used it some. But before long it became a clothes rack.
Gave it to friends when I moved across country.
I think a real rowboat or canoe would be a lot more fun, if you have somewhere to use one. I found the machine boring. Ymmv.

All exercise machines are boring. Don't just single out a rowing machine.

Janet, most people that can afford around $2000 buy the Concept machine. It's the "Cadillac" of them. One person I know has one and he likes it. That's all I know.

 

[Janet H]

I think a real rowboat or canoe would be a lot more fun, if you have somewhere to use one. .

I agree but the PNW winters are cold and drippy... I currently row with a local team (coxed) and miss it in the winter; also the spring return to rowing hurts. Going to the gym is not on this winters activity list and I'm thinking a home rower might be the ticket...

 

[caninelover]

We have a Concept 2 rower and have used it consistently (me occasionally and SO regularly) for 3+ years.

It is an excellent full body workout, is useful cross training, and very helpful if you have occasional bouts of foot injuries (like plantar fasciitis) since it isn't weight bearing.

A new Concept 2 rower is under $1k. It can easily come apart for storage if you need your floorspace back, and requires very little maintenance.

I think their are newer connected rowers on the market where can attend a virtual 'class' but ours is fine. We have a TV in front of it to keep boredom at bay.

 

[sweetana3]

hubby has a water rower and uses it 3X a day for 20 minutes at a time. Was told it was good for blood sugar and for cardio. It is next to a TV and he watches shows while rowing. So far he has kept it up for several years. He does this when he is not on the construction job site for Habitat. They wear him out just as well.

 

[KevinZ]

We have a Concept 2 rower and have used it consistently (me occasionally and SO regularly) for 3+ years.

It is an excellent full body workout, is useful cross training, and very helpful if you have occasional bouts of foot injuries (like plantar fasciitis) since it isn't weight bearing.

A new Concept 2 rower is under $1k. It can easily come apart for storage if you need your floorspace back, and requires very little maintenance.

I think their are newer connected rowers on the market where can attend a virtual 'class' but ours is fine. We have a TV in front of it to keep boredom at bay.

I have a Concept 2 also for about a year. It's a great full body workout equipment especially for weak knees.

 

[MC Rider]

I agree but the PNW winters are cold and drippy... I currently row with a local team (coxed) and miss it in the winter; also the spring return to rowing hurts. Going to the gym is not on this winters activity list and I'm thinking a home rower might be the ticket...

You already like rowing, so maybe it is for you. Keep in shape for the season. Maybe some race videos to motivate you. Or a big bald guy banging a drum. Stroke stroke stroke! Sorry.


What ever floats your boat, as they say.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

Have owned a Concept2 rower for about 7 years. Have rowed several million meters in that time. Highly recommend it. You can upload your workouts, and track your performance. The rower links with your heart rate monitor, if you want. Does not hurt my aging knees. Gets my heart rate up much higher than the treadmill, elliptical or stair machine.

Concept2 also sells a machine called a SkiErg. The local gym acquired a few, so I tried them and like them better than the rower. It uses the same flywheel and performance monitor.

Yes, doing half an hour or more of hard cardio is a mind game. To make it easier, I crank loud rock and roll.

 

[Crewer]

A friend recently gave me her 25 year old Concept Model B. The electronics don't work any more but I go for time and different stroke rates so it's not a problem. I don't usually like to erg - use a rowing machine, though I row in the summer and love, love, love it, but I'm liking it so far and have opted to buy newer model foot stretchers to retrofit it. It is a full workout. I expect it to go another 25 years since it's not getting that much use and I keep the chain oiled and cage vacuumed.

 

[Janet H]

great feedback - I've used the Concept2 and am not crazy about the noise... has anyone tried a water rower?

 

[friar1610]

I have an old piston-type rower that has been collecting dust for years. During height of the pandemic I dusted it off and began using it again as I was no longer going to the gym where I used a Concept 2 regularly. The old rower is certainly not as elegant or smooth as the Concept 2 but I can still work up a good sweat and raise my heart rate with it. That said, I will probably ask Santa for a Concept 2 this year. I deal with boredom by listening to podcasts.

 

[audreyh1]

I still love my Concept2 rower. I’ve had it 10 years now. Great all body aerobic workout.

Hadn’t noticed the noise. I usually have music playing and recently often have AirPods in. But even without I don’t hear it over the Apple Fitness workout audio.

The Apple Fitness+ workouts d a lot of interval training. Dark horse rowing has some of the same with YouTube.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

great feedback - I've used the Concept2 and am not crazy about the noise... has anyone tried a water rower?

I have a water rower, and I like the noise. I find the swooshing comforting.

I must admit that I don't, ummm, hear that comforting sound all that often...

 

[Qs Laptop]

About 10 years ago I bought a cheap piston resistance rower on Craig's list. I used it for a while but quit using it because it was too small for me (I'm 6' 2", 200 lbs.) and was awkward to use. I did like the overall workout and cardio benefits it gave me.

After being diagnosed with AFib my cardiologist recommended exercise so I bought a Sunny magnetic resistance rower on Amazon for $249. Large enough for me, very quiet in operation, seems durable. I have been using it several times a week for about 18 months now and can't see any wear on it. However, although it comes with 16 resistance settings, within a month I went from the mid level setting of 8 up to the highest setting of 16. I'm up to 25 minutes per session now and while I'm still getting an OK workout I feel it could be better with more resistance.

So now I'm eyeing a Concept 2 rower. I would have bought one last year but because of high demand due to Covid they were backordered. There was a brisk arbitrage business with resellers getting $1,500 for them. They are now back to $900+ last time I looked with 2 week wait time. Still, almost $1,000 is a lot to fork out blindly, I'd like to try one before I make a decision.

I too, watch TV while I row, currently going through old Johnny Carson Tonight Show episodes which are fun for nostalgic reasons.

My advice would be to make sure rowing is something you can stay at doing and won't get sick of it after a while. No need to spend $1,000 on a Concept 2 and learn you don't like it. Maybe get a cheaper rower first and try it. If my Sunny rower had more resistance levels I would be completely satisfied. I may take it apart and try to hack it to increase the resistance.

I've found exercising is boring and the rower plus TV is the best way for me.

 

[braumeister]

My Concept 2 Model D is almost ten years old and still as good as new (yes, it gets used).

I really liked it when I used it in a gym, so bought my own. Great purchase and happy to own it.

 

[Qs Laptop]

great feedback - I've used the Concept2 and am not crazy about the noise... has anyone tried a water rower?

When I was researching the Concept 2 as a replacement to my Sunny magnetic rower, the complaint about water rowers and also the Concept 2 was the amount of noise. The advantage of the magnetic resistance rowers is they are fairly quiet. Indeed, when I row and watch TV I do turn up the volume, but just a little bit, and when I'm done rowing sometimes I continue watching and often forget the volume was increased. In other words, I don't have to crank the volume while I row.

There are YouTube videos on the relative noisiness of the different types of rowers. There is even a video or two where someone used a sound level meter and actually measured the noise levels. IIRC, water rowers were not very quiet.

 

[braumeister]

When I use the Concept 2 I always have Airpods in my ears. Podcasts are my preferred distraction during exercise.

 

[Midpack]

We have a Waterrrower and we love it. The sound of the water rushing back and forth is soothing to us, and it takes up very little space standing upright when not in use. Sticking with it week after week has been a problem, but that’s not because of the rower…

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

Another vote for Concept 2. The whoosh of air isn't that loud IMO, if it was quiet I wouldn't feel like I was doing anything! Had mine about 5 years, mostly shorter rows to warm up/cool down but occasionally row longer for cardio.

 

[LiveBelowMeans]

Another good thing about concept 2 is the resale value. I bought a new one a few years ago and got bored with it. Sold it for just over $650. The used market is very strong.

 

[audreyh1]

I listened to the Concept 2 the other day, and it seemed like most of the noise was coming from the cable you pull on.

But generally I don’t notice the noise as I’m working out to a fitness video or listening to music.