Rowing machines for home use

Which rowing machine for home suits you?

The braking system decides most of the feel, the noise and the price. That is where the choice starts.

You want to row as quietly as possible, in a flat for instance: choose magnetic resistance. It works without air or water and is therefore the quietest option, with a load you set at a fixed level. You will find those with the magnetic resistance rowing machines.

You want to train the way a rower does: go for air resistance. The resistance follows your own effort, so the harder you pull the heavier it gets, and the machine gives reliable times and power figures to train on. For those, see the air resistance rowing machines.

You want the feel and the sound of water: then water resistance is the logical choice. A paddle wheel in a water tank gives a smooth stroke and a swishing sound that many people find more pleasant than a fan. You will find those with the water resistance rowing machines.

You are short of space: look for the option to stand the machine upright or fold it in two. A rowing machine is long, but upright it takes up hardly any floor space. Versions in wood are also built to stay in a living room.

You mainly want to work your upper body: look at the ski ergometers. On those you pull downwards while standing, which loads back, shoulders, arms and abdomen harder than rowing does and leaves your legs free. Those are with the ski ergometers.

You want as much machine as your budget allows: then also work through the used rowing machines. These include refurbished machines from a higher segment, often with a more accurate console and a sturdier rail than you would get new for the same money.

Air, water or magnetic?

Air resistance works with a fan wheel: you determine the load with your own stroke, the measurement is accurate and the noise is clearly audible. Water resistance works with a paddle wheel in water: the same load that follows your effort, a smoother feel and a soft swishing sound, with a little more maintenance on the water. Magnetic resistance works with a magnet on a flywheel: quiet, maintenance free and with fixed levels, but the resistance does not follow your effort.

If you train specifically for times and power, choose air. If the machine stands in the living room and noise matters most, choose magnetic, or water if you like the sound of water. If you are unsure, magnetic is the safest choice for general fitness training.

What should you look out for?

Braking system and measurement

The braking system decides not only the feel but also how reliably you measure your progress. Air and water give a load that follows your effort, which keeps times over five hundred or two thousand metres comparable. A magnetic system works with levels, which is fine for fitness but less suited to comparing your performance from month to month.

Length of the rail

The rail has to be long enough for you to extend your legs fully without reaching the end of it. That matters above all from about 1.85 m in height. A rail that is too short forces you into a shortened stroke, and then you lose exactly the part of the movement where the power comes from your legs.

Storage and dimensions

A rowing machine is the longest piece of cardio equipment in the house. So look not only at the size while rowing but also at the storage position: upright against a wall, folded in two or rolled away on transport wheels. That difference often decides whether the machine is allowed to stay in the living room.

Seat, footrests and handle

You sit in the same spot for twenty to forty minutes, so the seat counts for more than you would think after a short trial stroke. Look for a seat that rolls smoothly without rattling, footrests you can adjust and lock with one hand, and a handle wide enough to keep your shoulders from rotating inwards.

Console and heart rate

For rowing, the pace per five hundred metres, the stroke rate, the distance and the time are the values you steer by. Heart rate is measured with a wireless chest strap; hand sensors barely work for rowing, because your hands never let go of the handle. Many machines can be connected to training apps for courses, videos or plans. Those apps are optional and usually ask a paid subscription for the full functions, although some offer a limited free version or a trial period. Mats and heart rate straps are with the rowing machine accessories.

Technique and the first few weeks

Rowing is the one piece of cardio equipment where technique really matters. The order is legs, trunk, arms on the drive and arms, trunk, legs on the recovery. Do it the other way round and you pull with your back, and you will feel that within a week. So start with short sessions at a low resistance and watch the order first, the pace second.

Our advice: choose the braking system for the room the machine will stand in and for what you want to measure, not for the price. If it stands in a living room above someone else, magnetic or water is the sensible choice. If you want to compare your times from month to month, air is. In every case, keep the sessions short for the first two weeks and watch the order of the stroke.

Who is a rowing machine for home suitable for?

• Anyone who wants to build strength and fitness at once. In one stroke, legs, back, abdomen and arms work together, which no other piece of cardio equipment does in the same way.
• Anyone who wants to train in a joint friendly way. You are seated, so there is no landing impact on knees and ankles.
• Anyone who wants to lose weight. Because so much muscle is involved, you burn more per minute than on a machine that only uses your legs.
• Rowers and triathletes in winter. With air or water resistance you keep your stroke and your power up to standard.
• Anyone with little floor space. A machine that goes upright against the wall takes up less room when stored than most cardio equipment.
• Anyone looking for a calm, meditative session. An even stroke at a low resistance is one of the most pleasant ways to keep going for a long time.

A rowing machine is less suitable with acute back complaints or if you do not want to learn the technique, because with the wrong order you load your lower back instead of your legs. A cross trainer or an exercise bike is then more forgiving. If you are unsure about the type, start by looking at the full range of rowing machines.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy a rowing machine for home use but are you not quite sure which one suits your wishes and needs best? Then we are happy to help you further. You can reach our rowing machine specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an e-mail or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about rowing machines for home use

How much space do you need for a rowing machine?

While rowing you need the full length of the machine plus about half a metre behind you for the run out of the seat. A metre across is enough. More important is the storage size: upright against a wall or folded in two, a rowing machine takes up far less floor space than it does in use. Check whether you can fit the machine in that position under a sloping roof.

Which muscles do you train with rowing?

In a good stroke about sixty per cent of the power comes from your legs, then your trunk takes over and only at the end do your arms pull. That way thighs, glutes, lower back, abdomen, upper back, shoulders and arms all work in the same movement. That broad share of muscle is why you burn so much per minute on a rowing machine.

Is rowing bad for your back?

Not if you keep to the order: push with the legs first, then lean back with the trunk, then pull with the arms. If you pull straight away with your back or trunk, you do load your lower back. So start at a low resistance with short sessions, keep your back long rather than rounded, and have someone watch or film yourself from the side. With existing back complaints, speak to your physiotherapist first.

What is the difference between air, water and magnetic resistance?

Air resistance works with a fan wheel, follows your effort and measures accurately, but it is audible. Water resistance works with a paddle wheel in a tank, gives a smooth stroke and a soft swishing sound, with a little more maintenance. Magnetic resistance is quiet and maintenance free and works with fixed levels, so the load does not follow your stroke. Air for performance, magnetic or water for peace in the house.

How long should you row per session?

Twenty to thirty minutes at an easy pace is a good basis for fitness and weight control, three to five times a week. Start with ten to fifteen minutes, because rowing feels harder than cycling since more muscles join in. Build up the duration first and only then the pace or the resistance.

How much maintenance does a rowing machine need?

Little, but it differs per system. With air and magnetic you keep the rail clean and check the tension of the chain or belt now and then. With water resistance you add a purification tablet to the water periodically and change the water as the manufacturer specifies. With every system, wipe the rail and the seat dry after use, because sweat on the rail is the main cause of wear.