The Final Stretch

Now we come to the final stretch, that is, if you have decided to buy a rowing machine. Who to buy it from? Well, manufacturing rowing machines is not a rocket science. So you can buy it from quite many companies. But since there are so many manufacturers of fitness equipment that are selling pretty much the same thing, why not take an advantage of it and buy the one that is offered at the best price? And just because a lot of people manufacture it, that doesn’t mean that all of them are the same. There is always some difference in quality. So make sure that you are buying the right thing.

Here are a few manufacturers and dealers of rowing machines: KEENE Co. Ltd. of China is a 15 year old company that sells exercise equipment; Dachang Hui Autonomous County Xiadian Jiamei Sporting Goods Co., Ltd. is also another Chinese name in fitness equipment and Wuyi Patern Imp. &Exp. Co., Ltd., located in Wuyi County, next to Yiwu – the worldwide known “commodity center” in China. Wuyi Patern Imp. & Exp. Co. claims that they specialize in exporting fitness equipment, daily necessities and building materials. Shanghai Sunbanker Sporting Goods Co., Ltd. specializes in the production of fitness equipment in Taiwan. Guangquan Industrial & Development Co., Ltd. was established in 1997. Its main products include fitness equipment. Yang Fit Co., Ltd. is yet another company that specializes in fitness equipment like Shanghai Hankang Fitness Equipment Co., Ltd. and many, many others all over the world.

There are intermediaries like Made In China, Ebay, Ali Baba and others that make comparing prices a piece of cake.

Before buying, you must make sure that the information is from a reliable source and complete because online stores tend to hide faults and if you are buying a rowing machine in person, make sure that the product is not faulty.

Don’t Be So Sure!

There are also downsides to rowing machines. The biggest downside is that it is no substitute to actual rowing. The fresh air, the sun shining overhead and those splashes of water - you cannot get that experience on a rowing machine. You cannot get bored while rowing in real life, but in the case of rowing machines, people get really bored, really quickly. The reason is that rowing entertains the whole body and mind. While rowing in a lake you can enjoy the beautiful surrounding, but when on a rowing machine you are stuck inside and you can’t even read.

Apart from that, all the types individually have downsides. The piston resistance models though cheap and portable shouldn’t even be referred to as rowing machines as rowing requires a sort of elliptical path for the hands to move, which they don’t provide. Also, piston resistance models of rowing machines are mostly fixed. So your legs don’t really do anything, another reason these contraptions should not be called rowing machines. Let’s talk about the brake fly wheel resistance models of rowing machines. They have earned the right to be called rowing machines. But they cost a lot. In the brake flywheel resistance rowing machines, the individual braking types have unique problems. The Air Resistance models of rowing machines are first of all very noisy. I personally do not like noise during my workout. It’s hard enough setting the hell out of me. These require a lot of space. After those there are Water Resistance models of rowing machines that make less noise, but they use water for brakes. As you might imagine, they would need a whole lot of space for the tank, but they do a good job simulating the rowing experience, too bad they require a little lake of their own. The final rowing machine models that use Magnetic Resistance ones have electromagnet in brakes. They are quiet but they are still very expensive and as compared to Water resistance models, they aren’t that good.

So every type has its own problems. Consider yourself warned.

Finding the Right Rowing Machine

Depending on your need and budget, you need to decide which rowing machine you should buy. If you are a professional and want to get the experience that is closest to the real deal then I have to agree that the most expensive would be the best choice. Otherwise it is just a waste of money.

The first factor is the cost if you are going for the cheapest experience. In such a case, you should go for the piston resistance models. Then come the space requirements. All of the three types, namely Magnetic Resistance models, Air Resistance models and Water Resistance models, require a separate and fairly large dedicated space. The piston resistance models can be folded, if only they were better at functionality. Now we’re talking about functionality. The function of a rowing machine is to train rower by simulating rowing. A real rowing experience is only by actually rowing. So all these rowing machines try to get the experience as close to the reality as possible. Or better yet they just train the rower for the real deal by strengthening them. And that can be done by the brake flywheel resistance models. The choice is of the trainer. The Air resistance models apply brakes by air resistance. That means that the harder the rower paddles, the more resistance is offered. So the resistance is totally up to the rower. There are dampers provided to regulate the flow the air though. But the problem with these models is that they are noisy. The Magnetic Resistance models apply brakes by strong electromagnets, so they are pretty quiet. Their resistance is controllable, but the Water Resistance models dominate in providing the best experience. These models are heavy and are less noisy than the air resistance models. They offer the most natural resistance that can be regulated by changing the amount of water in the tank. There are also models that offer measurements like distance travelled, calories burnt, time rowed and etc. Some are even available with facilities to do other exercises too.

But keep in mind your budget and your requirements. And don’t buy it unless you need it.

Types of Rowing Machines

Indoor rowing has built a following of its own kind and is becoming more and more popular these days. Latest designs are constantly introduced in the market. The basic classification of the rowing machines is on the basis of the type of resistance they use.

There are two groups in the types of resistances that rowing machines use. The first is Piston Resistance. This type uses a hydraulic piston that is attached to the handle. The length of the rower handles is usually adjustable but it does not change while rowing. So the trajectory of the handle once fixed remains same throughout the workout. That means that the path that is taken while pulling is the same for returning. Such models usually have a fixed seat position. This means that legs can’t be used to push in these models.

The second group, brake flywheel resistance has three types: Magnetic Resistance, Air Resistance and Water resistance. All the three models are grouped under brake flywheel resistance, as they all have the same basic design, have a flywheel that is connected to the handle with either a chain or rope. And since all of them have a flexible medium by which they connect the handle and the flywheel, therefore it is possible for a rower to have a different trajectory during pull and return. Also all the models offer movable seats. That makes the experience close to reality. In the Magnetic Resistance models, the brake uses an electromagnet that engages the brakes. In these models the braking resistance can be adjusted. In the Air Resistance models, air-fins are used which are like the blades of a fan. The air pressure they take onto themselves causes braking. They use a damper to control the resistance. As they are very similar to fans, their speed is measured through sensors by the dissipated amount of energy. The last type Water Resistance models are very similar to the Air resistance models as they have the same type of fins on the flywheel, but instead of air they use water to resist movement. The flywheel in these models is submerged in water.

Rowing Machines

Rowing is not only a good sport but also a very good exercise. But it is not possible to practice on water all the time. And practice on water is not measurable either. Rowing machines or indoor rowers are mechanical contraptions that simulate rowing. Rowing machines have come a long way. Around 1900 rowing machines’ design was pretty primitive. They used linear pneumatic resistance. In the 1950’s and 60’s, their design was altered and they pretty much consisted of a large heavy wheel with brake. That was like torture to rowers. In these models, the means of power measurements were provided. Around 1980, they introduced air resistance rowing machines. Later in 1988, they introduced a new system that followed a hydraulic flywheel rowing machine design. In many of the current rowing machines, this basic design is adopted. These days, rowing machines consist of a handle and a flywheel inter connected with a chain. When the rower pulls the handle using his legs to push himself and the flywheel apart, the flywheel rotates. The fly wheel has brakes that are applied by a magnet damper, pneumatic brakes or a hydraulic brake. The brakes are installed to bring the experience closer to the original thing. When the rower’s paddle comes off the water, the row boat or kayak decelerates. And the rower and the flywheel move apart. In some rowing machines, the rower is stationary and in some the flywheel is stationary. The measuring mechanism works with the flywheel. Some machines calculate the power of a rower stroke by measuring the speed of the flywheel. Then the machine monitors the rate at which the fly wheel decelerates during the rower’s recovery. Using such techniques, the rowing machine calculates other things.

The rowing machine is a very good simulator not only for people who are rowers and wish to improve, but also for people who would like to start as practice on the rowing machine will give them a strong base and an idea of what the real thing is like.