According to a there are, for the first time, over 7,000 gyms in the UK. Total membership is nearing 10 million – one in seven of us – and the health and fitness industry is worth almost £5 billion. Evidently, Britons are more health-conscious than ever.We waste a lot, too.
According to one survey, the average person spends £250 on unused memberships; roughly 40 per cent of 'gym-goers' will continue to pay long after they've stopped attending.Whether you find it boring, intimidating or simply can't find the time, there's little point maintaining that costly monthly fee if you're not actually going. One alternative that could see you both save money and boost activity levels is investing in. There are countless options out there, from treadmills and weights to cross-trainers and exercise bikes.But one of the best you can go for is a home rowing machine.
This rowing machine offers the demanding user everything that is necessary for motivating and effective training such as a varitey of programmes, various operating possibilities in the hand grips, and easy it's to fold away once your workout is completed. Manufacturer's Description. R60 Rower: Space saving: foldable and transport wheels.
While not necessarily cheap, they work 85 per cent of your muscles and are low impact, so your joints will thank you. They're also relatively easy to use and store.' There are plenty of reasons to use a rower,' says Born Barikor, a fitness instructor and founder of outdoor fitness initiative. 'Every stroke, you're using nine muscle groups, so whether you're trying to burn calories or increase your fitness level, it's really good because it takes away the impact of going out running.
It's also a really good way to tone up with no impact on the joints.' Rowing is seen by many as one of the most effective ways of keeping fit. Just askwho earlier this year became the oldest winner of the Boat Race at 46. But what do you need to consider when buying one? According to, a master trainer, there are a few main points.Firstly, and most importantly, check it will fit into whatever space you've got. A lengthy warranty is also crucial. And, finally, a good display is paramount, so you can check your performance and progress.
Price-wise, you're looking at upwards of £500 for a top-of-the-range model, though Barikor says the JLL, which can be found for under £200, is more than enough for beginners. Ask yourself how seriously you'll be taking it – if it's just for a few casual sessions a week, opt for a cheaper machine.We spoke to experts to discover which is the best home rowing machine for buyers of all descriptions. Here's what we discovered.1.
Concept 2 Model D indoor rowerWhy we like it: A serious bit of kit for serious rowers. 'The Concept 2 is a bit expensive, but for me it's the best rower out there,' says Barikor. 'I've done a lot of my training on it, and I've really enjoyed it.'
Gleed agrees. 'The Concept2 Model D is a star buy.
It's the champion of rowing machines picked by world champions and Olympians. The advanced monitor gives a huge volume of display and metrics so you can really monitor your progression with every workout you do.' Barikor continues: 'It's easy to use, has great handles (ergonomic and comfy) and foot straps, and it's very adjustable. You've got a very easy-to-read display, which you'll want for your workout and knowing your strokes per minute. If you've got a bit of money to spend and you're going to commit to it, you should go for the Concept 2.' It's also the sturdiest option in this list, although that means it's not foldable, so you'll need to find it a permanent spot in your spare room or garage. It does, however, separate into two if you wish to store it for a while.The Concept 2 is quiet, smooth, gives accurate data, and has wheels for transporting. A bestselling rower for a reason.2.
JLL R200 luxury home rowing machineWhy we like it: A budget superstar. The JLL R200 is a popular and affordable magnetic rower (so, you've guessed it, it uses magnets rather than air to create resistance). It's very quiet, compact, foldable and easy to set up.Experts describe the JLL R200 as the ideal rowing machine for a beginner, or someone who is 'still on the fence' about buying one. It's one Barikor has used in his house; he says that, in terms of performance, it's excellent.Usefully, the product is foldable, so it's a dream to store – although the payoff is that the 'foldability' makes it a little less sturdy than more expensive rowing machines, like the Concept 2. 'But it's great to get the job done, you can get a really good workout on it,' says Barikor.
'If you're a novice getting on a rower, you wouldn't really feel a massive difference in terms of performance.' You'll also get an LCD monitor – which is admittedly quite small – that'll tell you your calories, time, distance and much more. The JLL R200 offers the benefit of a very smooth ride that doesn't make a racket.
And for less than £200, that makes for a pretty stellar package.3. JTX Freedom air rowerWhy we like it: A mid-range option for the home rower who's moved beyond the beginner's phase.
The JTX Freedom is an air rower that's relatively light, smooth, quiet and easy to use. Barikor is a fan, describing it as a 'good mid-range option. You get a bit more quality than the JLL in terms of display and sturdiness.' Is it enough to justify a vastly increased outlay, however? For Barikor, probably not: 'If I was on a budget I'd go with a cheaper one, to be honest, as there's not that much difference.'
One useful addition from JTX is a free chest strap, which monitors your heart rate, speed, distance, stroke rate, revolutions, etc. It's also foldable, and there are wheels for ease of transportation – quite useful if you are thinking of moving it between rooms regularly, or live in a small apartment.4. WaterRower beech rowing machineWhy we like it: The aesthetic, darling. The WaterRower was made famous by ' Machiavellian protagonist Frank Underwood, a keen user.
While Kevin Spacey might have brought the rower into the limelight, WaterRower, from New England, US, has been a popular brand since the 1980s.Water-resistant rowing machines operate differently to air rowers. A tank is placed at the front, which is filled with water. As you pull the handles, paddles inside the tank spin, moving the water and creating the drag.
There are no resistance settings, so it's all in the muscles – row harder to feel more resistance. Gleed is a fan of the machine. 'It's much quieter than most other rowing machines, which is great for an at-home workout,' he explains. The main sound you'll hear is the swoosh of the water, mimicking the sound of rowing on actual water.However, Barikor believes an amateur would be spending extra money without really appreciating the benefits if they plumped for one. 'House of Cards inspired a lot of people to go and buy one,' he says, before suggesting that a lot of home rowers would be best served with a cheaper air rowing machine.Of course, that doesn't take into account the look of the thing. The smart wooden design means that, unlike some of the clunkier metal contraptions, this rower will fit seamlessly into the home, without destroying the aesthetic. As an added bonus, it also easily stacks up against the wall, so it doesn't take up much space when being used.The WaterRower is comfy and has a soft handle with a good grip.
The monitor is advanced and provides plenty of data, like stroke rate, heart rate, total strokes, and distance.Rowing machine FAQ How will a rowing machine help me get fit?As with any exercise, it's important to know what you're doing, and to use your machine safely and effectively. You could book a session with a personal trainer, or visit for tutorials with Britain's star rowers.
Or for a more in-depth explainer on rowing technique,. But once you you've nailed the technique, it's a highly effective workout, says Barikor. 'You're using your big muscles – your quads, your chest, your shoulders, your biceps, and you can change the grip positions to work different things. You can even do your abs because you can use it almost like a Pilates reformer and do crunches. You can get a really good all-body workout from a rowing machine.' They're also very easy to use – just sit, grab the handles and start – making them suitable for quick workouts.
'Even if you only have 10 minutes, it's a worthwhile exercise,' says Gleed.They don't require much maintenance, and many are easy to store: simply fold, disassemble or stack up against the wall. What should I look out for when buying a rowing machine?Most good rowers these days will have detailed monitors as well as ergonomic handles, seats and footrests. Here are Matt Gleed's main tips to consider:. 'When choosing an indoor rowing machine the most important thing is to make sure the machine will fit into the space you plan to use it and store it in.
All the rowing machines will have dimensions listed on their website, so check before you buy.' .
'Make sure the machine has a good warranty.' . 'Buy a rowing machine with a suitable display monitor that has all the functionality you would need.' For Barikor, there's no point shelling out for a top-of-the-range rowing machine unless you're serious about rowing and know you'll get a lot of use out of it. While more expensive machines are stronger, sturdier and might have better screens for tracking your progress, you can get just as fit on a cheaper model like the JLL. According to Barikor, beginners won't feel much difference between affordable rowing machines – around the £200 mark – and more expensive options. Paying more will get you a sturdier machine, or a beautiful water-resistant rower, but it's not like you'll be shaking around on a more basic option.
'You're not going to fall off,' says Barikor.' I haven't seen one in years that doesn't have a screen with a stroke counter,' Barikor explains. 'That's going to be your friend so when you're buying make sure it's one that's big enough so you can read it. Your display will tell you what strokes to do, how far, what sort of recovery, that sort of thing.'
I've used this machine for 45 min every other day for a year and a half. It is this only exercise that I do and I have seen remarkable results. I am 30 years old and I have lost thirty pounds of fat and have turned an average body type in an athletic one.
My back and shoulders have especially benefited. Those are the results you can expect from using this low impact, compact, easy to use and actually pretty fun piece of exercise equipment - all form the comfort of your living room.As for the machine itself: Pros:It is sturdy - I am 6'2' and 190lbs (started at 220lbs) and have never had a problem with stability.I like the free rowing arms (as opposed to a bar like I've seen at gyms), gives the feel of a real row boat. This is a very heavyweight mat that does an admirable job of protecting my carpet. My Concept2 Model E rower fits perfectly on the mat, with several inches to spare on the front and back. There's also ample room on each side.Being so thick, the mat would adequately protect all types of carpet, as well as hardwood floors.
It's not especially easy to move around, but since I keep it in one place it works just fine for me.Despite using my rower for an hour each day, the mat remains in position with just an occasional area where it tends to rise slightly from the vibration. This causes no problems at all, and is easily fixed by pulling the ends of the mat after each session. The rise is so insignificant that it's not really necessary to do anything, but if you want the mat to. I have previously owned larger more expensive rowing machines and the Stamina compared favorably to most of them. I moved into an apartment and didn't have room for a large rowing machine, the Stamina is compact in size without giving up much in performance. One of the most surprising features is one you never hear, its very quiet. A nice feature if you like to workout early in the morning or late at night.
If I was designing it I would probably have done a couple things different. I would have put soft rubber on the hard plastic foot pads. You need to use the foot straps, it isn't a good thing to have your feet pop out when your sitting on wheels on an inclined slope.
The slope adjustment has only two positions up and down. One is too easy.
We ordered this product to help in a revamping of our exercise program, and it is absolutely great in that mission. The device assembles very easily and quickly; 15 minutes or less if you lay the parts out. There are two major assemblies, and you just attach the seat and put the two pieces together.
In action, the device is smooth and quiet, and it can give you a very good workout in a relatively short period of time. The electronics package is good; the only issue some may have is that changing rowing resistance doesn't appear to change the calorie count.The only problem we had was with Amazon in shipping. This is shipped in two boxes but for some reason Amazon seems to lose sight of that fact on its own tracking. If the two boxes become separated (which ours did).
I've had my Stamina Precision Rower for a year now. Unlike the treadmill, which requires regular maintenance (lubricate the belt, etc.), the rower requires no maintenance. No parts will ever wear out that will need to be replaced. The seat is very comfortable, the glide of the seat is extremely smooth. The arms row great.
The total construction is excellent. Now, there's just one thing that's incredibly stupid about this rower, and it's not that difficult to fix. When not using it, of course you will want to stand it up and lean it against the wall. Well, unbelievably, the wire to the computer goes in dead center right in the bottom where you would stand it up.
So, you want to make a small modification to the unit. You want to take off the cover. Background:I live in the north of Saskatchewan. There are no gyms here, and very little to do in town to keep fit. My job requires me to walk 10 ft to my car everyday, and the rest of my working day requires a lot of sitting down and very little physical activity.
There's not much healthy eating here, either. Fresh fruits and vegetables are extortionate, so I live off a lot of junk food. I've been living here for a year, and I've put on about 10kg and to my horror am developing quite the gut (lovely, I know). I'm not keen on running, and I tend to develop shin-splints quite easily. The roads around here are unmade and prone to twisted ankles. Lots of dangerous wildlife (and drivers) around too.
So yes, I really need an indoor activity to keep me fit. I tried rollerblading around my basement. I tried every rower I could find before buying one, and the Lifecore R100 is by far the best of the bunch.
I only gave it 4 stars because there are little things that I think can and need to be improved, such as the screen tends to lower itself gradually when working out, to the point where you need to let go of the handle bar and raise it, yea I am sure it just needs to be tightened up, but on a brand new machine, one should not have to do anything. I also think they could have made a longer, and beefier cord to plug this thing in, the little short cord is just not long enough.The thing glides smooth, rows nice, and is a good rower. It goes together very easy, took me maybe 5 min to put together. Hello,My name is Xeno.I own both a Waterrower (the signature one) and the Concept2.You might find this comparison of the two interesting:'Concept2 vs.
Often, I am being asked this question by rowers who only train on Concept2 machines.I use both machines for different purposes. The beginning part will favor the Waterrower, but see why I also like the Concept2!But first some simple comparisons.Waterrower has a more comfortable seat, whereas C2 seat is as hard as it gets. It is not unusual that rowers get butt sores.Waterrower's handle is arguably more comfortable because it is ergonomically designed to keep your forearm muscles loose while you row.WR has a swishing sound of water which is enjoyable, and allows a workout to take place while other people might be watching TV or listening to.