In my early gym-going days, way before I became a personal trainer, the rowing machine was one of my favorite workout machines. I have to admit I wasn’t a big fan of the treadmill at the time – I found it boring to run for longer than fifteen minutes (that was before I discovered music to workout to, and visualization techniques!).
The rowing machine was a different story altogether. The combination of a seated exercise that gives a smooth, cyclical action and a challenging workout at the same time really appealed to me – as well as a great feel-good-factor post workout. It remains a firm favorite with me and with many of my clients.
Having a rowing machine at home means that you have access to a great workout regardless of the weather, and it’s a fantastic way to exercise even if you’re short of time.
However, there are such a wide range of rowing machines out there on the market, and it’s sometimes pretty hard to identify the differences and work out the advantages and disadvantages of each. Add to that the huge difference in price, and it’s easy to see why making a decision on a home rowing machine can be a bit of a minefield.
I’m not going to take the leg work out of your workout after you buy the machine – that would be no fun, but I can help out with making a good decision about which machine to buy. In this article I’m going to take a look at some of the top picks for the best inexpensive rowing machine so you can get your own rower for an under $500 budget.
Why a Rowing Machine?
Rowing is a very efficient, low impact form of exercise that gives an excellent whole body workout while protecting your joints at the same time.
It uses all the main muscle groups in the back, legs, arms, stomach and buttocks, which means that it is great for toning and muscle strengthening, depending on the resistance you use, and also burns calories, builds aerobic fitness and endurance.
Good Rowing Technique
To get the best out of any gym equipment, technique is everything, and this goes for rowing machines.
Rowing can be divided into three phases:
- Catch phase
- Drive phase
- Return phase
The catch phase is the starting point, where the knees and hips are bent with shins positioned vertically. The shoulders and arms should be reaching forward. The catch phase essentially mimics the point where if you were rowing in a boat on the water, the oars are just about to enter the water.
In the drive phase, the movement is initiated by the legs. As you extend your legs, your arms should remain straight until the knees are extended almost to the point of being straight. This is the time to flex the elbows and bring bringing the machine handles in close to the upper stomach.
At the end of the drive phase, your legs should be fully extended, with shoulders back, elbows in the flexed position with the machine handles. In the finish, the legs are fully extended, your shoulders are back, your elbows are flexed, and the handles in against the upper stomach. This phase simulates the oars entering the water and being pulled against the resistance of the water.
In the recovery phase, your hands should move the handles out past your knees again, with the knees remaining straight until your arms and shoulders are reaching forwards ready to start the next catch phase. At this point, bend the knees and hips back up into the starting position. This mimics the oars coming out of the water and being pulled through the air ready for the next stroke.
All three phases should flow smoothly into one another in a continuous, low impact movement cycle, and you should be looking to exercise at about 75-80 percent of your maximum heart rate. There’s a great video on good rowing technique here:
Advantages of Rowing Machines
As well as offering a great, low impact workout which is kind to your joints, rowing machines offer a number of other advantages when it comes to home exercise:
Unlike treadmills and exercise bikes, a rowing machine gives a great upper body and lower body workout.
Having a rowing machine at home means it’s there waiting for you whenever you have time – even a regular twenty minute session can help you to achieve your fitness goals and improve health.
Rowing machines can be a great way to exercise if you’re short of time. It takes minutes to get things set up, and you’re good to go. If it’s the only time you have available, it’s even possible to watch your favorite TV show while rowing.
This is a great way to exercise of you’re not a big fan of working out – we all know motivation is tough at times; it can give you the impetus to find a regular time for exercise, and make it much more likely that you will be able to make exercise a long term habit.
If you are going to do this, however, it’s really important to make sure that you don’t get too engrossed in your TV show and let your technique slip! My advice would be to practice and get into a good rhythm and perfect your technique before adding in the visual entertainment.
Rowing machines can be used for different types of training. You can do a straight, consistent row, or interval training. There are many different types of interval training, such as HIIT, but essentially, they use different bursts of low to moderate intensity rowing interspersed with short bouts of high intensity activity.
Different Types of Rowing Machines
There is a range of different types of rowing machines available on the market, so here is a quick guide as to what to expect from each type:
Hydraulic Rowing Machine
These can be a good option for those on a tight budget, and where space is an issue. The resistance in hydraulic rowers comes from the air or liquid which is compressed into a cylinder or piston, and this can be adjusted on most models.
They differ from other types of rowing machine because the handles are set to the sides, so they don’t allow you to pull in a straight line, which is not really a natural rowing movement, and it can be difficult to coordinate your arm and leg movements.
Flywheel Rowing Machines
These types of rowing machines feature a flywheel with fan blades at the front, attached to a pulley handle which allows a natural rowing movement and a smooth, continuous action.
The resistance originates from the pulling motion against the resistance of the air that spins the flywheel. The level of resistance is increased simply by pulling harder against the flywheel.
The Concept II rowing machine is the most well-known flywheel rower, and is used in many gyms, fitness and rehab centers. It is also the machine chosen for many rowing competitions, including the World Indoor Rowing Championships. It does, however, come at a considerable cost, and there are more economical flywheel rowers available.
Magnetic Resistance Indoor Rowers
The quiet – virtually silent – and smooth operation makes these types of rowing machines a very popular choice for many people, especially for home use. The resistance on these types of machines is provided by the use of a magnetic force which creates a drag – similar to a braking system – on the operating system, making it harder to row.
As there are no contact parts to create the resistance, magnetic resistance rowing machines don’t produce any friction on the flywheel, which is the reason for the lack of noise. In addition, this also reduces the amount of maintenance the machine is likely to need.
There are different subtypes of magnetic resistance rowing machines. Some are based purely on magnetic resistance, while others use a combination of magnetic and air resistance to give a good quality workout and keep the resistance at a consistent level throughout your training session.
The Best Inexpensive Rowing Machine – Get Your Own Rower for Under $500 Budget
Gym equipment doesn’t come cheap, and rowing machines are no exception. As with everything, you do tend to get what you pay for, so it’s not a particularly easy task to find good quality rowing machines under $500.
That said, I’ve done lots of research, sifted through all the different models available, and reviewed the ones that are worth considering. This end of the rowing machine market is largely dominated by two companies, both of which have machines I’ve included for review.
These models are generally good for light to moderate users who want to improve their general cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength, and maybe lose weight.
For users who want to training regularly at high intensity, I would strongly recommend using a commercial grade machine, which might cost more initially, but is likely to last longer and stand up to the rigors of heavy duty training.
Our Choice for the Best Inexpensive Rowing Machine
The overall winner in my opinion has to be the Stamina Body Trac Glider 1050 Rowing Machine. It is produced by a company with a solid reputation and offers an excellent workout for the majority of users, with a smooth action and a high enough intensity of resistance for most people, despite a slight decrease in tension as the machine warms up.
In short, it’s a great machine to use for light to moderate home exercise, and realistically, as we have already covered; heavy-duty users really need to be investing upwards of $500 on their equipment.
So given the low price – it was the least expensive of all the rowing machines reviewed – it offers a good workout and excellent value for money.
The only niggle was the issue with the foot straps being less than secure, but this is an issue that, unlike many of the issues that people could experience with a rowing machine, can be easily remedied at home.
Other than that, it has a reasonable warranty from an established company that provides peace of mind that you will get your money’s worth out of this rowing machine.
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