Essential Rowing Machine Features

How to pick the best total body cardio machine

So you’ve decided you want a rowing machine but aren’t sure what features make a machine good. Other than the obvious requirements, such as equipment that will hold your weight and is stable no matter how vigorously you row, there are a number of considerations that can ensure you get a machine you enjoy for years to come.

Programs and console features

Many rowing machines don’t have screens or programming options, and if you prefer to pretend you’re on the open water that might be exactly what you want - although most non-console rowers are of lower quality. Most people like consoles, especially ones that provide them with information such as intensity, mph, calories burned, heart rate (these ones usually comes with heart rate straps), distance, strokes per minute (SPM) and total strokes.
 
A rowing machine that will store information about previous workouts can be a great way to gauge progress. Many will also provide programs that allow you to set a target, be it heart rate, stroke rate or intensity, and alert you when you are outside the target zone. There may also be programs that work byway of distance or time goals.

• Combination rowers - Many people will tell you not to bother buying a combination rowing machine/recumbent bike, but if you find one that’s comfortable, it’ll give you a lot more cardio options.
• Comfort - This applies to the handles, seat and rowing motion of the machine. If you try it out you can be sure it fits your body’s natural movements. And just like you’d never run on a treadmill without athletic shoes, you might consider investing in a pair of weight gloves to make rowing easier on the hands.
• Moving seat - Most rowing machine have moveable seats, although some are stationary. If you have a choice between a moveable or stationary seat, choose the one that moves.
• Accurate distance measure - Some rowing machine calculate distance simply by adding the number of strokes, but as professional rowers know that’s not how it works on the water. A good machine will judge distance by factoring in amount of strokes, stroke length and intensity of the stroke to gauge distance.
  

Proper form

Although rowing machines are considered low impact, proper form must be used to avoid lower back injury. If you’re completely new to rowing look for a machine that comes with an instructional DVD, add one to your purchase or even better, consider signing up for a lesson with a professional. Most injuries are due to rowers who lean their upper body too far forward or back, or who overuse their upper body and don’t involve the thigh muscles enough.