rowing fitness

It’s a new year – a new beginning for a new you. It’s that time of year when a large portion of the population presses the mental “reset” button and commits to improving their health. They start dieting, join a local health or fitness center, do CrossFit or kickboxing, or buy exercise equipment to work out in the privacy of their own home.

Gyms typically see a spike in new memberships in January, but half of those who join cancel their membership within six months. There can be any number of reasons for canceling a gym membership, but one of the biggest is that it can be hard to find the time and motivation to actually go to the gym. Self-discipline, or at least overcoming apathy or laziness, is a lot easier when you can exercise at home.

Fitness and Technology

More and more people want the privacy and convenience of exercising at home, but they still want the guidance and connections they get in person at a fitness center. Peloton has capitalized on this space, combining fitness with technology, livestreaming, interactive sessions on the internet, and creating a sense of community and friendly competition through gamification elements.

Peloton’s brand is built on its exercise bikes — which makes sense if you’re familiar with the word “peloton.” This term is used to describe the main cyclist or cyclist in a race. Other fitness brands have popped up or joined the bandwagon to expand the selection. You can now find a similar hybrid experience on bikes, treadmills, rowing machines, stair climbers, ellipticals, and more. Peloton now even offers its own treadmills and rowing machines.

row, row, row your boat

I have used all kinds of exercise equipment at the gym and I have owned many different machines over the years. Most just collect dust or become some sort of glorified clothing display unit until I get tired of having them take up space and sell them on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.

I had a Peloton bike for about 6 months at the start of the pandemic. very good. The bikes themselves and the courses offered are great. The problem for me is that it doesn’t motivate me. I’m not against cycling, but it’s not my preferred form of fitness.

I know exercise bikes and treadmills are generally more popular and more widely available, but I’ve always preferred the rowing machine. I like a wider range of motion and total body work, not just working my legs. There are a few rowing machines that offer a hybrid technology experience—including one from Peloton mentioned above, but I went with the Hydrow Rower.

Hydro rowing machine

The Hydro rowing machine is a high-end exercise machine designed to bring the water rowing experience to your home. It features a sleek, modern design that measures 86″L x 25″W x 47″H and weighs less than 150 lbs. The device features a 22″ HD touchscreen display that provides a clear and responsive interface for navigation and workout tracking .It also has multiple ports, including USB and HDMI, as well as support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, making it easy to connect to other devices and transfer content.

There are wheels on the base at one end for easy mobility. It can also be stored vertically (by adding the optional upright storage kit), so it takes up less space when not in use. Hydrow also offers another model – the Hydrow Wave Rower – which is smaller, lighter (and cheaper) if you prefer.

Hydro experience

Using Hydrow is relatively simple. Once the machine is set up and connected to the internet, you can access live and on-demand classes via the touchscreen. You can also adjust resistance levels, monitor your progress, and track your metrics through the display. Hydrow includes a variety of workout programs and challenges, accessible through the touchscreen display.

One of Hydrow’s standout features is its realistic boating experience. Technically it would be more accurate if there were two separate handles that could be operated independently rather than a single rod to pull, but the machine’s resistance system is designed to mimic the feeling of rowing on the water, and the machine is smooth and quiet The operation allows for a fully immersive experience. Hydrow tracks various rowing metrics such as power, pace and distance on the display, making it easy to track your progress and set goals.

You can adjust the resistance of your workouts by configuring settings in your profile via the touchscreen interface. You can customize it to suit your fitness level and exercise goals. I do wish the resistance was a little higher though. I’m not a professional rower, and I’m not even at my peak, but I have it set to max resistance and wish I had the option to crank it up for a harder workout.

Like Peloton and other hybrid experience fitness devices, Hydrow has a variety of features to help users stay motivated and engaged. You can compete against other Hydrow users in virtual races, and the machine is also compatible with popular fitness apps like Strava and Fitbit. Additionally, Hydrow has a built-in leaderboard that allows you to track your progress and compete with other Hydrow users.

The Hydrow subscription service provides access to live and on-demand lessons led by professional rowers. Classes range from beginner to advanced and cover a variety of styles, including cardio, strength training, and mindfulness training. Live classes are broadcast live from locations around the world including the Hudson and Charles Rivers, providing a sense of community and responsibility. On-demand courses, on the other hand, can be accessed anytime, providing flexibility for users with busy schedules.

fitness doesn’t come cheap

The rider itself is $2,495, and the subscription service is $44 per month. This is a silver lining for families with multiple people using the rower, as the subscription fee allows for unlimited family memberships. They offer a 0% financing option through Klarna that gets you the rowing boat and subscription for about $63 a month, but that’s pretty cool when you consider you can join Planet Fitness for $10 a month and they also have rowing machines steep…and tons of other equipment.

The Hydrow is a significant investment, but in my opinion, it’s worth the expense if you want a realistic and immersive boating experience from the convenience of your own home. This machine is ideal for users of all fitness levels, and the wide variety of classes and workout programs make it a versatile and effective piece of fitness equipment.