Water Rowing Machine pros/cons?

CABilly

Splitter
I've been thinking about being less of a lazy piece of shit and I like the looks and function of those walnut rowing machines with the tank of water for resistance. It seems a good low-impact arms, legs, and core workout, without having to join a cult and sit on a bicycle seat. Anyone with experience with them have any input?
 
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auntiebling

megalomaniacal troglodyte
Staff member
i've used both a water rower at the gym, as well as a Concept 2 at the same gym. i vastly prefer the concept 2. granted this is a gym setting with LOTS of use, ut the wood framed water rowers feel like they're going to fall apart at any moment. there is only so long a wood frame will last before getting wiggly.

the steel framed concept 2 aren't perfect though. their resistance mechanism wears out over time. it's probably servicable but i don't know for sure as i'm a gym member, not a gym maintenance guy. in personal use, i doubt it'd ever wear out. the newer ones at the gym are a very different machine vs the old ones.

i suspect the water rower resistance mechanism is more consistent over time.

no matter which machine though, wood vs steel, old vs new, theyll still kick your ass.
 

usedtobefast

Well-known member
+1 on Concept 2 D .

I know 2 people that had the water rowers and they both had issues with them leaking water.

And a Concept 2 D in a home environment will last a long time.

As for a rowing machine, in general, for exercise ... for me, exercise bike is easiest to get motivated to use, then treadmill, and last the rower.

Not sure what it is, but to knock out 30 minutes on the rower is just hard to get fired up to do.

I ended up doing 10-10-10, repeat ... so 10 minutes rowing, 10 minutes exercise bike, 10 minutes treadmill and repeat as much as you could do. That was kind of fun.
 
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