I had another thread asking about ellipticals. Thanks for the feedback on that but after thinking about it my place is kinda small and those things are so big and heavy I'm thinking maybe I should go with something smaller instead and I read that rowers give a good work out. and are much smaller and lighter. Anyone use one? Thoughts? These things are only like 50 pounds so you could put it away after each use if you wanted to.
OT: Anyone have a rowing machine at home? How are they?
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No matter what exercise machine you get, it's utility and interest will be short lived since you will use the same muscles every day. You need a couple of options to switch it up.
I think the OP should hang around this board for when Fair does his exercise equipment and jerseys specuals.
Definitely one of the best cardio machines out there. You can use it for either longer, steadier cardio workouts or for shorter intervals for a ridiculous burn and serious anaerobic training. They stand upright on their end and easily fit into a corner, at least the most popular models. Precor is certainly the leader in the market. Go to any Crossfit gym (where I first started with rowing machines) and you will see a bunch of Precor machines used as a key element of the training.
But I also agree 100% that you need to mix it up. At least this gets upper and lower body good.
But I also agree 100% that you need to mix it up. At least this gets upper and lower body good.
Does anyone make a piece of fitness equipment that comes with a guy who points a gun at you and forces you to exercise? That’s what I need... I am active in doing things that I like, but have little motivation to run on a treadmill or elliptical. I wish I could Chang’s.
They are great for drying delicates that do not fare well in the dryer. Great, but a little pricey!
If you get a rower I suggest a concept2 rower. They are great. I have two in our home. I own a business that does set up and maintenance of fitness equipment in community clubhouses and gyms and have had great luck with them. Not sure where you live but if you live around south Florida let me know if I can help.
Thanks but I'm in NC. I'll take a look at the Concept2 Rowers. I hadn't heard of those.
Unless you live among urban decay, go for walks. Unless you can hang laundry on it (like my Tread Climber).
You thought about an elliptical, and now a rowing machine. You are looking for something that doesn't take a lot of room and doesn't weigh a ton...
Look at the BowFlex Max Trainer. They take up about the same sq ft as a dresser. My wife loves hers. I have tried it, but I prefer my bike.
Look at the BowFlex Max Trainer. They take up about the same sq ft as a dresser. My wife loves hers. I have tried it, but I prefer my bike.
Rowing machine a home? Nah. I'm into the real thing.
The good news: “Ok, everyone gets an extra ration of rum this morning.”
YEA!!!!!!!
The bad news: “The skipper wants to go water skiing after lunch.”
BOO!!!!!!!
Try a Lane Snuggler Recliner.....at least you’ll use it every day!
The question is ... can a form of exercise, or "cross training," improve your performance in doing some of the things you like? This is the easiest way to motivate.
Most physical activities, including your overall health, will be improved by weight training. It is actually much better than cardio work because the increase in muscle mass helps burn calories while you are inactive. As you get older weight training is also much better for maintaining connective tissue (tendons and ligaments), which tend to wear from the kind of repetitive motion of most cardio workouts.
You can certainly get a cardio workout while weight training depending on your routine, i.e., sets/reps relative to rest periods.
Of course there is another bonus: If you're on the prowl, a better physique from weight training will no doubt improve your mating opportunities.
Stop wishing, friend. The guy with the gun is you.
I bought a rowing machine two years ago. Couple of things:
1) Definitely get an "air based" model (i.e. uses air resistance rather than hydraulics) as it better simulates actual rowing and gives (IMHO) a better work out.
2) My model does "fold up" and has a small footprint when it is folded. However, it is not super easy to fold up/down (when we first got it my gf almost cut her finger off trying to do it when I wasn't around).
3) If done properly, it is much more of a leg workout than anything else, although it does engage your core and your arms to a lesser extent. For me it takes a fair amount of concentration to use proper forms and not end up using my arms too much (see below).
4) I normally like to watch TV when I do cardio, but because of the need to concentrate on my form, I can't really do that and usually end up listening to music. It is pretty loud (because of the air resistance), so I have to turn the music up pretty loud, which others in your house might not like.
5) It's definitely a better workout (either as endurance or as HIT) than my stationary bike (which is my other go to for indoor cardio). 30 minutes at a moderate speed kicks my butt and I'm decent shape.
This is what I bought (significantly cheaper than a Concept 2 but still gets the job done)
Amazon product ASIN B003YPZWT2
I will second what others have said: cross training is good. I play basketball twice a week, tennis 2-3 times per week, walk 1-2 hours a day and on days when I don't play basketball or tennis, do cardio (row or bike) plus lift.
1) Definitely get an "air based" model (i.e. uses air resistance rather than hydraulics) as it better simulates actual rowing and gives (IMHO) a better work out.
2) My model does "fold up" and has a small footprint when it is folded. However, it is not super easy to fold up/down (when we first got it my gf almost cut her finger off trying to do it when I wasn't around).
3) If done properly, it is much more of a leg workout than anything else, although it does engage your core and your arms to a lesser extent. For me it takes a fair amount of concentration to use proper forms and not end up using my arms too much (see below).
4) I normally like to watch TV when I do cardio, but because of the need to concentrate on my form, I can't really do that and usually end up listening to music. It is pretty loud (because of the air resistance), so I have to turn the music up pretty loud, which others in your house might not like.
5) It's definitely a better workout (either as endurance or as HIT) than my stationary bike (which is my other go to for indoor cardio). 30 minutes at a moderate speed kicks my butt and I'm decent shape.
This is what I bought (significantly cheaper than a Concept 2 but still gets the job done)
Amazon product ASIN B003YPZWT2
I will second what others have said: cross training is good. I play basketball twice a week, tennis 2-3 times per week, walk 1-2 hours a day and on days when I don't play basketball or tennis, do cardio (row or bike) plus lift.
You have to mix up your exercising to see results: I do cross training twice per week, two days of heavy bag work (10 3 minute rounds) and sometimes instead of the cross training or the bag will ride my Bowflex Max Trainer (best piece of exercise equip. I ever bought) for 30 minutes. Instead of buying a rower or an elliptical, look into how much a gym membership will cost, esp. gyms that have trainers on hand and classes. Then for days when you can't make it to the gym, you can use something at home and it won't really matter what it is b/c it will just be your fall back exercise that you most likely use the least. Any one machine is going to bore you after awhile and hit the same muscle groups - as others have said.
This is good advice re: mixing it up, but the issue that I (and some other folks I'm sure) have with the gym is that unless you either *like* going to the gym (I effin' hate it) and/or the gym is super convenient to your home or office, it's going to be hard to make it worthwhile.
My home gym (bike, rowing machine, weights) costs a total of $800. Gyms where I live are about $100 a month.
Thanks for all the feedback. First, I was a member of a gym for a lot of years and recently let it lapse. I'd just do 2-3 sets of 2-3 weight machines (varying each time) and then 30 minutes of elliptical. Not hard core but enough and plus I'm in my early 50s so even that is good for that age. But I was going less and less because it was a pain so I didn't renew. Thus, my initial idea to replace the gym with an elliptical and now a rower instead.
But as someone said, weights are good to use so now I'm thinking of also getting hand weights and doing some of that in addition to rowing. I know, real weights with benches, etc is best but I know myself and I know I'm not gonna be able to make myself do all that. From what I read you can do a fair amount with hand weights too.
So the question now is, who has used those and whaddya think? From what I read there are dumbbells where it weighs whatever it weight (10, 20, etc) and you lift it and there are barbells and free weights where you have a bar and you can add weights to it. I'm thinking of going with the latter. (I mean a short barbell you can hold in each hand.)
Yes, it takes time to take the weights on and off between different sets and that hurts cardio but I'll be getting my cardio from the rower anyway. And it seems to me that it's more versatile because you can mix and match. If you buy two 5s, two 10s and a 20 for each arm you've bought 100 pounds (50 for each arm) and can do any number up to 50 that ends in 0 or 5. OTOH if you buy dumbbells of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 for each arm you've bought 300 pounds (150 for each arm) and you still can't do numbers ending in 5. And you have 200 more pounds of stuff to store. So that's what I'm thinking but I'd be curious if others have experience with that.
As far as the rower goes, I did some research and I did see that the air is best, as someone in this thread noted, but I was thinking of going with magnetic because they're quieter and that make it easier to listen to the TV or a podcast (lots of good podcasts these days) and anything that makes it easier I figure I'll be more likely to do. Anyone have any experience with a magnetic rower?
I looked into the BowFlex Max thing someone mentioned but that's a couple grand and plus at this stage of life I doubt I'd get max benefit from something that advance, but thanks for the suggestion.
I've concluded on exercise that the perfect is the enemy of the good. Just doing something is good, even if you're not doing stuff that's perfect. If you kinda want to exercise but don't want to make a giant commitment to being great at it, just do something. I little is a lot better than nothing.
But as someone said, weights are good to use so now I'm thinking of also getting hand weights and doing some of that in addition to rowing. I know, real weights with benches, etc is best but I know myself and I know I'm not gonna be able to make myself do all that. From what I read you can do a fair amount with hand weights too.
So the question now is, who has used those and whaddya think? From what I read there are dumbbells where it weighs whatever it weight (10, 20, etc) and you lift it and there are barbells and free weights where you have a bar and you can add weights to it. I'm thinking of going with the latter. (I mean a short barbell you can hold in each hand.)
Yes, it takes time to take the weights on and off between different sets and that hurts cardio but I'll be getting my cardio from the rower anyway. And it seems to me that it's more versatile because you can mix and match. If you buy two 5s, two 10s and a 20 for each arm you've bought 100 pounds (50 for each arm) and can do any number up to 50 that ends in 0 or 5. OTOH if you buy dumbbells of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 for each arm you've bought 300 pounds (150 for each arm) and you still can't do numbers ending in 5. And you have 200 more pounds of stuff to store. So that's what I'm thinking but I'd be curious if others have experience with that.
As far as the rower goes, I did some research and I did see that the air is best, as someone in this thread noted, but I was thinking of going with magnetic because they're quieter and that make it easier to listen to the TV or a podcast (lots of good podcasts these days) and anything that makes it easier I figure I'll be more likely to do. Anyone have any experience with a magnetic rower?
I looked into the BowFlex Max thing someone mentioned but that's a couple grand and plus at this stage of life I doubt I'd get max benefit from something that advance, but thanks for the suggestion.
I've concluded on exercise that the perfect is the enemy of the good. Just doing something is good, even if you're not doing stuff that's perfect. If you kinda want to exercise but don't want to make a giant commitment to being great at it, just do something. I little is a lot better than nothing.
Re. gym cost, mine was $40 per month and about to go up to $45 when I didn't renew. That's just for the basics. I wasn't taking classes or getting personal instruction. So that's $480-540 per year. I think I can get a good rower and all the weights I'll need for less than the cost of one year at the gym.
Something is wrong with my machine. No matter how fast I row, I don't seem to get any further upstream.
If you're struggling with motivation then dumbbells are the way to go. You can do more types of exercises. And with no need to slide weights on/off, that means less time and a better cardio workout. You'll need to balance this with the added cost, to probably include a nice rack for the dumbbell set or to hold weight plates. With either weight system, a simple bench that can incline is really a must for a decent upper body workout with weights.
Running’s not the answer either. Started running 10 miles a day, a week later I ended up in Milwaukee!
I've been reasonably happy with the Bowflex Selectech dumbbells (allows you to quickly switch between weights without buying lots of different dumbells).
So I'm looking at hand held free weights and I came across this. It seems pretty clever. Instead of changing the amount of weights by taking plates off and putting others on, you just turn a dial. This is very nifty if...if...it works well. Anyone tried this?
Amazon product ASIN B001ARYU58
Amazon product ASIN B001ARYU58
See my post above, as that is exactly what I recommended ;-)
I only have two issues with them, both minor.
1) The increments start in 2.5 lb changes, but then at the heavier weights they go up to 5 lb increments. Not a huge deal, but it can make it harder as you are ramping up weights.
2) On rare occasions, if the weights are not seated properly in their housing, they either get stuck or you cannot turn the selector wheel. I suspect if you use it a lot, there won't be as much of a problem (I only use mine 2 or so times a week).
I like the Concept 2. Well built and will last for years. Rowing machines take up a lot of floor space. Having a good audio/video system in the room will help a LOT. As others have mentioned, make sure to use proper form otherwise it is easy to injure yourself. And you don't want to set one of these up on an expensive rug or carpet as daily you will soak the surrounding area in sweat. Good luck!
This just goes to show that when you have no idea that something exists you don't recognize it when someone points it out to you. I didn't know such things were possible until I stumbled across a video of it. Very clever. And very compact too since you don't have to own a bunch of different of separate free weights. I was about to buy some free weights from someone off Craig's List so I'm very glad I discovered this first.
Upon further investigation there are multiple brands of this...Bowflex SelectTech, PowerBlock and Ironmasters. And maybe more. Now it's just a matter of figuring out which to get (or maybe seeing what's for sale on Craig's List).
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