A list of rowing machines. Soon the Rowperfect will sit at the top.

GEAR
A row of new options
Roy M. Wallack
September 11, 2006


The days when every serious exerciser had a fold-up air-piston rowing machine rolled under the bed are long gone (probably because those flimsy machines weren't very good). But a new generation of rowers is trying to rekindle the rowing flame. With smooth, solid motion and more user-friendly features, they make it easier for all ages to get the terrific all-body strength and aerobic benefits for which rowing is known.
A natural frame of mind

WaterRower: Wooden water-resistance machine that gets out of the way fast.

Likes: Immerses you in a feeling of real rowing. The water resistance (pulling a rotor through water housed in a horizontal, see-through polycarbonite drum) produces a quiet, toilet-bowlish "whoosh" that is smooth and soothing. A nylon pull-strap helps make the machine more natural and quiet than the rattling, chain-driven Concept2, bottom. Also, the wood-framed machines (in oak, walnut and cherry) look more natural in a living room. (A metal Hi-Rise version runs $1,795.) Very space-efficient storage; lifts up and sets on end in seconds, with a tiny 4-square-foot footprint. Very comfy, padded, oval handle. Good monitor data.

Dislikes: No adjustable resistance levers like on the other three models tested. You simply increase resistance naturally, as you would on water, by rowing faster. (Some people may see this as a positive.)

Price: $1,095 to $1,495. http://www.waterrower.com or (800) 852-2210.

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No-frills action at a low price

BodyCraft VR100: Good quality, low-cost fold-up model that uses a combination of air and magnetic resistance.

Likes: Sturdy, smooth, satisfying stroke action. Very comfortable, contoured seat. Quiet nylon strap. Highly motivating "air conditioning" action; the fan blade vents funnel air directly onto your face, rewarding you for making strong pulls. Folds for storage into a 16-by-24-inch space. Has a built-in heart rate monitor receiver (chest strap is optional).

Dislikes: Somewhat unreliable readout monitor; strokes-per-minute, total strokes, distance and speed seem to fluctuate too much. Foot pads are not adjustable and not fixed, so they pivot when you push off (which is initially uncomfortable to those used to the rowers at the gym). Also, seems too cramped for people taller than 6 feet.

Price: $699. http://www.bodycraft.com or (800) 990-5556.

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Easy enter-exit machine has fans

Concept2 Model E: A chain-driven, fan-resistance rower with a tall seating position specifically designed for older users.

Likes: Same solid feel as the Concept2 Model D, yet with the seat positioned 6 inches higher, making it easier to enter and exit. Highly motivating monitor has programs that allow you to "race" icons of other boats. It can even store old workouts in memory so you can race against yourself. Heart-rate monitor and chest strap included. Seat is slightly more padded and contoured than on a normal Concept2.

Dislikes: None — except for the extra $200 you pay over the Model D.

Price: $1,200. http://www.concept2.com or (800) 245-5676.

For more fluid resistance

First Degree Fluid Rower: Heavy-duty, adjustable, water-resistance machine.

Likes: Very smooth, solid, quiet and "immersing" due to the use of a nylon strap and see-through water chamber, which sits vertically. It also has adjustable resistance, so you can change difficulty with a light fingertip touch on a large handle. Overall flawless operation. Racy looks, too.

Dislikes: Not as pretty or as portable as the WaterRower. Has wheels to roll away, but can't stand straight up.

Price: $1,699. http://www.firstdegreefitness.com or (206) 285-5219.

- Roy M. Wallack

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

In the name of Steve Irwin you can make a donation to Wild Life Warrior

Here is the link to donate to Steve Irwin's cause.

http://www.australiazoo.com.au

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

A great story about the Iron Oarsman & Xeno Muller Olympic Gold & Silver Medalist

FOCUS ON HEALTH:
Please leave boat at the door
Indoor rowing is becoming popular for those seeking a low-impact, highly effective workout.

By Amanda Pennington

COSTA MESA — As her daughter's wedding approached last year, Newport Beach resident Kathi Glover was looking for a way to tone up and look her best. After a woman in her bunco group invited the other members to join a class, Glover discovered rowing, a low-impact way of keeping fit. Quickly, she became hooked.

"I wanted to get in better shape than I thought I was," she said. "I needed an upper-body workout."

Glover, who is in her 50s, continued with the classes and watched what she ate, which led her to drop a number of dress sizes in about seven months.

"That's why I kept doing it, it was a total overall body workout," she said. "I wouldn't think you'd be working your legs as much, but you're working the legs, arms and abdominal muscles."

Glover gave up her previous regimen, which included running the stairs at Newport Harbor High School, and upped her routine from two days per week to five or six because it was fun and effective.

Indoor rowing is especially effective for cross training, said Xeno Müller, who opened the Iron Oarsman indoor rowing gym in Costa Mesa three years ago.

Because rowing uses all the major muscle groups, Müller said, it's good used in conjunction with popular workouts including Pilates, tennis and golf.

"The goal about improving your main discipline is to be able to cross train for maximum effectiveness," he said, standing in front of his 18 rowing machines at his small 17th Street studio. "Indoor rowing is the perfect ambassador to cross training."

Müller, who won Olympic Gold and Silver for Switzerland in the men's single skull rowing in 1996 and 2000 said he started his business to "open up rowing to a lot of people."

Typically indoor rowing was used only by those competing in the sport, and the equipment was generally sold to boat houses and universities, Müller said.

"It boggles my mind that rowing has never really surfaced, but it is about to surface," he said. "It's the only sport that's zero-impact and you can do it while you're seated."

Like most exercise programs, it's not necessarily for everyone said Janet Grattan, a physical therapist at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian's Outpatient Services.

"It can be nice to use as cross training tool, and a lot of people do really well at it, but the mechanics are not ones I find as useful as other modalities," she said.

During the workout, your feet are strapped in and you engage the gluteus muscles while hinging at the hip. The user sits up straight and tall and follows through with the arms, engaging the back and stomach muscles as well.

"If you can sit on the couch pain-free, chances are you can row pain-free," Müller said. "That's a big thing."

Indoor rowers can also connect with others throughout the world through the Online World Rankings put out by Concept2, the manufacturer of most of the rowing machines in Müller's studio. In the 2006 season — May 2005 through April 2006 — Glover ranked 2,812 out of 4,065 worldwide users who individually posted their results. After each class, rowers can track how many meters they've rowed. Since she started, Glover has logged more than 5 million meters. The gym itself ranks No. 2, Müller said.

"You can row about 8,000 meters per workout, or about five miles, and you can burn more than 350 calories," he said. "The better you get, the more you can burn because you become more efficient."

The workout, according to Müller and his wife Erin Müller, draws a different crowd than your local gym or spin class.

"It's a different crowd on a different wavelength," Erin Müller said. "People who may get intimidated by going to a regular gym come here and are comfortable."

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Steve Irwin passed away.

My entire family loved watching Steve and his wife Terri in the show the Crocodile Hunter. It is with great sadness that we learned of his untimely death during a diving accident. From the bottom of our hearts we wish his wife and children courage and our deepest sympathy. We loved his enthusiasm and love for nature. We will miss his presence very much.
XENO and Family

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

How to use a rowing machine, but where are the rowing moves?

I always look for different advertisements showing off the virtues of rowing. This one is pretty colorful. It shows a bunch of unconventional exercises, yet nothing about how to row properly... I know that the number one deterrent from rowing any type of machine is that most people don't know the technique. In the end the marketing people of this add are trying to sell the rower not for its rowing but for its versatility for other non-rowing exercises...

XENO

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.