Water Rower -- Just Like a Cruise Down the River Without Getting Wet

I used to row competitively in my youth, but since then, my rowing exercise had been limited to occasional workouts on an aging hydraulic machine.

I had no idea how much technology had advanced in this area, until I was offered a trial of a new WaterRower exercise machine.

The first obvious difference that I noticed was the use of a flywheel which used paddles to connect to a moving mass of water. Just like rowing on water, the connection was fluid, with none of the jerkiness and jarring typical of other rowing machines.

The WaterRower’s flywheel has been designed to emulate the dynamics of a boat moving through water. When rowing, the workout is generated by overcoming the effect of drag as the boat moves through the water… So with the Water Flywheel the workout is generated by overcoming the effect of drag as the water moves past the tank.

Many rowing machines imitate the action of rowing, but they do so mechanically and often lack the natural dynamics experienced when a boat and crew glide down a river. When a crew row down a river they work to overcome the effect of drag which acts against the hull of the boat. The faster the boat is propelled the greater the drag and the harder the crew must work.

The flywheel reproduces these same natural dynamics.

Like other naturally performed aerobic pursuits such as swimming, running and cycling, to increase your intensity you don’t increase resistance, you simply swim, run, cycle or row harder. The faster you go the higher your intensity.

When each crew member on a boat pulls a stroke, he or she works to accelerate the mass of the boat and crew. The effort is applied evenly throughout the whole stroke, utilizing the muscles of the legs, torso and upper body in unison, exercising the whole body uniformly.

Similarly, the rowers flywheel responds to the work applied, allowing constant effort through the whole stroke. This is unlike resistance based machines where effort is high at the beginning of the stroke and fades as the resistance is overcome.

My old hydraulic rower replicates the rowing action mechanically. This harsh action (as most rowing machine users will be aware) creates a mechanical fatigue, generating soreness and aching which are not experienced when actually rowing on water. The WaterRower replicates the action naturally, and hence is free from this mechanical fatigue.

This makes the exercise as pleasant as a row down the river. When rowing, an oarsperson works to overcome the effect of drag acting on the boat. The faster the boat moves, the more drag is created the harder the oarsperson must work to maintain that speed. The limit to how much work can be done is the oarsperson, their physiology, their ability to do work. The WaterRower’s flywheel replicates this self paced dynamic.

Ask most fitness equipment users to work harder and they will immediately reach for the knob or button designed to increase resistance. Naturally performed aerobic exercises such as rowing, swimming, running and cycling dont have knobs to turn or a buttons to push, so how do you work harder?

In naturally performed aerobic exercises you increase or decrease your exercise intensity simply by going faster or slower. You do not increase an imposed resistance on yourself, you simply choose the intensity at which you wish to exercise and go at a speed which relates to that intensity.

The equipment seemed to exercise all muscles evenly, and even a brief workout should burn calories and tone your body whether you are young or old, fit or unfit, ( like me!)

Just like a cruise down the river and I did not even get wet!

Tony Wilton writes regularly on health and fitness issues at his site http://www.fitness-health-beauty.com

Rowing Machines - Incorporate Your Entire Body Into Your Exercise Workout Session

You don't have to be interested in losing weight to start exercising regularly, but if weight loss is the reason for getting started with a daily routine of exercising your limbs and muscles then rowing could be of enormous benefit to you. Weight loss isn't always easy - diets come and go and can be harmful to your body. A lasting solution to lose the extra pounds is a change of lifestyle, with regular exercise combined with healthy and nutritional eating habits. You have to burn more calories than you eat and with even just a moderate increase in your level of exercising can lead to long-term weight loss, a trim harmonious body tone into the bargain, even with little or no change in your diet. Eating a healthy diet which includes fruit, vegetables and whole grains, will give your body a good, lasting balance. No weight-loss plan can offer beneficial results quickly and those that proclaim they can will probably give you bad side-effects, but if you're willing to put in the personal commitment and have a little patience, regular exercising with a rowing machine can provide the necessary ingredients to get you in shape.

Rowing is one of the most beneficial exercises and a rowing machine in your home-gym will give you the incentive to start on the weight loss program you've perhaps been planning. There are other types of fitness equipment on the market, but on the whole, most types of exercising equipment work for the lower half of the body, exercising with a rowing machine however, uses the whole of your body; the benefits of exercising is felt in far less time in comparison to exercising with other fitness equipment. Experts say that when exercising with a rowing machine, a 30 minutes workout is the equivalent to a 45 minutes workout session on an exercise bike for example. Rowing is also considered an excellent way of exercising to improve cardiovascular fitness.

If weight loss is your goal or getting into shape and just keeping physically fit, then consistency and duration of your workouts are very important. If you opt to purchase a rowing machine for exercising, schedule a regular time to row each day so that you won't have to make a daily decision about whether to row or when to do it. You are more likely to keep to your plan when it's written down and you've made a commitment to follow through.

The longer your rowing session is at any intensity level, the more calories you will burn. Rowing at a higher intensity level will also burn calories faster, but rowing so intensely that you can only last for five minutes is not a good idea, you'll most likely lose interest and your rowing machine will be left to gather dust in the corner. The best guideline for weight loss and getting into shape is to aim for rowing sessions that are at least 30 minutes long and at a comfortable pace. An ideal weekly rowing schedule for weight loss would be to row between six to seven thousand meters at moderate speed and within a thirty to fifty minute period/session, five to six times per week. Couple this with a healthy diet of fruit, veg and whole grain and you'll be knocking off the pounds in no time and be feeling good all at the same time.

Rowing machines give a excellent exercise session as the entire body is incorporated into the workout - arms, torso and legs are all used; as well as being a great workout for your heart it's excellent for toning your tummy, thighs and arms. Working up good tummy muscles will protect your back in the long term, and you'll be less prone to back problems than those without good tum-muscles.

If you're new to rowing, start with a five minute session at moderate speed for a couple of days or until you get used to the machine. Then gradually setup the session time and the speed. Once you start rowing regularly, start a journal or log-book and note down each session i.e. the amount of time, strokes per minute and the distance. If you are using rowing to lose weight, note down what you have eaten and the amount of calories you've taken in. Remember to weigh yourself and note down your weight when you start your session and when you finish.

It's important to remember to stretch before and during your rowing sessions for example stretch for five minutes, then row for five minutes more. If your muscles aren't warmed up, you could get cramps which are very painful so to avoid these stretch and warm up. After every session fill in your journal so that you always know what you did on the last session. After three or four days, you should be ready to row for twenty minute intervals at a good, intensive speed, then stretching for five minutes and then rowing again for twenty minutes. Use variety in your sessions, take breaks, walk around and then go back. Record all the meters you row, log them in your journal. You'll see and feel the difference very quickly if you keep to your schedule.

There are many types of rowing machines, so if you're unsure of which one suits you best go to your local showroom or gym and try each one out to find the rowing machine that suits you best.

Being one of life's senior's - fitness training doesn't necessarily come as easy to us as the younger generations. Learn more about getting into the swing of healthy living, fitness training and what's available on the Fitness Equipment market.