Should You Buy a WaterRower? PROS & CONS
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2024
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The WaterRower is one of the most popular rowing machines in the WORLD! But how good is it? How do its features compare to the other competitors out there? This video aims to help you get a better understanding of all that the WaterRower has to offer! Hopefully this video can help you start getting the MOST out of your rowing workouts! I am here to help in any way I can with more resources below!
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I thought a good review of the Water Rower, been a long time user. I take issue with two statements. Changing amount of water in the tank does not change the resistance of the row. It effectively changes the "weight" of the boat you are in. This is specified in the doc that comes with the rower (read this stuff do you?). This rower was developed by a competitive rower. This is one of the easiest products I have ever assembled. Came in two boxes, tank assembly and rails. They provide everything you need to assemble unit. Took about 25 minutes. I truly like this rower...
I love my Waterrower. Mine is a bout 20 years old. I did have to replace the tank after about 15 years.
I rented a WaterRower. It should arrive this week. I'm glad to read you like it.
I want to buy one. It lasted you 15+ years! Witch kind/brand you bought
I've had mine for a year now. I highly recommend it if you're in the market. I also got the ergatta computer for it. Easy to install and VERY helpful.
I appreciate you sharing!! Thank you!
Thank you for this review Coach Austin. It was great to hear your feedback on the water rower vs Concept II. Dig the new haircut👍👍
Thank you, Greg! I appreciate it and I am glad you enjoyed the video!
Thank you for the water rower review, we’ve been waiting patiently! Once I get my form perfected with my little magnetic BodyCraft I’m looking forward to a water rower.
Thank you for your support and patience! I think that will be a great upgrade for you!
A fair and balanced review. You are significantly taller than I, so the foot placement would not be a problem for me. Thanks.
Just clicked "place order" on a new WaterRower Natural. It's my first rower, first cardio machine I've ever bought in fact--I'm very excited! I didn't think I was gonna spend quite so much at first, but I think the combination of looks, build quality and a decent computer is why I decided this is the rower for me. I considered a Concept2 but an air damper is just too loud for my needs, I think this is going to be perfect. Thanks for the information, great video!
How is it so far! I’m in the same boat. I’m about to place my order.!
Mad respect. I was waiting for the Cons part to see what you would say. I rented on if these and ended up sending it back because of the track. I found it to be a bit more narrow that normal and the foot area seemed too high. Seat was smaller as well. I wish they would redesign the machine for better comfort. The wheels on the seat also broke on mine. I love looking and listening to the device, but not a fan of actually using it.
Thanks! There are lots of aspects of the WaterRower that I would change as well - and I totally agree with you on the comfort level!
Thank you. This is one of the videos I watched a year ago to make my decision to buy the Waterrower and have not regretted it. The factors was the quietness of this opposed to a fan style and I am not training for "real" rowing or I would have gone with the Concept 2, which was my other choice. The final deciding factor for me was storage footprint, which is slightly smaller with the Waterrower vs the Concept. This is a great workout when using an interval timer app to perform high and low intensity intervals and still watch TV or a movie to occupy my mind.
Really appreciate you sharing your input! Thanks, Jim!
I never even knew an interval timer app was a thing. Thanks for the tip!
Hi Austin,
I’m also fairly tall at 6’ 7” with a 38” inseam. I recently purchased the water rower club model with leg extensions so it’s easier to mount. I did have a slight problem with my knees coming up a little higher than what I like, however a friend suggested getting the memory foam padded seat available on Amazon and this raised my butt about two inches when the seat pad was compressed. Now, I get a full, smooth stroke with no knee issues whatsoever. I really enjoy the water rower because of the sound, smooth glide of the stroke, solid feel of the machine, and feeling like I’ve had a great workout after about 45 minutes of rowing. This was an outstanding purchase and I recommend it to all of my friends. Thank you for the very fair review of the machine! ~Mark
I heard the same from others about feet too high. I went with the xeno müeller limited edition rower as that one has a lower foot placement and wider grips
Thanks for your review, Mark! Sounds like the seat pad is working well! You may also benefit from setting your feet a bit lower, too!
Mmm interesting. What exactly memory foam do you buyed?
Can you link the memory foam padded seat pleeeease?
Very informative video on that water rower, the haircut looks great Austin. :D
Thank you and thank you, Miguel!
On comparing performance on a WaterRower (or magnetic rower) vs. the competitive standard Concept2: the distance figures may not be commensurable, but the watts should be. For example, to row a 6 minute 2000m on the Concept2 (1:30/500m split), the rower must maintain an average power of 480 watts (wow...). For a 7 minute 2000m row (1:45/500m split), the average power is around 302 watts. The different brands of rower may define what they mean by a "meter rowed" differently, but watts should be watts everywhere, assuming the different machines are competently engineered (yes, that's a big assumption). An engineer can determine the power required to spin a rotor at a given RPM quite accurately by driving the rotor with an electric motor. There should be no question about the watts, but the "distance" is not a direct measurement because the ergometer itself isn't actually moving like a boat through water. Thus to get the "same" workout on two different rowing ergometers, you're probably better off rowing at the same power output for the same time, rather than rowing the same "distance" according to the different vendors' interpretations of distance. Relying on watts also lets a person get the "same" workout on a completely different type of machine, such as an exercise bike, where the distance interpretations wil be completely different. (Real bicycles are much more efficient than real boats, so a cyclist goes faster at a given power output than a rower.) The Concept2 Web site has a page with a calculator to convert both ways between average watts and 500m split time. As the power in watts goes up with the cube of speed (similar for other fluid-drag sports such as cycling), to go twice as fast (or to cut one's time in half for a given distance) requires *eight* times the power.
Relying on watts eliminates the guesswork of "Which type of exercise machine gives the best workout?" because rowing at 300 watts is about the same aerobic workout as bicycling or stair climbing at 300 watts. The exact muscles being worked are different, but the cardiorespiratory system is moving close to the same amount of oxygen to fuel the 300 watts output no matter what machine a trainer uses. Also the well-trained athlete can use heart rate as a proxy for watts, since the athlete's heart rate should stabilize at a given number of beats per minute after a few minutes of continuous effort for a given power output in watts. Thus for example you could measure your heart rate during a 2000m row on the Concept2, and then generate the same heart rate curve for the same duration on a WaterRower to get the same workout, no matter what the WaterRower thinks the distance is.
Thank you for sharing all of your insight!
and what is your advice when comparing 2 devices?
I just sold my Nordic Trak rower and bought a water rower. Big difference and improvement.
Man you must be beasting it. I've got a concept 2 (model c with a pm5) and I was pushing 23 min 15 sec for a 5k. My 500 average split was around 2:25-2:30.
Having just watched some videos on maintaining a Concept 2, I am so glad I got a water rower. I just drop a pill in it every six months.
A great point! thanks for sharing! Happy rowing!
pretty happy with my water rower. looked at the C2 and since i was wanting to use it in the lounge room decide the water rower was a better way to go given the noise.
The noise plays a big part in the decision making, for sure!
Great videos Austin!! I use a C2 at the gym, and WR at home. I don’t see why the C2 is the gold standard; competition allows industry to evolve. I rather pull water like I do on the “water”. The C2 has an unnatural overly mechanical (they breakdown in gyms) resistance that does not feel authentic. Finally, upright storage, aesthetic appeal and long distance contests (while watching a film) are FAR better on the WR. I just wish WR had a rankings section like C2. I like comparing to running, cycling and paddling pace/speeds too. I want to see if anyone can better my 1:50:38 for 30k:)
@@MedixFitness - I suspect the Concept2 is the competition standard for two main reasons:
1. Getting there first: the Concept2 was the first rowing ergometer to be widely adopted by on-water rowing clubs around the world, and then was the first to be widely adopted by gyms. Thus almost everybody who is anybody in rowing has invested heavily in the Concept2. Switching now to another brand would be too expensive.
2. Over-reliance on distance rather than watts. "Ergometer" literally means "work measurement", not "distance measurement." The direct measurement coming from an ergometer is your power output (in watts, or equivalently in average calories/hour). From there, the various vendors use arbitrary conversion formulae to infer (not measure) a distance traveled, or a speed. The various brands of rowing ergometer can all agree on your power output (at least, they should be able to), but they may disagree on the "distance" you rowed, since that is down to the vendor's interpretation. Obviously for competitive times to be comparable, the distance calculation must be the same for everyone. As even a 1 second difference in 2000m time can put a person out of the medals, it's very hard if not impossible for a competing vendor with a new rower design to get in the game. You can't have people competing on different brands of rowers when one is slightly "faster" or "slower". This would be less of a problem if people measured their efforts in average watts for a given time. For example, to row 2000m in 6 minutes on a Concept2 requires an average power output of 480 watts. If rowers then competed to see who could generate the highest average watts for a given amount of time, they could all use different rowing machines, or even completely different exercise machines such as bikes and stair climbers. As long as the watts are accurate on all the machines the competition would be fair.
Daniel Mocsny thanks for a well thought out and the meticulous details. I will go watts!
@@danielmocsny5066 So if the WaterRower person goes for 6 minutes and is careful to put out exactly 480 watts, then that person went more meters or less meters far, with the difference between the two rower brand's construction? Thanks
I have the Black Walnut model. I love it.
That is a sleek model!
I never hear the whoosh because I have music blasting in my ears. Cant do cardio without music for some reason
very helpful, thanks
Allen,
My local PF has a water rower that is a version of the Contour II
I like WR because I live in a flat so storage it's easy. Also the water noise it's relaxing...
Very nice!
I love how Tacx has a video aspect to cycling. You can pedal and on your TV you are biking through Europe, alleviating the mind numbing feeling of staring at a wall while you work out. I would pay big bucks for an erg machine that has a video aspect. Where you are rowing through nature in realtime with your workout. That would be great.
Ergatta and hydrow are some options
I own one and love my water rower.
If you get the xeno müeller edition it comes with a lower foot placement and that's why I got it.
There’s a model with a lower footbed in WaterRower’s website, designed with the feedback of an Olympic rower, his signature written on the sides of the machine. A different Olympic rower, from the U.K., spoke about why he prefers to train on WaterRowers: the way they mimic actually rowing in water, with its soothing sound, and also because the harder you pull, the more the resistance increases, just as happens when rowing in water. The noise air rowers make is a deal breaker for me. I don’t always want to use my noise-canceling headphones 🎧
Hey, what model do you talk?
Hey sorry but, what is that model with lower footbed?
5:30 time on a waterrower compared to 6:15 on a C2 for 2km (impressive indeed) does appear to be a lot easier but what was your water level set to for the waterrower? I suspect it was around the middle of the gauge scale as that’s the recommendation in the instructions for the typical setting. If you fill the water drum to the max level I guess the 5:30 time will increase due to the extra resistance and therefore be comparable to a C2. It would be great to know if this was the case so all the waterrowers out there can compare with C2 rowers. Great videos.
Hi , love your channel. Have you reviewed or know of the BATTIFE Water Rowing Machine . Resembles other machines however was wonder what you option was.
right about the height of the hips over the heals. Not high enough. I built a board with a real shell seat on top, which raised the seat and made it more like a boat.
Love my water rower.
Glad you do!!
I recently bought a water rower and I am very happy with it. The main points of style, low noise, smoothness are spot on in your review. A very solid workout every time! The ergonomic issue you pointed does not affect me. I am 6ft tall and fit perfectly on its design. I agree that being too low and narrow may affect confort for some, but it was designed to emulate a rowing boat! Related to the ERG differences when compared to Concept 2, I assume some simplistic software calibration or data correction should solve it. No big deal for me anyways. What is REALLY annoying is the ecosystem limitation. Regardless of what version you buy and even if you include the Bluetooth add-on ($ 250 cost!), you will not be able to sync your workouts with any fitness app such as garmin, strava, training peaks, etc. This is absurd given the world we live today. Hope some light soon illuminate the minds of the dinosaurs leading product dept @ Water rower. A minor coding project can build an online download interface in case they do not want to pay royalties to the platforms....
Love your input here... I think you bring up some really great and important points! Thanks for providing some extra insight for those looking for more info / anecdotal thoughts!
Good to know! I'm 5'11". What brand/model do you have? And did you set it up any particular way that would be relevant for me, as someone a similar height? Thanks!
There’s a rumour that Peloton will be releasing a connected rowing machine in January 2020.
There's a new product out called Ergatta. It's a 17" tablet you buy for $500 and attach to the waterrower. For $30/month you can connect to their program and compete in world rankings and get workouts and things like that.
@@cathamilton1075 I´m 6´5" and use a standard waterrower and absolutly love it. The noise is like the real thing and the soft resistance of the water feels great. Highly recommended.
I've used a concept 2 for years but wanting something for home. Kinda torn between the Water Rower A1 (which addresses a few issues you have with this one) or the First Degree Newport. Both at the $900 price range with the Newport offering different resistance levels with a knob vs adjusting water volume. Newport made in Taiwan vs the WR made in USA so ignoring "USA quality", maybe getting more for my money with the Newport.
Where does he get all of these rowers from? Lol, I'm with it. 😁
Superb!
I'm a C2 fanatic but I would be curious to try a WR once to see and feel the difference.
Thanks for your review! Do you think the WaterRower gives more a feeling of what actually rowing on the water feels like than the Concept2? It would be so nice if WaterRower company upgraded to an adjustable height footrest. For now we can velcro a piece of foam or pillow to get extra height if needed. Thanks, enjoy!
1 year later and we're still waiting for a reply on this!!
Please do a follow up video... when you can
I've had a Waterower for years now and love it.
The only thing that bothers me is there isn't a light on the monitor.
I agree I wish there was a light on the monitor! It would drain the battery too fast, though.
The monitor stinks and WR keeps saying they're going to update. Not happening
If you press the “Advance” button 9 times it shows you the lifetime kilometers rowed on it.
I’m 6”5 and purchased the extra length rail that gives you the additional space if needed.
Looking to get the heart rate monitor but contemplating between theirs or just a wearable from Fitbit.
I bought the monitor but it was a bit of a waste of money, seems unreliable especially toward the end of workouts. I use a Garmin Venu for my heart rate on the WaterRower now, instead.
I just bought a Water Rower and ordered the Smart Rower attachment. We are so happy with our rower. It’s beautiful. It tucks away in the corner of our living room and doesn’t look out of place. I like having it in the living room. The water sounds soothing and it’s so smooth! I’m a 5’8 woman and my husband is 6’2. We both fit it easily. Love it!
I'm so so glad to hear this. You don't find the foot placement too high like the guy Austin was explaining? What is the Smart Rower attachment? It definitely makes sense to have a WaterRower machine, no wind blowing dust, less noisy and involves water just as regular rowing does. Thanks, enjoy!
Therese Röthel I don’t find the foot placement too high and my husband doesn’t either. I am able to get the seat entirely to the front despite the foot placement. The Smart Rower is an attachment that connects to our iPhones to track our progress, has programs and more.
@@kellymarie1971 Ok, very good to hear, thanks. I just ordered my M1 today. I really like the look of all the WaterRower brand rowers. The wooden ones are especially nice for keeping in the living room. I just returned a supposedly commercial grade Spirit Fitness brand water rower. It broke after not even two months of my use alone. Otherwise It was a real pleasant change of pace from my old Concept2 model B.
I am wondering if concept 2 would be better because of the lower foot plates. Wouldn’t that be better for someone with lower back issues? 🤔
Austin...How about advantages/disadvantages between the two and maybe the Matrix regarding apps/online options? I've used Trainerroad for my cycling for three years now and would love to find something like that for rowing. Thanks!
I definitely need to look into this more! Thanks for bringing it up!!
Bought mine 6y ago and love it. No other rowing machine comes as close to the real thing. The position is close to the real thing, the resistance is like in a real boat-very soft when rowing slowly and building up very fast when you accelerate. Like real water. The sound adds to the "i´m really rowing" feeling. On top its just good loooking when not in use and doesnt use much place. Tried several other rowing machines incl C2 and didnt like any of it. Far too loud, the resistance far away from the real thing. Great for winter when its a bit too cold and rainy for a real boat.
Thank you for sharing your insight and experience!!
Which brand did you buy?
@@fayecervantes7479 Waterrower.
I just got a cheap $300 hydraulic rower yesterday, and this seems perfect for my needs. Affordable, small size, quiet, and with a good range of resistance to choose from. I guess the "water rowers" looks nice, but i cant see how they could go anywhere near the resistance i get from the hydraulic rower... Kardio is of course awesome, but if i can get a decent workout from a shorter training session, then this means that i will work out more frequently. "High intensity interval training" is also better for gaining strength...
I am glad you like your rower!
Which one did you get?
I tried both the water rower and the concept 2.. and went with the C2..the pm5 and intensity on the concept has been awesome
Definitely would be my choice between the two, as well!
Nice review. I like the look of the Water Rower. Nice, soothing sound through the movement, but I love my Concept2!
I actually quit my gym because they hadn't taken the care to fasten their C2s to the floor and I found it so absolutely demotivating having my rhythm and energy lost during a max effort as the machine slid back and forth on the smooth floor (I always enjoyed the C2 at a previous gym - nothing against the machine itself). When I tried a WR it feels much heavier and more planted on the ground to me, and so in my apartment (which also has shiny floors) that is a benefit. Also, for a small living space, the C2 is very long and can't be stood out of the way. I do miss the C2s cool pace boat screen on its monitor though - I found that a really nice guide! :)
Great input here, Simon! Thanks for sharing!!
Simon Kinsella "I actually quit my gym because they hadn't taken the care to fasten their C2s to the floor and I found it so absolutely demotivating having my rhythm" --- Yeah, my gym mounted it but they didn't keep the unit in good condition. The chain was grabby, loud, and not smooth at all. I still used it though until I left the gym for other reason. Now, I'm a proud owner of my own water rower. it's different.
when did jim carrey start reviewing sports equipment? great review!
Polar bear approved! Super quiet! Apartment on suspended wood floor so things normally echo, but friend’s able to hibernate from 20ft away, no closed doors.
WaterRower is manufactured close by to where I live and I think they're selling a TON of these machines - especially since Rob Gronkowski started promoting them as apart of his workout routine! That said, I believe WaterRower's niche is really more for the home fitness market than for the serious or competitive rower. The WaterRower models with the wooden frames are beautifully finished and look more like a piece of furniture than exercise equipment - i.e. they look great in your house. Still, I personally prefer the Concept 2 as it is the standard for gauging training performance against other rowers or for competitive rowing. On another subject, Austin... - Have you considered possibly doing a video looking at incorporating heart rate zone training? Would love to learn more about this!
Love everything you have just said and couldn't agree more! I will definitely cover some heart rate training stuff in the future!! Thank you for all of your support!
Love everything you have just said and couldn't agree more! I will definitely cover some heart rate training stuff in the future!! Thank you for all of your support!
Oh yeah, cool! Have you ever checked out the Phil Maffetone and the 180 zone formula? While most of the info I've found is oriented more toward running, it does seems like this method can be easily adapted to rowing. Heart rate is heart rate, right? -doesn't matter how you there... As someone who tends to over-do it, usually resulting in having to stop training within a few weeks because of injury or exhaustion, the 180 program really resonated with me personally. I've recently started (within the last week or so) using this method and now pay close attention to staying solely within my aerobic zone. I'm currently trying to maintain a daily 10K or 60-min piece regimen and have found recovery already to be so much easier. I've already seen a increase in meters rowed while staying in the same heart rate zone. I'd love to get your opinion as a rower and someone trained in exercise physiology. Cheers for all your great work!
Very interesting... I will definitely check it out and get back to you! Really appreciate you sharing, thanks!
Rob gronkowski
Row them all before you buy. Most models of the WaterRower have a tall, less stable seat that I find to be wobbly if you are rowing high stroke rate. That seat is way too tall versus its wheelbase (something that you can see easily in this video) so it easily jumps the tracks or causes you to shift on it. That's disqualifying in my view. But they do have the A1 "studio" and "home" models, which have a nice low seat on a steel rail, like the Concept2. I recommend you get that A1 if you are going to get the WaterRower. I much prefer the Concept2 but the WaterRower is OK and very, very quiet.
Hi Austin, thank you so much for this video :) I am getting the same WaterRower Hi Rise in 2 weeks time. I was wondering if I will get the full benefit to tone my core abs area. I am not a fat person and small in structure and power-walk lots including going PT training for upper body strength. If I get good on this WaterRower, he I get greater benefit the doing hours of power walks? Thank you so much for your brilliant and fun packed video :)
This will definitely help, I think! Your strength training plus rowing will help you get to your goal! :)
Just bought and assembled my WaterRower...appreciated your comments here though
Hey, a question that i couldnt find answer to. So if i wanted to add aditional resistance could i use oil instead of water? Im not thinking about car oil, but some thin mineral oil or other alternative liquid that could be thicker than water to get more resistance
Thank you sir. If I hear you right, The WaterRower is a good choice for a first rower but would feel strange to someone used to a Concept 2?
You hit the nail on the head!
@@trainingtall I would have to disagree. Been rowing on C2s over the last 15 years and felt like I was in heaven the first time I rowed on a water rower. It's a much more organic and natural experience as opposed to the more mechanical stroke of a chain + flywheel.
The water rower is lower to the ground than the C2 model D and that makes it a bit harder to get on and off
Yes - certain models are much lower to the ground. They do have higher rise options like the one I am on. And I would say this one is actually higher off of the ground than the Concept 2.
You can get extensions to lift the waterrower higher.
I really, really didn't like the air rower noise, so it was magnetic or water for me. Magnetic, as you have pointed out, does this weird resistance change through the stroke. So water for me.
I looked at a bunch of water resistance rowers (including a Chinese WR clone for about $300). I ended up picking a First Degree Fitness water rower. Similar price range as the WR. Same quiet 'woosh'. Same stroke dynamics. Same seat/foot relationship. Similarly great seat. Same ability to flip onto an end for storage. But it has a central storage tank with a clever valve: turn the dial and the water level in the 'working' part of the tank changes (takes a couple of strokes for the water to move between inner and outer tanks). Not easy to change resistance mid-workout the way you can with a magnetic or a Concept II but great if there are a couple of rowers in the family and each one wants a different resistance - or if I just want to figure out what resistance I prefer.
@Training Tall I am a strength athlete with a lingering lower back injury (Herniated disc). I am considering adding rowing to my regimen for the low impact cardio benefits. I was leaning more towards the Waterrower over the concept 2 until I just saw the foot positioning in your video. Would you recommend one over the other with my injury? Thanks in advance and thanks for all the great information.
You can consider the GoRowinGo rowing machine, which can also help you.
What happend ir You fill up entirely the tank un order yo get more resistance is posible to damage the propel?
I have not been able to choose between Waterrower performance and First degree Viking pro V a long time Can you help me make the right choice??? To escape this confusion😯😯 Which device do you recommend and do you think is better???
I use a water rower at my gym. Yesterday, I did a 9 minute 2000m. At another gym they had a matrix, and it was considerably easier, like 8 minute 2000m. I've never used the concept 2.
That is really interesting!! Water Rower is significantly fast than the Matrix rower... maybe you just gained a bunch of fitness all of a sudden?? Well done!
@@trainingtall our water rowers are slightly different than the one in this video. The water wheel is vertical as opposed to horizontal. I found the matrix to be much more smooth and easier to keep cadence. Also, I lift a lot of heavy weights, so maybe that is why I find the matrix easier.
is it better to buy the concept 2 rower or the concept 2 rower with sliders.. is it better to workout on just the rower or rower on sliders???? thanks
My best time for 2000 mtrs on C2 is 6mins-45secs I'd be very interested to see what my time would be on a WaterRower?
Does anyone have any experience putting their water rower in the garage? I have mine coming in about a week and I want to put it in my garage gym which isn't air conditioned so it will get hot at times during the summer. Will that effect my machine? I know the winter time will be an issue because of the water, but I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with keeping it out in the garage during summer months.
So is it like the c2 rower where the harder u pull the harder it fights back? I had a c2 rower and it was great but sold it cause it was making my lower back sore. So I bought an echo rogue airdyne bike. I have 2 lower back bulding disk. Iam also debating between buying a rower or one of thoese sleds on wheels?
Hello Austin,
What are your thoughts regarding the Concept2 slides combined with the model D/E?
Mick from Australia.
Hey Mick! Thanks for reaching out. The slides, in my opinion, are best suited for rowers that plan to row on the water or with a rowing club. Not much use for those just using the C2 for general fitness!
@@trainingtall Thanks Austin, I have been using them for a few years especially after completing a marathon in 2010 without them.
I suffer less lower back problems and find it a bit easier to fully engage my legs when using them.
They do take up a bit of space in my garage though!
IMO, a Concept2 and some choice kettlebells is about all I need to keep rediculously fit. Keep the videos coming and keep spreading the good news!
Mick.
Had mine 20 years, love it.
If you’re really tall, you can get xl rails
Oh no way? That's great!
Good to know it's lasted you 20 years! When I eventually spend over 1k on mine I want to make sure it will last me for decades to come.
Big Difference Music Group I even dismantled it and took it on a Norwegian flight when I moved to Oslo 10 years ago. It’s the only thing keeping me remotely sane in lockdown
For weight loss, do you recommend rowing meters or yards?
The only rowing machine i could use without waking up the kids in the morning. Thanks the honest review Austin! And i agree, being 6' 4" the footrest is too high...
I see what you mean! And of course! Thanks for watching!
So too high has affected you negatively how?
Thanks for the review - I have long legs so I appreciate the feedback on the issues of having the foot plates too high. Do you know if the Hydrow has the same issue?
Did you pick a rower? I also have long legs
Concept 2 if you are tall or have long legs, Waterrower are not for tall persons.
Please help me decide I used concept in gym but I want get one for home which one should I get?
Both are great!
Also the resistance for the water rower is based on how hard u pull..harder u pull the more the resistance
same with damper rowers like Concept 2
Big problem with Waterrower‘s, eventually the water gets dirty and then it seems to be difficult to access products to either keep the water clean and/or clean it! I have tried contacting Waterrower by email and phone and they refused to answer. The way to access the chemicals and tools to treat the water in the Waterrower should be in bold on the front page of Waterrower‘s website! The way to maintain the Waterrower should be on the rower and owner’s manual!! I just know not to use bleach. What should we Use To treat the water and to clean the rower Tank???
My wife loves rowing at the gym before the pandemic. She is looking to getting a rower (water) for home but also on a budget. She is checking the xterra erg600/650. Are those any good? Dont see much reviews or videos on them or ither suggestions for ones using water?
I'm having the same challenge. I have the ERG 650 on my radar, but am finding it hard to find reviews and info. Also, I'm 6'6" with a 38 inseam and needed info on if I would fit on the ERG650. Right now, the Sunny Health & Fitness Phantom is my top option. But wanted to get info to "rule out" the ERG650. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
how does this compare to the Hydro?
Nice review! I am slightly annoyed of what I thought were good 500m splits are less valuable on my water rower...
Also as I am 6 2", the sit position is indeed a bit of a worry
Thanks, Fernando! Yeah it's a bummer about the split times..
@@trainingtall When I use the concept 2, I rely on the watts and strokes per minute to guide me if I am slowing down. That is very important. However, the sound generated for C2 is too loud. As for the Water rower, I wonder if it makes a difference if you stake up on the height on the seat.
At about 6 minutes Austin talks about the WaterRower being "faster" than a C2. I put a SmartRow unit on mine and for a while ran the S4 (standard) monitor alongside the SmartRow app. The SmartRow has "slowed me down" - about 10secs per 500m or about 500m over 30m (for me) for similar efforts. The SmartRow is a power meter so should be more accurate than the standard S4 monitor.
I made the same experience after installing the SmartRow on my Waterrower. Looks like I'm about 10% "slower" now, but after what I heard the current data seems to be way more accurate.
Is this the Bluetooth module for the Waterrower? I have read a lot of negative reviews about connectivity. Seems like you like yours. Do you recommend it? Any pros or cons you can share?
@@bblokdijk To be honest, I'm not a professional rower, so this is just my very personal opinion.
So far I can't complain about the SmartRow module as it works as expected, never had any trouble with the connectivity. The app has some light bugs, but the main part works well.
The installation of the SmartRow module was a bit trickier than described in the manual, but definitely doable.
I like keeping tracks of the rowing sessions and that it seems to be more accurate than the built in monitor. A potential negative point is that it's pretty pricy. But as I paid over 1300€ for the waterrower I decided to give it a try.
May I ask what the negative reviews are you read about?
John Locke I’m certainly no professional rower and into for the awesome workout it provides. By nature I’m very data analytical. It seems like the C2s monitor is significantly better than Waterrower’s in terms of data and analysis. I don’t recall where I read the reviews but it may have actually been on their website. Many people returned the Bluetooth module back.
@@bblokdijk Yes, I also heard of the C2 monitor being way better, that's why I bought the SmartRow module.
I just wanted to get more reliable data, but I don't need 100% comparable times I can share with others.
To be completely honest, the only reason I didn't buy the C2 is its loudness...
I´ve got the waterrower and it´s nice. I thougt it´s better than the concept2 because it´s not as loud but I also tested a Concept2 by a dealer and it´s not as loud as some people may think. Yes, it´s louder but it´s acceptable! The waterrower is a designrower and the Concept2 is a more comfortable hightech rower. I will probably sell the waterrower and buy a Concept2!
Concept 2 can get loud during short sprint workouts!
Training Tall the position on the waterrower is not comfortable! So i am wondering about the popularity of the waterrower!
Are you a rower or a C2er ? Just because for me foot in the water rower are on the same level than my single. I'll give you a tips if your foot are too high, you just have to put something to have a higher seat.
Hey! I was a rower in college for 4 years! Thanks for your insight!
is the CITYROW GO any good?
You mentioned that on waterrower, your 2000mts is 5:30, and at C2 is 6+,
Maybe is just the internal calibration.
C2 times are related to a 4+HW Boat, (according to some C2 paper that i read)
So WaterRower, could be a 8+.
The important key aspect is, CONSISTENCY. C2 are extremely reliable.
How about this waterrower? Is it consistent?
WR tends to NOT be as consistent, in my experience !
The monitor on the Water Rower needs to be set to the water fill height in the tank. There should be a gauge on the side of the tank indicating what level you have the water set to. You then hit the advance button on the monitor 8 times and enter the gauge level. Hard to tell but in your vid it looks like the water in the tank on the unit you are using is filled above the high water fill height. Also another interesting thing for ppl who want a balanced scale to track their day to day work outs, you can purchase a strain gauge equipped power meter which replaces the top pulley. Ideally all units would come equipped with such a device but PM are not cheap. Regarding feeling cramped, just add some padding to your seat to raise you up a little. Would be nice if WR did designed a seat which could be raised/lowered.
Austin, do you find that the WaterRower foot plates are kinda too close together? I find that at the finish, my feet tend to flare out towards the slide rails a bit due to the footplates being closer together than my natural 'stance' width.
I absolutely think it is the WORST thing about WaterRower
@@trainingtall do you know an other water rower who have the same foot plates and placement than the Concept 2?
I've seen a video of athlete saying that they use the concept 2 at 3/4 intensity to make it closer to real life rowing, also most of the athlete says the water rower is just like the real deal.
Perhaps you find it "faster" because you have a much greater resistance on the concept 2 ?
Thanks for sharing your review. One question. I am a competitive athlete. Is the maximum amount of water you can fill inside the watertank of the WaterRower sufficient for strong resistance and high-performance training like HITT and improving endurance, etc.?
I would like to know this as well but guess we're not getting answer 😒
Need to know this also
I'm interested to know this too. Did you ever find out?
Thank you!
You're welcome, GM!
Thanks for the review! Could you please compare it to First Degree Fitness adjustable resistance water rowers? It sounds good to have multiple resistance levels...
I will see if I can get my hands on it!
Sergio Vázquez just bought one pick it up tomorrow, so looking forward to it.
@@groengm2012 Great!! Can't wait to hear your initial impressions!
Sergio Vázquez after receiving my new first degree rower and added the water and adjusted the foot level several times I order to feel the difference. Then adjusting the resistance levels multiple times . Each adjustment I did the 500 metres. First I have to thank Mr. Rowing Tall for all his great instructions that got me started. I believe that having the resistance option that other water rowers don’t have is a leg up, also the noise level is what sold me the air machines are just to load. Knowing that I will never compete in a rowing race at 66 for an all around workout OH MY this thing is the greatest
My local Planet Fitness has four Life Fitness RowGX water rowers. The water reservoir is tilted up from the horizontal, with a large lever you can set on the dial face to select resistance. Then you have to manually punch in the corresponding resistance on the display unit to get it to calculate your watts correctly. Changing the resistance is thus easy enough but I have to stop and unstrap my feet to make the reach. I have no idea how the displayed speed and distances compare to a Concept2. Increasing the resistance increases the displayed watts (you certainly feel the resistance) if you maintain a constant stroke rate and depth. But the distance traveled per stroke does not seem to change. No matter how hard I pull I can never get more than 9m per stroke. All the more reason to forget about distance and just go by time and watts or total calories to measure progress and compare the various types of machines.
I love my water rower but I feel like my arms get a work out and my legs not so much. I have been practicing proper technique and I still don’t get sore thru the legs
Lock your back (in the upright slightly reclined position) and push really hard with your legs until fully extended then pull on your arms...
I bought a water rower..my biggest issue is, you can't adjust the resistance. They say if you want greater resistance you gotta row faster..its true but I don't want to be moving like crazy to get greater resistance. I want to move slowly.. if you move slowly on this machine it's just too easy then, there's little resistance, and I have the tank filled to max. The other thing that's totally annoying is after one year I woke up one morning and found the tank leaking while standing, I mean come on, and I paid €1500 for the walnut version..but over all it is beautiful, and you can get a good work out, you just gotta find your own sweet spot, the seat also is second to none, and the glide is amazing. Over all I'd give it 7 out of 10
sounds like you need to work on not rowing 'faster' but rowing HARDER. Check out my video "how fast should you row?" for a good breakdown on this! Best of luck to you!!
@@trainingtall I will, thank you for your advice much appreciated..😊
thats not true. There are rowers out there that allow you adjust with a twin tank system!
I am a Waterrower owner and these machines are not worth the price. Tank leaks are a major problem as I experienced after very little use. VERY difficult to add and remove water from the tank. Rower needs periodic adjustments as nuts and bolts loosen. I have the Club model and when the tank leaked, a black stain came off of the side rails. While they look nice, they are not robust. Wish I had bought something more durable.
Hey Austin, I'm leaning towards a water rower for my apartment - I just know the Concept 2's noise will be a nuisance to neighbours. Just wondering, is your book focused on Concept 2 rowers or is its content applicable to other rowers like the water rower?
Hey Karl! Thanks for reaching out. So I reference the C2 throughout the book, however, all info and workouts provided are EASILY translated to WaterRower, Matrix, or any other brand of rowing machine you use!
Hey Austin, I know I am going to get a water tank based row machine. Have you ever tried the brand First Degree Fitness? It allows you to change resistance with a knob on the water tank. Do you have any thoughts about First Degree Fitness row machines vs Waterrower? Thank you!
I haven't tried it yet unfortunately!
@@trainingtall Okay thank you for letting me know! Be well man.
So if you had to pick to use for YOUR work which would it be waterRower or non waterRower? Which do YOU feel more comfortable using?
Hey Austin do you know the difference between Waterrower and first degree fitness rower?
Hey! I have not tried first degree fitness rower so I do not know!
Okay I bought the waterrower....and I am very happy 😃
The First Degree Fitness FluidRowers have a patented twin tank system which allows you to truly change the resistance (by altering the amount of water in contact with the paddles). The relationship between the seat and the feet height is correct too, feels just like being in the boat, with the sight sound and feel of real on the water rowing.
@@charlesadams1685 thanks I have decided to get a FDF water rower after seeing your comment. The foot height and resistance were bothering especially since my husband is 6”2’ but now I believe those issues will be sorted. And I can buy one in Australia 😃
idk why this is in my recommended or why i watched it but i now know about the water rower
Hahah well during the new year, many are looking for new fitness equipment! Thanks for watching!
In a different video you explain that your feet are set wider in the matrix vs the concept 2, how are they spaced on a WR?
TikTokandYaDontStop closer than C2
@@trainingtall Dang! I'm not sure thats good. Thank you!
What about the resistance increasing the harder you pull ? Isn't that one of the key argument for this rower?
Also happens on Concept 2 / air dampers
I have a water rower club. I love it!
I'm so glad that you do!!
Hey, im thinking about buying a water rower (or concept 2) but i am confused with the computer/data storage for both. I'd want to track my progress over the months/years. I have a heart rate monitor id need to use. So, can these workouts somehow be exported into some app or somehow connected to phone/laptop with heart rate data? Can you do a comparison of the software side of things?
Or if i use concept 2 in the gym... how would i record my workouts so i can view my progression?
Hey Dragon! The WaterRower is NOT great at tracking progress long-term. It does not save workouts - you'd have to manually input your workouts in a log. You're much better off with the C2 as in the "results" section, it saves hundreds of workouts in a row! As far as managing your heart rate data, that is something I am not too familiar with yet. I would suggest recording your HR data into an excel sheet based off of what your fitness watch / HR tracking device tells you!
C2 and ErgData is all you need ;-) www.concept2.com/service/software/ergdata
hi, can it generate enough resistance.
Yes, if you PUSH hard enough every stroke!
Could I get this model with a wider foot base? There is no way with my body shape that I could get my feet that close together and strapped into those
cleats. I really need them to be much wider apart from each other. Does anyone know? Thanks.
Unfortunately no... that is one of the most annoying things with this machine!
I believe the cheapest waterrower model has the seat on a monorail. That puts your feet on each side of the rail and maybe a little farther apart.
I’m 6’2” 306lbs with wide quads and calves. The foot base is pretty comfortable to me.
Hi Austin. I am 5' tall and I need to workout for weightloss... I cannot do most of cardio due to ankle injury. Can this water rower help in weight loss.
This will help you build fitness and aid in weight loss as long as you are on an appropriately-planned calorie restricted diet!