I would like to take up rowing for fitness. There is a rowing club in the city I live, but I do not want to spend the time on traveling to the club. Instead, I would like to buy a rower for exercising at home. I need suggestions on a decent brand (not too expensive) and the type of exercises for beginners.
It depends on how serious you take it. There are many cheap indoor rowers but I recommend a Concept2 rowing machine. Expensive but worth every penny. At http://www.concept2.com/us/training/gettingstarted.asp you can see some exercises for beginners.
Thank you Walter for recommending the Concept2. It looks a little expensive but I think I can afford one since most of the websites I visit regarding indoor rowers consider Concept2 as the best. I also read about Water Rower. How does it perform in comparison to Concept2 apart from the cost? I just found a dealer in my city and I am planning to visit the dealer sometime next week. Thank you for the training link as well.
The concept are good. There is also a machine that uses water resistance that sounds more like you are rowing on the water. You can get a good cardio workout from rowing machines but you build more core strength by balancing the boats on the water.
well i'm using rowing equipment whenever i go to the gym but i never tried rowing.. i live in the city.. no water in our place.. LOL
I would advise you to get the best rower you can afford. If you buy a cheap rower, it will inevitably malfunction after a certain length of time and you will need to replace it. It is better to invest in a higher quality rower that will last for a long time.
That is very true, though to be honest, if you really cannot afford one you can try and join a gym where there are rowing machines. It is easer to pay less over a longer period of time than a lot at that one instant. Joining a gym also has other benefits, like being more motivated and more inclined to do your best, than if you are alone in your basement rowing. Its the atmosphere and you always tend to do better when there are people next to you rowing. (For some reason I always beat my best times when there are people around me.)
It is down to personal preference, some people thrive in the gym and some people prefer to train at home. I like training at home because I can play the music I like and focus on what I'm doing without worrying about all the rowing machines being used etc. I think paying for a gym membership will be a lot more expensive in the long term.
That is definitely a good point, but you have to consider the fact that gyms tend to have more equipment that you can use, and when you train for rowing you can't just use the machines, but you have to work on your calf strength like doing squats and lunges, as well as your arm strength, such as doing bench presses. In the end I agree that it is up to personal preference (I always thrive in gyms, even when there is no one in there), but if you want to use multiple machines I suggest that you join a gym.
The concept 2 is definitely one you should consider, especially if you really love rowing and will use it on most days. It will last a long time and it's worth every dollar you spend. Depends on what you really need it for and if the commitment is there.
It might be worth your time checking out the local paper/online to pick one up second hand. I know a lot of fitness clubs and gyms have a reasonable turn over on equipment such as this and will ask for a very reasonable price.
