If you step inside a gym, you will immediately take note of a wide selection of workout and exercise equipment, and rowing machines are among them. Indeed, more and more people are coming to recognize the rowing machine benefits that they failed to see before, which gets them to thinking: what if they buy their own rowing machine that they can use at home, instead of going to the gym regularly in order to get their exercise?
This is the usual practice: they sign up for gym membership, go to the gym two to three times a week, and work out on the rowing machine for an hour or two each session. There are advantages to this system, especially for those who are relatively new to the workings of this specific type of machine. Since they still don’t know how to use a rowing machine, they require assistance from professional trainers and gym personnel. They also think that doing it at a gym is cheaper and more effective than doing it at your own home.
However, having your own rowing machine at your home also has its benefits. At the end of this article, you will realize that a home rowing machine is even more advantageous. Here are the main advantages of having a home rowing machine.
Rowing machines provide a multitude of health and fitness benefits
Of course, we cannot ignore the primary reason why we all want a rowing machine: the many rowing machine benefits for health and fitness that we can derive from it. Whether you are looking to have a total body workout, strength and endurance training, or you have a particular body part you want to focus on, a rowing machine is exactly the machine that you would want to work with.
Total body workout. Since a rowing machine engages the major muscle groups, particularly in your upper and lower body, you’ll get a complete body workout with every session you have on the rowing machine. It is an excellent exercise machine for conditioning, since it can target your shoulders, upper and lower back, arms and hands, as well as your core. Rowing enthusiasts also laud this machine’s wonderful effects on the glutes, thighs and legs, all the way down to the calves.
Calorie burning. Did you know that a rowing machine can burn an average of 600 calories per hour of rowing? That basically makes it the most efficient calorie burner, in comparison with other exercise or gym machines in the market today. This means that, with a home rowing machine, you can now burn all those calories, shed off excess pounds and unwanted fat, without stepping out of your door! Rowing machine benefits, when it comes to weight loss, are more significant, as compared to treadmills and other home fitness equipment.
Aerobic workout. If you want a machine that can get your heart pumping and your lungs working, so you can increase the amount of oxygen in your body, look to the rowing machine. You don’t even need the assistance of a personal trainer to monitor your heart rate, since rowing machines are equipped with heart rate straps and other performance monitoring devices to track your progress.
Rowing machines are cost-effective
Let’s try to do a little costing analysis here. Depending on the type of gym, the specific niche it caters to, and the specific programs it offers, a gym membership can cost you at least $25 to as much as $200 per month. Those who decide not to sign up for membership and choose to be walk-in gym users are likely to spend around $10 a day so they could use the rowing machine and other exercise equipment. You’re looking at an annual gym membership expense of $1,300 to $10,400.
Now let us take a look at rowing machines. An indoor rowing machine, on the average, can cost as low as $180 to $1,250, depending on the model. Of course, if you want to spend even less, you may have to consider quality and durability factors. Clearly, even if you go for the most expensive rowing machine, it is still going to be a fraction of what you would spend on gym membership in a year. And depending on your frequency of use and the degree of care and maintenance you put into your rowing machine, you will be able to use your home rowing machine for years!
Rowing machines are user-friendly
It is a generally accepted fact that rowing is one of the most user-friendly forms of exercise, so it is only right that rowing machines possess this same trait. It is normal to feel daunted when you are faced with the prospect of operating a machine you’ve used for the first time. But learning how to use a rowing machine is not at all complicated. Operation is pretty much straightforward, and most models even come with instructions or manuals covering information on how to assemble and operate the rowing machine.
Rowing machines involve lesser risks of accidents and injuries
It is low-impact; in fact, some would say it has no impact, but with the proper form and technique, you can still get the most rowing machine benefits without pushing yourself to the limits, to the point of exposing yourself to the risk of injuries. Other exercise machines pose this risk, especially with respect to “body shocks”. Since you will also be having your workout in your own home, you won’t be exposed to other gym users sharing a cramped space, thereby lowering the possibilities of accidents happening.
Rowing machines are space-efficient
Rowing machines, especially those that are specifically designed for home use, do not take up a lot of floor space. They are portable and light, so you can easily move them around your home. They are also designed for easy storage, requiring only a small space in garage or closet when it’s not in use.
Conclusion
These are only the major advantages of a home rowing machine. You can probably add a few more to the list. The bottom line: having your own rowing machine at home will give you more control – over your finances, over the direction of your workout or fitness program, and over your health and body. You can still get all the rowing machine benefits that you are looking for – and more – since you will be doing it in the comfort of your own home.