Rowing Machines – A Look At The Different Types Available
Sunday, September 19th, 2010Rowing is an excellent form of exercise, and there are four different types of rowing machines available on the market. There are piston resistance, magnetic resistance, air resistance, and water resistance machines, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. What machine a person decides to use depends on a combination of what works best and personal preference. There is a machine available for almost every personal taste.
The first kind of machine that we will discuss is the piston resistance style of machine. These usually have hydraulic cylinders on their arms, and because of the location of these arms, they are very thin machines. Since they’re smaller, they can be stored under the bed or another piece of furniture. Typically the cheapest style of rowing machine, you won’t pay a mint for one of these machines. They don’t have the most realistic rowing feel, so if you’re looking for something very realistic this is not your best choice. Even though you’ll still get great exercise on this machine, it won’t compare to the more realistic experience you’ll get on the other types.
Magnetic resistance machines are the second type or rowing machine. Unlike the piston-controlled machine, this machine has electromagnetically controlled resistance. And the greatest thing about the machine is that you can toggle the resistance, whereas on the piston controlled machine you’re limited to one resistance. Though they have their benefits, the one issue with this machine is that it’s hard to store because of its size. It has a long rail that precludes it from being able to be folded. This is a great rowing machine for someone who has a lot of room, wants something quiet, and has plenty of room to store it.
Air resistance is the third type of rowing machine. These are the most popularly used by rowers who are out of season and still want to train. The resistance on this machine is variable – like on the water it comes from your own pace. When you speed up, the machine increases resistance. On some machines there are also resistance levers that can change the resistance as well. Since this type of machine has a fan, it can be pretty noisy. This noise can be viewed negatively. And like its sibling, the magnetic resistance machine, it has a long main rail, making it hard to store. While it’s great for tall rowers, it’s not that portable. Basically this is great machine that provides a more similar experience to rowing on the water than the piston or magnetic rowers.
The fourth and final type of machine we will discuss is the water resistance style of machine. This machine gives the user an experience that’s very similar to rowing on the water. When you increase your pace your resistance gets harder, as it works on the water. And by adding water to the resistance tank, you can toggle the resistance and have more control over the workout. But these machines also have disadvantages. The water resistance machine has a long rail, and is hard to store. And because they hold water, they can be very heavy and hard to move. While they may not be as noisy as an air resistance model, this is good machine if you plan on keeping it in one place.
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