Rowing will help you lose weight, burn calories efficiently, and build up the strength and toning in both your lower and upper body muscles as well as your core. Rowing Machines target a huge variety of muscles through a range of movements. Plus it’s a cardiovascular activity so it will get your heart pumping and test and improve your endurance. What’s more, rowing machines are low impact, meaning there is minimal stress on your joints as you engage your whole body. It is worth, however, brushing up on your rowing technique as having the correct technique will ensure you don’t put strain on your knees and back.

When selecting an indoor rower, the type of resistance is a key factor. Air resistance, created by a finned flywheel, increases with rowing speed and offers a natural feel, especially in air-magnetic rowers. Magnetic resistance, generated by magnets around the flywheel, is quiet and adjustable via the console, allowing for computer-controlled workouts. Water resistance uses a paddle in a water-filled tank to provide a quiet, authentic rowing experience, with intensity increasing as you row faster. Lastly, hydraulic resistance, typically the most affordable, uses fluid-filled cylinders adjusted by a lever, though it offers a slightly less realistic rowing feel.

Rowers are one of the most cost-effective fitness machines: you can pick up a hydraulic rowing machine for under £100! Magnetic and air rowers are normally found in the £200 to £700 range with water rowers usually costing more than this. Spending more doesn’t necessarily guarantee a better machine, but generally speaking you’ll find increases in flywheel weight, resistance levels, workout programs and so on as the price goes up.

Yes absolutely! Lots of rowing machines nowadays are foldable, with a folding mechanism that lifts the rail up into the vertical position. If you’ve got plenty of room at home then this isn’t a concern, but it is a useful feature as rowers can be quite long. Once you’ve folded the rail up, the amount of floor space taken is drastically reduced, making folding rowing machines very space efficient. Also, by nature most rowers are pretty light so if you did need to move it you could.