Rowing machines: are they any good?

Recon

So are they worth getting to use for cardio and building back muscle? Where's a good place to get one?

Running Bing

Rowing machines are great for cardio and you get a full body workout working muscles everywhere from your chest to back to abs and arse. Great in theory then but I got one before and I bloody hated it. I dreaded using it. Some people say it's the only machine that keeps them interested but I found it the most boring thing in the world.
Its also really difficult to do over long periods(it is a very punishing excercise) and the noise of the bloody thing drove me mad. The resistance meter on it was a joke as even the lowest level of resistance on it was very hard(Im not a pussy either I do a fair bit of weight training) and I found my arms and legs got tired before I felt i broke a real sweat and got a good cardio workout. Okay it was far from a great rowing machine but it still cost me 300 euro. if your pretty fit and willing to invest in a good one id say go for it(after all it is a good workout) but if not spend the money on a gym membership or a pair of jogging shoes.

Recon

Thanks.
Anyone know the best place to get a good one?

Recon

I'm looking to get a rowing machine because I can't do that much running. If I run more then a couple of miles a few times a week I'm screwed. My ankles and knees are pretty weak. Dislocating kneecaps are not fun

nesf

I've found rowing machines good in the past and found that once I could get a good rythym going that I could "exercise on automatic, listen to some tunes and relax mentally". My approach to cardio is one of grinding out a certain amount of time, most of my issues have been just staving off the boredom while doing it. Thus the music. If that makes sense.

Then again, I know people who hate using them. It really is a personal taste thing imo.

Recon

I prefer rowing to cycling which is why I'm not getting a new bike and I agree with you about the music. I'd go insane exercising without music. What kind of price would I be looking at for a decent rower?

shoegirl

They are non-impact, which is great, and its more or less a full body workout. I agree they are pretty boring. But then so its a lot of cardio (with the exception of the cross trainer - moving backwards seems to take out a lot of the tedium.)

The cheapest you'll get are hydraulic rower things in Argos, though they seem to have a half decent York rower for 150 that seems alright. The best one is the Concept 2 rower, but it will set you back the guts of 2000. However a lot of shops selling gym equipment will have decent enough ones for around the 500 mark. I suppose you could buy a cheap one and see how you get on and if you like it then sell it on Ebay's new irish site and get something like a Concept.

pwd

apparently one of the girls who was in the rowing club in WIT fractured her pelvis by overdoing it on a rowing machine. Apparently you shouldn't use one for more than half an hour at a time. This is according tol the girl in question, and also to the coach, who was supposed to cox for irealnd at the olympics

kazzer

Excellent for cardio, not great for building muscle (as with alot of cardio excercises). Sure it will strengthen your back, but if you want to build significant muscle in that area, then weight train. For your back perform pullups/pulldowns/rows. Good luck.

If your budget permits, go with the concept 2. Quality.

Recon

Thanks. I really just want the rower for cario. I'm already doing weights for my back. I'd prefer to get a good crosstrainer but I don't have the room for one. I'm putting the rower in the converted attic and there's not enough room to use a crosstrainer up there without knocking myself out

Just wondering tho how much would a good crosstrainer cost of similiar quality to a concept 2 rower?

Recon

Are sculling action rowers any good? There's a guy selling one on the boards. There the cheapest ones in the argos catalogue. Or are they just a waste of time?