The popularity of rowing machines in the home gym and office setup is becoming higher. Because with dedicated rowing routines, it is easily achievable to get fat burn and higher core strength and perfect body shape.
In the initial setup, rowing machines are thought to be heavy, bulky, and immovable. But with the advancement in design, portable hydraulic rowing machines have become popular and useful.
Hydraulic rowing machines are game-changer. They are lighter, more compact than other rowers, and considered one of the best cardio exercise machines for small and tight spaces. In addition to the weight factor, the hydraulic rowing machine also offers a large amount of leverage, way more than mechanical means.
Listed below are the top 6 best hydraulic rowing machines for the home gym:
- Stamina BodyTrac Glider 1050
- Harvil Hydraulic Rowing Machine
- ProGear 750
- Stamina 1205 Precision
- Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639
- Lanos Hydraulic Rowing Machine
See the overview, pros & cons below.
Table of Contents
How Do Hydraulic Rowers Work?
Every hydraulic machinery or equipment works in the same manner of reckoning. A force is exerted on the hydraulic fluid at a given point X, and the force is amplified and transferred to a point Y through the fluid medium.
This is highly useful so that a small amount of force can generate a large amount of work output.
Utilizing the same philosophy, gym setups use some of the hydraulic exercise rowing machines for the workout.
When an individual performs the rowing action onto the handle, the handle simultaneously moves a piston. However, the piston will move against a given hydraulic fluid, which means there is resistance.
As the rowing stride goes ahead, space constraints within the cylinder mean that more resistance is generated.
Hence, a given stroke of hydraulic rowing machines achieves its action by the cylinder and piston mechanism (or, in some cases, other mechanisms of similar nature).
With such a working method, the rower will stay simple, and the working is easier too. The hydraulic rowing machines do not need external intervention and come with pre-filled fluids.
Are Hydraulic Rowing Machines Any Good? (Pros & Cons)
Just like every other machinery, hydraulic rowing machines also have their own set of properties. While most are favorable, there are a few drawbacks that follow too. In the decision to buy one of the hydraulic rowers, a careful sorting of the pros and cons can be handy.
What I Like
- Takes Less Space: By utilizing the hydraulic working principle, these rowing machines reduce their core size. Through the reduction in size, the machines are also easy to fit in tight spaces and corners.
- Lower Weight: Due to the absence of any motorized part, the overall weight is less. Because of the hydraulic work advantage, there is no need to install heavy parts too.
- Sealed Design: Owing to workout leverage’s hydraulic nature, these machines manage to keep a compact design. Because of a sealed design for hydraulic cylinders, there is no need for any extra setup interventions.
- More Leverage: Because the hydraulic rowing machine will use a hydraulic fluid medium, more leverage is available for a workout. Hence, a compact design can offer more resistance to higher training credentials than other rowers.
What I Don’t Like
- Restricted Leg Space: Because the hydraulic system and the piston assembly are fixed, the footing space is fixed too. Hence, unlike the other variations of the rowing machines, hydraulic ones do not provide wholesome body movement.
- Fixed Resistance on the fly: Because the hydraulic medium is fixed, the resistance is underuse. Hence, it is only between the sets or before the user can modify resistance settings.
- Lesser Smooth: as briefed earlier, hydraulic resistance builds steadily, and hence the resistance is not smoothly translated.
- Unrealistic: Due to the hydraulic nature, many users feel the machine lacks a realistic touch. Other rowing machines, especially the water-driven ones, are more realistic.
How to Choose the Best Hydraulic Rowing Machines?
Choosing a hydraulic rowing machine can be a cumbersome task because of the various options. Some of the best hydraulic rowers all stand close to each other in terms of major features. However, more intricate details can often reveal the right choice in the longer run.
#1. Design
A compact design is often the way to go ahead, especially for office or home usage. However, the more robust rowing machine can also help the CrossFit setups with variable customer nature.
Hence, the design aspect is best chosen depending upon nature and workout requirements, and the frequency of usage.
#2. Resistance
Even though resistance is not adjustable on the fly, it can be adjusted before commencement. An option with higher and variable resistance modes is preferred for prominent users. For beginners or intermediate level users, the ones with relatively fixed values also work fine.
#3. Movable
Most outlets, professional or personal, always prefer to go for a portable rower. It makes the task easy to shift around the machine and also to make space for other ones. It is also essential for the machine to fit in the tight corners for home and office ones.
#4. Front Panel
The panel must have an ergonomic design and the necessary features. Most users want readily available keys and holding slots for easy and efficient usage. The front panel can often dictate the buying choice of the modern-day buyer.
#5. Ergometer
The ergometer is a beneficial and integral part of the entire setup. It is the device that translates the raw mechanical input into a workout into digital readings.
These readings give values such as calories burnt, energy spent, and time of workout, etc. Hence, an upfront ergometer with clear digital readings and a robust mechanism is highly preferred.
#6. Auxiliary Features
The auxiliary features are often heavily accountable for luring the buyer.
- Leg straps and support are highly essential for providing secure strapping for the foot. It also provides comfort to the user through secure working.
- Sensors are recommendable additions for factors such as heart rate and other variable physical parameters.
- Moving wheels and upright storage design can be an added value to store and keep the machine safe.
- The body should be made from robust material that would come with a standard warranty.
Top 6 Best Hydraulic Rowing Machines
#1. Stamina BodyTrac Glider 1050
The Stamina BodyTrac Glider 1050 has a body made out of aluminum and an overall weight of 32 pounds. The light-weight design means the hydraulic rower is easy to handle and comfortably capable of moving around by a single person. This foldable hydraulic rower can be stored in an upright position for user convenience as well.
Stamina Glider 1050 rower’s handles have a clock-like motion and can be moved around on all three axes. Besides, the full-range arm movement helps give a wide range of motion to the arms for a nearly real-world rowing experience.
Stamina hydraulic rower has an apt size LCD that readily gives various physical parameters and workout readings.
Moreover, this hydraulic rowing machine has an ergonomic design with comfortable seating and workability. Footing and large seating arrangements also ensure consumer comfort.
With the knob given under the sitting arrangement, the resistance is easily adjustable, making this compact rower suitable for different user levels.
Pros
- The aluminum design ensures no corrosion and a light-weight structure
- Suitable for office and homes due to portable nature
- Useful for every level of the user due to variable resistance
- Ample space and grip for footing for a safe exercise routine
Cons
- No scope for accommodating leg extension because of fixed leg space
- Only suitable for upper-body core strength development
#2. Harvil Hydraulic Rowing Machine
The Harvil hydraulic rowing machine is one of the rare hydraulic designs that provide wholesome body motion. For instance, the seat of this particular design has the gliding feature along with the arm extension movement.
Dual pivot design means the arm can move around in a range of motion about all three axes. Both arms are pivoted in a way that they can support a wide range of upper body postures. This motion flexibility makes for a complete and fulfilling user experience.
Moreover, the rowing machine is the closest it gets to developing the real-world rowing feeling right at the comfort of home or a professional gym outlet.
The LCD in the front can give up to 4 readings and is highly visible and user-friendly. The roller design for the seating means that the person moves along with the rowing stroke. It offers a full range of movement for the entire boy and hence a wholesome exercise.
The footing is secured with a leg strap and wide enough to accommodate big and tall people. The rower is 34 pounds in weight and can be easily moved around and stored in various positions.
Pros
- Easy to store and easy to move with front-loaded working
- Adjustable resistance with the help of a single know twist at the bottom of the seat
- Bright and friendly LCD screen for user joy
- Variety of wholesome body movements are supported
Cons
- Resistance not adjustable while using
- The handle is intricate and needs little care for handling
#3. ProGear 750 Hydraulic Rowing Machine
The ProGear 750 is more than just a single usage rowing machine. With more than 6 exercise modes integrated, the product is usable for various exercise routines, making it a wholesome piece of workout equipment. The rowing machine also comes with three adjustable resistance options.
The seat is large, foldable, and can be adjusted horizontally and vertically, which provides different exercise options to users, such as pull-down rows, bent-over rows, shoulder extensions, etc.
The handlebars are ergonomic in design and are 180-degree working, and are easily accommodative of various upper-body postures.
Pros
- Changing and accommodative design for multiple exercises
- Ample back support for horizontal and upright user postures
- 3-step resistance modes for wholesome usage
- Leg strap and other safety features for smooth and carefree workout
Cons
- Supports only moderate user weight
- Needs little extra care while being moved around
#4. Stamina 1205 Precision
Stamina 1205 Precision rowing machine features one of the most compact options among the best hydraulic rowing machines. Its design is simple, easy to use, and robust enough to free of any breakage risks.
With 47 pounds of weight, the product is completely friendly for the users to move around easily by a single person. It can be stored in a vertical as well as horizontal position.
Most importantly, this model utilizes a dual hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism to develop hydraulic resistance for users.
And you can see that the handle and cylinder assembly have a knob system to adjust the height and indirectly the resistance range.
The front footing is wide, spacious, and secured through broad straps ensures a natural rowing experience.
Meanwhile, the rowing machine also has a smart and compact LCD screen in the front that monitors heart rate, strokes, and other essential parameters.
Pros
- Easy to move around and stored in the head-down position
- Suitable for fixed resistance value sets
- Sufficient and secure leg space for people of different heights
- Bright LCD for pivotal health and usage parameters display
Cons
- Fixed resistance on the fly
- Fixed seating arrangement means only upper-body workability
#5. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639
The SF-RW5639 produced by Sunny Health and Fitness is one of the best budget hydraulic rowing machines. This SF-RW5639 can easily support heavy people who weigh up to 350 lbs, and it has 12 resistance levels to provide optimum output for a beginner and a professional user.
It has a pivoted handle for a wide variety of shoulder and upper body movements with smooth functioning. The handle, as well as the footing pads, have a non-slip design. Both are provided with a secure grip to make sure the exercise routine is safe and secure.
The hydraulic rower also has an intelligent display monitor in the front. The seat is wide and also has mid and side rails for full-body functioning. The seat also has extra cushioning for lower back and hip protection. No undue stresses are accumulated in the joints while working out.
The adjustment knobs on the bottom of the handle make the rower highly customizable.
Pros
- Easy to store and easy to move around by a single person
- Multiple resistance modes through the easy-setting knob
- Extendable handlebars with height adjustment features
- Higher weight support for bulky users
Cons
- Intricate handling requirements due to rail design
- The monitor is a bit small for clear viewing
#6. Lanos Hydraulic Rowing Machine
The Lanos Hydraulic Rowing Machine weighs only 34 pounds and can be easily handled by a single person.
This easy-to-store rowing machine comes with 12 resistance levels and can accommodate user weights of up to 250 lbs.
Moreover, the rowing machine has a clear and front-located display that can easily record the heart rate, calories burnt, and other critical workout data.
Pros
- Light-weight and can be easily handled for storage purposes.
- Robust design with no chance of breakage
- Cushioned seating for right lower-body support
- Pivoted handle with free movement
Cons
- Moderate level of user weight support
- Lower resistance variations as to others in the category
Conclusion
Rowing is a rigorous exercise that requires full-body muscle to involve in and can build high core strength. Moreover, rowing is also beneficial to obtain an attractive physique.
For centuries, coastal people across the world would indulge in rowing as a sport and a livelihood. With the progress in gym and fitness standards, especially through CrossFit routines, rowing is universally accepted.
And hydraulic rower stands out for its portable design and affordable price. Through careful selection among these hydraulic rowing machines, it is easy to find one with multiple usages and fits in the budget.
Most hydraulic rowing machines are supportive of a small room and home-based workout routines too.
Hence, these machines are hugely and rightly famous for users of varied demands.
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