Should You Buy a WaterRower in 2024?

Summary

In this video, an experienced Orange Theory Fitness coach shares his insights on water rowers, highlighting their quiet operation and aesthetic appeal as pros, but ultimately advising against them in 2024 due to design flaws that promote poor biomechanics, such as the level seat and footplates and narrow dual rail system. He criticizes the inauthentic feel of water resistance, maintenance issues, inaccurate performance metrics, and high cost, suggesting alternatives like air or magnetic resistance rowers that offer a more reliable and enjoyable experience.

Takeaways

• 😊 The pleasant swishing sound and quietness of water rowers make them ideal for those living in apartments or close to neighbors.
• 🎨 Water rowers are aesthetically pleasing, with various wood types and finishes, making them a stylish addition to any home.
• 🪑 A major design flaw of water rowers is the level alignment of the seat and footplates, which can promote poor rowing biomechanics and make it difficult to maintain a neutral spine.
• 🚶‍♂️ The narrow footplate placement on water rowers can cause discomfort, especially for users with larger midsections, making it challenging to achieve proper rowing form.
• 🔧 Water rowers require more maintenance, including keeping the water fresh and managing potential leaks and cracks.
• 🏋️ The resistance mechanism of water rowers, which involves partial submersion of a blade in water, does not fully replicate the feel of rowing on water, unlike some air or magnetic resistance rowers.
• 🕰️ Water rowers report faster split times compared to other rowers, such as the Concept 2, which can be misleading for those tracking performance metrics.
• 💰 Water rowers are generally as expensive, if not more so, than other high-quality rowers, including smart rowers with more advanced features.
• ⚠️ Users, particularly those looking to lose weight, may find water rowers less ideal due to the combined issues of seat and footplate alignment and narrow foot placement.
• 💡 The reviewer does not recommend water rowers for most people in 2024, citing these various design and usability issues, unless quietness and aesthetics are the primary concerns.

Q & A

What are the main advantages of a water rower?

The main advantages of a water rower are its quiet operation due to the swishing sound of the water and its aesthetic appeal, with various options for wood type and finish color.

Why does the coach not recommend water rowers despite their quietness and aesthetics?

The coach does not recommend water rowers because their design promotes poor rowing biomechanics, which can lead to issues such as difficulty maintaining a neutral spine and an increased risk of lower back pain.

What is the main design flaw of water rowers according to the coach?

The main design flaw is the level alignment of the seat and foot plates, which makes it hard to lean forward with a neutral spine and compress the legs properly during the rowing stroke.

How does the seat and foot plate alignment on water rowers affect rowing form?

The alignment makes it challenging to lean forward and maintain a neutral spine because the seat is too level with the foot plates, which elevates the knees and makes it harder to bend the legs properly.

What is the issue with the Dual rail system on most water rowers?

The Dual rail system forces the foot plates to be close together, which can be uncomfortable and exacerbate the problem of maintaining proper biomechanics, especially for users with larger midsections.

How do other rowers like the Concept 2 and Aviron Strong Rower compare in terms of seat and foot plate design?

These rowers have a greater discrepancy between the seat height and the foot plates, making it easier to lean forward and maintain a neutral spine during the rowing stroke.

What are some additional issues with water rowers mentioned by the coach?

Additional issues include the need for more maintenance and upkeep due to the water tank, the potential for leaks and cracks, and the less reliable calculation of rowing metrics like watts and split times.

Why does the coach find the water resistance on water rowers less authentic?

The coach finds it less authentic because the blade in the water rower is not fully submerged, which means it doesn't accurately simulate the feel of rowing in an actual boat.

What is the discrepancy in split times between water rowers and Concept 2 rowers?

A 2,000-meter row on a water rower is typically about a minute and 20 seconds faster than on a Concept 2 rower, making the water rower's split times less credible.

Why does the coach believe water rowers are not worth the investment compared to other rowers?

The coach believes water rowers are not worth the investment due to their design flaws, maintenance requirements, and unreliable metrics, especially given their high cost compared to more reliable rowers like the Concept 2 and other high-end smart rowers.