Water rowing machines look simply out of this world when you look at them. The elegance, sophisticated design, and very often a natural frame made of solid wood at a first sight make you feel like you’re dealing with high-quality professional sports equipment. They are considered something like the “upper class” in the world of the indoor rowers. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why their cost is never low or average. Nevertheless, the manufacturers claim that water rowing machines are worth every single cent due to their numerous advantages over the rowers of other types.
The First Degree Evolution E-520 is one of the most popular models out of water rowing machines category at this moment. According to its official website it brings the innovational design making the exercise session ultimately comfortable and effective. Mostly it concerns the modification of the water tank position; however there are also other benefits worth considering.
First Degree Evolution E-520 Review
Fluid Resistance Type
Most people see the crucial advantage of water rowing machines in a realistic feeling of the outdoor rowing action that one gets while training and the quiet and soothing sounds of the strokes it makes and they’re right. However, not everybody is aware of one more benefit that is not less and for some athletes is even more important than the rest. It’s so called “rule of cube.” Without going into particulars of physics and hydrodynamics, due to some properties of water the person working out on the fluid water machine has to put eight times more effort only to double the speed of rowing. It makes the workouts way more challenging, which means that you’ll be burning more calories in the same lapse of time if you want to become fit. And the experienced athletes can take advantage from more efficient training forcing out that split second extra speed they often lack for winning the race.
Vertical Water Tank
The tank mounted on the side delivers a significant ease of adjustment. The lever placed on it makes it very convenient to reset a resistance level right in the middle of the training session without any downtime.
A Wide Range of Resistance Levels
This rowing machine has twenty various types of resistance levels to offer its user. That is in average twice and in some cases even three times more than its business rivals can provide. With such a variety, you can be sure that the rower can suit any fitness level from the beginner and up to the advanced athlete.
Smooth and Silent Strokes
One of the reasons people tend to prefer water rowers is the smooth strokes it can provide. Because water creates natural resistance, there are no dead or flat spots or slack moments in your rowing action. You don’t have to worry about the technique spoiled by such moments and therefore you can fully concentrate on the process. Moreover, the quiet sounds the machine makes during the action a lot of people find very pacifying. It reminds the sounds of water when you’re out on the lake or river and gives a feeling of being somewhere outdoors. So, if you have much stress at work, water rowing exersiesr might be very useful for you.
The Comfortable Seat
The Seat has the ergonomic design that feels very convenient. Plus it’s almost as high as a regular office chair so that you will have no problem getting on it or standing up after a hard workout. This particular advantage is especially appreciated by elderly people who use a rower to keep fit and maintain health, but hate the low seats because they put much pressure on their joints while getting on or of the exerciser. On the top of this one can order optional back support for the chair, preventing leaning backwards during the rowing action that can greatly improve the rowing technique and lessen the risk of injury.
Adjustable Foot Pads
This factor really shows that the manufacturer has done some thinking about the customers’ needs while constructing the rowing machine. A user can adjust not only the foot straps for the stable position but also the height of the footplates which ensures optimal foot placement for the ultimate comfort.
The Informative Display
The rower is equipped with the monitor displaying all the necessary information, including the distance, Watts, speed, time, calories, and the 20 available programs. It also has a heart receiver built in receiver, and a pacer so that you can compete with your previous results. Moreover, the machine keeps track of the last six training sessions, which can be very motivating for the future training.
However, the review wouldn’t be complete without noting the main disadvantages of the model. In general they all concern the monitor capabilities and the price of the rower. The cons go as follows:
- Although the monitor of the rower has the USB port, there is no option to upload your training results to a computer while its main competition models provide such an opportunity. It’s important to note that people rarely use this function though, but at the same time that’s something you expect to get for money you pay for the rowing machine.
- Some of the users complain that the buttons are small, and this drawback makes it inconvenient to use the console, while many other rowing machines present the LCD screens that are much more comfortable to use. Well, this disadvantage is far-fetched, as the size of the buttons is not a crucial thing you think about during your workouts. While training, you’re very unlikely to press them often since you’re supposed to be focused on the rowing action. Most people usually make all necessary settings before they start a workout, so the monitor displays the info they’re interested in automatically, and there’s no need to press buttons and switch during the training session.
- There exists a stereotype that fluid rowing machines are hard to maintain because you have to change the water in the tank. Well, adding a special tablet that cleans the water once in three-four months doesn’t seem a very hard task after all. That’s all you have to do to keep your rower running. You can purchase the chlorine tabs in local retailers, and they don’t cost much.
- The last but not the least factor people dislike is the price of the rowing machine. They charge more than $2000 for this particular model, but it’s reasonable taking into account the numerous advantages and a couple of minor flaws. Besides it’s one of the top rowers available at this point.
The Bottom Line
The refined design of the rower catches the eye and the unbelievably realistic rowing action it provides together with the rest of important advantages of the model make it an excellent choice for someone who is very serious about health and fitness. On the other hand the most sufficient drawback of this rowing machine is its high price, so there is no reason to reject yourself in workouts with a high-quality professional rowing machine unless you can’t afford it.