Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine - A Buyer's Guide

Why a Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine?

Rowing is a great way to keep fit, as it provides a good balance of strength, flexibility, and conditioning if performed correctly. A rowing machine is a great addition to a home gym and can be a fantastic alternative to treadmills (which can be quite expensive) and cycling machines. Rowing machines are great for abdominal muscles and burning calories. Rowing works on the calves, thighs, arms, back and shoulders, providing an excellent all around workout.

A rowing regime gives a cardiovascular workout without the additional strain on the joints, as is the case with treadmills which can put much strain on the ankles, knees, and hips. Rowing is a safer alternative and many say that only swimming offers a better, safer and healthier workout than rowing. However, a swimming pool is a little more expensive than a rowing machine, and won’t fit in the garage. Rowing is actually a fantastic form of recovery for many former marathon athletes, as it reported to be effective for alleviating arthritis, as it helps the strengthen the joints.

Indoor Rowing Machine guide for 2021

There are a number of things to be aware of before buying a rowing machine. First off, you need to identify how much you aim to spend on the rowing machine. You need to determine how often you are going to be using it, how much you weight and whether or not there will be other people using it. You will also have different criteria if you are using it for residential or commercial use. For this is can be useful to investigate the different machine types. There are four main types.

  • Air resistance rowing machines: With air rowing machine, air will fly over a flywheel to create water resistance. The resistance of moving a fan against air is what powers these machines. It replicates rowing on the water quite well as the faster you row the more resistance given. The disadvantage is that these can be somewhat noisy, and the faster you row the more noise generated. These are the type most often seen in gyms.
  • Magnetic Rowing Machines: These operate via an adjustable magnet. They are the smallest type of machines which has numerous advantages and do not require much in the way of maintenance. There are no real disadvantages with magnetic machines, other than the fact that the rowing experience is not as similar to the real thing compared to water and flywheel rowing machines.
  • Water Rowing Machines: Hydraulic rowers are the most expensive type of rowing machine. They use water in order to emulate the action of rowing on water. They do tend to be quite loud, like air resistance rowing machines.
  • Hydraulic Piston: These hydraulic pistons are very quiet and this is the least expensive of the four types. The resistance is usually adjustable. The resistance of this type is not as smooth as the others and it can be susceptible to leaking over the years.

Before buying a rowing machine it is important to know how much space you have available. This is particularly important if you have a commercial outlet and are buying a number of machines. They should be easy to store and put away for personal purposes. Below is a review of one of the most popular rowing machines available at present that can be seen in practically all gyms, the Concept2 rowing machine.

Concept2 Model D Review for 2021

This is a flywheel, air resistant type of rowing machine that can be seen in most gyms worldwide. It proves a natural and smooth stroke similar to when one naturally rows. It is also the choice rowing machine for worldwide indoor rowing competitions. It is also one of the most popular and sought after rowing machines for personal use. It is perfectly designed, looks great and rows very smoothly. It uses air to generate resistance over the flywheel. The chain is nickel plated which pulls the flywheel. The harder you pull the more resistance generated. The Concept2 Model d indoor rowing machine with pm5 provides all vital data. The pm5 is the interface used to select which type of workout you would like to perform. The pm5 gives the workout performance in two ways. The first is that you can choose the workout in terms of total distance. The second is that you can set your workout in “splits”. This means that you can calculate how your pace varies along two set intervals in the total workout. Splits give more of a real-time calculation of how well you are rowing in the present moment. The pm5 also calculates the drag factor, which means you get a real-time calculation of your workout. However, this is likely overkill, as it is improbable that there will be any type of resistance inside. Drag really applies to wind resistance more than anything else. It is a simple to use interface that provides accurate information for every row. You can also monitor your heart rate wirelessly and the pm5 is USB compatible, meaning you can store your workouts and analyze them at home.

Features of Concept 2 workouts

The Concept2 Model d indoor rowing machine is also a favorite among CrossFit enthusiasts. It is incredibly comfortable and easy to use. Concept2 workouts are similar to workouts on other machines. It features a 14-inch seat height and has castor wheels, which facilitate its mobility. It comes with a five-year frame warranty and has a 500-pound capacity. It comes with adjustable footrests and ergonomic handles with the 10-degree bend for natural hand positioning. It also has a two-year limited warranty on the moving parts. The maximum user weight is 227 kilograms and it requires 8 x 2-foot space. It is 244 centimeters long and 61 centimeters wide. The Concept2 Model d indoor rowing machine is very easy to put together and has a total of 8 screws. It can be put together in less than ten minutes. It is exceptionally designed, and the batteries even come in the console.

Rowing Machine Concept2 Review - Conclusion

The Concept2 indoor rowing machine is the best-selling rowing machine in the world for a reason. It is cheaper than many other models of rowing machine while being just as good, if not better. It is ergonomically designed and practically engineered, and is the same machine used by Olympic athletes to train. It is a solid piece of machinery at an awesome price for the value delivered. That said, it is still quite expensive in terms of a rowing machine.

There are cheap rowing machines available but many of them simply fall apart, are not as good and do not last. With the Concept2 indoor rowing machine, there are no worries, as it perfectly built and designed to last. And Amazon reviews on this product are beyond superb. At the time of this writing, there are over 1200 reviews with a 94% 5-star rating, which is astoundingly positive. It is not just the best rowing machine available. It is by far the best rowing machine available. Concept2 rowers simply never go back to any other machine. Explore more to know about Velocity Fitness CHR-2001 Programmable Magnetic Machine.