So I’ve had this rowing machine for about a month now – and I’m a huge fan! Was initially a little skeptical because most rowers are so dang pricey! Even the ones that I remember seeing at gyms (which I thought were cheap because they really don’t look that sophisticated) turned out to be ~$1000. Was anyone else surprised by how expensive those Concept2 rowers are?!
Anyway, we had just remodeled our garage in the hopes of turning it into a home gym, so we wanted to find some quality machines that would provide a good workout but not break the bank. And honestly, rowing machines are the way to go. You can target arms, legs, and glutes while also getting your cardio in! Now that’s called efficient 😉
So here’s my review of the Fitness Reality 1000 Plus Bluetooth Magnetic Rowing Rower (official name on Amazon lol it’s so long). All pictures below are from the product page on Amazon – I take no credit.
For starters, this machine is pretty light. It’s easy to transport and setup. BUT, if you don’t have the right flooring underneath, it might start scooting bit by bit while you’re rowing. We had this problem initially when we placed it directly on our epoxy flooring. The scooting wasn’t terrible, but it got a little annoying. We ended up buying a gym mat thing to put underneath, and it’s been good ever since! Doesn’t budge at all now.
The display screen is pretty basic. I usually follow YouTube videos (there are some great rowing workouts on there!) so I don’t use the screen much. I only really look at stroke rate, which is the SPM mode here on this machine. I’ve noticed the stroke rate reported on this machine is higher for some reason than in the videos I’m pacing with, but again, not a huge deal since I’m pacing with those videos.
The machine has 14 different magnetic tension resistance options. I personally hover around 8-9 over the course of a 20 min workout. I’ve found them to be more than sufficient, and I don’t know when I’ll ever get to 14.
The machine itself is quite comfortable to use! I like the seat, the footpads offer more flexibility than other rowers I’ve used, and the handle is the perfect width. If you notice in the picture above, there’s also additional foot pads in the very front of the machine, and that’s to allow for additional exercises like curls, rows, shoulder presses, etc. Haven’t made use of that functionality yet, cause my arms are usually tired enough after 20-30 min rowing, but it’s definitely a nice option to have. And the $1000+ rowers like the Concept2 don’t have that feature 😉
For $270 (price on Amazon as of Jan 14, 2021), I don’t think it gets much better than this! I’ll be honest – I didn’t have super high expectations, cause this one was just so much cheaper than some of the other rowers we were considering. But it’s a totally solid rower. Haven’t tried the connection to MyCloudFitness App just yet, but maybe if I ever get tired of the YouTube workouts I will!
If you’re looking for rowing workout videos, HIGHLY recommend checking out Dark Horse Rowing on Youtube. Been following his workouts since my very first time using the machine, and I’ve definitely seen improvements in my form and endurance over the past month! Back when I used the rowing machines at the gym, I would go for MAX 2 minutes. So I never really thought of it as a full workout. But it definitely can be! The videos I’ve been following are like SoulCycle…but for rowing machines. 20-30 minutes go by like THAT.
So if you’re on the fence about giving this machine a try, or if you’re suspicious about the price like I was because it seems too good to be true, just go for it! I’ve been using it about 4 times a week for the past month and haven’t had any issues. It was a worthwhile purchase for our home gym – no regrets at all!
You can find this rowing machine here on Amazon.
XOXO,
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