Water Rowing Machine vs. Stationary Bike: What’s Better?

If you are interested in buying a piece of workout equipment for your home, you are probably debating between a few different options. Two of the most popular options for at-home workout equipment include the stationary bike and the water rowing machine. These two pieces of equipment are definitely popular in their own right and are great options for people who are looking to improve their fitness in their own home. But which one is better?

Water Rowing Machine

Let’s start off by talking about the water rowing machine. Water rowing machines have become really popular lately and not just because it was seen on House of Cards. Water rowing machines are great for at-home workouts because they are low-intensity but high-impact. This means that they are a great option for beginners or those who have previous injuries or medical conditions that leave them prone to bone or joint damage. Water rowing machines are also great because they provide a full-body workout that is able to target 86% of the muscles in your body with just a short 20-30 minute rowing session! A rowing machine truly does give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to maximizing the impact of your workout. It targets everything from the core, to the upper body, and even your glutes and quads. 

Water rowing machines are also a really peaceful and relaxing way to work out. People love the almost hypnotic whirr of the water in the machine as they are able to really get into the zone with the repetitive rowing motions. Some of the best rowing machines even have a real feature through a screen on the machine that can transport you to the beautiful outdoors and make it feel like you are rowing on a real river. Combined with things like live classes and recorded workouts, a water rowing machine is a great option for working out at home. 

Stationary Bike

Moving onto the stationary bike, these machines have also spiked in popularity lately. We are all too familiar with the super intense spinning classes that you see people doing on stationary bikes, but the truth is that there are varying levels of intensity when it comes to using a stationary bike. The stationary bike primarily works out your lower body in places like your thighs and glutes. A lot of stationary bikes also include a virtual component these days and feature things like live or recorded classes with trainers to give you a great workout. 

The Rundown

While both the stationary bike and the water rowing machine are great options to have for working out at home, the water rowing machine really allows you to maximize your workout and get the most bang for your buck. It targets not just your lower body like the bike but also your upper body and your core all at the same time! And while this fact might not be okay for everyone, it’s certainly ideal for those who are looking to exercise and tone most of their body in a small amount of time each day. With the water rowing machine, there’s no need to do separate workouts to target things like arms and core since it’s all done through rowing! 

The stationary bike and the water rowing machine both offer some of the same technological features that have made them popular options for working out at home. They are both on the low-intensity side of workouts, but the water rowing machine is going to have a higher impact on fitness due to its full-body nature.