This post on the Hydrow Rower contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on the links, we may earn a fee. There is no cost to you. As for the Hydrow, we are not affiliated nor received compensation for the rower. All opinions are my own. I just want to share the wonderful and life-changing experience I have had with it! If you click on the referral link and purchase a rower, we will both be rewarded.
A few months ago, I purchased a Hydrow rower. I can honestly say that I love the rower, and it has changed not only my life but also the lives of my family. I want to share with you my experience. Here are 5 ways that the rower has made an amazing difference in our lives!
1. The Hydrow is Low Impact
The most important aspect of selecting a rower over other fitness equipment, particularly the Hydrow rower, is that it lends for low-impact exercise. The rower works over 86% of your muscles with minimal impact. Hydrow is gentle on your joints, and you do not wake up in pain the next morning.
Because the Hydrow is low impact, people of all ages use the machine. Many people on the Facebook groups that I am a part of are in their 70s and 80s and row every day. I can definitely tell the difference in how I feel over the last few months. What made me purchase the Hydrow was based on how much I dreaded stairs. I would climb a flight of stairs in public, and I would be embarrassed when I reached the top because I was winded, and honestly, gasping for air. I knew that something needed to change, but I hate exercise. Or I thought I did until I bought the Hydrow. Now, I look forward to rowing every day and knowing that my joints are not suffering because I chose rowing for fitness.
On the forums, I hear of people with back surgeries and knee replacements and everything in between who can successfully use the Hydrow. In addition, people who row regularly get so involved with what is happening on the screen that you honestly forget that you are rowing!
Speaking of what’s happening on the screen…
2. The Hydrow Community
Each day, I get on the rower, and one of the fabulous instructors has been pre-selected for me. However, if I am not interested in rowing with that instructor or if I have a different type of row in mind, I can easily go to the library and pick another. Not only are the instructors amazing, but you have access to the community on the screen and the app. After joining a few Facebook groups and seeing the instructors and other rowers participate, I knew that the Hydrow was for me. If you have a question, you can ask it on the Facebook groups, and you will get KIND replies back.
With the Hydrow community, you can participate in different challenges where you earn badges and rewards. For example, I just signed up for a “commit to fit” four-week challenge. You commit to row four times per week, and at the end of the challenge, you earn a badge if successful. I am looking forward to being successful!
Another aspect that I like is that you can learn about the instructors you row with each day. You can learn about them professionally and personally. For instance, one of the instructors, Mike Dostal, has a wife that is fighting brain cancer. The community is praying so hard for her. Dani Hansen was born with Erb’s Palsy and is an avid rower in the Para-Olympics. These people are human, and they are living life just as we are and don’t try to hide it. It makes such a difference.
3. The Variety of Workouts Never End
There are different types of rows AND workouts when using the Hydrow.
You can pick the length for rows, from as little as 5 minutes to marathon 45-minute rows. There are training and boot camps available. You also pick your instructor AND location. I like all of the instructors, so I do not have a preference. However, it is amazing to “row” on different rivers, lakes, and oceans. I live in Georgia, and it was so neat to row on Atlanta’s Lake Lanier, in Savannah, and in Chattanooga. There are also different varieties of music. If you are a country fan, you can listen to country music—the same with rock, rap, jazz, and all other forms.
Typical rows are divided as:
Breathe: A cardio workout. It is meant to be consistent throughout the row. Comparable to a brisk walk to a light jog. You may “breathe” hard at the end of the workout.
Sweat: A high-intensity workout. Meant to be divided into high and low-intensity intervals. Comparable to a run. You will “sweat” at the end of the workout.
Drive: A very intense workout. You will have higher periods of intensity followed by short rest times. Designed as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). You will need to “drive” yourself on these rows.
Journeys: Row at your own pace and without an instructor.
Personal Coaching Sessions: These sessions assist you with your form and rowing technique.
Other workouts are available if you need time away from rowing or to pair your rows with a different form of exercise. They are called “on the mat” exercises, including yoga, pilates, strength, and conditioning.
4. Incentives for Rowing
I finished my first 100k meters (62 miles) a few weeks ago. I received a nice Hydrow water bottle for achieving that goal. Although it may sound trivial, striving for that water bottle made a difference in incentivizing the workouts. Each person in your family who rows on your machine is eligible for the incentives. Rewards include socks, hats, shirts, bookbags, and other Hydrow merchandise.
5. The Entire Family Can Hydrow
Your family and friends can use your Hydrow and receive all the benefits from the rower. My parents row six days a week, my kids’ row, and Sean and I row. I love that this is a machine that everyone can gain from. We can share workouts and cheer each other on when we reach a milestone or a personal best. Everyone, including kids, can use the machine with ease and without fear. My mom tells us all the time about how much better she feels after she rows. I would not let Jackson or Lucy get on the treadmill or elliptical without adult supervision. I know that whoever uses the Hydrow is safe and will benefit. This, in itself, is worth the purchase.
Gear That I Use
You don’t need much gear when using your Hydrow. I started with nothing and then purchased some gloves and shoes that helped me achieve my optimal daily performance. You can row in any outfit. There are many mornings that I row in my pajamas.
I like weight lifting half gloves because they only cover where my hand and fingers meet. I purchased these after getting calluses from rowing daily (because I want to row daily, it is such a good feeling).
When I first got the rower, I used a few different pairs of shoes to row in. Then I began researching good rowing shoes. After a LOT of research, I landed on the Merrell Vapor Glove 5. Although I would not wear these shoes out in the world because I need arch support when walking, they are fantastic for rowing. You want these shoes to be snug and not slide on your foot. I originally purchased a size 9.5 in women. Although this was the perfect walking size for my foot, my heel slid on the rower. I then purchased a size 9 woman, and they are solid. There is no sliding at all, and the shoe makes for a great row.
I like to track my heart rate because I want to know when I am in the maximum zone for fat-burning or if I increase to an unhealthy heart rate. So I use the Polar OH1+. This heart rate monitor also comes with some Hydrow packages, so don’t buy an extra if your package comes with one.
When Sean rows in the morning, he uses the Jaybird Vista earbuds (we purchased ours in a package with the rower), but you can also buy them here. The rower is on my side of the bed in our bedroom, and it is so quiet that I snooze right through his workouts.
Purchasing a Hydrow
If you want to purchase a Hydrow rower, use the referral link by clicking HERE. You will save well over $100 (it is a great discount and changes throughout the year). I will receive the same when you make your purchase. It is the best thing that I have EVER bought regarding fitness. No gym membership, elliptical, treadmill, or other equipment compares to this rower. You also get 30 days risk-free to try it.
I researched many cheaper models, and I know that I made the right investment. The screen is the difference-maker. Hydrow cost more than other rowers, but my health and the consistency of my exercising are worth the money.
Looking for more accountability on your weight loss journey? Check out our article on Healthy Wage.