Water vs. Air Rowing MachineOnce a week I get asked, "What is the difference between a water vs. air rowing auto?"

I usually write a long-winded response, then I've decided to answer the question once and for all.

Most people can expect at a water rower or air rower and describe the bones differences.

Notwithstanding, they won't be able to describe some of the central similarities and differences that I breakdown in this article.

Both resistance types will exist similar in regards to functionality, rowing technique, muscles used, and footprint. They will be dissimilar in regards to price, storage, dissonance level, monitors, etc..

Many people have trouble deciding betwixt a water vs. air rowing motorcar when ownership a home rower. This article will hopefully help make that determination easier.

Below I completely breakdown how both air and water rowing machines operate and their differences. Encounter what type most closely aligns with your preferences.

H2o Rowing Machine

H2o rowing machines provide a strong, repose resistance that is said to exist the smoothest of any resistance type.

All water rowing machines accept a large water tank at the front of the machine with a fairly long seat rail. Nigh people moving-picture show them equally being made from wood due to the most pop and expensive water rowing auto brand, "WaterRower".

Nonetheless, there are new h2o rowing car models coming out every year that offer different styles and more affordable prices.

One would recollect a water rowing machine would be the #i selection for home rowing machines, considering rowing is a sport performed on water.

While there are a lot of actually skilful reasons to buy a water rowing machines, there are also very good reasons to buy other resistance types like air rowing machines.

My goal of this article is to breakdown the water vs. air rowing machine differences so you lot can choose which blazon is right for you.

WaterRower-Rowing-Machine-Resistance

Resistance Operation

The resistance on h2o rowing machines, as yous may accept guessed, is provided by h2o.

Each rowing machine has paddles suspended in a tank of water at the forepart of the motorcar. A user must pull a handle fastened to a "rowing strap" that spins the paddles in the tank.

As the paddles spin, they must movement the h2o, which is creating drag/resistance. To move these paddles requires a "strength" by the user.

As a user rows faster, the paddles must move more h2o, which is creating more than elevate/resistance. This faster footstep requires more and more strength!

Just, the harder you lot row, the more resistance yous feel and the more forcefulness you must apply.

WaterRower states this is direct related to the "Rule of Cubes", which is defined as "a doubling of the speed of the gunkhole will require an viii-fold increment in resistance."

Water Rower Rule of Cubes

This exponential human relationship of speed vs. resistance ways there is an infinite amount of resistance levels you can experience on a water rowing motorcar.

This is why we call water rowing resistance "variable".

If this is a lilliputian confusing, but know there are technically no resistance settings on a h2o rowing machine. To experience more resistance, y'all just need to row faster.

I have a video below explaining the human relationship of drag vs. resistance vs. velocity.

Water Level Adjustment

Each water rowing machine will have the power to add or subtract water from the main tank. The water level will modify how the rowing stroke feels.

Each water rowing automobile transmission should have instructions for where to fill the tank depending on your age or athletic abilities.

Many people think calculation more water to the tank will "increase resistance". This statement is actually false.

Drag/resistance is related to speed, such as "the faster a boat travels, the greater the drag and the harder the crew must work" (taken from WaterRower Manual).

The tank'south water level really simulates the weight of the gunkhole and the person inside. Irresolute the water level doesn't change the resistance but instead changes the "weight" the user is trying to movement.

More water in the tank simulates a heavier gunkhole, while less water simulates a lighter boat.

This does interpret into a full tank beingness more of a strength based workout due to the "heavier" stroke.

Monitors

Water rowing machine monitors are neither really smashing or really bad. They seem to hover somewhere in the middle.

How advanced a monitor is depends on the price you lot pay for a rowing auto. Unfortunately, even when paying a loftier price for a water rowing motorcar, you don't become the best monitor like you lot do on an air rower.

The all-time monitor y'all tin can get on a water rowing motorcar is the Series 4 (S4) monitor on the WaterRower make machines.

Water Rower S4 Monitor

This monitor has many advanced features such as stroke charge per unit, 500m split up, watts, altitude, heart rate, etc.. Information technology can too connect to a PC to play dissimilar games and race against users from around the globe.

These features are splendid for a home rowing machine and are unremarkably enough for the average user. Nevertheless, the features pale in comparing to the PM5 monitor on the all-time air rowing motorcar.

If y'all don't care a ton about comparing data to other rowing athletes or competing in indoor rowing competitions, then a water rowing motorcar monitor will exist more than than plenty. If any of these items practise interest you, then go along reading below under the air rowing machine monitors.

Other Features

While resistance is the main difference between a water rowing machine vs. air rowing machine, there are a few more characteristic that are unique to water rowers.

One of the principal features people love is the noise level. While non completely silent, a water rowing machine makes a quaint splashing racket that is oddly "zen-like". People find the noise to be soothing and sometimes meditative.

It is louder than a magnetic rowing machine merely quieter than an air rower. Users can easily savor watching Boob tube while rowing or non have to worry about disturbing someone in an side by side room.

Many of the well-nigh popular water rowing machines are too aesthetically pleasing. Hand-crafted from wood, these rowing machines look more than like a piece of living room furniture than exercise equipment.

People looking to store a rowing machine in their living room cull a water rower for this reason.

Beneath are another unique features of h2o rowing machines:

  • Upright storage with the water tank acting as a ballast for stability.
  • Utilise of a "rowing strap" and not a "chain" to reduce noise.
  • Wood frames expect great, absorb audio & vibration, and increase build quality.
  • A full h2o tank makes the rowing automobile heavy and more than difficult to move far.

Air Rowing Automobile

Air rowing machines offer a smooth, strong rowing stroke in a broad variety of price ranges. Existence sold for loftier, medium, and depression prices makes them great for at-domicile rowing machines.

Like water rowers, they too closely mimic the resistance felt while rowing on water. Dissimilar h2o rowers, air rower monitors can very accurately tape speed, distance, power, etc..

These advanced monitors are what makes them very popular in the fettle community. Information technology is also the reason why air rowers are the chosen resistance blazon among Olympic athletes.

Resistance Operation

Resistance on an air rowing machine is equally you guessed, controlled by "air". Air rowers operate very similar to water rowers in that both follow the laws of "fluid dynamics", with ane fluid being air and the other water.

Air rowing machines operate by a user pulling a handle that is attached to a fan flywheel. As the user performs a rowing stroke they spin the flywheel. As the flywheel spins information technology must motion the air particles which cause resistance/drag against the fan. Thus, spinning the flywheel requires a "force" from the user.

Every bit a user begins to row faster, they spin the flywheel faster. As the flywheel spins faster it must move more air particles that are creating a greater resistance/elevate. This in return requires a greater and greater force by the user.

Does this sound familiar? Well information technology should because when comparison a water vs. air rowing machine, the resistance operation is almost exactly the same.

The faster yous row, the more resistance you feel! The "Rule of Cubes" described above also applies here as well, so at that place is an exponential relationship between speed and resistance.

Like water rowing resistance, we besides call air rowers a "variable" resistance automobile. In that location are an infinite number of resistance levels you tin achieve by simply rowing faster or slower.

You can view the video below for a good caption of air & water resistance vs. velocity.

Damper Setting

The benefit of some air rowing machines is the ability to control airflow to the flywheel with a "damper".

Dampers can have various settings that allow different amounts of air to interact with the flywheel as you are rowing. This is very like to irresolute the h2o levels in a water rowing auto tank.

Air Rowing Machine Damper

A low damper setting of ane volition allow but a small amount of air to interact with the spinning flywheel. This means in that location are less "air particles" to interact with the flywheel. In return, this allows for a "lighter" feeling rowing stroke.

A high damper setting of 10 allows large amounts of air to enter the flywheel. This creates more air interacting with the flywheel and a "heavier" feeling stroke.

Again, this may sound like resistance but information technology really changes the feeling of the stroke. High damper settings feel like a heavy rowing boat, while low damper settings feel like a light rowing boat.

Concept2 states, "damper setting is similar to wheel gearing: information technology affects how rowing feels just does not straight impact the resistance. A lower damper setting on the indoor rower is comparable to easier gears on a bike." You can read their total damper breakdown here.

Monitors

What actually interests a lot of people are the monitors on air rowing machines. While monitors on budget air rowers are basic and inaccurate, monitors on high-end air rowers are advanced and highly accurate.

The Concept2 Model D PM5 monitor is the best monitor on the marketplace. It can very accurately record items like altitude, 500m divide times, watts, pace boat and force curve. Below are photos of a few screens the PM5 tin can display.

This monitor has the ability to accurately record these data points because it tin can constantly record the "drag factor" in real time. This means information technology calculates the deceleration of your flywheel every stroke and determines the true corporeality of "work" a user is performing.

This constant elevate calculation ways humidity, dust build upwards, top, and all other factors won't effect the data displayed and recorded on the monitor.

When using a monitor like the PM5, users effectually the world can compare times and race against each other. It is the main reason why air rowing machines (specifically Concept2 currently) are used by Olympic rowers, indoor rowing competitions, and world records.

Other Features

Below are some other features that are unique to air rowing machines when compared to water rowing machines.

  • Seat rail tin fold for easy storage and reduce overall footprint.
  • A plastic flywheel resistance allows for a fairly lightweight machine.
  • Fan makes a loud "whooshing" racket while in apply. TV volume will need to exist turned up and people may be able to hear the rowing machine in an adjacent room.

H2o vs. Air Rowing Machine

When comparison a water vs. air rowing machine you will notice there are a lot of similarities. Probably more similarities than differences.

I will list the principal similarities below and then breakdown the major differences if you haven't already caught them from the outline to a higher place.

Similarities
  • Both accept adequately long frames and large footprints.
  • Long frames make both rowing machines skillful for tall users.
  • Heavy users (300+ lbs.) can detect rowing machines to lucifer their weight capacity.
  • Both utilize "variable" resistance- the faster you row, the more resistance you feel.
  • Variable resistance makes each great for HIIT (high intensity interval grooming) workouts.
  • Both mimic the resistance felt while rowing on water.
  • You tin change the "feel" of the rowing stroke on both machines- add/decrease h2o from h2o rower or modify damper on air rower.
  • The same rowing technique is used on both rowing machines.
  • Each utilize a "handle" pull mechanism that is attached via a rowing strap or concatenation.
  • The same muscles are targeted on both rowing machines.
  • Both are highly respected rowing machines in the rowing industry.
Differences

After reading the outlines in a higher place you should have a good idea of the differences between a water rower vs. air rower. I will highlight some of the major differences below.

Price

One of the major deciding factors between water and air rowers is price. H2o rowing machines are often found in higher price ranges with the lowest model going for $700 and the best models starting around $ane,100. Air rowers are institute in every price range starting at $300 and going as high as $i,000+. The affordability of air rowing machines makes them very popular.

Dissonance Level

Racket level is another large gene that tips the scale more towards water rowers. Air rowers brand a fairly loud "whooshing" dissonance every stroke, which makes them bad for people who like watching Television, have sleeping children, alive in apartments, or similar working out early in the AM. Water rowers do make some noise only the splashing of water in the tank is a lot quieter and more soothing than the fan noise produced past air rowers.

Monitor

Another difference that I covered above is monitor performance. While both types tin accept high and low quality monitors depending on the price you pay, you can get the best monitor on an air rower. If tracking data, comparison times, and racing are exciting to y'all, and then I suggest looking into an air rowing machine with an advanced monitor.

Stroke Feel

The "stroke feel" of each resistance type is something I haven't mentioned nonetheless. Information technology is difficult to determine because it really depends on what model of air or water rowing machines you are comparing. Still, there does seem to be a trend.

Water rowing machines seem to take a stronger "grab" that lightens as yous reach the "finish". Air rowers seem to take a lighter "catch" that increases as you accelerate to the "finish".

Both rowing machines provide an excellent "stroke feel" and the departure is something only advanced rowers volition observe. You will have needed to row a lot on both resistance types to notice the departure.

Below is an easy to read chart comparing water vs air rowing machines with a few boosted differences.

H2o Rowing Automobile Air Rowing Motorcar
Price Found in higher-stop cost range: $700 - $i,100+ Establish in every price range: $300 - $1000+
Noise Level Relatively tranquillity- Water makes a splashing noise inside the tank. Fairly loud- Fan makes a loud "whooshing" noise while rowing.
Monitors Advanced simply non equal to the best air rower monitor. Ranges from basic to highly advanced- Has the #1 rowing machine monitor.
Stroke Experience Strong "grab" to easier "end". Lighter "catch" to stronger "stop".
Aesthetics Woods rowing machines can be placed in a dainty living room setting. Looks more similar a piece of gym exercise equipment.
Storage Upright storage with wheels. Foldable seat rail with wheels.
Weight Heavier due to filled water tank. Fairly lightweight depending on corporeality of steel or plastic used in the design.

If you accept any specific questions about differences between the two resistance types or two models, please go out them in the comment section below.

Below are a few photos of some of the most popular water and air rowing machines. Is it easier now to tell the difference between a water vs. air rowing machine?

Terminal Thoughts

Both water and air rowing machines are highly respected in the industry and there is no right or wrong answer to which type is meliorate. When comparing a water vs. air rowing motorcar, the best resistance type is the ane that fits your preferences.

If you are looking to race, train, compare data, maximize your workout, and don't care nigh dissonance, then I would choose an air rowing motorcar. If y'all need a lower noise level, bask the audio of water, or desire a wooden design, and then I would choose a water rowing machine.

The #1 bestselling rowing machine with the #1 monitor is the Concept2 Model D Air Rower westward/ PM5. You can read my total review of this rowing machine here.

If you are looking for the best upkeep air rowing machine, check out my Stamina Air Rower 1399 review hither.

There are a lot of different WaterRower models that all function exactly the same. The difference is the type of wood they are made from which changes their price. A popular seller is the WaterRower Natural Rowing Machine. You can read that WaterRower review here.

Yous can also visit my comparison chart to compare unlike water and air rowing machines.

I hope you enjoyed my h2o vs. air rowing machine article! Please leave any questions or comments below.