Commercial Air Rower

Rowing works about 85 percent of your muscles in one movement, and it does it with almost no impact on your joints. A commercial air rower is the version built to survive constant use.

How air resistance works on a commercial air rower

A fan provides the resistance. Pull harder and the blades have more air to move, so the stroke gets heavier. Ease off and it lightens immediately.

As a result the machine self-scales. A beginner and an athlete use the same rower with no settings changed, and both work at their own limit. That is why air rowers dominate commercial floors and conditioning gyms.

Eight training programmes

The console carries eight programmes: Quick Start, Fitness Test, Target Distance, Target Time, Target Calories, Speed Interval, Weight Loss and Fat Burning.

Target modes are the useful ones day to day. Set 2,000 metres or 300 calories and row until the screen says you are done, rather than deciding halfway through that you have had enough.

What the console tracks

The LCD display covers speed, distance, calories, RPM, time and heart rate, with an odometer for cumulative distance. A USB connection lets you take your data off the machine.

It is self-powered, which means the rowing action generates what the console needs. There is nothing to plug in and no batteries to replace.

Commercial air rower specifications

• Resistance: air
• Programmes: Quick Start, Fitness Test, Target Distance, Target Time, Target Calories, Speed Interval, Weight Loss, Fat Burning
• Display: LCD — speedometer, odometer, calorie monitor, RPM, timer
• Heart rate: monitor included
• Power: self-powered
• Connectivity: USB
• Handles: stationary handles fitted
• Cooling: fan
• Storage: foldaway and compact, with transport wheels

Why rowing is worth the floor space

Legs, hips, back, shoulders and arms all work in one stroke, and none of it involves impact. Therefore it suits people who cannot run, people rehabilitating, and athletes wanting conditioning that does not add to their joint load.

It is also one of the few machines where technique matters. Drive with the legs first, then swing the back, then pull with the arms — in that order, every stroke.

Who buys a commercial air rower

Gyms, studios, hotels, estate gyms and serious home trainers. The foldaway frame means it also works in a house where it cannot stay out permanently.

Browse the rest of our rowing machines, or the full commercial equipment range.

Price in Kenya

It is KSh 120,000, reduced from KSh 160,000 — a KSh 40,000 saving on a commercial-grade machine. Air rowers hold their value because there is very little to wear out.

Common questions

Does a commercial air rower need power?

No. It is self-powered — rowing generates what the console needs.

Is it noisy?

Air rowers make a whooshing sound as the fan spins. It is not loud, but it is audible, which is the trade-off for resistance that scales perfectly.

Can it be stored away?

Yes. It folds compact and has transport wheels.

Is rowing suitable for beginners?

Very. Start with ten minutes at an easy pace and focus on the order of the stroke: legs, back, arms.