Rowing Machine or Elliptical Cross Trainer

[Ian]

Hi all

Looking at buying one of these machines, but cant make my mind up which. Which one would be better to aid weight loss etc etc

Cheers
Ian

 

[Velocity]

My vote is for the cross trainer. I always feel more knackered after using it.

 

[Stringy]

I always feel like I get a better work out on the rower, and always feel like a girl on the cross trainer, but I guess that's because there's treadmills 10 yards away.

My money would be on the rowing machine, then you can pretend you're Redgrave/Pinsent/Cracknell (or Ben Fogle )

 

[emetic]

Another vote for rowing machine.

 

[Breamy]

i would say rower... but thats cause im a rower myself but it provides a full body workout with less pressure on joints so less chance of injury

 

[PikeyPriest]

Rowing - i prefer it because you seem to work the whole body more and its more manly . The other benefit is that you can set it to level 10 and just do 2 or 5k and try to beat your best times. No adjusting levels...etc as you go.

I just find it simple and even fun

 

[mysticsniper]

Another vote for the Elliptical Cross Trainer, on these you can train all the parts of your body, unlike the Rower as your sitting on your bum all the time

 

[M0KUJ1N]

rowing machine if done properly (level 10, back kept straight, bar pulled to your solar plexus with each stroke, 30-35 strokes/minute) provides a far more intense workout. If you need any more proof, go into your local gym and see how many girls use the cross trainers, and then compare it with the number of girls you see using the rowing machine

I generally find I burn about 200 calories in 10 mins on the rowing machine, but it takes me almost twice that much time to burn the same number of calories on the cross trainer, with treadmill (running at 8mph) somewhere in-between.

 

[adamau5]

Level ten? rowers never train at level 10, if they do its for say thrity strokes as part of a weights routine. We erg at drag factor ~134 which is roughly 'level' 5.

Any more would annihalate your back.

 

[firstborn]

Taken from this months runnersworld:

76kg man will burn around 1,150 in an hour of 8.5 minute miling. To expend the same energy he would need to do 1hr 36 on an elliptical trainer or 1hr 36 on a rowing machine.

No idea how accurate that is though. I'd say get whatever suits you and the space you have available. And somewhere to store it when you get bored of it

 

[Breamy]

u shouldnt use level 10 for training. i should know this bein a rower. the great britain team recoments drag factor of 130 which is around level 4/5. u might not look as hard in the gym but u stand less change of injury

 

[EasyG]

vote for cross trainer.

always found it more fun and rewarding then the boring rowing machine.

 

[adamau5]

Its not even about looking hard, level ten and level 5 should produce the same splits, but lower esistance means you need better technique to pick it up at the catch.

As a crew we will often sit on it for 40 minutes and try to maintain 1:54 ish.

Light ergs holding say 2 minutes at 22 st/m for 40 mins.

2K, anything below 6:40.

5k sub 18.

 

[adamau5]

http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=295


See here for a very quick guide.

 

[M0KUJ1N]

Thanks for that Adam- very informative!

tbh its not (purely) about looking hard in the gym- was more about burning the most amount of calories in the shortest time, getting the blood pumping and warming up my arms and legs for weight work. Also 10 didnt seem that much harder than 5 so I thought may as well put it all the way up!
Will have to try it at the lower resistance and try hitting those targets you've mentioned though. Im currently managing about 1:58 (assuming thats the time /500m) , 2K in under 8 mins which would rack up to about 20 mins for 2k :|