Hydrow Rower: Ultimate Guide And Tips

Page Last Updated 5/30/2024

Much like the Peloton, the Hydrow Rower offers a fully interactive workout environment. A beautiful combination of machinery and technology, it is aimed at both new and experienced rowers. Its a perfect addition to your smart home gym.

This guide helps you to understand the key benefits, common errors/fixes, and Hydrow competitors. If the Hydrow price or features seem overwhelming, check out the top 11 best rowing machines. Of course, if you are ready to get started, grab your Hydrow here.

The Hydrow Rower Experience

Using a Hydrow Rowing Machine is more than just a workout, it is an immersive experience that closely simulates being on the water. It provides you with scenery, on-demand workouts, and instruction. Staff will motivate you to challenge yourself and achieve your fitness goals.

The Live Outdoor Reality feature brings sounds and vivid landscapes into your workout. It is a great way to get away from work stress and is likely to elevate your workout performance. The machine is also built in with hundreds of live and on-demand rowing workouts.

Whether you are a beginning or a veteran, you will find a customized workout that matches your interests and goals.

Daily Workouts And Teams

Additionally, you will not have to worry about the problem of selecting the same workout. Daily workouts are recorded and added to the system, ensuring that you will never be stuck in a routine.

Another part of the Hydrow Rowing experience is the presence of your team. There is an entire Hydrow athlete community that you can become a part of. They will enhance your experience through motivation, support, and competition.

Being part of a Hydrow team, will push you to give maximum effort. A live leaderboard allows you to compete with members of the community and your team. It also allows you to share success with one another, offer tips and ask questions.

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What Is The Hydrow Rower

The Hydrow Rower consists of special features that set it apart from regular rowing machines.

Specifications And Physical Features

The Rower is an interactive rower built from a sturdy aluminum frame with a modern design. It is customized to maximize the Hydrow experience. The rower weighs around 145 lbs. and has a weight capacity of 375 lbs. The dimensions of the Hydrow Rower are 86″L x 25″W x 47″H. The machine is versatile, perfect for using at home, an office, or a gym.

The strong weight capacity and aluminum frame ensure that an investment in a Hydrow is long-term. Additionally, the modern technological features discussed in the previous section ensure that the machine will not become obsolete. However, athletes committed to their fitness routine will not have to worry about replacing their Hydrow soon.

Sweat Resistance And Comfort

Other prominent highlights of the Hydrow include a sweat resistant touchscreen, high quality front-facing speakers, and a webbed strap. It also has a uniquely designed seat cushion. A 22” touchscreen will allow you to seamlessly select your workout and interact with your fellow teammates and community. Also, you will not have to worry about screens freezing or getting dirty.

The Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled screen updates daily with new workouts and you can easily troubleshoot any problems that you have through the system. Additionally, the screen is sweat and dust resistant so you will not have to worry about wiping down the machine thoroughly. This is great if you are in a rush to get back to work or to run house errands.

The webbed strap built into the machine also ensures that the rowing motion is quiet with minimized friction. Therefore, you can get a workout in without disrupting your co-workers or family. Also, experienced rowers who have tried the Hydrow say that it helps replicate a rowing experience on the water.

Finally, the Hydrow has a specially designed cushion with 10-roller system which ensures that the user is comfortable. It also minimizes strains on the glutes, a common problem with rowers. You will not have to wait days to recover from one session to the next.

Training Camps

The Hydrow is built in with a range of training workouts that are constantly being updated. One of the most popular programs is the Hydrow training camp programs which aim to help you to reach your goals. Teachers and fellow athletes will provide motivation and accountability.

The training programs vary to accommodate Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced rowers. This allows you to train with like-minded athletes according to your experience. Hydrow coaching staff guide each program, motivating you and giving rowers access to tips.

Programs are also designed based on the training goals of the rower, offering Endurance and Sprint programs. The endurance program was created to help rowers build stamina and to help them finish longer workouts on their own.

The sprint program is designed to get rowers accommodated to taking on intense workouts that demand power and speed. The sprint program consists of 4 workouts of 30 minutes every week for six weeks. At the end of the program, all rowers are tested with a 5-minute rowing assessment, allowing you to measure your progress.

While it is recommended that rowers complete the minimum Beginner program, rowers are free to participate in all programs. There are demanding endurance and sprint programs which push you to your limits. Rowers can also connect with your fellow training camp partners through the Hydrow Training Camp Facebook group.

Perfect For HIIT

Rowing machines are great for High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) based on their aerobic and resistance capabilities. With the Hydrow trainers and programs, you are sure to meet a range of HIIT options to compliment your workout goals.

Leaderboard

A noteworthy technical feature available on the interactive rower is the leaderboard. The leaderboard allows you to track your workouts showing you the usernames along with distance rowed. It has both live and on-demand leaderboards and is constantly updated every five minutes.

The live leaderboard lists your position among people currently doing the same workout if you prefer live competition. The on-demand leaderboard lists the total number of rowers who have done the workout and your position. Filters including gender, age, and ability can be used to compare results.

The distance is synchronized with the current workout you are doing. This allows you to see how far other athletes had rowed at the same point in your workout. This feature is great for rowers seeking motivation, as they will see themselves passing and being challenged.

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Hydrow Errors And Fixes

Similar to the Peloton, there are several errors that Hydrow users have reported and resolved. The most common ones are discussed below:

Problems With IOS Updates

To use the companion Hydrow app for your device, you cannot be running iOS 11 or earlier software. You will receive a message asking you to update your device or you can delete your app from your phone. Next, download the latest version from the App Store.

Hydrow Will Not Power On

If the Hydrow is not turning on, you might be able to fix this problem. First, unplug the machine and ensure that the outlet is functional. If it is still not functioning, you can flip the power switch on and off. Then, unplug the power connection at the back of the screen.

Hydrow Feels Unstable

If your machine is moving too much, then you may want to prop the machine up with a heavy object. You can tighten the bolts attaching the front legs. If you do not have access to the wrench, a 6mm hex wrench will help tighten the bolts. Instability should be checked regularly to ensure safety.

Problems With Wi-Fi

Some rowers may notice slow loading times for videos or long software update time, indicating poor connectivity. You can select the gear icon and choose Wi-Fi to check whether the signal is strong or weak.

If it is weak then you might want to switch networks or adjust the positioning of the machine. If it is strong, then check to see that Hydrow is not too close to the router. Also ensure that other Wi-Fi connected devices are not positioned too close. If neither work then you might want to look at other devices creating bandwidth issues and try resetting your router.

Rowing Workout Is Not Listed On Leaderboard

This is most likely the result of lapses in network connectivity and failure to report statistics to the server. If this becomes a common issue then you should see the previous section on fixing connectivity issues.

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Hydrow Competitors And Alternatives

Some of Hydrow’s biggest competitors include the NordicTrack RW900, the Schwinn Crewmaster, the Bluefin Fitness Blade Air Rowing Machine, and the Echelon Smart Rower.

For a more comprehensive list, check out the top 11 best rowing machines.

NordicTrack RW900

The NordicTrack brand is well known in the fitness industry, with many familiar with the quality of its products. The RW900 has 26 resistance levels to challenge rowers, and all come with a 22” interactive screen with 30 training programs in its system.

It also offers 12,000 workouts that are accessible with a one year bundled iFit Coach subscription. Like the Hydrow, it offers virtual workouts on scenic waterways around the world. It also has a SpaceSaver design allowing you to fold up the rower for storage and wheels which enhance mobility.

Schwinn Crewmaster

While Schwinn is better known for its cycling products, it also offers a machine with a simple design and sturdy build. 10-year and 3-year warranties back the machine and its electronics.

The Schwinn Crewmaster has 10 resistance levels and a small LCD display which tracks time of workout, calories burned, and distance traveled. Like the Hydrow, it is praised for its smooth glide and transmission that minimizes noise. It is easy to store and features a large vinyl seat that is easy to clean.

Bluefin Fitness Blade Air Rowing Machine

Like the Hydrow, the Bluefin Machine provides access to thousands of training videos and opportunities to interact with a community of rowers. It also features live coaching and comes with an integrated app. The app allows you to track your workout from your mobile device.

The machine offers 8 levels of resistance and has a small LCD display that shows your live health statistics. It is praised for replication of the natural rowing motion. The Bluefin features a 10% optimum incline and an easy folding design.

Echelon Smart Rower

Like the Hydrow machine, the Echelon Smart Rower is built upon a strong aluminum frame and has dozens of levels of electromagnetic resistance. It is also equipped with several useful features such as live instructor classes and on-demand classes.

There are two versions, one version with a 21.5” touch screen and a headless version. It also has an easy fold feature allowing you to fold the track upwards so that it can be stored vertically. Rowers praise for the Echelon Smart Rower for its modern technological features and relatively low price.

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Where To Purchase The Hydrow Rower

While the Hydrow Rower can be found on a few retailers, it’s better to go to the source. Purchasing direct from Hydrow ensures there are no warranty issues. Additionally, you can add the approved accessories and leverage Hydrow approved financing if required.

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Conclusion

Its clear that there are rowing machines and then there is Hydrow. The closest competitor would be the NordicTrack with iFit. With all things, start slow and use proper rowing form. As the Hydrow has some expense, consider it as a family purchase or go in with a few friends by sharing your home gym.