Equipment Advise - Elliptical bike vs Rowing Machine

[Emann Aquilina]

Hi there,

I would like some advise on this situation with regards to getting new equipment.

I have a treadmill which is mostly used by my wife but lately, due to low back pain, the doctor advised her that this may be coming from too much impact from the treadmill. Luckily the local store can take it back in exchange for another machine. I have been crossfitting for the last 2 months and in general prefer outdoor running more to treadmill work however I would like to use the new machine in my workouts especially for the winter months.

Now both the elliptical and the rowing are available for the exchange. Firstly, which machine is better for the various crossfit WOD's? Secondly both machines are low/no impact...but can rowing cause again the back pain issue? Further to that what should I look for in both machines between the various goodies that they come with - I mean which are the most essential ones?

Thank you for any advise.

Regards
Emann

[Andy Gann]

You can't get a better machine for exercise than the Concept2 Rowing Machine ...

[Kevin Thomas]

Elliptical never comes up on a WOD, so you know what we will vote for. That said, I'll put a few things out there for you to consider.

1. When CrossFitters talk about rowers, we generally mean Concept2 brand rowers. These are industry standard, high quality machines. You can't go wrong with one of these. Not to mention, they probably have the strongest used market for any fitness equipment right now, so if you didn't like it for some reason you could sell it for less of a loss than pretty much any other piece of equipment. Can't lose. If your option is for a junky chain store rower, then I would think twice.

2. Hard rowing with poor form can be hard on the lower back. If your wife is having low back issues, you may want to have her try a real rowing workout or two first before buying.

[Emann Aquilina]

Hi there,

thanks for the tips.

What is exactly a concept 2 rower....the picture attached shows the rowing machine I can get...is this the same thing?


The technical description is as follows:
(7985-889) 2.Ergo Coach LS
- Silent, electro-magnetic resistance displayed in a range of 25 to 400 Watts (5 Watt increments, for 75 different levels) providing a great challenge from beginners to the elite conditioned athletes
- Polar wireless HRM included (chest belt)
- Foot plates with biomechanical design and placement to permit natural, independent pivot action and full longitudinal range of the rowing motion
- Top grade ball bearings in the seat’s rollers provide an ultra smooth glide along the high quality aluminum main rail
- Quick attaching backboard and standing front footplate provided for 18 additional exercises
- Transport rollers underneath the frame’s front base makes moving the equipment easy

Training Computer
- SIEMENS® LCD with 8 pre-set programs including Heart Rate Controlled in high resolution gives more options and features than found on any other make
- Key pad control for adjusting resistance in manual program mode
- Recovery pulse feature provides a fitness rating of 1-6 at the end of the workout
- PC interface (RS232) for interactive software training and exchangeable pre-set programs via internet download (www.kettlerusa.comYOU MUST ENSURE YOU ANNOTATE ALL LINKS WHETHER WORK AND FAMILY SAFE.)

Regards,
Emann

[Kevin Thomas]

Concept2 is a manufacturer of rowers. http://www.concept2.com/us/default.asp ( wfs). Concept2 is the industry standard and they have several models. The rower you have shown is not a Concept2. It may or may not be a good one. I would looking for a rowing message board to find out the reputation of the brand you have to choose from. Assuming that it is a quality machine, the disadvantages from a Concept2 are: 1. you wont have as strong a used market should you decide to sell it someday and 2. you will not be able to compare your times to people using a C2. Those issues may not be of importance to you, especially if you have already spent the money and your choices now are between the elliptical and the non-c2 rower.

[Vincent Ferruccio]

Exercise bikes are used for the following fitness-related purposes:

* Cardiovascular exercises.
* Overall fitness.
* Physical therapy.
* Training for cycling events.
* Weight loss.

Unlike when you use treadmills which put undue stress to your joints, using exercise bikes actually relieve the stress on such parts of the body while at the same time promoting low-impact movement.

Using elliptical trainers is a ‘cross-training’ between fast-walking, cross-country skiing and climbing the stairs. Just like exercise bikes, using an elliptical trainer is a great cardiovascular workout which does not place undue stress to the joints.

Elliptical trainers are even the fitness machine of choice for overweight individuals – so that they can burn off as many calories as possible without placing undue stress to their heart and joints.

Another reason why elliptical trainers are great for individuals suffering from knee injuries is because the natural movement produced by the machine will ensure that your knees are properly aligned. The same thing holds true for the alignment of your hips and ankles.

Source: http://www. Elliptical Machines .net

[Ahmik Jones]

I am going to disagree a little with the above post. I do not think there is much value at all in an elliptical machine. Monostructural, low intensity, high repetition movments, like what is done on an elliptical machine are just barely better than doing nothing. Cardiovascular exercise like that does little to help the obese.

The rower on the other hand, even if it is not a Concept 2 allows for a much greater range of motion and is a much more effective exercise. Especially when used as we do in CrossFit in conjuction with resistance exercise involving either body weight or external loads.

The only marginal application that I can see for an elliptical machine is for the short term rehab of someone who can't run, but even then, if I had to choose one machine, I would choose the rower.

A bike is not a very good machine for doing anything other than getting better at riding a bike. It suffers from the same limitations of the elliptical with the added problem of an even greater limitation on the range of motion.

[Frank Cheatham]

In response to some of the opinions regarding aerobic exercise modalities in general and the use of an elliptical specifically I would like to offer a more science based summation of the use of ellipse as a form of exercise.
In researching relevant information I came across a fairly well written and
concise article. While the information contained here is compiled by a manufacturer, it does pull together scientific research to help guide the interested party in making an informed decision on whether or not an elliptical of any type has a beneficial effect on fitness. I hope you find this helpful in making an educated decision.
http://www.precor.com/pdf/exercise_response_ENGLISH.pdf (w/fs)

[Bobbi Beglau Salvini]

Take your wife to the store three days apart so she can test each one without the first work out skewing how she feels after the second machine. Have her do a 30 min. workout; wait another three days to make sure her body tolerates the equipment. My son gained a lot of weight after an injury to his pineal gland, and in the same accident he injured his back. The rowing machine was the only thing that did not destroy him. The beauty of the rower is you can drop the resistance down to almost zero. Make sure she uses good posture through the entire row. Unlike the elliptical, the urge machine works the core both front and back (critical for back injuries). She can also control how far she reaches forward and how far she leans back. This will help her gain flexibility as she improves. This is critical if she is having back pain from muscle spasms. With this work out that hits core, shoulders, triceps, and legs, she will get fit if this is all she can do. The only way I would purchase an elliptical is if she could not tolerate the rower.

[William Jackson]

ellipticals suck. i said it. they offer a false sense of fitness and as ive witnessed in my overweight roommate, do not help reduce weight, even with dedicated use. and any, if any at all, elliptical "fitness" gained, does not carryover to running.