.

Since rowing exercises are based on a water sport, the design of rowing machine equipment naturally come from the same boat used in sculling competitions. Sculling is a particularly popular sport among college campuses, especially those near open bodies of water.

In case you’re wondering why this sport, in particular, is so suited to fitness exercises, just take a look at competitors in sculling events. Sir Steve Redgrave, the five time Olympic gold medal winner from England, for instance, has a body so muscular and well-developed that he could easily pass off for a statue of a Roman god. If you’re looking to develop your body in the same way, the design of rowing machine units is suited specifically for it.

The Early Days

When they first started playing around with the design of rowing machine equipment, they mimicked sculling boats in a very conspicuous way, resulting in very odd-looking indoor units. Called an “ergometer” or “ergo”, the early rowing exercisers included a measuring device to keep track of the distance you have rowed. This display allowed users to gauge how much a workout they have been able to get done.

This was over 100 years ago, a time when technological breakthroughs were far from what they are now. As a result, the design of rowing machine equipment during the time were based on pneumatic pressure with unusually heavy units, requiring you to row a solid iron wheel during your exercise.

1980s

Rowing machines started getting a little more attention during the 1980’s. At the time, the design of rowing machine equipment were beginning to get a much-needed makeover. While the units of old employed pneumatic pressure, modern rowing machines used air resistance, mimicking the effect of water on the oars to provide the workout.

These new design of rowing machine models came with much lighter makes, apart from providing a more realistic rowing simulations. Many water sport athletes of the time remarked how the new machines accurately resembled the effects of a real boat.

Indoor Rowing Machines Today

Today’s rowing machines continue to build on the developments initiated in the 1980s. Using the same air pressure technology of the time, continuous advancements in the design of rowing machine equipment have made modern units lighter, sturdier and even more representative of how it feels to actually row on a boat.

No longer are rowing machines restricted to athletes. With the current design of rowing machine models, even casual exercisers can use the equipment by using lower levels of simulated water pressure. For athletes, indoor rowing equipment is an amazing exercise tool, allowing them to continue training even when an actual boat is not available.

Some people even consider indoor rowing a sport in itself. Since its stationary, there’s no race to the finish. Instead, people compare recorded times, water pressure and distances traveled to determine the victor.