31 Jan
Blog

Ergatta Review: Machine Makes a Game Out of Rowing

Ergatta rowing machine rating rowing machine 2

Ergatta Review: Rowing machine makes movement a game

"Play your way to fitness with Ergatta's water-based rowing machine."

  • Compact size with vertical storage

  • Beautiful wooden frame

  • Calibrates to your fitness level

  • Playing is motivating

  • Water mimics rowing

  • No video training

  • Demanding for beginners

  • Open row is monotonous

Not everyone wants to endure the monotony of running on a treadmill or stepping on a bike. As a result, more and more people are turning to rowing for cardiovascular and core strengthening workouts. Most rowing machines stick to the basics, but the Ergatta water rower defies convention with its beautiful wooden frame and playful training experience. Does the Ergatta deliver more than just good looks and good games? We put the rower to the test to find out.

Installation and setup

Installation and setup of the rowing machine took less than 30 minutes. The unit arrived almost fully assembled, with wheels that made it easy to roll it exactly where I wanted it to be. The technician filled the rower with water and he was ready to go. Before I left, the technician gave me a quick tour of the basics of folding and turning on the Ergatta.

It was my responsibility to connect the rowing machine to my Wi-Fi network and set up my Ergatta account. It's also worth noting that Ergatta charges $ 199 to ship and install the rowing machine, in addition to the $ 2,199 for the machine.

Looks like luxury furniture

In contrast to the industrial look of most rowing machines in the gym, the Ergatta is characterized by the fact that it looks more like a piece of furniture. The cherry wood frame and the transparent water tank go perfectly with any decor. It definitely looks funky, but it is easily the best looking rowing machine available right now.

The Ergatta is made by WaterRower, a well-known brand in the rowing world, and it shows. Everything about the rowing machine is of high quality. The seat rolls smoothly, the pull on the oar handle is even and the display is easy to read. Exercise equipment shouldn't be intimidating. With the Ergatta you get a feel for nature because you have the feeling of rowing a boat over water.

Compact size for storage

I have a small exercise room and I was afraid the rowing machine wouldn't fit. When it arrived I was shocked at how little space the Ergatta takes up. The rower is narrow and not too long, so it doesn't take up much space when using it. I was able to slide it between the wall and my treadmill. The Ergatta is also amazingly light and compact. You don't have to be a bodybuilder to move it – anyone can lift it to store it or roll it to a new location.

When you have finished your exercise, you can reclaim your living space by keeping the Ergatta upright. The engineers behind Ergatta thought about it a lot and made it incredibly easy. It takes three simple steps: flip the monitor flat, lower the monitor arm, and lift the end until the Ergatta is upright. When it's upright, it takes up about the same space as a dining room chair. This is important because most other cardio-based machines tend to take up more space. The Ergatta is perfect for apartment residents.

Smart rowing

To start with, Ergatta introduces you to rowing with some tutorial videos and a 2,000 meter series to calibrate the machine to your fitness level. Once your basic fitness is established, the software can choose workouts that are neither too easy nor too difficult. After 10 activities you will be asked to calibrate again. If you think these workouts are too difficult or too easy, you can always recalibrate them.

The ergatta uses water as resistance to mimic both the feel and the sound of rowing outdoors. The rower increases or decreases the resistance depending on how fast or hard you are rowing. There are no magnets or resistance bands involved. The faster or more forcefully you row, the harder it gets.

Addicted to rowing

Ergatta does not offer live or video training that is taking the world of the home gym by storm. The rower instead plays the workout experience and sets it apart from all other home fitness equipment I've used.

With the Ergatta you can choose between training and competition. During the exercise, you will be asked to row at a certain speed or with the right force. Instead of having a trainer yell at you to "row harder" or "keep going", the Ergatta uses a virtual ball to show how hard or fast you are rowing. In a game you have to hold the ball in a pre-defined zone for a certain amount of time. If you row too slowly or too fast, you will leave the target area and will not be able to complete this level.

This gamification was extremely committed. Time flew by as I concentrated on keeping my virtual ball in the target zone. I didn't count the minutes or the number of strokes – I was completely involved in the game. Sport should never feel like work or work – it should be fun and rewarding, which is exactly what you will find at Ergatta.

Race for the prize

When you are done training, you can join a race with eight other rowers of the same skill level. Some races ask you to row long distances while others use sprint intervals. Your times will be recorded and you will be listed among other racers as well as on a global leaderboard. I spent most of my time on the Ergatta taking part in the various races. I usually start with a quick warm up and then jump straight into the races. After three or four races, I was sweaty and tired.

I pushed myself to the limit during the race and enjoyed every minute.

Open rowing was disappointing

Ergatta also has an open row option that allows you to row at your own pace without thinking about racing or training goals. I eagerly opened this section to see how Ergatta applies its approach to the game to free line training. I was disappointed when I discovered there weren't any. There was no game to challenge me, no competitors to push me. It was just me and my stats.

After using Hydrow and iFit, I longed for a video scene, video trainer sharing stories, or some other visual stimulus. Unfortunately Ergatta does not support video training. If the company ever did, the open range would be an ideal area to implement it.

Demanding for beginners

As a beginner, I found it difficult to get into a groove. The tutorials were helpful, but I missed the video instructors. With Hydrow, I was able to mimic the coach's strokes and shape while rowing. I didn't have this feedback on Ergatta and got sloppy, especially when I was tired.

I also found that some of the workouts were too long for a beginner. I started the simplest 30-day training series and was encouraged after the first workout. It was short but challenging. The activity on day two was twice as long and I couldn't complete it. I was discouraged by my performance and the endurance that Ergatta expected on my second day.

I felt similarly challenged by the races and training sessions. Most of them were longer than I could handle. I found some short races and training sessions, but most of the training sessions lasted 20 minutes or more. Ergatta is always adding new content so I hope more sessions in the 5 to 10 minute range are added.

Pricing

The Ergatta is priced at $ 2,199, plus an additional $ 200 for shipping and installation. You can buy it in a lump sum or finance it over 24 months. Like most smart home fitness equipment, the Ergatta rower requires a monthly subscription. You can pay $ 29 monthly ($ 290 annually) to access the full library of workouts and races. You can also add an unlimited number of accounts for your partner, roommate or children to join.

You can use the Ergatta without a subscription, but you lose access to the races and training games that make the rower well worth the price.

Our opinion

It may look like it belongs in a showroom, but don't let the Ergatta's stunning looks fool you. It's a powerful rowing machine with a game-based interface that motivates you to exercise.

How long it will take?

The Ergatta is a tank with a solid wood frame that can hold up to 500 pounds. Treat it well and it will last a long time. The frame comes with a five-year warranty with a three-year parts warranty and a one-year tablet warranty.

Is there a better alternative?

Thanks to its game-based training and cherry wood frame, the Ergatta is in a class of its own. If you want a more traditional rower with video training, consider either the Hydrow or NordicTrack RW900 rowing machine. Both rowers offer instructor-led exercises and strength training outside the rowers for a full-body workout.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. If you enjoy rowing and are short on space, the Ergatta is worth every penny.

Editor's recommendations




03 Dec
Blog

Get More Power from Rowing

I'm a rower – on the water and in the gym. I regularly observe rowers and coaches who exercise on their rowing machines with growing frustration. Why am i frustrated?

Because they could get much better results if they only knew one key technique.

Get more strength through rowing - fitness, crossfit, rest and recovery, rowing, indoor rowing, strength, core strength, strength output, hamstrings, hip joints, back strength, glutes, arm strength, competition rowing, rowing ergometers, rowing technique, ratio and rhythm

Master the rowing machine

If you go to the average gym, CrossFit, or rowing club, you will see a lot of great athletes using the rowing machines.

What difference does it make?

They are different by an order of magnitude. Somehow, those rowers on the water seem to be luring more and more out of a rowing machine, leaving most of the gym rowers for dead.

Two reasons why this happens:

  1. Rowers on the water who use rowing machines understand the concept of relationship and rhythm. This way they can rest more with each stroke and are therefore stronger because they get less tired.
  2. Rowers on the water know how to recruit extra muscle for their endeavors. The more muscles that are put into the strength phase, the faster the flywheel accelerates and the better the numbers.

The basic rudder stroke

Rowing consists of two main parts::

  1. The strength phase – in which you press against the footboard and accelerate the handle and chain in your direction.
  2. The recovery phase– You will rest and return to a compressed posture with your legs bent with the chain retracted in the machine.

An effective strength phase uses the legs, back, and arms to accelerate the handle and chain. So far so good, but I don't see that in the gym.

Most gym rowers don't use their back muscles to speed up the handle and chain.

This is a critical difference to the rowers on the water. I teach that to my customers.

Add back power to your rowing

First, learn which muscles to activate. Finding them and feeling those muscles and knowing how to activate them is probably the hardest part of this technique improvement.

Then I want to show you how to recruit them for your rowing stroke cycle and give you an exercise to practice that will help you build your back muscles into your rowing stroke.

Body Swing Rowing only

Rowers on the water learn technique and effective strength through exercises and exercises. And so I'll show you a drill called Body Swing Only Rowing.

  • Let's start by sitting on the rowing machine.
  • Take the handle and sit with your legs straight, arms straight, and your body leaning forward.
  • The key is that your shoulders are in front of your hips (use a mirror to check this) and that your neck and shoulders are relaxed.

Rowers on the water call this position the catch position. This is achieved by folding through your hips with a straight back. If you have tight glutes and hamstrings, this can be a challenge.

If you can't reach this position, don't do the exercise. You won't gain anything until you can stretch forward in this pose.

Stage one

  • Swing backwards until your shoulders are behind your hips.
  • Keep your legs and arms straight. Then swing back and forth again, using the handle and chain to move the flywheel as you swing.
  • Try not to lean back more than 5-10 degrees.
  • Now make the flywheel spin faster by grabbing your abs just before the backswing.

A strong middle section will help you connect your back swing to the handle and chain without slipping.

Stage two

  • Add the arms to the backswing.
  • As you did in Stage 1, swing your back alone, then add a pull of your arm to speed up the handle and chain as the handle approaches your body.
  • Then straighten your arms and swing forward from your hips.
  • This order is important – arms before body swing.
  • Keep working with a strong core to prevent chain slippage so that the chain will instantly accelerate the flywheel when you start moving. Note that you can do a little backswing before you begin pulling the arm.
  • This is important for activating the back muscles. When rowing, larger muscle groups (legs and back) have to work before smaller muscles (arms).

This is an important skill in developing punching power.

Level three

  • Half the leg drive.
  • Add in half a leg drive. Rowers call this a half slide, and when your legs are 50% straight.
  • Usually this is when your elbows are above your knees.

Stage one is the back. Add stage two, that is, the arms, and then stage three, the legs.

You are now moving the handle and chain faster because more body parts are accelerating the flywheel.

The critical component is the transition from one body part to the next.

Keeping this smooth, keeping the chain taut, and continuing to speed up will get the best results.

Focus on legs-back-arms and do the reverse as you return for another punch.

When you learn this, the big muscles will be strengthened before the small muscles rule.

String it together

Do the exercise with 10 strokes in each phase. Then move to the full sled and use a full leg drive. Try to make the second half of your power phase as if you had done the exercise.

Use the mirror to check your posture. The first half of your strength should only be used with your leg drive. Check that your upper body is sloping forward from your hips with your shoulders. This is an unnatural posture and needs to be learned – but it reinforces the rule of big muscles before small, and therefore it's effective.

The last thing you can practice is rowing while trying to get your legs, back, and arms ready. This is an exaggeration from the normal rowing technique – but it's a great way to get a seriously powerful end to the rowing stroke.

And a great way to keep practicing or do a 10-stroke power boost during your workout when you want more strength and the breakdown starts to wear off.

Next we learn the second … relationship and rhythm. But we'll leave that for another day.

02 Dec
Blog

Get More Power from Rowing

I'm a rower – on the water and in the gym. I regularly observe rowers and coaches who exercise on their rowing machines with growing frustration. Why am i frustrated?

Because they could get much better results if they only knew one key technique.

Get more strength through rowing - fitness, crossfit, rest and recovery, indoor rowing, core strength, strength output, hamstrings, hip joints, back strength, glutes, arm strength, competition rowing, rowing ergometers, rowing technique, ratio and rhythm

Master the rowing machine

If you go to the average gym, CrossFit, or rowing club, you will see a lot of great athletes using the rowing machines.

What difference does it make?

They are different by an order of magnitude. Somehow, those rowers on the water seem to be luring more and more out of a rowing machine, leaving most of the gym rowers for dead.

Two reasons why this happens:

  1. Rowers on the water who use rowing machines understand the concept of relationship and rhythm. This way they can rest more with each stroke and are therefore stronger because they get less tired.
  2. Rowers on the water know how to recruit extra muscle for their endeavors. The more muscles that are put into the strength phase, the faster the flywheel accelerates and the better the numbers.

The basic rudder stroke

Rowing consists of two main parts::

  1. The strength phase – in which you press against the footboard and accelerate the handle and chain in your direction.
  2. The recovery phase– You will rest and return to a compressed posture with your legs bent with the chain retracted in the machine.

An effective strength phase uses the legs, back, and arms to accelerate the handle and chain. So far so good, but I don't see that in the gym.

Most gym rowers don't use their back muscles to speed up the handle and chain.

This is a critical difference to the rowers on the water. I teach that to my customers.

Add back power to your rowing

First, learn which muscles to activate. Finding them and feeling those muscles and knowing how to activate them is probably the hardest part of this technique improvement.

Then I want to show you how to recruit them for your rowing stroke cycle and give you an exercise to practice that will help you build your back muscles into your rowing stroke.

Body Swing Rowing only

Rowers on the water learn technique and effective strength through exercises and exercises. And so I'll show you a drill called Body Swing Only Rowing.

  • Let's start by sitting on the rowing machine.
  • Take the handle and sit with your legs straight, arms straight, and your body leaning forward.
  • The key is that your shoulders are in front of your hips (use a mirror to check this) and that your neck and shoulders are relaxed.

Rowers on the water call this position the catch position. This is achieved by folding through your hips with a straight back. If you have tight glutes and hamstrings, this can be a challenge.

If you can't reach this position, don't do the exercise. You won't gain anything until you can stretch forward in this pose.

Stage one

  • Swing backwards until your shoulders are behind your hips.
  • Keep your legs and arms straight. Then swing back and forth again, using the handle and chain to move the flywheel as you swing.
  • Try not to lean back more than 5-10 degrees.
  • Now make the flywheel spin faster by grabbing your abs just before the backswing.

A strong middle section will help you connect your back swing to the handle and chain without slipping.

Stage two

  • Add the arms to the backswing.
  • As you did in Stage 1, swing your back alone, then add a pull of your arm to speed up the handle and chain as the handle approaches your body.
  • Then straighten your arms and swing forward from your hips.
  • This order is important – arms before body swing.
  • Keep working with a strong core to prevent chain slippage so that the chain will instantly accelerate the flywheel when you start moving. Note that you can do a little backswing before you begin pulling the arm.
  • This is important for activating the back muscles. When rowing, larger muscle groups (legs and back) have to work before smaller muscles (arms).

This is an important skill in developing punching power.

Level three

  • Half the leg drive.
  • Add in half a leg drive. Rowers call this a half slide, and when your legs are 50% straight.
  • Usually this is when your elbows are above your knees.

Stage one is the back. Add stage two, that is, the arms, and then stage three, the legs.

You are now moving the handle and chain faster because more body parts are accelerating the flywheel.

The critical component is the transition from one body part to the next.

Keeping this smooth, keeping the chain taut, and continuing to speed up will get the best results.

Focus on legs-back-arms and do the reverse as you return for another punch.

When you learn this, the big muscles will be strengthened before the small muscles rule.

String it together

Do the exercise with 10 strokes in each phase. Then move to the full sled and use a full leg drive. Try to make the second half of your power phase as if you had done the exercise.

Use the mirror to check your posture. The first half of your strength should only be used with your leg drive. Check that your upper body is sloping forward from your hips with your shoulders. This is an unnatural posture and needs to be learned – but it reinforces the rule of big muscles before small, and therefore it's effective.

The last thing you can practice is rowing while trying to get your legs, back, and arms ready. This is an exaggeration from the normal rowing technique – but it's a great way to get a seriously powerful end to the rowing stroke. And a great way to keep practicing or do a 10-stroke power boost during your workout when you want more strength and the breakdown starts to wear off.

Next we learn the second … relationship and rhythm. But we'll leave that for another day.