The Exercise I Love to Hate!

Years ago I left CrossFit and became an Orange Theory junkie. I’m fiercely dedicated to their routine of rowing, running and weights. I feel it checks all the boxes for health!

Orange Theory uses a WaterRower, which is a different brand than what I had used in previous gyms. Man, I fell in a deep hate/love affair with the WaterRower!

During my ACL surgery recovery, when I couldn’t go to the gym, I started using the WaterRower at home.

I wanted to share my honest WaterRower reviews because I’m all about endorsing products that I genuinely love!

The WaterRower quickly became the exercise I love to hate! Whoo hoo people! If you haven’t rowed before, there are a few things should you know about this fantastically evil machine

When you row, the stroke uses 84% of your muscle mass. It ignites muscles starting with your fingertips that hold the handle all the way to the balls of your feet fire when you stroke.

Because of this, the WaterRower burns more calories and uses more muscle mass than treadmills, bicycles, ellipticals. WOW.

I’ll be very candid – for me, rowing is very hard. Then again, I believe if an exercise becomes easy, you’re not pushing yourself. Working out should always be hard.

But rowing is challenging for me. Why? Because it’s a whole-body strengthening, cardio kicking workout!!

Having said that – this is exactly why I love it. It burns more calories and uses my body in a much more effective way than any other cardio machine!

The WaterRower’s has a unique WaterFlywheel design.

To share what the website says the WaterRower “uses a specially formed paddle to cup the moving water, reduce slippage and produce an unrivaled simulation of the benefits of rowing.” Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Now, this I can attest to. Having used other rowing machines, the WaterRower is far superior.

The water simulates actual rowing in a boat. There isn’t any jerking or uneven motion when you pull. It’s totally smooth, and even the sound of the water rushing is soothing both on your joins and to your brain!

I love the model that OrangeTheory Fitness has when using their rowers. OrangeTheory is a HITT total body workout concept that you can do both in person or at home.

I wanted to know what brand of water rower does OrangeTheory use. They use the WaterRower Hirise. I personally wasn’t a fan of the Highrise, I didn’t think the high rise feature was neccessary but I wanted to get the same brand rower as OrageTheory.

What’s so great about their workouts is they aim to get your heart rate so high that you continue to burn fat even after the workout is over. Now waterrowers are amazing for burning calories because they already are a full body workout. When you combine that concept with an OrangeTheory HITT, the results are unbelievable.

Again what I like so much about using the OrangeTheory concept is that is can be done at home. All I had to do was mimic the OrangTheory water rower and I’m off to success.

I personally wanted what OrangeTheory had, but that may not be the route for everyone. I would highly encourage you before buying to check out other water rower machine reviews not just on the WaterRower brand but on others as well.

I looked into water rower reviews before I bought along with the recommendations of OrangeTheory and decided this brand was the one for me.

I fell in love with the look of the Classic model. It looks like furniture! The wood is gorgeous. The rowers at Orange Theory have a Hirise attachment to lift it off the ground.

Not necessary, but because I got used to the height of theirs, I added it to mine as well.
Mine also has the extended handrails and upgraded footboards.

In upcoming blog posts I’ll share a few workout ideas for how I’m using my WaterRower at home. So be sure you get my newsletter.

In the meantime my official WaterRower review: I’m loving hating my WaterRower!