For some of us, squeezing a workout is a constant struggle, especially because so many workouts are simply boring.
Aviron is looking to change that with its gamified rowing machines, which offer challenging full-body workouts that look more like games. In fact, you may recognize some of the games in your childhood galleries. (And if that doesn’t keep you interested, you can also watch Youtube on the Rowing’s 22-inch HD screen while paddling).
This was my first experience with a rowing machine, and I already believe it. It’s a quick, vigorous, and entertaining workout that eliminates all my excuses for staying on the couch.
The rower
Aviron currently offers two models: the Impact series and the Tough series. I’m reviewing the Impact series, but the Tough series offers more reinforcement and a higher weight limit. Aviron started making commercial oars for gyms and they still use the same commercial grade materials now that they also sell directly to consumers.
I’m not good at putting things together, but I was actually able to cope with 80 percent of Avon’s setup without my husband’s help. The directions were simple and easy to follow, and we had the oar fully assembled and ready to use in about an hour.
The first thing I noticed about the Impact Series rower once it was fully assembled is that it is long. With just over eight feet long, it takes up almost an entire wall in my little home gym / storage room when folded, so you’ll definitely want to make sure it fits where you want it before you buy it.
It also includes a generous 22-inch stationary touch screen.
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The oar offers a combination of air and magnetic resistance at 16 different levels. I’m currently sitting between five and seven, offering a vigorous half-hour workout. In addition, the rower provides about 100 pounds of resistance.
Despite all this, it is surprisingly quiet when used.
My only complaint about the rower itself is that, as someone who is on the lower side, it is very difficult for me to get to the screen to adjust the volume or resistance during a workout.
The workouts
In an ocean of streaming workout content, Rowing’s unique approach stands out: highlighting gamified games and workouts over traditional fitness content that includes an on-screen trainer to guide you through your workout.
My highly competitive son and husband love high-pressure games such as Bug Blaster, Distress Down Under, and Zombie Apocalypse. I, on the other hand, am a big fan of the Explorer game, which features a winged rowing protagonist who can explore all sorts of fantastic worlds (no bad eyesight). I am also living indirectly through the virtual scenic rows, which give me the opportunity to see beautiful maritime attractions from around the world despite COVID.
You can choose Power Play workouts, which combine games with guided workouts to challenge you, and these also offer automatic endurance adjustment. Aviron also offers races against professional (pre-scheduled) athletes as a fun way to boost yourself and see how you compare to elite competitors. However, if you prefer more traditional workouts, Aviron also offers Metrics Monitor, which only shows you your stats.
Rowing games distract you from the fact that you are actually exercising. Credit: Rowing
If you’re thriving with the competition or the community aspect, Aviron also offers plenty of community features and leaderboards for every workout. You can also create and join group games to compete face-to-face with other Rowing users. Rowing’s private Facebook group is a great place to connect and find like-minded people to compete with.
Finally, Aviron also offers a fun achievement system that allows you to earn badges, as well as an Experience Coins system that allows you to earn coins to spend on funds, new workouts and new avatars.
The best part is that rowing offers a full body workout that includes the arms, legs, shoulders and core. If you row hard enough and have endurance, even a five-minute workout can leave you sweaty and tired. It’s a great combination of cardiovascular and endurance training for people who want to take a unique, time-saving fitness approach, and the sheer amount of gamified content with Aviron membership will prevent those workouts from becoming obsolete as well. .
A subscription to Aviron costs $ 29 a month or $ 299 a year. It allows you to access the entire library of training content from Rowing and allows you to create multiple user profiles for all members of your household.
However, even if you choose to unsubscribe, you can still create a profile, track your history and performance, adjust your resistance, and use your screen to access Youtube.
Add to cart?
This rower is FUN. I’m far from a competitive person, so I actively avoid face-to-face racing or live competitions, but I still love it, and my husband and son, who thrive on competition, love it. There are a lot of different ways to train for people like me who prefer the solitary experience or for people who are motivated to move up in the standings.
It also looks very well done, though expensive (but not so bad when compared to other fitness technologies like Tempo and Peloton). However, the difference with Aviron is definitely the gamified workouts that keep things interesting, and that can be worth the high price.