Review: Aviron Strong Rower

As an avid runner and cyclist, I’ve always found rowing to be incredibly intimidating. It requires so much more coordination and utilizes a lot of muscle groups I tend to neglect, which is also what makes it such an exceptional full-body workout.

My only exposure to rowing in the past was through short bursts in interval-style bootcamp classes at studios. The idea of spending an entire workout rowing would have been a ridiculous prospect, until I got my hands on Aviron’s smart rowing machine. It has totally changed my relationship with the exercise.

One Size Fits All

The first thing that stood out to me about the Aviron rower was its smart and inclusive construction. The machine is incredibly lightweight and easy to fold up for vertical storage. It utilizes both air and magnetic resistance—the air makes it feel more natural, like you’re actually rowing through water, and the magnets (which provide up to 100 pounds of resistance), make this as much of a strength machine as a cardio one.

You can adjust the foot panels for length and you can modify the width between the foot panels to accommodate different hip widths. This feature is totally unique to the Aviron—most rowers have the foot panels placed close together, which allows for more power in your row but makes the exercise less comfortable for bigger people. The nylon belt also makes for a smoother, quieter experience than most rowers.

Photograph: Kristin Canning

In newer versions of the machine, there are even more cool features. The seat is extra wide and raised off the rail so it’s easier to get on and off. There are gills along the main chamber that direct airflow from your rowing back toward you. The handle, which rotates to help you maintain a proper neutral wrist position, has buttons that allow you to adjust the resistance while you row.

This machine can accommodate people up to 6′8″ and 507 pounds, thanks to its extra-long and durable aluminum rail. It really feels like the folks who designed this thought of everything and didn’t skimp on the details that can make working out way more comfortable and accessible to all kinds of bodies.

More Incentives

One of the biggest perks of having an Aviron machine is the innovative programming. With this rower and a membership, which costs $29 a month or $288 per year, you have access to games that you can play either solo, against past versions of yourself, or against other Aviron users.

Photograph: Kristin Canning

I like Rags to Riches, where you and the other players, who are in big boats, all row to launch cannons at incoming pirate ships, with the goal of protecting your treasure. In this game, you work together with other players, but there are also plenty of head-to-head and group competition games that offer more straightforward racing formats.

The variety of games is truly impressive. When I initially heard about the machine, I assumed the only kind of games you could play on a rower would be race-like, but Aviron’s programmers have come up with all kinds of interesting options to keep you entertained. You can play games where you row to shoot at bugs or throw snowballs varying distances, or where you have to keep your power within a certain range to hop into different race track lanes to collect points. There are even Pong-like options.

The idea here is to allow users to work out without thinking about it and for the programming to have the same addictive quality as actual video games. It does feel like gaming, in the sense that you can invite friends who are Aviron users to play with you, hop into group games that are already taking place when you sign in, and collect coins as you play that you can use to change your avatars or backgrounds or unlock new game packs. New games are always being added to the Aviron interface, too, so it’s hard to get bored.

Photograph: Kristin Canning

There are other cool workout options, too, if gaming isn’t your thing. You can stream shows, row in scenic destinations around the world, row against pro athletes, and follow guided, prerecorded workouts and training programs from coaches.

There’s also the option to do your own workout and track your metrics, like meters rowed, splits, watts, calories, output, strokes, and heart rate (if you’re wearing a monitor and have it connected to the machine via Bluetooth). The metric tracking feature is one of few you can utilize if you don’t get the Aviron membership.

The Aviron Smart Rowing Machine is well built, easy and comfortable to use, and the quality hasn’t deteriorated at all over the years I’ve had it. The programming is smart and fun, though it’s not the most applicable to how I use the machine. Most often, I mix rowing into my other workouts, so I’m only on the machine for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, and I’m typically following a specific training program, so I have my own intervals to guide me.

Photograph: Kristin Canning

That being said, I sometimes do rowing-only workouts for cross-training, and in those cases, I’ll follow a longer guided workout from Aviron or play a game. The games are really fun, and they help take my mind off the fact that I’m rowing, which has always been a tough exercise for me. If you don’t see yourself using the gaming features that often, I’m not sure a membership would be worth it.

There are plenty of people who I think would really benefit from an Aviron machine. It allows you to work out hard in a short amount of time, and push your body from a strength and cardio perspective. Its digital offerings are really unique and different from other workout machines on the market, which could make this rower a game changer for the right person.

If you love gaming, or you struggle with workout motivation and don’t usually have your own training program, or you want to do longer, rowing-centric workouts but feel like they can be boring, I would highly recommend this rower.