In today’s post, I’m sharing my Hydrow Arc Rower review.
This review could not be more timely, as I am right in the middle of my postpartum fitness journey.
Since delivering my third baby last fall, I have been slowly but surely putting one foot in front of the other with my fitness journey.
Although this had been my most active pregnancy by far, I still felt like I was starting from scratch in many ways. For the first few months, I really had to force myself to take it easy, even when I felt like I could be doing more. I was anxious to get back into running as soon as I could, but I found my body and, most notably, my pelvic floor needed more time to heal.
I was SO excited to work with Hydrow on this collaboration because, as it turns out, rowing was the perfect answer for me in this season.
I’ll get more into this in the review, but adding rowing to my weekly routine has been incredible. It’s a low impact, full body workout. Rowing allows me to crosstrain and build endurance without taxing my body like running does.
In today’s review, I’ll walk through all of the details and my personal thoughts on Hydrow’s Arc Rower, from the machine itself to the delivery and setup to their monthly class subscription.
**Fabulous news! Hydrow has generously provided my readers with a $100 discount on any rower. Use my link and code RUTH100 at checkout.
My Honest Hydrow Arc Rower Review
The Hydrow Arc Rower is the newest generation of Hydrow’s line of sleek indoor rowers.
Hydrow has built their entire brand on the idea of “fluid strength.” They believe resistance training requires control and adaptation, not rigidity. At Hydrow, rowing is full-body training, utilizing the strength and give of water to maximize effort through motion.
I am relatively new to rowing and have really come to appreciate the intentionality required in this type of training. I’m using new muscles and engaging with my core in a deep and grounded way. Rowing gets my heart rate up without putting strain on my joints. It’s cardio without bouncing which I think we can all get behind?
Hydrow Arc Rower Review: Product details
Hydrow’s Arc Rower is a top-of-the-line rowing machine. With its ultra smooth motion and state of the art metric system, Hydrow’s Arc Rower provides a full-body workout AND actionable, personalized feedback after every row.
This rower is unbelievably smooth and shockingly quiet.
My husband has a lot more experience with rowing than I do and says it is by far the best rower he has used. We have both been super impressed with the quality of the machine and the advanced training metrics and feedback.
The Hydrow Arc Rower’s design is so chic and modern. Although it’s definitely big, the silhouette is streamlined. It’s solid and the quality is remarkable. The machine also looks great in our garage gym, if I do say so myself.
HydroMetrics Advanced Feedback
One of the machine’s snazziest features is the advanced metrics feedback system. At the end of each row, Hydrow’s AI gives you feedback on your form which I, as a beginner rower, have really appreciated.
HydroMetrics is a proprietary new strength measurement system that helps members understand overall progress in their strength training journey through intelligent scoring. So instead of tracking just traditional rowing stats, HMI looks at three essential elements of rowing – Power, Precision, and Endurance – and combines them into your HydroMetrics Index (HMI Score). The result is a rolling 30-day snapshot of your peak performance, designed to recognize breakthroughs and keep users motivated. You can check out a little overview of it here.
Size + Weight
The Hydrow Arc Rower measures 86″L x 25″W x 48″H, so it’s on the bigger size compared to many rowers. It fits perfectly on Hydrow’s machine mat which I definitely recommend to protect your floor. The rower weighs 147 lbs.
Display
The Hydrow Arc Rower comes with an attached, rotating 24” HD touchscreen, on which you can track your row, metrics information, and take live and on-demand classes with Hydrow athletes (more on this in a minute).
Frame + Materials
The rower is made from an aluminum and steel frame with flat anthracite polymer body and high-quality polyester webbing.
Connectivity + Audio
Audio plays through the front-facing speakers or your own headphones.
Compatibility
The machine supports bluetooth and ANT+ connection. Wifi is recommended but ethernet is an option too. The machine also has the capability to sync with Strava, Apple Health, Fitbit, and Garmin to track your heartrate and progress.
Storage
I wanted to note here that Hydrow does sell an upright storage kit that allows you to lean the rower up against a wall when it’s not in use. We don’t have it yet but would definitely be open to setting this up in the garage in the future.
Delivery
Hydrow uses a third party white glove delivery service, and we had an amazing experience with this. They called us when the machine arrived at their local facility and arranged a time and date that same week. Two guys delivered the rower and got it all set up for us in our garage gym.
Hydrow Membership
While not required to use the machine, Hydrow offers a class membership for $50 per month. With the subscription, members have access to all of Hydrow’s live rowing classes as well as the entire library of 5,000 workouts. Hydrow currently offers rowing, yoga, pilates, and strength classes.
My husband and I have both really enjoyed the classes so far. Hydrow films a lot of their rows on location around the world (Lake Garda and Turks and Caicos were my favorites this month), so it’s a fun way to escape and always entertaining to see a new place. Each class has a different theme or focus, so there is something for everyone and every possible mood.
Can you use the Hydrow rower without a subscription?
Although the Hydrow Arc Rower is intended to be used with the membership, you can certainly still use the machine without it. Without the subscription, you won’t have access to the live or on-demand classes, but you can use the machine in “Just Row” mode and use the on-screen metrics during your workouts.
Personally, I think the membership really optimizes the rowing experience. I love getting the cues from the instructors to keep my form in line, and I also love the distraction of the scenery. The instructors are fun to watch and keep the workout dynamic, whereas I’d otherwise just be aimlessly rowing.
Is the Hydrow Rower worth it? My overall opinion of the Hydrow Arc Rower
If you are looking to invest in your at-home fitness situation, I think the Hydrow Arc Rower is absolutely worth it.
The machine itself is incredible. It provides such a smooth, quiet row and a low-impact, full body workout. It’s cardio and resistance training all in one, without taxing your joints. Adding rowing to my routine this month has been amazing, and my husband and I are both really, really impressed with the machine.
I would definitely recommend this rower to someone who is looking to level up their cardio endurance as well as functional strength.
Thank you to Hydrow for sponsoring this review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Hydrow has generously provided my readers with a $100 discount on any rower. Use my link and code RUTH100 at checkout.
On that note…
My HigherDOSE Red Light Mask Review
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