Are you interested in adding the Row-N-Ride® or Row-N-Ride Pro® to your home gym, but have some unanswered questions? We get all kinds of questions about this amazing machine, and below I'll answer our most popular questions to get you the answers you need!
Learn how to use the Row-N-Ride and get the best results from your workouts below!
1. I'm Feeling the Burn More in My Quads Than My Glutes. What Am I Doing Wrong?
I'm Feeling the Burn More in My Quads Than My Glutes. What Am I Doing Wrong?
First, be sure to plant your mid-foot on the pedal and drive your energy through your heels as you extend from your squat. Second, sit back with your hips, pushing your glutes back as you squat; this will put more emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings.
Remember, you do use your quads when squatting as well, so it's common to work these muscles in addition to your glutes.
2. Can I Use This Machine to Grow Muscle?
The best way to increase muscle mass is lifting lower rep ranges (sets of 8-15 reps) with heavier weight (2-3 resistance bands). To increase difficulty, try different exercises such as pistol squats or deadlifts off the machine (using the seat as your weight).
3. Can I Use This Machine to Lose Weight?
Yes, you can easily use the Row-N-Ride for weight loss and fat reduction purposes. For weight loss, we recommend focusing your sessions on more cardio-based activity, like cardio intervals, circuits, or HIIT workouts, to increase your heart rate and calorie burn while using your machine.
Remember, exercise is just one part of a full weight loss strategy - other elements of your daily routine like your diet, sleep, stress levels, and more play a role in the results you see.
4. Can People with Knee Pain Use the Row-N-Ride?
When considering purchasing the Row-N-Ride, one of the top questions you may have is, is it hard on the knees? This question has many layers, as it largely depends on your history - if you have a serious knee injury or complication or if you simply lack the range of motion to squat comfortably.
If you have had a history of injury complications or are actively recovering from an injury, we advise that you consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine.
However, if you simply consider yourself to be someone who has 'bad' knees or is someone who simply experiences the occasional ache or discomfort while squatting, the Row-N-Ride may be a good option for you! Read on to learn how the Row-N-Ride relieves pressure in the knees that may occur during regular squatting.
1) Squat Assist Function
The Row-N-Ride is a great machine for those who may experience discomfort or lack the range of motion to complete regular squats on the ground. The Row-N-Ride acts as a squat assist, helping to increase range of motion by rotating with your body as you squat.
2) Supportive Seat
The seat provides support as you go through your entire range of motion. Following your every move, it's there for support when you need it. We encourage users to use it lightly to help with their balance rather than depending on it through each squat, but it can be used that way if needed.
3) Handlebars
With the use of the handlebars, you'll take the pressure off your knees as you can use them to help you lower and raise safely while squatting.
Holding onto the handlebars will give you the confidence to sit back with your hips as you lower into your squat, relieving pressure from your knees and helping to increase engagement from your glutes and hamstrings.
4) Pivoting Pedals
As soon as you hop on the Row-N-Ride, you'll notice that it's equipped with pivoting pedals. This can help with those lacking range of motion that may limit the depth of your squat when squatting on flat ground.
When using the Row-N-Ride, you won't experience this limitation! As the pedals rotate with you as you move, you're able to go as deep or as shallow as you like in your squat without discomfort.
5) Adjustable Resistance
The Row-N-Ride offers adjustable resistance, which is great for both those looking to advance their fitness or those looking to ease back into things. If you're looking to start adding some gentle movement into your exercise routine, squat on the Row-N-Ride with no resistance added.
This is a great way to get your body and joints used to moving through the range of motion before adding on resistance bands to take your workout to that next level.
As you can see, the Row-N-Ride is an incredible machine for relieving pressure on the knees when squatting so you can get back to exercising how you want to!
5. Can I Use the Row-N-Ride® to Target My Tummy?
Yes! This machine uses compound exercises (exercises involving multiple muscle groups) to maximize calorie burn and burn fat throughout your workout. For proper form, we recommend activating your core as you squat and row on this machine which can help increase core stability and tone.While you can't spot reduce or focus your efforts on losing fat in one area like your belly, you can experience overall fat loss if following a proper workout regimen, as well as keeping your nutrition in check.
6. Can I Use the Row-N-Ride® to Target Saddlebags?
This machine is designed to help you tighten, tone, and increase strong lean muscle tone in your lower and upper body. Because of the compound movements, it can also be used to help you burn a high number of calories, helping to shed unwanted fat.
To specifically target the saddlebags, we recommend completing plie squat variations, where toes are pointed out to put more emphasis on the inner and outer thigh areas.
7. Can I Use the Row-N-Ride® to Target Inner Thighs?
Yes, to work inner thighs, we recommend pointing toes outward to complete plie squats, deep squats, and pulses, or completing single leg movements such as pistol squats.
8. Can the Row-N-Ride® Help with Pelvic Floor Strength?
Yes actually! There are better exercises for pelvic floor strength like Kegels and pelvic floor activations (which are a bit deeper and more active than Kegels in the pelvic floor zone), but squats are a great exercise to promote a strong pelvic floor.
That's if they're done correctly, so just like you must mindfully activate your core and glutes when working out, you must actively engage your pelvic floor while squatting to strengthen.
Narrow squats are ideal for this, so the Row-N-Ride design is quite nice to achieve this result. Of course, this can also be done with regular squats, which we'd recommend doing to strengthen this area prior to using your Row-N-Ride if needed.
9. My Back Hurts, What Am I Doing Wrong?
It is possible that the discomfort you are experiencing could be from improper posture. When using the Row-N-Ride, your back should not round forward during each squat. This means that your back should be straight from hips to head, and your shoulders should not be rounded forward. If you cannot maintain this position during each squat, you must decrease the depth and/or resistance bands while squatting until you can maintain good form with each rep. If you continue to experience back pain, consult your doctor.
10. How Many Times a Week Do I Use my Row-N-Ride®?
The Row-N-Ride has many uses; if used to achieve a cardiovascular workout with low resistance, high reps, this machine can be used daily. If using for resistance training purposes with higher resistance and lower repetitions, we recommend resting muscle groups at least 48 hours between use.
However, this machine can be used to target both the upper and lower body, so you could use it daily for resistance training - for example, Day One, you trained lower body; Day Two, you trained upper body; and then Day Three, you trained lower body again, and so on.
If muscles are sore, we always recommend resting them until they are no longer sore for a full recovery.
11. How Does the Row-N-Ride® Compare to a Regular Rowing Machine?
The Row-N-Ride was developed to help users achieve good squat form to train the hips and thighs.
The addition of the rowing handle offers a unique upper body training experience as you squat. The three attachable resistance bands ensure you can progress with your workouts as you get stronger.
Traditional rowing machines are excellent for building a strong cardiovascular system while building muscular endurance throughout the whole body.
Once you have mastered the rowing stroke, you can push yourself to maximum cardiovascular efforts, making the rowing machine a better choice for calorie burning.
Both pieces of equipment offer total body training that helps you burn significant calories while developing the muscles in your lower body, upper body, and core.
If your goal is greater potential for calorie burn, then a rowing machine would be a better choice. If your focus is more on developing muscular strength and tone, then the Row-N-Ride would be a better investment choice.
12. How Difficult is Assembly?
It's not difficult at all! There are only 7 steps to Row-N-Ride assembly, and all the tools are included. Many of our customers have reportedly finished setting up within 30-50 mins.
If you need any help throughout the assembly process, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team at support@sunnyhealthfitness.com - You can also find assembly videos on YouTube as well!
13. Can I Replace the Resistance Bands if They Break?
The bands can be replaced in the rare occurrence that they do break. Simply reach out to our team at support@sunnyhealthfitness.com, and we'll be happy to help! Our fitness instructors use this machine heavily without any issues.
14. Why Does This Product Have the P65 Warning?
The lead in the battery results in us having the Prop 65 warning. The lead does not expose you any more than the lead in a TV remote control.
I hope you enjoyed this quick Q&A to help you get started on your Row-N-Ride!
For more workouts and ideas for how to use your new machine, be sure to check out our Row-N-Ride playlist on YouTube and be sure to subscribe to the Sunny Health & Fitness YouTube channel we're always adding new workouts just for you!
