I am 70 years old and my wife a couple years younger. I've been considering purchasing a home rower for our home. I had a good friend who was a WWII vet who loved the rowing machine at the senior citizens center. The reason I'm considering a home rower is for both of us. I used to do push ups and sit ups on the floor but these days it is too hard to get back up with the arthritis and gout I battle. My wife has battled cancer eight times, had12 surgeries in ten years, maxed out on chemo, radiation and cyberknife treatments. She is currently on immunotherapy treatments and will be every 28 days for the rest of her life. Two years ago she had a total hip replacement that didn't go well. The radiation she had in 2011 caused vascular necrosis of her hip. In other words the radiation ruined the blood flow to her hip. Two months after her hip surgery she had brain sugery to remove some cancer that was causing her to have seizures. The surgery was a success because she hasn't had any seizures since, but it left her left side extremely weak, sort of like a stroke victim. I think she will be able to handle a rowing machine if set at a low resistance level. You gave a very nice review on this rower but one measurement which is never given is the seat height. It might not be important to anyone else, but given my wife's condition the seat height is very important to us. I will have to help her on and off the machine. She hasn't walked without the aid of a walker or my assitance since her surgery. She spends most of each day in a recliner, but just s few years ago she was on a hay wagon stacking square bales of hay and loving it. It's hard to believe how much her life has changed in the last two years. I hope a rowing machine can help restore the quality of life for her.
I think it would be better if I could see a longer actual rowing scene with all the sound and not covered by music or anything so I can get a better hold of the actual feeling of the exercise.
I've had this rower since Aug. 2020 and have over 1,500 km on it. I've also noted the difference in watts/splits compared to other rowers like the concept2. As you rightly point out, if you are just trying to get an at-home workout, that seems to be a minor issue. My unit is still quiet but I did have a rowing strap failure so I'll get to see what the local maintenance / service response will be. I agree with your review. I have size 11 feet and the handle placement isn't an issue for me but I could see for someone with larger feet where that might be a problem. For me the major benefit is the much reduced noise levels compared to other rowers. There is just no comparison.
@@donnagoode6923 Yes, the strap failed due to fatigue. As I mentioned, I had put ~1500 km on it and I typically run at the higher resistance levels (18+). I'm 6'1" ~215lb and have a history of wearing out consumer level exercise equipment (Nordic track ski machines x2, Schwinn recumbent exercise bike x2, Cateye upright exercise stationary bike, etc.). The strap failed but it was not dangerous, just separated about 6-8 feet from the handle. I tried to order a replacement strap but the Proform website said there were none in stock so my wife found some similar strap material and sewed up a new strap for me which I replaced. I've since sold the machine as we moved (it held its value fairly well and I did tell the used sports dealer of the strap repair we had done).
@@FatherOfTheParty very helpful. Thanks for the details. I’m 70 years old female… doubt I will wear out the strap but will definitely keep an eye on it for wear if I decide to buy it.
Wife and I found this for an at-home machine and to help us get into shape and for me to recover and work around chronic back issues (w my chiropractors consultation also of course) looks great for the price. Not cheap but not too expensive.
I've been rowing for 18 years. Hold several records. Every rower new experienced will have a different result with each rowing machine. The only part of her review that is 100% wrong is this is a recreational rower. I use this rower over the 2k rowers. Why because I don't need a fancy screen and the 24 resistance well I'd like to see her do a 10k on that setting under 35 Min than say it's recreational. There is noway. The only bad thing about this rower is the weak Ifit that you must use to unlock it. This is the rower I have all my men clients get that are big meat heads to shred that 3 to 4% upper body fat and build quick twitch muscle fibers. This rower is for a man or woman. And is a better one for building that upper body up. Rowing is a HIT workout and this is the best one for the money. I live and breath rowing it's my passion. And no that company is not a sponsor of mine.
@synthia7944 You will love your purchase. If you stick with it, you will notice some very nice results in a few months. Just focus on form and set trying to make it to 5k or 10k the first month.
Thank you! I just got it yesterday. It's really smooth and quiet, that's for sure. I feel like it will give a great work out if I do as you say and I appreciate your feedback as someone who it has gotten so much out of this machine. I am having trouble with the console, no instructions on how to use really. It's not registering anything I'm doing so obviously I'm missing something. I'm calling on Monday to debug but that's now 3 days of the iFit free trial where I'm not getting all the data. The high tech -- locked until iFit activation aspect is a bit challenging but It's fine. I'm sure I'll get it squared away. @@jessicamiller9676
Nice review. I found a used one local for sale for $250. Not a bad deal but I’m 255lbs so not sure this model will hold up for me. Thanks for the review.
I'm strongly considering this rower but read another scathing review on another site. His issue was that the strap went very slack on the way back after a pull (? sorry if my terminology is way off). Did you notice that to be an issue?
I saw this and he was pulling really hard on the strap. He's a rowing pro and might use the machine a lot differently than the average fitness buff. The comments on that review reflected a high level of satisfaction among buyers so it's always good to remember who's doing the review and their expectations based on their needs.
Hows the resistance and can I use my phone of I'm not connected to if it? Please answer. I'm one way of click on purchasing one. Thank you great content.
The resistance is fine, as you can see there is some lag in the strap as you come back towards the catch. But this machine is totally silent and priced very well so it makes it worth it. If we're understanding you correctly, if you're not connected to iFit then no you won't be able to connect your phone to the machine with another workout app.
what is the resistence - Only Magnetic? I'm 60 yrs old and somewhat fit so I want a rower with strong resistence. I tried a Sunny magnetic rower which was more for a teenager as there was little to NO resistence. So hopefully this ProForm is built for a solid workout ?
The ProForm 750R only has magnetic resistance. If you are looking for a really powerful magnetic rower, I would try the NordicTrack rowers or the Hydrow brand. If you are open to non-magnetic rowers, check out the Concept2 RowERG for air, Aviron Strong for dual magnetic and air, or Ergatta rowers for water resistance.
Same as JessicaI don't think I agree this is recreational, but I might not use it for Olympic training. I believe she missed some important comments, for instance it is not the same a the air machines, as the catch is a little loose at the end on high stroke rate (34/36), but not a big deal. I have been using it with ifit trainers and it is worth the money and the silence compare to the C2. Resistance is good, and it all depends on your stroke push and your stroke rate. Not sure how long this lady has been rowing but I don't agree with the body/arm/leg that she demonstrates.
Row bar broke for me after six months and was insanely difficult to replace. Would not at all recommend. I assume this row bar issue will be a 1-2 times per year problem.
@@tjerja the row bar and pulley system that operates the machine wore down and broke, not the bar itself. Eventually they sent out a technician who said “it’s insanely difficult to replace these on your own and this shouldn’t be breaking so soon.”
Hmm, this seems to be more of a review of iFit software than it is a review of the rowing machine. Glad you're an iFit fan girl. It sounds like cool software if you want to pony up the cash for the subscription. The subscription is simply not something I'm interested in at this point. Otherwise it's a 'fair' review of the equipment.
Agree. They are hard to find since they sell the subscription so damn hard. I know they are divided into calorie, time, and interval categories though.
@@AaronDe808 We just received ours, and I haven't run a built-in workout yet because it didn't seem to work. Instructions I found were to press calorie, time, or interval icons multiple times to select variations, but it just didn't look like it was starting and didn't count reps or anything, so it's pretty confusing. Same loud beep no matter what I press, and no further instructions. I threw in the towel and fired up the free iFit trial instead, which clearly got more development attention. Since I have near-zero interest in subscribing to something I own, I'll need to figure out built-ins in the next month somehow.
@@ritzenhauf I finally figured out how to launch the built-in workouts. Previously, the machine just beeped when the three workout buttons (Calories, Time, Interval) were pressed. Turning off or disconnecting my Bluetooth tablet, the buttons can actually be used to select a numbered workout. To begin the selected workout, press START. To end the workout, press STOP. Sadly, the workouts are only identified by a number, e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc., and it's impossible to tell in advance exactly what each workout involves. The display cycles through the usual metrics while working out, but pressing stop immediately resets the display to zero. Very lame. As far as I can tell, the display can't save or track the data over multiple workouts.
@@AaronDe808 big help, thanks! there ought to be a breakdown of numbered workout details in the manual, or better yet, reference card. agreed--there ought to be at least a basic way to track workouts, too. maybe there are free or open-source apps out there that might help?
What an absolute terrible company or piece of equipment to ever have purchased. All because a box was packaged with two left feet, screws that don't screw, a note that says do not return to place of purchase, and a customer service representative that obviously got upset her communication skills could not resolve the issue. Multiple emails sent. Multiple phone calls. The worst customer experience the last twenty years at least. It looks like something I would have appreciated.
Stay away from this machine. The consoles don’t work. Costumer support is terrible, they don’t answer and you will spend hours on hold. My console never worked since out of the box. Don’t take the risk and time of buying it, putting it together to then return it. Worst yet if you bought it online. You should not be replacing or repairing something brand new. After all your hard earned money was not defective.
I am 70 years old and my wife a couple years younger. I've been considering purchasing a home rower for our home. I had a good friend who was a WWII vet who loved the rowing machine at the senior citizens center.
The reason I'm considering a home rower is for both of us. I used to do push ups and sit ups on the floor but these days it is too hard to get back up with the arthritis and gout I battle. My wife has battled cancer eight times, had12 surgeries in ten years, maxed out on chemo, radiation and cyberknife treatments. She is currently on immunotherapy treatments and will be every 28 days for the rest of her life.
Two years ago she had a total hip replacement that didn't go well. The radiation she had in 2011 caused vascular necrosis of her hip. In other words the radiation ruined the blood flow to her hip. Two months after her hip surgery she had brain sugery to remove some cancer that was causing her to have seizures. The surgery was a success because she hasn't had any seizures since, but it left her left side extremely weak, sort of like a stroke victim.
I think she will be able to handle a rowing machine if set at a low resistance level. You gave a very nice review on this rower but one measurement which is never given is the seat height. It might not be important to anyone else, but given my wife's condition the seat height is very important to us. I will have to help her on and off the machine. She hasn't walked without the aid of a walker or my assitance since her surgery. She spends most of each day in a recliner, but just s few years ago she was on a hay wagon stacking square bales of hay and loving it. It's hard to believe how much her life has changed in the last two years. I hope a rowing machine can help restore the quality of life for her.
I think it would be better if I could see a longer actual rowing scene with all the sound and not covered by music or anything so I can get a better hold of the actual feeling of the exercise.
I've had this rower since Aug. 2020 and have over 1,500 km on it. I've also noted the difference in watts/splits compared to other rowers like the concept2. As you rightly point out, if you are just trying to get an at-home workout, that seems to be a minor issue. My unit is still quiet but I did have a rowing strap failure so I'll get to see what the local maintenance / service response will be. I agree with your review. I have size 11 feet and the handle placement isn't an issue for me but I could see for someone with larger feet where that might be a problem. For me the major benefit is the much reduced noise levels compared to other rowers. There is just no comparison.
a rowing strap failure???? like it broke? that sounds like it could cause a bad injury. could you give more detail? thanks.
@@donnagoode6923 Yes, the strap failed due to fatigue. As I mentioned, I had put ~1500 km on it and I typically run at the higher resistance levels (18+). I'm 6'1" ~215lb and have a history of wearing out consumer level exercise equipment (Nordic track ski machines x2, Schwinn recumbent exercise bike x2, Cateye upright exercise stationary bike, etc.). The strap failed but it was not dangerous, just separated about 6-8 feet from the handle. I tried to order a replacement strap but the Proform website said there were none in stock so my wife found some similar strap material and sewed up a new strap for me which I replaced. I've since sold the machine as we moved (it held its value fairly well and I did tell the used sports dealer of the strap repair we had done).
@@FatherOfTheParty very helpful. Thanks for the details. I’m 70 years old female… doubt I will wear out the strap but will definitely keep an eye on it for wear if I decide to buy it.
How would you compare this to the concept2?
Wife and I found this for an at-home machine and to help us get into shape and for me to recover and work around chronic back issues (w my chiropractors consultation also of course) looks great for the price. Not cheap but not too expensive.
I have one that was given to me and I find that it works great
I've been rowing for 18 years. Hold several records. Every rower new experienced will have a different result with each rowing machine. The only part of her review that is 100% wrong is this is a recreational rower. I use this rower over the 2k rowers. Why because I don't need a fancy screen and the 24 resistance well I'd like to see her do a 10k on that setting under 35 Min than say it's recreational. There is noway. The only bad thing about this rower is the weak Ifit that you must use to unlock it. This is the rower I have all my men clients get that are big meat heads to shred that 3 to 4% upper body fat and build quick twitch muscle fibers. This rower is for a man or woman. And is a better one for building that upper body up. Rowing is a HIT workout and this is the best one for the money. I live and breath rowing it's my passion. And no that company is not a sponsor of mine.
Wow. Thank you, Jessica (Kyle?). I feel better about the purchase I made today now.
what's the difference between this and nordic track,tgey look like same?
@synthia7944 You will love your purchase. If you stick with it, you will notice some very nice results in a few months. Just focus on form and set trying to make it to 5k or 10k the first month.
@eminismayilov3900 They are the only thing or big thing I would tell you is that you can try both. One may be more comfortable.
Thank you! I just got it yesterday. It's really smooth and quiet, that's for sure. I feel like it will give a great work out if I do as you say and I appreciate your feedback as someone who it has gotten so much out of this machine. I am having trouble with the console, no instructions on how to use really. It's not registering anything I'm doing so obviously I'm missing something. I'm calling on Monday to debug but that's now 3 days of the iFit free trial where I'm not getting all the data. The high tech -- locked until iFit activation aspect is a bit challenging but It's fine. I'm sure I'll get it squared away. @@jessicamiller9676
Nice review. I found a used one local for sale for $250. Not a bad deal but I’m 255lbs so not sure this model will hold up for me. Thanks for the review.
How has it been ?
Can I use it without subscription?
Is there a headphone jack to plug your device into and make use of the speakers?
What causes the belt to slip a little?
I'm strongly considering this rower but read another scathing review on another site. His issue was that the strap went very slack on the way back after a pull (? sorry if my terminology is way off). Did you notice that to be an issue?
I saw this and he was pulling really hard on the strap. He's a rowing pro and might use the machine a lot differently than the average fitness buff. The comments on that review reflected a high level of satisfaction among buyers so it's always good to remember who's doing the review and their expectations based on their needs.
Thank you, excellent 👏 review, BRAVO👏 !!
Hows the resistance and can I use my phone of I'm not connected to if it? Please answer. I'm one way of click on purchasing one. Thank you great content.
The resistance is fine, as you can see there is some lag in the strap as you come back towards the catch. But this machine is totally silent and priced very well so it makes it worth it. If we're understanding you correctly, if you're not connected to iFit then no you won't be able to connect your phone to the machine with another workout app.
what is the resistence - Only Magnetic? I'm 60 yrs old and somewhat fit so I want a rower with strong resistence. I tried a Sunny magnetic rower which was more for a teenager as there was little to NO resistence. So hopefully this ProForm is built for a solid workout ?
The ProForm 750R only has magnetic resistance. If you are looking for a really powerful magnetic rower, I would try the NordicTrack rowers or the Hydrow brand. If you are open to non-magnetic rowers, check out the Concept2 RowERG for air, Aviron Strong for dual magnetic and air, or Ergatta rowers for water resistance.
Hi there trying to decide between this model and nordictrack rw500. Which one do you feel is the better rower ???
! ! ! EXCELENT REVIEW ! ! !
! ! ! BEYOND CLEAR, TRUTHFUL ! ! !
Many Thanks !
what's the difference between it and nordictrack 800
Thank you for the review.
Glad to help!
Same as JessicaI don't think I agree this is recreational, but I might not use it for Olympic training. I believe she missed some important comments, for instance it is not the same a the air machines, as the catch is a little loose at the end on high stroke rate (34/36), but not a big deal. I have been using it with ifit trainers and it is worth the money and the silence compare to the C2. Resistance is good, and it all depends on your stroke push and your stroke rate. Not sure how long this lady has been rowing but I don't agree with the body/arm/leg that she demonstrates.
does this machine allow to properly perform catch position?
Does rowing tone your stomach?
Yes, there is surprisingly a lot of core activation while rowing.
Row bar broke for me after six months and was insanely difficult to replace. Would not at all recommend. I assume this row bar issue will be a 1-2 times per year problem.
Can you not replace the row bar with any other random fitness weightlifting bar?
@@tjerja the row bar and pulley system that operates the machine wore down and broke, not the bar itself. Eventually they sent out a technician who said “it’s insanely difficult to replace these on your own and this shouldn’t be breaking so soon.”
Hmm, this seems to be more of a review of iFit software than it is a review of the rowing machine. Glad you're an iFit fan girl. It sounds like cool software if you want to pony up the cash for the subscription. The subscription is simply not something I'm interested in at this point. Otherwise it's a 'fair' review of the equipment.
Can you please provide the model number? Mine did not come with a tablet holder so I’m unable to use Ifit with my tablet. Thanks in advance!
What are the 20 preloaded workouts? Their settings etc?
Agree. They are hard to find since they sell the subscription so damn hard. I know they are divided into calorie, time, and interval categories though.
I would like to know this as well. Cantt find a clear explanation of how to select built in workouts. ☹️
@@AaronDe808 We just received ours, and I haven't run a built-in workout yet because it didn't seem to work. Instructions I found were to press calorie, time, or interval icons multiple times to select variations, but it just didn't look like it was starting and didn't count reps or anything, so it's pretty confusing. Same loud beep no matter what I press, and no further instructions. I threw in the towel and fired up the free iFit trial instead, which clearly got more development attention. Since I have near-zero interest in subscribing to something I own, I'll need to figure out built-ins in the next month somehow.
@@ritzenhauf I finally figured out how to launch the built-in workouts. Previously, the machine just beeped when the three workout buttons (Calories, Time, Interval) were pressed. Turning off or disconnecting my Bluetooth tablet, the buttons can actually be used to select a numbered workout. To begin the selected workout, press START. To end the workout, press STOP. Sadly, the workouts are only identified by a number, e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc., and it's impossible to tell in advance exactly what each workout involves. The display cycles through the usual metrics while working out, but pressing stop immediately resets the display to zero. Very lame. As far as I can tell, the display can't save or track the data over multiple workouts.
@@AaronDe808 big help, thanks! there ought to be a breakdown of numbered workout details in the manual, or better yet, reference card.
agreed--there ought to be at least a basic way to track workouts, too. maybe there are free or open-source apps out there that might help?
Is this the same as the proform pro r10 but without the screen? That model doesn't seem to have as many reviews.
Do you need to use ifit in order to access workouts on the machine? Sucks if you need to spend 40 a month after spending 600 for the machine
No, from another video I watched it can sync with iFit but you can just use the console to workout.
How do you set the manual time from the console not from the i fit app? Just bought the machine and I cant figure it out. Thank you.
Did you figure it out I'm having the same problem.
Same here I read that if you hold rhe ifit button you can go into manual mode , but nothing on the display reacts
Can this unit track calories without a monthly fee?
Does this machine have resistance level?
It has 24 variations
You say on your video that the smartphone app iFIT audio doesn't come out through the speakers? Is that correct as others say it does?
This is for an apartment
What an absolute terrible company or piece of equipment to ever have purchased. All because a box was packaged with two left feet, screws that don't screw, a note that says do not return to place of purchase, and a customer service representative that obviously got upset her communication skills could not resolve the issue. Multiple emails sent. Multiple phone calls. The worst customer experience the last twenty years at least. It looks like something I would have appreciated.
You are beautiful!
Stay away from this machine. The consoles don’t work. Costumer support is terrible, they don’t answer and you will spend hours on hold. My console never worked since out of the box. Don’t take the risk and time of buying it, putting it together to then return it. Worst yet if you bought it online. You should not be replacing or repairing something brand new. After all your hard earned money was not defective.
I thought it was just mine smh , the display doesn't react to anything am doing and just stays at 0 on everything
Thanks for your review.
I don't have an I phone so I will not be purchasing
it doesn't have to be an iphone
@@1whical Thank you