Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsA Great Piece of Exercise Equipment
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2011
The shipping review. (Feel free to skip this.)
I have always had good shipping experiences with Amazon. This was really the first time I have had a somewhat negative shipping experience but I received the product in good condition. It just went to the wrong address. It was a former residence of mine from a long time ago but somehow it ended up being used as the shipping address. You are probably thinking it is my own fault for not properly verifying the address. I should have made sure the correct address was in place but I also feel like I should have been explicitly asked to verify the shipping address as I always have been in the past but this time I am fairly certain I was never asked to verify. I admit I rushed through the order process as I was at work (on lunch break) and could have blown past it but I don't think so. I applied for the Amazon Credit Card during check out and this I think altered the normal checkout process perhaps causing me not to be presented with the normal verification screen. Or I just spaced it, I don't know.
The moral of the story is always verify your shipping address when ordering from Amazon because they do save every address you have ever used with them. I have since gone into my account and removed all old addresses so this won't happen again. Luckily the people currently at my old address were honest and reasonable and, armed with everything I could find to print out, it didn't take too much persuading to get my package back, still unopened. I was somewhat apprehensive about the whole thing but it all worked out in the end. It could have gone a lot worse.
Welcome to the actual machine review.
Assembly
1. The documentation is in about a half dozen or so languages and one of them is indeed English. Look for the letters GB (for Great Britain I presume)to indicate the English translation of the instructions. There is not a separate set of instructions for each language, rather there is one set of assembly diagrams and any explanatory text is repeated in each language. Again, look for GB to indicate the English language. It is English English. About the only word that might confuse some Americans is "Spanner". It means "Wrench".
2. Speaking of wrenches, they are provided. The only tool that you need to provide is a medium sized cross head screwdriver that is only used to secure the decorative plastic piece on the rear end. There is even a socket with a slide through t-handle that will hold the nut on the other end of this. However I recomend using your own metric socket set if you have one. 3/8" drive ratchet with socket sizes 13mm, 10mm, and 8mm will work nicely. I used the included wrenches for holding. There is a long bar that gets a nut on each end to hold the foot pedals on. I especially recommend a ratchet for this as it gets tight early and is very long winded.
3. My unit had the tension knobs and associated hardware in a separate plastic bag. This should eliminate the issue people were having with using the wrong bolts here.
4. All of the information you need to sucessfully assemble the product is there, just take your time and make sure everything is oriented correctly (refer to images of the fully assembled machine) before torquing down the locknuts as they are not supposed to be reused once removed. The lock nuts can be identified by a small indentation on one of the flats. They claim in the instructions that it should take 35 minutes to assemble. This is only realistic if you have already done one or two. I'm guessing they timed one of their employees as he assembled one but he must have been already familiar with the machine. One to two hours is more realistic for the average person allowing time to stare at the diagrams and make sure everything is properly oriented etc. For me it was about an hour and a half from the time I cut the straps on the box until I was sitting on the fully assembled machine. This included reading through all the instructions before even pulling any parts out of the box. It really is very simple and now that I have done one I am sure I could do one in about 1 half hour without the instructions. You bolt the crossmembers to the rail and bolt the tailpiece to the rail. Bolt on the oars. Don't forget the steel bushings. That's a total of 4 bolts. Make sure the seat is in place and install the stopper for the seat and the decorative end piece. Install the foot treads. Install the training computer. That's it you're done. If I had it to do over again I would leave the seat and the stopper and plastic end piece till last just because it was always sliding around as I moved the machine into different positions but other than that it went very smoothly.
5. The only issue I have with the machine assembly is that the training computer doesn't seem to lock into place. I can set it over the plastic mounting piece and slide it forward as instructed and having done so I cannot lift it straight up but it slides back to the release point too easily. I feel like it should lock or click into place somehow so that it would require at least a little force to remove it. I don't know if this is a defect in my unit or just the way it is. On visual examination I cannot locate any signs of broken plastic tabs or any other signs of breakage so I suspect that it was designed that way. In actual use it likely won't be much of an issue since in both the workout and upright storage positions gravity will tend to keep it in place.
Actual Use.
1. I do not have much to say about the training computer in use because I have not really tried to use it and I'm not sure if I ever will. My old machine (Avita 950 SL) has a count down timer and I think one other function that I never used. I used the count down timer occaisionally but once the battery died I never bothered to replace it. I have never been the type to check my pulse rate or try to calculate calories burned, BMI or any of that high tech fitness stuff. I don't need a timer because I make myself iPod playlists specifically for my workout. I start with about 5 minutes of slow music to warm up while I row slowly and stretch on the machine. Then about 20 to 30 minutes of fast paced music and I just try to go like hell and match my rowing strokes to the beat. Then about 5 minutes of slower music when I row slowly to cool down and stretch. My only goal for each workout is to break a good sweat. When I find it is taking too long to break a good sweat then I know it is time to up the tension a bit.
I did notice that without me setting anything the training computer starts giving feedback right away. It counts your strokes, gives strokes per minute etc. When not in use it displays the ambient temperature. It displays in celcius and I don't think that can be changed but I haven't really tried very hard so I could be wrong. As far as I can tell there is no way to turn the computer off short of removing the battery.
2. Part of the motivation for getting the new machine is that old Avita 950 SL is not as quiet as it used to be. It has squeaks and creaks that won't go away no matter how much I try to lubricate it.(I have had it since the early 90s and it has endured bouts of non-climate controlled storage) The Kettler Favorit is very quiet so far with no annoying squeaks. Only the swoosh of the seat bearings gliding back and forth. And I am 240 pounds so that's a pretty good test. Yes I have fallen off the wagon and when I got the Avita out of storage to climb back on the wagon I realized it might be time to look into a shiny new machine. Time will tell if the Kettler remains as quiet as it is now. I don't plan on putting it into storage anytime soon. When I am working out regularly my weight is usually around 200 pounds. I will be there by July or August of 2012 if all goes well.
3. My old machine sat very low to the ground and was a bit awkward to climb on and off. Another thing that drew me to the KF was the elevation at the rear of the machine. I was hoping that this would make it at least a little more comfortable to mount and dismount the machine. I do in fact find this to be the case. At the end of my workout after unstrapping my feet I just slide the seat back as far as it will go, place my hands on my knees, rock forward slightly, and stand straight up. The old machine was more like a rolling off motion sometimes burning my leg on a hot hydraulic cylinder.
4. The foot treads on my old machine were made of metal and seemed higher quality than the plastic treads on the KF. The velcro straps also seemed of a higher quality and have not lost their "grippiness" after all these years. That said the plastic foot treads on the KF are quite thick and heavy duty and I don't forsee that being a problem. Only time will tell about the durability of the velcro straps on the KF. For now they are fine.
5. My old machine had a feature where the seat could be locked in position and you could do some makeshift resistance training. I used this feature on and off until one day the knob broke off. I could use pliers to reach in and lock/unlock it after that but it was awkward so I gave up on that. I was hoping the KF would have a similar feature but it does not. No big deal.
6. The KF oars have lateral articulation while my old machine did not. I noticed this during assembly and wondered If I would like the feature or not. I find I do like the feature. I don't know if it is intended to more acurately simulate real rowing nor do I know or care if they accoplished this. All I know is that it is nice to be able to swing the handles(oars) out a little wide to clear my knees on the forward stroke. On my old machine I had to remember to pull my knees together a little on the forward stroke to avoid hitting them and it always felt a little unnatural and uncomfortable. Of course I got used to it.
Also, I like to vary my grip during a workout such as overhand, underhand, and this just gives me another variable to add to my workout. When I keep the oars wide during the pull stroke I can feel it working muscles I never knew I had.
7. Overall in use the machine feels very smooth and sturdy.
Rowing in General as a form of exercise.
1. In my oppinion rowing on a machine like the KF is an excellent choice for a way to get into good physical condition and maintain it. While doing a variety of activities is always best if you had to pick one thing and stick with it for me the rowing machine is it.
I have read a few articles in fitness magazines where they will rate the top five or ten types of areobic exercise machines. While the rowing machinne never seems to be #1 it is always near the top of the list. Usually the ski simulating machines are at the top. I have no doubt you can get a good workout on one of those but to get one that is half way decent you need to spend thousands. And they are most certainly not portable. I used to travel the US in a cargo van for work and I was looking for something portable. I was in a K-Mart in the early 90s doing electrical work and I saw the As-Seen-On-TV Easy Glider ski simulator. What a POS that was! I never was able to even keep it together long enough to finish a workout. I returned that thing and the next stop was the Avita 950 SL rowing machine. After a few false starts I managed to get myself into the best shape of my adult life at the time all while traveling the US in a cargo van and working insane hours. I had gotten much heavier than I wanted to be thanks to my diet of 100% fast food. Once I started working out I found that I just naturally gravitated towards a healthier diet. I think once the workouts became an important part of my life and I experienced the horrible feeling of trying to workout after having recently gobbled down a double Whopper, large fries,and large Coke, I just unconcieously began to avoid that situation and would eat a light lunch if at all.
2. Some people, including the authers of some of the above mentioned articles say the rowing machine is boring. It is true that any repetitive motion will eventually get boring. But once you get some positive results you become more motivated to continue. And as I said earlier I use music for motivation. I get so into the music during a workout that I almost forget where I am. The music you choose obviously will depend on what you like but what matters is you use it to control the intensity of your workout and help break up the monotony. Peronally I use a lot of old school Iron Maiden for that driving gallop beat but also Metallica, Iced Earth, Justin Bieber, Motorhead and Dio. ;) \m/
Personally I don't like to workout in front of the television. While it will breakup the monotony it (at least for me) kills the intensity of the workout, especially after you begin to get into better shape.
3. When getting started rowing take it easy at first, even if you consider yourself a very fit person from other activities. You will be stressing a different group of muscles from different directions and intensities. The hardest part is starting and keeping with it. If you go all out the first few times you WILL be incredibly sore the next day and phsycologically less motivated to continue. Instead go nice and easy until you have established the habbit. I like to do 5 days a week and rest on the weekend but starting out just try 3 times a week if that's easier. The important thing is to tell yourself that I am going to work out from this time until that time on these days and then put on your workout clothes and strap yourself into the machine when that time and day comes along. Even if all you do is just glide back and forth gently while concentrating on good form for the determined time period you will be establishing the habbit. When you finally do really go for a real workout you will likely be sore the next day but having established the habbit will help you to keep going. Soon you will be able to soak your favorite workout clothes with sweat and you will not have any muscle soreness but instead just feel great and full of energy. I guess I am mostly speaking to those who have been sedentary for a long while as regular exercisers of any kind know all to well about the muscle soreness that can occur from over doing it at the start of any exercise routine and how it can discourage you from continuing.
4. Rowing is a very low impact form of exercise and generally easy on the joints. It is a great way for a person who has been sedentary and is overweight to start getting some exercise. That said you can acheive a high level of fitness from rowing. Like most things in life you get out of it what you put into it. As your fitness level increases you need to increase the intensity of your workout to continue to improve. You can even do some simple resistance training on a rowing machine but eventually you will want to add some weight training to your routine depending on your goals. And rowing is a great way to warm up before weight lifting.
5. For the money spent (easily under $500 for a quality machine that will last a lifetime)and the quality of the workout you can't go wrong with this or any quality rowing machine. You could get a statioary bike for about the same money but to me, now that is boring and not even my tunes can get me past it! You could ride a real bike but that can be dangerous depending on where you live. And a flat tire when you're 2 or 3 miles out could mean being late for work or cut into your evening routine and sleep time also possibly making you late for work. And the chances of being run over by a bus while working out on your rowing machine in your livingroom are (almost) zero. Incidentally, being run over by a bus is also likely to make you late for work.
I appologize for such a long and rambling review. I tend to get carried away writing about things that I really feel strongly about.
So for those of you who hate long reviews but came here driven by a desire to find a way to fulfill that New Years resolution to make 2012 the year you finally get in shape here is the bottom line.
BOTTOM LINE: If you want a single exercise that will work every major muscle group in your body and can be done in any room in your home with a machine that takes up relatively little space then I highly recommend a piston style rowing machine.
As a new owner of the Kettler Favorit piston style rowing machine and a long time ownwer of the very high quality Avita 950 SL piston style rowing machine I have compared the Kettler to my long time experience with the Avita and the Kettler compares very favorably and often exceeds certain aspects of my old machine. In fact if I could get into a time machine and go back to 1993 and the Kettler and Avita machines were side by side I would buy the Kettler even if it cost a little more. It probably would because in 1993 the Avita was priced at about the price of the Kettler today.
Ok Sorry.
HERE IS THE REAL BOTTOM LINE (I promise):
You are reading this because you are looking for the perfect piece of exercise equipment to acheive your fitness goals.
You have found it. Buy the Kettler Favorit. Start to use it everyday or at least every other day and after about six months
you will (if you have put forth any effort at all) see and feel positive results. Obviously the machine can't do the work for you
but if that's what you're looking for I don't think you'll find it on Amazon. Maybe try WalMart.
Ok I have not written many reviews but I have read many where the reviewer states that they don't work for the manufacturer of the product under review. Somtimes I even believe them.
I really don't work for Kettler nor am I affiliated with them in any way. Really my enthusiasm is for rowing machines in general but this just happens to be the one I just bought so...
Happy New Year and Happy Rowing
