You might wonder just what in the world is an air rowing machine, since it seems rather odd to be rowing air.  But when it comes to exercise equipment, there are rowing machines that actually work with water as a form of the resistance and others that use magnetic, piston or weights for resistance.  Some however use air as the resistance mechanism; these are called air rowing machines since you are just rowing air.  They have a lot of benefits for anyone that is looking to get back into shape or those that want to take their physical fitness routine to the next level.

Using an air rowing machine at home can have great physical benefits.  It provides a good aerobic workout since you are using your entire body and can exercise as vigorously as you want; you can also go at your own pace if you need to work your way up to a better level of physical fitness.  When you use air as your resistance mechanism you increase or decrease the resistance according to your own efforts, which means you have a lot less chance of overdoing it or injuring yourself.

Most air rowing machines are very compact and can easily slide under a bed or into a closet, making them a perfect addition to your home gym equipment.  Because many people that are overweight have problems with their knees, ankles, and hips these rowing machines are very good for them since there is little or no impact on these joints.  You are sitting the entire time you're working out so there is no stress on your knees and ankles no matter how much extra weight you're carrying.

An air rowing machine also helps to build muscle tone in the entire body as you are pushing resistance with both the leg muscles and the muscles of the entire upper body as well.  You can build muscle while getting an aerobic workout, something you can't really do with a treadmill and which is a lot harder with a bike or elliptical machine.  All of the stepping or walking type of exercise machines are limited to your weight.  Unless you are willing to strap on twenty or thirty pounds of weights, building leg muscle mass past a certain point is just not possible.

Some of the better rowing machines allow you to decide which muscle groups to exercise.  You can exercise your upper body only or you can exercise your lower body only.  For the best cardio workout you should use the rowing machine exercise routine for the entire body.

A lot of physical therapists also use air rowing machines as the entire body gets a workout and it helps to not only tone muscles but to work all your tendons as well.  This means you're not just using resistance and lifting weights but are also stretching your entire body and all your muscle groups as well.  Those who use a rowing machine as the main part of their routine report feeling stretched and even relaxed after their workout, which isn't something you normally report with other pieces of equipment.

If you're looking for a great piece of equipment to add to your routine try an air rowing machine; it's great for aerobic and resistance training as well.