Comparison Hop-Sport HS-095R Spike vs Hop-Sport HS-100AR Roam

The value of the maximum allowable load on the design of the rowing machine (due to the weight of the athlete). If the weight of the athlete exceeds the maximum value, then the structural elements of the equipment may fail. The most common user weight limits are: up to 100 kg, up to 120 kg, up to 140 kg and over 140 kg.

— Magnetic. To counteract the efforts of the athlete, a set of stationary magnets is used. Such a load system is autonomous and, unlike an electromagnet (see paragraph "Electromagnetic"), does not require connection to a household electrical network. The user of the training machine can set the required degree of load. It does not require periodic maintenance.

— Air. Counteraction to the efforts of the athlete is carried out due to the operation of the pneumatic cylinder. The mechanism is completely autonomous and does not require a connection to a household electrical network. The degree of load can be controlled by acting on the air valves of the cylinder. The system requires periodic maintenance, the owner of the machine needs to pump lubricant from time to time and change the rubber seals with gaskets on the piston heads.

— Magnetic-air. This load type provides a more realistic boat rowing simulation. The main load is created due to the classical mechanism of magnetic action (see the “Magnetic” paragraph above), and the additional load is due to the pneumatic spring in the frame. The strength of the athlete is counteracted by both the magnetized rowing handles and the sprung frame of the rowing machine. Because of the latter, the athlete also needs to maintain the balance of the position of his body, since the fram...e structure is not rigid, but movable. The magnetic-air load makes the training process more complex and effective. Due to the movable frame of the machine, a greater number of athlete's muscles are loaded.

— Water. The machine counteracts the efforts of the athlete due to the work of the water cylinder. The principle of operation is similar to the principle of operation of an air cylinder, but the load is created due to the compression of the liquid in the working chamber. The system does not need to be connected to a household power supply. The degree of load can be adjusted by changing the volume of liquid in the chamber. Such a system requires periodic maintenance.

— Electromagnetic. The system works based on the action of magnetic force. Unlike stationary magnets (see paragraph "Magnetic"), which function under the influence of spontaneous attraction, an electric magnet works due to magnetic induction that occurs around a DC conductor. The mechanism is very simple in design and does not require periodic maintenance, but for the operation of the machine, it is necessary to connect to the mains or use batteries. The athlete can regulate the load in a very wide range of values, the electromagnet allows for fine adjustment of the degree of load.

— Hydraulic. This type of loading is the most accurate way to imitate rowing on a boat since the machine is equipped with a resemblance of real oars. It allows you to achieve a more accurate muscle load when simulating rowing. People of different age categories and physical fitness can train on such rowing machines.

The weight of the flywheel affects the stroke length of the rowing machine handles. The higher the weight, the more the machine can provide a higher degree of load.

The ability to adjust the length of the footrests allows you to adjust the machine to the height of any user.

With this mechanism, you can install the rowing machine in a perfectly flat horizontal plane, even if the floor of the gym has an uneven surface. The design of the machine has height-adjustable supports. Usually, the rowing machine is placed on 4 supports. Height adjustment is carried out manually using an open-end wrench or a special clamping nut with a handle. The accuracy of the level of compliance with the horizontal plane of the machine is checked using the bubble level (by the way, the bubble level can be built into the frame of the machine).

Training programs allow the athlete to purposefully carry out loads on certain muscle groups. The most common types of programs are muscle strength training (the machine creates an optimal load to quickly and effectively strengthen the main muscle groups), cardiovascular training (the machine creates loads that can effectively strengthen the athlete’s cardiovascular system), training to increase the tone of the body, etc.

Heart rate-dependent is a type of training program in which the load is adjusted depending on the heart rate of the athlete. You just need to set the desired rate — and the rowing machine with heart rate-dependent programs will automatically adjust all training parameters so that this heart rate is maintained for the desired time.

The simplest version of the heart rate program is the constant heart rate mode when the heart rate is maintained at the same level throughout the entire workout. However, this set of such programs is not limited. As in the case of training, the wider this set of heart rate-dependent programs, the more opportunities you have to choose the best option for each training.

However, for the operation of heart rate-dependent programs, it is necessary to acquire a heart rate sensor, because the measurement of heart rate using the machines themselves is not carried out.

Competitive mode is a separate type of exercise (training) in which you fight with a virtual opponent. The rowing parameters of both the current user and the virtual opponent will be displayed on the screen. A virtual opponent acts as an effective motivator, forcing the user to put in more effort during training to win.

The presence of a Bluetooth wireless module in the rowing machine allows you to synchronize with the user's smartphone, tablet or laptop / PC. Thanks to data synchronization, the user will be able to control the results of training in a convenient form. Additionally, Bluetooth wireless communication can be used to download new training programs to the on-board computer of the simulator and synchronize with the heart rate monitor via the ANT protocol.