Exercising and keeping oneself fit has become a very important thing in todays' world. One has to be fit in order to stay healthy and sound. This has actually become one of the basic necessities of the day. Different work-out machines are available in the market now. For a good cardio-vascular workout, a rowing machine is a very useful and important device. This not only makes us fit but also gives a complete body work-out experience. The rowing machine demands pushing and pulling of the handles, apart from using the legs for pedalling as well, resulting in the movement of the calf muscles and the hand muscles.

There are basically four types of resistance used in rowing machines. The first type is the piston resistance that is obtained from the hydraulic cylinders connected to the arms of the rowing machine. They are compact in nature and so are not very big in size. Due to the compact nature, it is also easy to be stored and does not need a separate place as such, to be kept. The cost of these types of machines is also less when compared to the other kinds and so falls very light on the pockets. The disadvantage here is that they do not offer a rowing machine as accurate as the other types. The work-out obtained is very good but the smoothness might not be available.

The second type of resistance provided is the Magnetic resistance. Here powerful electromagnets are used to provide the necessary resistance. They offer a silent function and also are very smooth to work on. The resistance in these types of machines can be corrected according to the users' need. They, however, cannot be stored as easily as the piston types and so need a dedicated space for themselves, as it cannot be folded. A place where there is ample space available and where a perfect work out is expected, the magnetic type perfectly fits in.

The third type is the water resistance type. This gives the real experience of rowing! As the speed increases, the resistance also increases, thus making it more challenging and entertaining. By adding or removing water in the tank, the resistance can be increased or decreased as well. Though they are not as noisy as the Air type, still they are in the second position. The machine is also very heavy and so cannot be carried anywhere quite often. But this model is the best to give the ultimate rowing experience and complete work-out.

The air resistance type is the fourth one. This allows complete control upon the user. The faster the pedals are pedalled, the more the resistance developed, thus giving the user the complete authority to choose the resistance. They are not foldable and so need separate place to store. Also they are noisy and so not very comfortable to be used.

Many rowing machines come with features like different rowing functions, changing the resistance, amount of time rowed, distance travelled, calories burnt etc. Some machines also come with the facility to do other exercises as well. Looking into the budget that is allocated, the right machine can be purchased.