Design Summary
All rowing-machine designs consist of an energy damper or braking mechanism connected to a chain and/or handle. A foot stretcher (where the rower places his feet) is attached to the same mounting as the energy damper. Most include a rail which either the seat or the mechanism slide upon. Different machines have a variety of layouts and damping mechanisms, each of which have certain advantages and disadvantages.
Machines with a digital display calculate the user's power by measuring the speed of the flywheel during the stroke and then recording the rate at which it decelerates during the recovery. Using this and the known moment of inertia of the flywheel, the computer is able to calculate speed, power, distance and energy usage. Some ergometers can be connected to a personal computer using software, and data on individual exercise sessions can be collected and analyzed. In addition, some software packages allows users to connect multiple ergometers either directly or over the internet for virtual races and workouts.
Read more about this topic: Indoor Rower
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