CITYROW: at home fitness Reviews

by REDinLV

I really wanted to give this 5 ⭐️s, because I love my this app Go rower, but I just couldn’t get there.

Instructors: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The instructors are awesome and honestly my favorite part. Engaging and informative, just what one needs to get into and stay in the moment, even when it gets tough.

Workouts: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I guess there’s only so much you can do, but I feel other workouts provide a greater variety. There also seems to be a lean towards rowing + workouts, but I just want to row. Lol

App: ⭐️⭐️
This is where it falls apart. The UX needs polishing, especially considering the competition out there (why does the connection modal stay up for so long?!?!). Searching for workouts seems overly complicated, with so many options, but most I rarely use. Getting an idea of my historical performance, to gauge progress and improvement is IMPOSSIBLE. I can see historical distance by various time periods, but that’s it. And for the love of workouts, PLEASE allow us to choose our own music. All the top apps do, so the fact that we can’t here is lagging seriously behind.

by Mstea

I’ve enjoyed the water rower and instructors so far. Not as many live class options but for me that is not as big of a deal at this time. I own a Peloton bike so the rower for me was an added workout option in addition to the bike. I wish that I could connect a heart rate monitor to track calories and heartbeat during workouts but there is no feature for this yet. I track this separately on my Apple Watch under a rowing exercise but as you row having the watch on your wrist can be slightly uncomfortable with longer workouts. I hope future improvements are made to CITYROW . I have not decided it’s worth paying the monthly fee to access the classes on CITYROW . It doesn’t connect to your water rower to track some metrics. I find it to be slightly expensive for what is offered. Being that I have Yoga and strength workouts available via Peloton digital.

by JaredInSanDiego

If you own a rower with a monitor tracking split, distance, and time you can and should use CITYROW. Get a workout mat, some light, medium, and heavy weights and you are set for the different workout classes. Great, positive instructors encouraging you to grow at a pace that is comfortable to you with variations offered for most exercises. CITYROW is pretty solid though a few times a month the video and instructor audio will freeze multiple times a workout while the music audio track which is separate will continue playing. I’m on fiber WiFi in a major city also with 5G on an iPhone XR and check the internet speed to ensure my connection is solid. It’s annoying when it happens but sometimes fixes itself and other times it result in me shutting it off, turning on some music, and just rowing other than getting frustrated with tech. Overall, 4 stars mainly due to the awesome workouts and one star docked for an occasional bump in app performance.

by Send This Without A Nickname

My rowing is getting better. I give 100% with all the encouragement. It is great to hear, keep going when I am at the time to give in. I write all my split times and meters after every pause. Sometimes I have to pause the class and write. I’m still trying to figure out my series IV monitor. I always hit reset, then workout programs and go to the time or meters to row. Not sure how to quick start the time. For example, 1 minute. After the time is complete, I reset and reprogram. Is there a quicker way to reset the 1 minute? I like the Kinstretch. Problem is asking to rate it and inputting meters and split time when there is no rowing. How do I get out of this rating window?

Thank you for the encouragement.

All the best in isolation

by Jawwal40

I am really enjoying CITYROW. Since I’m recovering from a major medical issue it’s taken a while to really get into.

I have previous experience on a water rower and have taken classes at an independent studio with a similar array of class choices. Not being a group class kind of person I prefer using CITYROW even if there were no pandemic. The instructors are motivating, the variety is wide enough for all skill levels and you set the time good for you.

CITYROW update is good but I have a few suggestions that could make it even better.

The update is easier to search classes, though not every instructor is on the menu. The basics tutorials are especially helpful for newbies but I wonder if that is enough. I would like to see some type of visual cues added to the videos as I sometimes miss the instructor vocal cues to change pace, etc... it would also be nice to see the detailed workout structure in the text description. This would help me decide if it’s what I feel like doing that day. And how about adding some older instructors and participants? We’re people too!

by Casual Global Traveler

Use it a few times per week and I can easily find and complete workouts that connect to the rower decently well. There’s sometimes lag time starting a workout.
I would like more data options like aggregating my progress across workouts/time and the ability to see more filters or tags on the workouts (such as overhead work, moving on your knees), and maybe a text box or rating not just for the workout and effort level but how I felt after the workout (tired, energized, motivated, discouraged).
But overall a great app and convenient for getting me moving with the city row trainers.

by Minigrrlbne

Great app. Hope it keeps improving. Heart rate monitoring would be awesome. Seeing more stats would be great. Also the music isn't the best. I use it with the bluetooth module on my water rower. I also have the SmartRow power meter so I can get better stats and also send them to Strava. Plus I record on my Fenix to send to Connect. Basically I have a lot of disparate recording methods which is annoying. Still waiting for the nirvana where all the apps, sensors, machines, etc. align. Probably asking for too much! I alternate between CITYROW and the Peloton app for spinning. Works great but expensive!

by Jolausa

Love the workouts which can range from fairly easy to super challenging. Good variety to choose from, instructors are easy to follow. Obviously need a rowing machine to follow along but the mix of dumbbells and stretching in each workout session, which range from 30m to 50m is really nice to have. One annoying aspect of CITYROW is if your phone receives a call, regardless of whether you take the call or not, the session stops and then resets to 0. You then have to find the time you left off in the class which is a drag. The subscription is also a bit pricey. That said, I’m glad to have CITYROW and I enjoy using it everyday.

by Jaam4923

The City Row workout has been clutch in the COVID world. I e been using CITYROW 4-5 days a week since February 2020. Since then, they’ve added new types of workouts which is great to keep things fresh. That said, CITYROW could use some new functions to track your rows better. One suggestion is at the end of a workout it would be great if it would display your times for each given block. For example, if the workout has multiple rounds of 150 M rows - then display all your times at the end of the workout for that distance (or even all the distances or times that workout requires). Another great feature would be to track your PRs better. So if you do a 2000M row (or any distance) CITYROW shows you what you did it last time so you can target that). Overall - it’s a great workout! CITYROW has gotten more stable and better. Just some added functions would take it up to 5 stars for me.

by Crocee

I purchased a WaterRower 5 months ago when OTF was closed due to Covid. I bought a rower because it’s great total body workout. However, it was very difficult to get motivated to workout at home and my workout routines lacked structure. I needed the motivation provided by the OTF coaches. I recently purchased the this app app and it has completely changed my workouts. The this app app provides the motivation I need to row at home. The coaches are great and the classes are awesome!! I highly recommend the this app app to anyone who has a rower.

by Tobari1202

City row go has changed our lives! Having a toddler at home, finding time to leave the house and attend a class or go to the gym is not always possible. CITYROW, along with our CR GO machine, has greatly increased our opportunities and abilities to work out. We love having a variety in length of classes-some days we only have 20 minutes in the morning before leaving for work, and other days allow for 50 minute workouts during nap time. We are so happy with our experiences. Thank you City Row go!

by AudreyNC1984

I have been using CITYROW for about 6 months now along with the CRGO rowing machine and it truly has been a game changer for me. I suffer from an old lower back injury, my doctor recommended rowing to strengthen it and these classes ROCK and have made not just my back feel better but my whole body feel stronger (and I’ve lost 9lbs!) I love that I can do this on my time and there are new classes added every week - Hollis is my favorite, she is so inspiring! Excited to keep up this journey!

by Mullarf

I love the this app in person classes, but having this at home is even better. As a runner, this is a killer low impact workout and great for cross training, but since COVID I’ve been running very little and the this app Go rower has been the best. I burn so many calories, there is such a great variety in the classes, and I feel like I’m working out every muscle. Also, it just looks cooler and classier than having a treadmill in your apartment. And on the days I don’t want to row CITYROW has so many yoga, stretching, and strength training alternatives with amazing instructors.

by FromCA2OR

These classes offer a great workout and a lot of variety in terms of types of workouts as well as length of workout. There is definitely something different everyday if you so choose. The instructors are good and time goes by quickly. My only suggestion is that the library of stored workouts should list in the number of meters rowed in the class overview. This would help members decide which class to choose each day.

by Jshif83

I started this app at the beginning of the pandemic when the gym closed down. CITYROW is fantastic and the workouts are as hard and fantastic as you make them. The variety is awesome and the instructors seem like they are right there with you in the work. They have kept me strong, inspired to keep going and not probably but Definitely I am in better shape now than I was a year and a half ago. Both physically and mentally! Thank you this app!! You rock!!

by PodcastInSeattle

The coaches and variety of classes can’t be beat! 🔥🔥 They offer “Beginner” level classes, but honestly, rowers of ALL levels can do any of their classes. As an experienced rower myself, I love that I can choose classes that are 100% on the rower for days when I want endurance, or I can do classes that are on and off the rower with weights to build strength. They offer NEW CLASSES WEEKLY and have a huge catalog of past classes available to take any time. They offer both 60 and 30 minute classes for days when time is limited. After class I like to take yoga or Kinstrech classes for recovery. They just added Pilates classes too ! So lately I’ve been taking yoga and Pilates on my rest days. Several times a year they offer fun challenges and that’s when the FB group becomes a huge part of the experience! 🤩 The FB group is super active and fun! The coaches are very active in the group too! Always cheering you on and available to answer questions. I really can’t recommend this app enough!

by Beard_papa

I’ve tried several rowing programs and this one beats them all. Great engaging workouts, about 4 per week, varying from their signature workout, strength, endurance, and stretching/yoga that released weekly. The workouts have great music from popular hits, it’s not cheesy generic music, and the studio is modern, clean and sleek. Other workout apps seem like they were filmed in the 90’s, have bad music, and a limited set of workouts that seem dated. Others just have a text based workout which I’m not a fan of. Doesn’t matter if you own one of their water towers or a C2, these workouts are great for anyone with a rower. I highly recommend City Row Go!

by McKnight Rider

this app GO is a great app for taking rowing, strength training, yoga, and combo interval classes, especially in quarantine: engaging instructors and a good variety of workout times, types, and intensity make it a winner as it is, and there is room for growth. I’m looking forward to more/better integration with other apps such as Apple Health, Strava, and Alexa, and I would love to have a Siri/Google/Alexa voice command option for in-class app actions (e.g., “set interval to 500 meters,” “start interval”); as it is it’s a bit awkward to stop and set the intervals manually mid-workout, especially if you’re working hard and are sweaty. Overall it’s a great app with good bones and opportunity for improvement without taking away from what already works well.

by Halfanese12

I bought my WaterRower a few years ago, with good intentions of it being the exercise I love. I quickly realized it’s really hard! And it’s especially hard to stay motivated doing it on my own since I just don’t know how to pace myself. So my rower sadly sat gathering dust for way too long. CITYROW has changed everything for me. It’s still a really hard workout. But having an instructor there to break it up with different rowing and non-rowing tasks, and encouraging me through it, makes all the difference. I’ve done six of the workouts now, and I enjoyed (well, as much as I can enjoy any exercise) them all. If you’re on the fence, give it a try! The one thing I do wish CITYROW provided is some basic instructions on how to use the S4 meter on the rower, since I don’t have the CRG version of the rower. I often don’t really understand what they’re taking about, but I figure it out and set my own milestones, which works fine for me. But maybe a quick intro video for newbies would be helpful.

by TaraMulBul

I could not be happier that my husband and I decided to go with this app over other options out there. Not only are the workouts amazing, and there is so much variety- but the instructors are incredible! They are so human, inspiring and keep you motivated while also making you laugh! Also the this app community is so supportive and it just feels good! Not competitive, just supportive! I love everything about it! I’m also someone who never really did Pilates, strength training or yoga- and I’m finding myself love of those classes. After months of rowing, I even feel so much stronger during my runs!! 🤍🖤
We LOVE this app (even my kids love getting on the rower😊 and I love that they can!)

by Ruff Stewart

Just purchased this rower for my wife, she absolutely loves it and the weight and yoga options were a nice bonus too.
The rower is solid and stores easily, if you need space
The workouts are fantastic and suited to all types of experience levels.

Also the customer service is absolutely fantastic!!! When the rower was assembled, we found the screen on the tablet was damaged and when I reached out to the people at this app, they could not have been more helpful, with trouble shooting suggestions and offered right away, to send out a new tablet without any hassle, then they reached out to make sure we were happy with everything!!

Honestly I can’t say enough about good things about this rower and the great experience with the helpful people at city row.