Row House is my first foray into fitness, and I'm so glad to have found this awesome, inspiring community! If you don't read past this (TL;DR): you (literally) get out what you put in. Truly a low impact, full body workout for anybody. Give it a try!
I had heard from a friend about this "rowing studio" in NYC, and to my surprise the first franchised location was opening up right in my backyard of Tustin Legacy. I looked at the website and thought it was cool, but didn't think I'd be "into it" and sort of forgot about it.
In August, I found myself "funemployed" and told myself that now, there was no excuse, and that at the very least joining Row House would keep me from turning into a couch potato and get me up in the morning. I went in and Megan (GM) welcomes me and signed me up for a House class with Coach James. You're advised to come in 15 minutes early for your first class, and I'm glad I did - James introduced himself, introduced me to a few other members, and went over the erg (the indoor rowing machine). We then practiced the stroke (going back and forth), the readout on the monitor, and how it measured the work you put into the machine. The harder you push off with your legs and follow through with your core and arms, the more intense the workout is.
The class is well-structured - the coach follows a curated playlist of great music and calls out the "stroke rate" - how many times you're going back and forth per minute. For most songs, you stay together, and at the beginning that can feel tough to do - but it gets easier whether you are someone who feels the beat, or someone who follows those around you. The "all-types" part of the workout is the intensity - the coach will also call out a pace, but it's not as if you're running in a pack and struggle to keep up. The various paces are your number and yours alone - so if my "sprint" number is higher or lower than someone else, it's okay because 1) you're at the same stroke rate so visually you're together, and 2) you alone work on improving what your jog, run, and sprint numbers are.
The variety of class types keeps the workouts familiar but different every time. I go about 6-7 times a week now, but each coach balances their personal style with the structure and flow of each class. As you start taking different classes, you'll of course develop preferences - but I know that for me, the classes I shy away from are the ones I need the most! Some involve dumbbell weights (again here, you choose the weight, no judgments!) and some are body movements that I couldn't do well when I first started but have gotten better at with practice and strength-building persistence. Coaches call out modifications when a particular movement might be challenging for some, and again - totally okay here to push yourself as hard as you think you can (and then some!).
I was immediately drawn to the data element that Row House brings to its workouts as well. Your running meters per class, your average pace, and cumulative statistics are all recorded, and immediately after each class, you're sent an email with stats from your workout. Everyone has different motivations, but for me this is an awesome part of the Row House experience - cumulative meter goals start small but grow as you start taking more classes and improve your technique.
I've achieved things here I never, EVER thought I would, and that's thanks in large part to the heart and soul of Row House - the coaches and front desk team. The more you go, the more laughs, smiles, and high-fives you share. I invariably am greeted by name when I come in, and share in successes with them. Hitting a million cumulative meters seemed like a pipe dream and something only "those people" did, but persistence, encouragement, and coaches showing up on their free time just because they wanted to be there when I hit it - that's a real community.
At Row House, we pull together. We meet at the catch (the starting position), and move to the finish together. We have fun and work hard. It is not easy, but your body and mind can only change when you (and your coaches) push yourself out of your comfort zone - and I am a transformed, stronger person because of Row House. read more