Valor FitnessSeated Row Machine – Plate Loaded with Converging Arms & Multi-Grip Handles, 400 lb Capacity, 2" Plate Adapters for Back & Chest Strength Training

Packaging was excellent. No scratches or dents. All bolts, nuts, washers were bubble wrapped on a piece of cardboard. Parts came in two very heavy duty cartons. 5 Stars for packaging.This unit comes with FOUR ball bearing assemblies for the rowing arm pivot points, not just bronze bushings like the Body Solid unit. It is also nice that the two rowing arms/handles move independently - which I think is better for relief of stress on joints, tendons and ligaments, something I appreciate as someone who has been working out with weights for 49 years and is now in mid 60s. The unit was very easy to assemble, with clear directions, unlike comments I read on competitors' models. The unit has adjustable features that allow even a smallish guy like me - short arms, only 5'7'' tall - to use it without problems. The extra rotating handles are nice. The fixed handles don't do much for me so I don't use them. Please note that while I love this row machine, and it works as a very good substitute for dumbbell or barbell rows, it is not an exact substitute, but good enough that I no longer do rows with free weights. I will just use this. I had built a free weight prone row bench custom made to fit my dimensions, that looked like an expensive, store bought piece of gym equipment - it even had a nicely upholstered and cushioned top just like a professionally made bench - and used it happily for many years, but I never liked how hard it was to breathe while using it. The pressure of my body weight on the bench, plus the pull of a heavy dumbbell in each hand, meant that my chest felt like I had a python wrapped around it. But the row bench allowed me to row in perfect form with no lower back stress. Nice thing about the Valor row unit, it allows the same benefits of perfect form, and no lower back stress, but without constricting my ability to breathe. This is a very well made unit. In adition to the ball bearing pivot points I noted earlier, I note that where bolts pierce the square wall tubing to tie various sections of the unit together, Valor has welded reinforcing plates to prevent collapsing of the square wall tubing. A nice feature I don't find on many competitor products. Overall this is an excellent unit, well made and reasonably well designed. My only complaint: I wish the row handles, both fixed and adjustable, were slightly lower and slightly more user friendly. I bought a pair of Fitteroy Premium Heavy Duty Exercise Handles, which I fitted onto the row handles, and find they give me exactly the hand placement I want. I actually fastened them to the rotating handles by removing a socket screw on each handle, fitting the Fitteroy handle on, then replacing the socket screw. However this solution may not work for longer armed people, but then, they might also find the adjustable and fixed row handles fit them better.

This is an excellent piece of equipment - very sturdy, heavy duty construction, smooth gliding, easy loading/unloading of plates (I use olympic plates), and comfortable pads. Well worth every penny. It isn't a top-notch commercial piece of equipment, but it's FAR from a cheap home gym feel. The two different grip options are great, and the seat/chest adjustment is very good.The only two things I would recommend to Valor Fitness that should be changed, is:1) The knurling on the inside rotating grips is a little too rough. It doesn't need to be so deep and would have been sufficient with much finer knurling. It doesn't eat your hand up, but it's definitely unnecessarily deep.2) The unit could've benefited greatly from having a small kick-plate on each side for foot placement. I use heavier weight on my rows, and the rear padded foot rest is awkward, leaving my feet to either slide on the floor or press on the lower cross member. No big deal, but a small kick-plate on either side would have been perfect.Other than that, this is an excellent addition to a home gym for an alternative or supplement to barbell rows.

I like this equipment it’s pretty sturdy as long as you have proper Matt’s it’s not commercial equipment and you get what you pay for which I think the price is fair for this equipment. You can target all upper back,mid back, your traps, your biceps but it primarily targets back. So for a home gym piece of equipment I recommend you buy it, it’s sturdy built strong you will develop muscle with this piece, only flaw is the left side plate loader slides off when doing your reps so you have to keep tightening it up but other then that I recommend it!

I can't say enough good things about this seated row machine. I'd like to start off by saying that it was packaged extremely well, and I was very surprised by its quality. Being a Valor Fitness product I expected it to be good, but I didn't expect it to be this good! Very thick, heavy metal with nothing appearing cheap or fragile. While putting it together I kept thinking, "How is Valor making any money off of this thing?" That's how impressive this machine is for the price. They could have easily charged twice as much and it would still be worth every penny. That's no exaggeration, either. My main concern when ordering was that it may not be sturdy enough, but that's definitely not a problem. It's very sturdy, designed incredibly well, and works fantastic. I was so excited to use it that I pushed my back routine up a day and finished with ten minutes of heavy rowing using this machine. It truly hits those hard to reach places, and my back's now sore in ways it hasn't been in ages. It's a good sore, too!Note to those who order one of these machines: When you're putting it together, make sure you put the correct left and right rowing arms on the appropriate sides with the holes for the pivoted handles facing the chest rest/seat. Don't be a complete jabroni and mess that up like I did. Ha! (That's on me, not Valor... although a little more clarification in the instructions would have been nice for those of us who aren't that bright.)