The Body Trac 1050 from Stamina is a high selling product. This product has thousands of positive reviews from online shoppers. Given that 1 in 50 or maybe 100 people take the time to leave a review on a product you can see that this product sells in huge numbers.
So What Exactly Is A Body Trac Glider?
This is a full body workout machine with retractable arms that simulate rowing oars. It also has 12 resistance levels supplied by gas shock absorbers, which effectively makes the resistance settings smoother as opposed to the erratic resistance found on lesser machines which make the ride more jumpy. Gas resistance is also very quiet.
In other worlds the 1050 Glider is a rowing machine that mimics the experience of rowing on water.
Like all good exercise machines it has a resistance setting (hydraulic resistance) that can be adjusted to suit your rowing pace. Rowing is an extremely intense yet simple exercise. It is akin to a compound weight training exercise such as squats because it involves the entire body.
The glutes, arms, back, chest, legs, even your neck goes to work when you row. The effects it has on your lungs and cardiovascular system has to be experienced to be believed
The machine is simple. There is a cushioned seat for your comfort, two retractable full length rowing arms, a resistance cable, controlled via a hydraulic cylinder dial, and a monitor that tracks your stroke count, speed, calories consumed and time.
It has a 250 pound weight limit and measures 58.25 in x 42.5 in x 18 in. The arms also fold to make it smaller. If you want it to take up the minimum space and chuck it in a closet it can be stored vertically once the arms are folded inward.
The frame is made from tough aluminium. One owner bought his 10 years previously and it is still working. The manual does state a 250 pound weight limit but the machine has some heavy duty welds which some owners suggest could handle a higher weight load.
Yes the design is simple and sturdy, but that’s all you really need from a rowing machine and why spend more when this machine is such a smooth operator?
Who Is Rowing Suitable For?
Rowing is a low impact activity, which means it is easy on the joints. A 70 year old woman named Bonnie mentioned how smooth the machine was. She has attended a pain management clinic as she has spinal stenosis, slipped a disc and has severe sciatica. Still she was able to use the machine and lose 5 pound in 3 days and manage 1,000 strokes an hour on the medium tension resistance setting! Outstanding. You can read Bonnie’s review here.
You will also see some positive feedback from a 63 year old named Phil who has recently had open heart surgery.
The resistance is applied to the arms and NOT the sliding seats. This is how you would naturally row on water so resistance applied to the seat and the harms could place undue stress on your lower back. This is a nice design feature. The sliding seat is also used to track the stroke count.
Row Like A Pro – This Glider Feels Like Rowing On Water
The feel of real life rowing is genuine on the 1050 Glider. Owners have commented so in the Amazon reviews. One guy used to be a college rower and he says the machine does a real good job of replicating his old rowing days.
Pedal Problems
Good foot pedals are key to a rowing machine. You need a solid base to push off. One problem that can happen is if you have large feet they can slip out off the back of the pedals as the foot straps are a little iffy. An ingenious owner came up with a great solution that costs $1.
Travis cut a 4 inch PVC end cap in to 2 pieces and made a cylindrical 180% heel cap and bolted one into the end of each pedal. Now there is no way for his feet to slip out the back. See this mod here: Travis Mod
If you aren’t as handy as Travis try velcro, others have had success with this low-tech method.
Using The Body Trac Glider At The Highest Resistance Setting Can Shorten The Lifespan
If you like the to ramp everything up to the max, be aware. The machine has 2 design flaws worth noting. It’s bushings are made of plastic and not metal, obviously to reduce its cost. If Stamina had of known upon launch how successful this machine was to be, they would have opted for metal bushings and raised the cost price.
Plastic bushings (used for the pivoting mechanism) will degrade faster and you can order new ones, but many owners have and have found the replacements ones are too large. If you are handy with a grinder problem solved. If not the machine is defunct.
Problem number 2 – The resistance mechanism uses hydraulic pistons which can also heat up pretty fast at the highest resistance levels. This can weaken the feel of resistance. As your machine ages this problem can cause oil leaks. If you feel the resistance levels aren’t coming on as strong as they used to, or they suddenly dramatically dip after using the machine at a high setting (usually happens after about 15 minutes of rowing) this is a warning that the pistons are heating up.
Take a break and put your hand close to the piston underneath the seat rail to check for excessive heat. If you continue the machine will leak oil. This problem generally only happens after the machine is several years old and you are working in the higher resistance tiers.
If high resistance and speed is crucial to your workout plan then this SF-RW5515 machine by Sunny Health & Fitness is a better alternative. It uses magnetic resistance so it is really quiet but it is another $100 more expensive. Check our SF-RW5515 review here.
Rowing On This Is So Tranquil Because…
It’s so quiet. Owners have reported being able to watch TV and hear perfectly well. Want to get a work out in early in the morning or at night, or just not to annoy people who are hanging out in the house? Then this is perfect. It’s unobtrusive and won’t drown out everything in its surroundings.
High Quality At This Price Is A Good Reason To Own A Stamina 1050 Glider
Price is a main reason. It’s extremely affordable. But unlike products were you buy in the bargain basement department quality in not sacrificed. The build quality is tremendous, there are a few chinks in the armour, such as the foot pedals and also the plastic bushings.
These can be overcome with clever workarounds, for both experienced or DIY adverse folks. If you are using this at a medium pace you will not need to replace the bushings that often if ever.
The engineers at Stamina have assured this product operates smoothly and also at low noise levels. It’s quiet, sturdy, folds and is a great companion for those who need a low impact workout due to injuries. If you are already doing some form of weight training this is ideal to get in some no fuss cardio. Plus it’s quieter than a treadmill and won’t use any electric.