Sunny Health Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Review

The Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride is one of the most popular home fitness equipment on Amazon, with over 4,000 reviews and a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. Wanting to focus more on at-home workouts, I was curious about this machine that looked like it combined both the movement of a squat and rowing into one. Best of all, it is affordable and returnable, so what was there to lose? This is an unbiased product review of the Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer and what type of results you can expect from it.

Before you start any new workout regiment or machine, please consult with your doctor. These are my personal tips from using the machine, and should not be considered professional medical advice.

Please note this post contains affiliate links. There is no difference in price if you decide to purchase, but note that I will receive a commission.

What is the Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer?

The Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer is a compound exercise machine that combines a squat action and rowing action. A seat with 3 elastic bands provides resistance for the squat motion (each band is 22 lbs each, for a total possible resistance of 66 lbs). The rowing action is done through a handle that you pull towards you.

The weight capacity of the machine is 220 lbs. It is also foldable and weighs about 25 pounds, making it extremely convenient for small spaces. Best of all it is affordable. Prices will range depending on sales and where you purchase it from. It retails currently from Sunny Health & Fitness at $119.99, but the lowest prices I’ve seen are from Amazon or Walmart.

Click here to check the latest price on Amazon.

Click here to check the latest price on Walmart.

Looking for a video that shows you all the different ways to use it and the settings? This segment from QVC might help.

Who would benefit most from the Row N Ride

• Anyone who needs assistance doing squats (older individual, recovery from injury, overweight, etc.)
• Someone who is looking to change up their at-home workout routine and finds motivation from using a workout machine. This machine makes it so much more enjoyable to do hundreds of squats while watching TV.
• Anyone who wants a workout machine and is on a budget. This is one of the most affordable home machines available.
• Anyone who has a small workout space or lives in an apartment. This machine is foldable and is perfect to be stored, just check the specs to make sure it fits in your space.
• Someone who is looking to increase lower body strength or tone their legs. For more details on the muscles worked, see the section for “Muscles Worked & Results”.
• Anyone who is looking for a machine option for low-intensity steady-state cardio to help lose weight. This machine will elevate your heart rate, but likely not into an intense zone. Heart rate will depend on the resistance used and the number of reps. For me, using 0 to 1 bands will get my heart rate into a similar zone as power walking.
• Someone who enjoys circuit training at home. This machine is a great tool to incorporate into other strength workouts.

Easy Assembly

This is hands down the easiest piece of gym equipment to assemble. The instructions are extremely straightforward. Even while multitasking (i.e. watching TV) it took me less than 30 minutes to finish assembling. Everything you need is included, so no need to search for screws or wrenches. The trickiest part is when assembling the handle to make sure you are turning it the correct way so it tightens.

Adjust the settings properly to avoid any pain or discomfort

It is extremely important you set up the machine correctly and adjust it to your height and for your flexibility. If it’s not adjusted accurately it can cause your back to round, or your knees to overextend in front of your feet. This poor form can lead to lower back pain or knee pain.

Use this Youtube video from Sunny Health & Fitness for guidance on how to set up your settings correctly. Your settings will change based on your height and flexibility.

The three settings that you can adjust are the handle height, how far back the seat goes, and the seat depth. There are also 3 resistance bands, 22 lbs of weight each that you can adjust to your strength and the type of workout you are looking to do. I recommend starting with no resistance to ensure your form is correct and you are pain-free before adding resistance.

Muscles Worked & Results

Just like with any fitness regiment, in order to see results from the Row N Ride it’s important to pair it with healthy eating. Diet is extremely important if you are looking to see any type of physical changes (lose weight, gain muscle, etc.).

Thighs and Calves

The Row N Ride is extremely effective at targeting your lower body, in particular your quadriceps and hamstrings. You will feel it immediately in those muscles regardless of the resistance or seat depth. Although this is a no-impact machine, you might also feel and see some toning in your calves. For my fitness routine, I normally use the machine in circuit training (and run on the side), so can’t attribute all of my changes solely to it. However, I’ve noticed my thighs being more toned with 2 months of usage. I’m excited to continue using it to see if it will help with my running.

Upper Body and Core

For your upper body workout, Sunny Health & Fitness advises you can hold the handles in different ways to work different muscles. For me, some of these positions felt awkward. I would recommend experimenting to see what is comfortable and feels effective for you. The actual upper body workout is indirect, similar to how an elliptical works your upper body. Since your arms are moving with some resistance, it is possible you will see some toning in your arms and your back, but it is not a major target of this machine.

Although this machine does not explicitly target your core, you likely will feel it. It is a full-body movement and requires your core for balance and for the squat and rowing movements. Seeing a reduction or muscle in your waist is definitely possible but as mentioned earlier, would need to be paired with a healthy diet for results.

Glutes (And Comparison to DB Method)

If you would like to really target your glutes there are a few tips to make the Row-N-Ride more effective. Adjust the seat to the lowest setting (30 degrees), similar to a squat to “go below parallel”. Just as with a normal squat below parallel (see this Huffington Post article for more information) only do this if it is pain-free. This position requires hip mobility and flexibility. When you rise up, squeeze your glutes at the top of the motion.

If you are looking for a glute only focused workout, another similar machine is the DB Method. The Row-N-Ride requires you to pull yourself up using handlebars (versus pushing only your glutes down, such as with the DB method). By using your arms, it makes it a full-body movement, and slightly easier on your glutes. You might need to add more resistance in the Row-N-Ride (luckily the machine goes up to 66lbs) to see results.

If you are looking for an intense glute workout that is not full body, and if it is within your budget, the DB Method could be a good option. I preferred an affordable machine that would work out my entire body, including glutes, and would also elevate my heart rate. The Row-N-Ride has done just that.

Workouts to Try

There are some great videos from Sunny Health & Fitness showing different workouts that can be done on the Row-N-Ride.

Some other workout videos to try from Sunny Health & Fitness:

• 20 minute full body workout
• 15 minute circuit training workout

Related home workout posts

• Best small space workout equipment
• Fun Youtube home workout videos
• Best low impact toning exercises for at home

Row-N-Ride: Is it Worth It?

The Row-N-Ride is worth if it if you’re looking for an affordable home machine for a full-body squat and rowing workout that is low impact. It’s suitable for all fitness levels and all ages, and adjustable for most heights.

I love it because it is collapsible and perfect for an apartment or small space. It is also one of the lowest-priced home workout machines. Although I do plenty of workouts at home, sometimes bodyweight or HIIT routines can get boring. Adding a machine is a great change-up and allows me to do low-intensity steady-state cardio with some resistance. This machine has become a favorite of mine to integrate into circuit training.

There are a few places to buy the Row-N-Ride. Since sales and prices change I can’t always recommend where you’ll find the lowest price. The two retailers I would recommend checking out would be Amazon or Walmart.

Click here to check the latest price on Amazon.

Click here to check the latest price on Walmart.

What are your thoughts on this machine? Do you have one now, or would you add it to your workout routine?