The LIT Strength Machine is a rower, strength trainer and Pilates reformer all-in-one

The LIT Strength Machine is a multi-talented rowing machine that doubles as both a Pilates reformer and a strength trainer. Yes, you’ll pay extra for these upgraded features, but if it could fulfill its promise of a full-body workout that will keep you interested at home, we thought it would be worth the investment.

But did this exercise machine bite off more than it could chew? Here’s what we thought after spending a few weeks with the LIT Strength Machine in our home gym.

What we liked about it

A compact, multifaceted machine

The LIT Strength Machine has a fairly unobtrusive look, which is helpful if it’s not sitting in a dedicated home gym. It’s low to the ground and feels sturdy, which is an absolute must for some of the workout formats it touts (more on those in a bit). And at 7 feet long and 1.75 feet wide, it has one of the smallest physical footprints of any of the rowers we’ve tested so far. Plus, it can easily stand upright for convenient storage. And because there’s no attached screen, the machine doesn’t need to be plugged in, though you will need a few feet of space on either side of the rower and behind it in order to do all the workouts comfortably.

The rower itself uses water resistance, meaning the drum at the front is filled with water and each time you pull the handle it spins a paddle inside the drum. While not as smooth as the water resistance of the Ergatta Rower, rowing on the LIT feels supportive, even as you climb through the four levels of 10, 20, 30 and 40 pounds of resistance.

But here’s where things get interesting. Along with the rower, the LIT Strength Machine comes with resistance bands that you clip on to one of three locations on the rower (at the front, at the middle near the footplates or at the end of the slide). It’s the addition of the resistance bands that transforms the rower into a Pilates reformer and a strength machine. Once the bands are clipped in, you can do everything from squats and lunges to upright rows to oblique twists while holding the handles and utilizing the resistance. For Pilates classes, the instructors use the rower’s seat as an unstable, moveable surface (similar to the platform on a traditional Pilates reformer) and the resistance bands — either held in your hands or strapped around your ankles — to create muscle engagement in every direction. While other rowers on the market offer strength training and Pilates classes through your monthly subscription, none of them utilize the actual machine or attachments to the machine in those classes And this is what sets the LIT apart.

No screen? No problem

At first, I was disappointed that I would need to access the 2,500+ classes on the LIT app (which, like all other home fitness machines, requires a $25 per month or $240 per year subscription after a free three-month trial when you purchase the machine) using my phone in the attached smart phone holder. However, I quickly realized that the lack of attached screen was in fact a savvy move by the creators of the LIT Strength Machine. Many of the moves that you do in the strength and Pilates classes are done facing the side or the back of the machine, so if a screen were attached to the front, you wouldn’t be able to see it. By forgoing the addition, it likely makes the machine cheaper in the process. You can also cast the app onto a compatible smart TV as well.

Lots of creative workouts

The selling point of the LIT Strength Machine is that it is a rower, Pilates reformer and strength trainer all in one, so I was eager to see if it in fact lived up to all these monikers. The rowing classes are fun and different; while you never unstrap your feet or stand up from the machine, there are frequent pauses in the rowing to do upper body moves like bicep curls and shoulder raises with the handle, which keeps the workout from becoming a slog.

To do the strength classes, you stand up and clip on the resistance bands. (If you order the machine with the base package, it comes with basic resistance bands. But if you order either of the two higher packages, which come with more accessories, you’ll get LIT Axis, LIT’s new “smart” resistance bands, that track your reps and time under tension.) There are also rowing x strength classes, which are a bootcamp-style workout that alternates between rowing and strength moves.

I found the pace of these classes a little frenetic at times, especially because I frequently had to pause and turn back to look at my phone to figure out the exercises, but boring they are not. I also love that the LIT uses resistance bands in their strength training, which are often underutilized in favor of free weights. Since you’re fighting the resistance for the entire range of motion of every move, they can offer an even better workout. Plus, it’s easy to adapt the moves to your fitness level simply by moving closer or farther away from the rower, creating more or less tension on the bands, which is great for everyone from beginners to experts. (It’s also worth noting that classes are categorized as beginner, intermediate or advanced, and the difference in pace is quite noticeable from level to level.)

Finally, there are the Pilates classes. A traditional Pilates reformer has a flat platform that rolls back and forth across a frame and then adjustable straps and springs. The effectiveness of reformer Pilates comes from the fact that you are on an unstable surface, so even the simplest movements recruit more muscles — especially in your core — than if you were doing those same movements on solid ground. It’s also low impact.

I was thrilled with how the Pilates classes on the LIT replicated a Pilates reformer through the use of the seat and the resistance bands. The core strength and stability this builds are beneficial for every exerciser, at every age and fitness level, but I could see these classes being incredibly helpful and effective for people recovering from back injuries or looking to rebuild their core post-pregnancy.

What we didn’t like about it

Workouts on a smaller screen

While it does make sense that the LIT Strength Machine does not have an attached screen, it can still be difficult to follow along with the instructors and to view your workout stats on a phone. I have the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is the largest iPhone on the market right now, and I still had to squint to see the stats that the app tracked. The best way to deal with this would be to use a tablet or a smart TV that supports casting, but not everyone has that access.

Not much traditional rowing

Because this machine offers a more multi-dimensional workout, rowing takes a backseat to many of the other classes. In fact, there aren’t many that let you row for an entire class. The app does offer scenic rows, which are instructor-free sessions that track your split (or how long it takes you to row 500 meters) and your distance rowed. This will let you do more steady-state rowing for endurance. But otherwise, this is not going to inspire anyone looking for a hardcore rowing experience.

How it compares

LIT offers three different packages when you purchase the Strength Machine, all of which come with a different number of accessories. At $2,000, the Starter Pack comes with resistance bands, handles, and the phone or tablet holder. At $2,599, the next pack comes with two sets of smart resistance bands (the LIT Axis, sold separately for $199), handles, ankle cuffs, an anchor if you want to use the bands off of the machine, a strength bar and a tablet holder. And at $2,698, the highest pack comes with all those things, plus battle ropes and a mat for under the machine. While you’ll have plenty of workout options without the strength bar and battle ropes, there are some classes on the app that use them that you won’t be able to do without them.

Looking at other available rowers, the LIT is unique. While the Echelon Row-S ($1,600), Hydrow Rower ($2,495) and NordicTrack RW900 ($1,999) also offer non-rowing workout formats, such as strength training and Pilates, none of them utilize the rower or attachments to the rower in these classes; they are either done with your body weight or with free weights that you’ll need to purchase separately. As a water rower, it most closely compares to the Ergatta Rower ($2,499), though the Ergatta does have more sophisticated water rowing capabilities.

Bottom line

Working out on the LIT Strength Machine is dynamic, challenging and fun. The machine is sleek, the LIT app is easy to use and the classes are going to surprise (and likely delight) you. That said, if you’re a former competitive rower looking to recapture the feeling of rowing alongside your boatmates or you’re looking to log some serious meters every day, this probably isn’t the machine for you.

However, if you’re looking for variety, as well as little fun, while you get stronger in your home gym, the LIT Strength Machine literally does it all.