Abstract: One aspect is a rowing machine with a longitudinally extending beam and a seat mounted to said beam and slidable therealong. A frame is mounted to said beam and slidably movable therealong independently of said seat. A pair of foot rests are mounted to a user end of said frame. A flywheel is rotatably mounted by a flywheel shaft to said frame, said flywheel shaft mounted to said frame a height less than a radius of said flywheel above said beam. The flywheel is drivable by a cable through a transmission mechanism mounted to said frame such that one end of said cable remote from said flywheel is connected to a handgrip and the other end of said cable connected to a cable take up mechanism.