About a bowflex

[Lohman446]

Ok, I am looking around locally and I can buy used bowflexes in the sub $400 range. I am looking for something for pure toning, I have no desire to build more muscle and am of the opinion anyways that more reps with less weight is better than less reps with more weight.

I am intrigued by the bowflex over free weights for a couple reasons, one of which is the fact that I frequently do not have a spotter. Considering I will use it simply to vary workouts are there any real issues with them? Any particular model I should avoid or seek?

[Dend78]

ok first things first more reps with less weight = cardio

more reps with more weight makes you stronger bottom line which increases muscle size

cardio will put you in a catabolic state which to keep and maintain muscle is not a good thing your body will eat the easy to use protein/muscle rather than the unwanted fat. this is all a diet thing though which goes in another post at another time.

bowflex is a very good thing to buy when you have a budget, lack a spotter and you are really getting started. its wide range of exercises will be more than enough to get you to where you want to be. they are a good investment for what you are looking to get out of it...craigslist is a good spot to find them

[gimp]

I got a bowflex for Christmas this past year. I think it's a bowflex xtreme model. It's great. It takes a little while to get familiar with switching between the different exercises, but it's very quick once you get it figured out.

I don't use it to build huge muscles, I just use it to try to stay in somewhat decent shape, and it does the trick.

[teufelhunden]

We have a bowflex at home and instead I pay for a gym membership. Couldn't ever get used to how the machine fakes various positions/exercises - and the tension isn't constant, so it's very jerky.

[Mechanic79]

Ok, I am looking around locally and I can buy used bowflexes in the sub $400 range. I am looking for something for pure toning, I have no desire to build more muscle and am of the opinion anyways that more reps with less weight is better than less reps with more weight.

I am intrigued by the bowflex over free weights for a couple reasons, one of which is the fact that I frequently do not have a spotter. Considering I will use it simply to vary workouts are there any real issues with them? Any particular model I should avoid or seek?

http://exrx.net/FatLoss/HIITvsET.html
After a 5 week conditioning period on a recumbent cycle, The High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) group perform sprints while the Endurance Training (ET) group performed a more traditional aerobic protocol, throughout the remaining 15 weeks. Both groups progressed in intensity. At the conclusion of the study, the HIIT group lost over 3 times as much subcutaneous fat as the ET group despite expending less than half as many calories. For every calorie expended during HIIT, there was a nine fold loss of subcutaneous body fat, as compared to the ET group.

http://exrx.net/WeightTraining/Toning.html

http://exrx.net/WeightTraining/Myths.html
High Repetitions Burn More Fat Myth

It seems to be a balance of a high protein, low fat diet, heart rate during exercise and weight training for lean muscle mass. basically, you really don't have to worry about BULKING up unless you know what you're doing.

[Lohman446]

Nutrtion and high intensity workouts are part of life. The fact of the matter is I have a run this weekend I have been preparing for and should have taken some more time off from training when I broke my ankle. With the theory of better late than never I am looking for something to replace some of my runs with over the next month and likely the incorporate into the routine just to get off the ankle and let it heal up the rest of the way. I'm within doctors advise but probably pushing it.

[Dend78]

Nutrtion and high intensity workouts are part of life. The fact of the matter is I have a run this weekend I have been preparing for and should have taken some more time off from training when I broke my ankle. With the theory of better late than never I am looking for something to replace some of my runs with over the next month and likely the incorporate into the routine just to get off the ankle and let it heal up the rest of the way. I'm within doctors advise but probably pushing it.

yeah i would say one of these would be a good substitute for time being although running is totaly different on your body in comparison to weight/resistance training it should help and keep you in shape. as said above these arent the best machines in the world but you can figure them out and get some very good use out of them.

as said above higher reps lower weight becomes cardio which as said before without the right diet proper pre and post workout you will actually see some muscle loss over long term. for a short term thing until you can get back running again it should be alright but i strongly recommend higher weight 8-12 reps 3-5 set workouts for muscle growth and fat burn with proper nutrition to get the most out of it. again just my 2 cents

[Lohman446]

I need to clarify high and low weight, because frankly I just assumed I was dealing with low weight. The intention is to never exceed body weight in any resistance exercise, I guess I really don't know where that would fall.