The Bowflex home gyms have been one of the most popular fitness machines since the 1990s. A popular mid-range model in the Bowflex line of products is the Bowflex Extreme 2, which comes standard with 210 lbs. of resistance and more than 70 exercises. The wide range of exercises achievable on the machine means there are a variety of workout plans available to suit your fitness goals.
Types
The owner's manual for the Bowflex Extreme 2 features a number of professionally designed fitness programs. Among these are the 20-minute better body, advanced general conditioning, 20-minute upper and lower body, body building and anaerobic workouts. Each of these workouts is designed to help you achieve a specific fitness goal and incorporates exercises that will move you rapidly toward that goal.
Features
The specifics of a workout plan on the Bowflex Extreme 2 depend upon your fitness goals. For example, a body-building workout requires you to work your muscles to fatigue and burn high amounts of calories simultaneously. The Bowflex Extreme 2 owner's manual suggests chest and shoulder exercises like the bench press on day one, back and arm exercises like bicep curls on day two and leg exercises like squats on day three. On the fourth day you rest your body. Each exercise should contain two to four sets of eight to 12 controlled repetitions until your muscles fail.
If you are doing a cardiovascular-oriented workout, you use a single set of eight to 12 repetitions and move rapidly between exercises. Circuit training is recommended to keep your heart rate high. This entails a single exercise per muscle group so by the time you are finished with your workout, you have worked a large amount of your body.
Considerations
Before choosing a workout plan on the Bowflex Extreme 2, you should consult with a physician and know what your current fitness level is. Understanding your current fitness level entails knowing your body mass index, your target heart rate and any medical conditions that can affect your workout. You should also have clear fitness goals so you can mark your progress and keep your motivation high while using the Bowflex.
Time Frame
How often you perform your Bowflex workout depends on the intensity of the workout. A majority of the Extreme 2 fitness programs follow a Monday-Wednesday-Friday format, allowing you ample rest between each workout. The body-building workout recommends working out three days straight for each day of rest that you take. Shorter programs, such as the 20-minute upper and lower body routine, should be undertaken at least four times a week to achieve maximum results.
Expert Insight
In his book, "The Bowflex Body Plan," fitness trainer Ellington Darden notes that a study he carried out using Bowflex home gyms yielded some of the best fitness results he had ever seen. According to Darden, after six weeks of training, men who stuck to their Bowflex workouts showed an average muscle gain of 3.7 lbs. and a weight loss of nearly 28 lbs. Women had equally positive results, gaining 2.73 lbs. of muscle and losing almost 17 lbs. of fat on average. Darden comments that the study made him a believer in the effectiveness of a proper Bowflex home-gym routine.
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