Advertisements for Bowflex home gyms are filled with picture-perfect men and women who have sculpted abdominals and ripples of lean muscle mass all over their bodies. For the average person watching the ads, this may be an unlikely dream given lifestyle choices or genetic limitations. However, Bowflex home gyms are capable of helping you burn calories through regular use. This can lead to significant body transformations and a boosted self-confidence.
Calories Burned
When comparing calories burned alone, using the Bowflex gym does not appear to help you expend a significant number of calories per session. The Harvard Medical School placed general weight training as one of the least calorie burning activities in its 2004 list of calories burned during common gym and daily activities. According to the research, a 155-lb. person using the Bowflex at a moderate pace for 30 minutes could only expect to burn around 112 calories. Increasing the amount of weight you are lifting and the speed of your exercise, such as with the Bowflex circuit training program, can increase your calorie burn to around 300 calories, however.
Metabolic Spike
In its comparison of strength training against cardiovascular exercise, like running or swimming, "Women's Health" magazine notes that strength training boosts your metabolic rate significantly for an hour after you finish training. Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., research director at the South Shore YMCA, states that weight training can help you burn another 25 percent of the calories you used up during the workout. Therefore, if you only burn 150 calories per session on the Bowflex, you would actually be experiencing a total calorie loss of around 190 calories from the exercise.
Maintaining Weight Loss
Bowflex home gym workouts like the 20-minute upper and lower body split, bodybuilding and strength training workouts may be your best choice if you want to lose weight permanently because they will help you pack on muscle fastest. Westcott adds that for every 3 lbs. of muscle you put on, your body will burn 120 more calories per day in its resting state. Over a year, that can account for nearly 10 lbs. of fat. For the average person, Bowflex home gyms are more than adequate for muscle building. However, if you are very strong, particularly in leg press and squat exercises, you may need to upgrade your Bowflex gym to more weight from the standard issue 210 lbs. of resistance.
Complete Workout Program
To burn the most calories possible, you must use your Bowflex home gym as part of a comprehensive diet and exercise program. In the late 90s, Ellington Darden, Ph.D., conducted a research experiment on the efficacy of Bowflex home gyms used with a calorie controlled diet. Subjects exercised on the gym three times a day while eating 1,500 calories or less per day. After six weeks of exercise, the men in the program lost an average of 27.95 lbs. while women lost an average of 16.96 lbs. The study was such a success that Bowflex now includes the workout program with all of the home gyms they sell, including the Bowflex Classic, Xtreme 2 and Revolution models.
Member Comments