Resistance
The Bowflex offers constant resistance through its patented Power Rods. Power Rods are made from a composite material and covered with black rubber. They come in different "weights" that range from five to 50 lbs. You select the amount of weight you wish to exercise with and hook one end of a cable to the Power Rods. If you want a total of 100 lbs. of total resistance, hook the right cable to a 50 lb. Power Rod on the right side and one to a 50 lb. Power Rod on the left side. The other ends of the cables are routed through pulleys that attach to handles, a lat bar or the leg extension attachment. You can sit, stand and lie on the machine to pull against the resistance from the Power Rods to put stress onto your muscles for an effective resistance training workout.
Increase Muscle Size
Bowflex machines are used primarily for increasing muscle size. It is suggested in the owner's manual that workouts should consist of doing one set of eight to 12 repetitions per exercise in a full-body workout three days a week to equally train every muscle in the body. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) says that eight to 12 reps will build muscle size, fewer reps will increase strength and more reps will increase muscular endurance. Use a weight that will make it impossible for you to do more than 12 reps. Increase the weight by five percent once you can easily do 12 reps. For example, if you were using 100 lbs., increase the weight to 105 lbs. to keep workouts effective.
Exercise Routine
There are multiple exercises you can do on the Bowflex for each body part to keep your body from adapting and to alleviate boredom. Start with shorter workouts so you do not over-train your body. For the first two weeks, do the leg curl, leg extension, lying biceps curl, seated shoulder press and seated abdominal crunch exercise, in this order. This will give your muscles a foundation for more advanced exercises later. Add the rear deltoid rows and seated triceps extension for your third and fourth week. Add the bench press and reverse fly and substitute the lying shoulder pullover for the seated shoulder press to target the shoulders with a more challenging exercise after the fourth week of use. Your body should be prepared to do longer workouts now because you have a month of regular resistance training behind you. Continue using the machine and try new exercises to put together your own workouts and keep your body from adapting. By doing new routines you will ensure your progress will not plateau, according to NASM.
Do exercises at a slow tempo, taking four seconds to move in each direction during exercises. For example, during a chest fly take four seconds to bring your arms forward and then take four seconds to return your arms to your sides.
References
- Download.dfxi.com: Bowflex Owner's Manual
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training: Course Manual;" National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2008
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