For those who have frequented workout gyms, the name 'Nautilus' will be a familiar one. Their machines are a common component of most modern gyms, and have been since their introduction in the early '80s. Bowflex is the home gym component of Nautilus, and the latest entrant into this market is the Bowflex Revolution, a compact and relatively lightweight fitness machine designed as an all-in-one machine for home use.
What makes the Bowflex Revolution unique is the new patented Spiraflex technology, originally designed for use in space, where traditional weight resistance doesn't work. Most Nautilus machines rely on heavy adjustable weight plates, which are fine for a commercial gym with plenty of space and a dedicated spot for the machine to sit. Home gyms, however, need to be more versatile, since the machines are often moved from place to place, and the mass of weight would be too much for both your back and your floors.
The first idea to get past this limitation was the Power Rod system of earlier Bowflex models. This is a plastic rod of varying thickness that the user would bend through a pulley on the machine to provide resistance. A great idea for home, since the rods are lightweight. However, the machines require a fair bit of space to set up, since the rods, when bending, need room to move.
The new Spiraflex technology moves past even this limitation by introducing a system of plates. Looking very much like standard weight plates, the Bowflex Revolution's resistance comes from a coiled elastic band inside the plate, which is under constant tension. By pulling on the bands via a line and handgrip, the muscles must exert a force to uncoil the band.
One of the added bonuses of this technology is that the motion is considered linear, and not progressive, as it is with the Power Rods. What this means is that the tension is constant, and the muscles must work equally hard throughout the whole range of motion. Whereas with the Power Rods, the tension is most intense when the rod is completely bent, and gradually eases as the rod straightens. The advantage of this is that negative motion - the movement of the muscle back to the original position - is considered an excellent part of the workout, one that is often neglected. Many free weight users allow the weights to 'fall' on their way back to form, thus letting gravity assist in the movement. With the Spiraflex technology the tension does not ease until the band is completely coiled again.
The other big advantage of Spiraflex technology is that the plates are very light, while still providing an equivalent workout to moving big weights. Free weight enthusiasts will be familiar with the action of loading up weight plates on the bar, which can sometimes be a bit of a workout itself. With Spiraflex your muscles get a chance to rest between exercises, since the weight of the plates is negligible when swapping sizes. Also, the overall weight of the machine is considerably lighter, since you don't actually have to have an equivalent real weight to provide the same amount of tension. This is great for a home gym where you might need to push the machine out of the way, or perhaps it is set up on a second floor where it wouldn't be a great idea to have hundreds of pounds of weight putting constant pressure on the floor joists.
The Bowflex Revolution represents the latest step in the ongoing evolution of Nautilus home gyms. Its clever design makes it a versatile unit that will make it easier to realise your fitness goals in your own personalized space.
For more information on Bowflex or The Bowflex Revolution, please visit: http://www.HomeSportsGear.com
Brent Craig is a writer/researcher and an avid Bowflex user.
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