Bowflex Max Trainer

Bowflex Max Trainer M3

This is an affordable option within the Max Trainer models. Just like most things in life, the basics are often more than enough without the cost of bells and whistles.
Here are the super essential basics you can rely on in M3.

Max Trainer M3 Major Benefits:

1.  Zero joint impact – There is no jarring harmful impact on the joints.
2. Calorie-burning furnace – You burn a lot of calories in short workouts.
3. Small footprint – The cocompact design doesn’t need a lot of room.
4. Easy Read – You can easily read and follow the instructions.
5. Support Media Shelf – The tablet holder is convenient and functional.
6. Heart Rate Monitor – The chest strap to monitor your heart rate is included.
7. Eight Weeks Daily Burn – You get to try 600 calorie-burning workouts for eight weeks.
8. Upper and Lower Body Engagement –Unlike elliptical machines, with Max Trainer, you get to engage both your upper body as well as lower body.

Max Trainer M3 Disadvantages:

As always, not everything is peachy. Here are a few things you may need to know.

1. Short Vertical Gait – This is a design feature that incorporates the motion of steppers. However, if not careful, the hips could remain in a flexed position with the butt sticking out. You get quicker movements but less glute activation and more quad activation.
2. iPod connection – Not available.
3. Heart rate contact grips – Not available.
4.  Limited Resistance Levels – There are eight resistance levels vs. sixteen in elite models.
5. Shorter Warranty – The warranty lasts for one year.

 

Is Bowflex Max Trainer an elliptical?

To answer this question, we need to talk about what an elliptical is and why it is significant.

During walking, running jumping motions, the ground reaction force can be ten times the body weight. That means a 200-pound person, could feel a force of 2000 pounds returning to her body in each step.

The ground reaction force is there while you are running on a road or a treadmill. The reaction force returns to your body and runs through every joint of your body from your feet to your neck and even your shoulder is not spared.

Now imagine that you are landing on a very soft mattress. The mattress compresses and cushions your landing and reduces the impact on your joints.

Elliptical orbits of Max Trainer or other elliptical machines catch your steps like a mattress but then redirect it within the elliptical orbit to reduce the ground reaction force to almost nothing.

Bowflex Max Trainer and other elliptical machines use the elliptical orbit to protect your joints.

Bowflex Max has a shorter, more vertical orbit similar to a stepper that helps with quick motions. The traditional elliptical machines have a longer horizontal orbit that lends itself to longer gait.

This protection mechanism assumes that your body is aligned, and you are moving in a sagittal (forward and backward) manner.

Any ankle, knee, spine, or hip misalignment or gait problems cannot be addressed only through an elliptical machine.

Getting back to the comparison between Bowflex Max Trainer and elliptical machines.

Max Trainer’s handling of ground reaction force is the same as elliptical machines through an elliptical orbit of the pedals.

But then Max Trainer takes the calorie-burning workout to another level by adding the two-position handles. Placing your hands on the handles creates a passive motion within your upper body.

The comparison claims suggest that Max Trainer uses up to 80% more upper body muscles than traditional elliptical trainers. That is a bit misleading since elliptical trainers are not designed to engage the upper body. However, compare the active upper body muscle engagement to a pull-up, or a kettlebell snatch, and that statistics do not hold water.

However, most individuals have challenges with basic motions, excess weight, and calorie burning regularly. For most people, pull-ups and kettlebell snatch fall into the category of performance without any daily benefits.

Max Trainer M6

M6 offers efficient and effective calorie-burning workouts that could range from slow fat-burning to fast sugar-burning.

Just like M3, it blends an elliptical orbit with stepper vertical motion. The Max Intelligence platform uses artificial intelligence to help you keep motivated and progress toward your goal. It remembers what you have done in the past and what you should do now to reach your goal.

Comfortable foot pedals keep your feet anchored to help with the elliptical motion of the machine.

It has touch sensors built into the handles to monitor your heart rate, which is used to determine your workout intensity.

Seventeen free videos with fitness instructors keep you company and guide you at the comfort of your home while you exercise social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sixteen resistance levels that can be custom fit for two users provide the intensity progression needed in any workout routine.

Media deck could hold your tablet or phone

Max Trainer M6 Features

1. Small footprint – The compact size of Bowflex Max Trainer M6 fits almost any home.
2. Bowflex Max Intelligence™ – This feature is enabled to have your own at-home personal trainer.
3. Dual-mode LCD/LED – This enhanced feature screen makes it easy to read.
4. Burn rate monitor display – This unique feature of the Max Trainer shows you much you can do in a short time. It also motivates you to do more.
5. Integrated heart rate monitor/touch grip: convenient to use and read without affecting your workout.
6. Two User Profiles – Intensity can be programmed for two users.
7. Bluetooth Compatible – You can use countless fitness

Main Difference Between Max Trainer M3 and M6

1. M3 is about $600 cheaper.
2. M6 has over ten programmed workouts vs M3 has one.
3. M6 has a heart rate monitor built into the handle.
4. M6 has better speakers to hear the instructions over the machine whirr.

Is Max Trainer good for beginners?

Yes and no. Let me explain.

If your goal is to get started fast, keep moving continuously and lose fat, the answer is yes.

If your goal is to sculpt a functional body that helps with your daily tasks and goals unrelated to weight loss, the answer is no. You can’t build strong lats, chest, arm, glutes, legs or calves with this machine.

Is the Bowflex Max Trainer hard on knees?

The elliptical motion theoretically helps reduce the load on the joints, including the knees. However as I mentioned before, the elliptical motion only addresses sagittal plane motions of an aligned body.

I have knee issues that elliptical motion aggravates.

Use the free return policy to see if your knees and the machine are a good match. If you feel pain, stop.

Trust your body.

Is Bowflex Max Total worth it?

Every piece of equipment that you use is worth having. Bowflex Max is designed to help you use it.