Other Bowflex Max trainer users?

ilovebeth2

Hi! I am looking for other MAXTRAINER users for support and encouragement. I am 31 and just started in my Max a little over a week ago. I have done the Max Interval program for 8 of the last 9 days and finished it! I am very proud of myself because I never stick with anything! I'm hoping I can find other people in the same kind of situation and we can all encourage eachother! I want to do it this time! I'm tired of being tired and everything being tight!

oldcargirl62

I just wanted to say good for you! We bought a Max Trainer about 1.5 yrs ago and I still love it! Me and the Mr. mix in other types of training and exercise from martial arts, to P90X, to weights (toning and muscles not building). Some days I do both some one or the other. I try to mix up the MaxTrainer programs too, so as not get stuck in a rut and after a while you will find it easier to change the settings on the different programs quickly.

I hope you continue to like and use it, any exercise is great and you should be proud of that! As your endurance increase it will be even better!

For me it's been great because I am not inclined to run every day and biking near where I live is not worth the traffic hassle to be useful, add to that snow and ice and the MT seemed like a perfect answer. It really is something I actually look forward to and still am thrilled with the purchase.

I get bored easily and frequently cast Youtube to the TV, watching people fall down or dogs act silly passes the time.

I don't know if other people have experienced this, but I find myself preferring the higher resistance levels, the programs adjust it for differing intensity at various point during the workouts and I find once it goes below 13, I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything even at 60-ish RPM's.

Good Luck!

tlh68

My Max Trainer just arrived this week. I can only do 5 minutes at a time. My goal is that by the end of the month I can do the 14 minute program. Awesome for you to be able to complete the program right away! Wish I could have....

Spliner1969

I love my M5! Honestly the bluetooth function and the app that came with the thing is crap, but other than that I love it and use it daily. When I first got the thing last spring I could only do 2 minutes on it before I thought I was going to pass out, and that was on the lowest resistance. I even gave up late spring on it and started walking again because I could never get over 5 minutes. I'd use it occasionally last summer but started to feel like I might have wasted my money, it was just too hard. Then, I managed to injure my back a couple of times this summer. After that I needed low or no impact cardio so I dusted off the M5 and started back at it again. I made it longer and longer each day even if I had to leave it on the lowest resistance and barely move the pedals I stayed on the thing for 5, 10, 15, 20, and even 30 minutes. Then once I could do an hour on the thing at the lowest resistance this winter I started cranking up the resistance. After level 5 or so I had to back off and start doing 30 minutes at a time because my heart rate was getting too high. But I've stayed at that level and am now at level 10 for 30 minutes each morning. I still don't use the app, I use Endomondo and a good heart rate monitor strap and that's about a 500 calorie burn for me each morning.

Funny thing, is that I was always afraid of that yellow button that said "MAX" because I knew it was the HIIT program and I figured I could not do it. The other day I hit the button and was surprised to find that I not only could do the full 14 minute workout, but it was easy, and that was still on level 10. So now I'm still doing my 30 minute workout each morning and then when I have time at night I'm hopping on the thing for a quick 14 minute workout.

I'm with some of the other posters, the only way I'll ever get rid of my MAX trainer is if I buy another one. I'm hoping that they improve the app and the electronics in the new M7, because that's probably what I'll buy next time around (but that might be a couple years from now).

lmitchell19

I bought mine a year ago and have had a really hard time sticking with it. I'd get motivated and use it sporadically throughout the year, but in the end just give up. I know that if I could just get into a steady routine that I'd see results...but unfortunately patience isn't my greatest virtue.

algrif37

I'm impressed!! I can't do the interval. Well honestly I'm not sure I'm doing it right! I can't seem to understand what the fluctuating lights mean. Go this speed? Don't go this speed?? I can't wrap my head around it. I use the fat and calorie burn programs back to back instead. It's hard!!

fit4lifemom

We got one in the spring and I alternate days with my M5 and walking. On the days I use my bowflex, I also try to do a short ab workout right after. I have not been very adventurous yet - just steady state and stairs. But on the steady state, I do my own interval work out - 3 mins warm up, 2 mins build, then repeat 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy. I really like it. Only frustration so far is the app - it does sync, but it shows work out end time, not start time. And while it will sync with apple health and MFP, the time stamp is odd. It seems to pass the UTC time stamp with the end time while both those apps assume local time with start time of workout. At least in MFP I can modify the time of the workout, but in apple health you can't.

Magnus919

I got mine in April but couldn't start using it until August (knee injury). There's a bit of a curve for me, starting out at over 300 pounds, just to get through a 14 minute program. Now I'm getting through 14 minutes every time, and I'm gradually adding some of the intervals in. I'm up to three intervals in a workout now. If I can't go farther with the intervals, I at least finish out the 14 minutes at a lower RPM. But every time I get on it I seem a little stronger, feel a little leaner. The scale and my belt are both reporting good results.

The app that comes with it is garbage. Such a shame. With a different approach to software, this thing could be amazing in terms of more intelligently driving your fitness. Don't put too much hope into the software. Having just ordered one of those next gen Apple Watches, I might skip the Bowflex app and just start a workout in the watch as a canned elliptical workout.

I do a few minutes of stretching both before and after. Often I'll follow with some light targeted strength building. But I'm mostly trying to get lean right now, not really after much muscle mass.

cook16_7

@Magnus919, How much over 300lbs were you?? I just bought one and was really looking forward to killing it. But came across 300lb limit so now im a bit discouraged cause i know if i did it every day the weight would come off but don't want to risk breaking the machine. Any help or advice, and from anyone is welcomed!!

EmmaNemm27

I'm new to the Bowflex, but I've got one, as well!