BowFlex Question

[DebbieY]

Hi, this is my first post on this site. I started using the BowFlex about 5 weeks ago. I exercise on it every other day. Before the BowFlex, I used to bike 5-8 miles almost every day on my stationary bike. But after reading what the BowFlex manual had to say, it mentioned that you shouldn't do any other exercise due to giving your muscles a time to recover. So, I stopped doing the bike. (It was in the section that gave their diet and exercise routine. I'm using their exercise routine, but sticking to Atkins.)

My thought is that I could accomplish more if I start the bike back up. I normally don't have much time once I get home from work to start working out, but I thought if I started the bike back up it would be beneficial. What is your thought on the subject?

My husband thinks that I should just do the BowFlex, since with weight training, your muscles do need time to recover. I'm not using a lot of weight when I do the BowFlex. I told myself that after 6 weeks, I would up the weights a little more.

I don't know if this is a dumb question or not, I just wanted another opinion on the matter.

Thanks,
Debbie.

Age: 29
Started: 1/31/05
230/203/140

[Jake]

Very valid question. Since you have time constraints on exercise i'd recommend just using the bike on your off days of the bowflex. So if you use the bowflex every other day just use the bike on those days inbetween and keep 1 day for full recovery with no exercise. You can concentrate the bowflex to mainly upper body workout and the bike will work your lower body, so most of those muscles won't be used on the bike to wear them down.

[2big4mysize]

are you doing a totalbody workout that is both aerobic and strenght with your bowflex?
Some folk just do sets for strenght training on it and other do the cardio/strenght.

Many of us do cardio/fatburnng exercise in between our lifting days and alternate them.

If you are just riding for fatburning then you will not be straining those muscles you are working to build and should be just fine. if you are riding like you are in training for the Tour de France then that is a different matter.

Dr Atkins tells us in DANDR to do both aerobic and resistance training.

Happy low carbing

[Isabeau]

I think it's very important to do both strength training and cardio exercises, and even some flexibility stuff to boot. I have a home gym and I do weight training three times a week, alternating upper and lower body workouts. That gives some good rest times for those muscles. Three times a week I do cardio, either running (although I'm off on an injury right now, but soon!) or cycling. Sunday's are my rest day, and that's when I'll throw in some additional stretching, yoga, pilates etc, or keep it as a rest day!

[snorkelman]

are you doing a totalbody workout that is both aerobic and strenght with your bowflex?

This really is the key question. If you do bowflex for strength only, then yes, get back on the bike. This means if you are doing maybe 3 sets of chest press for a range of 6-12 reps per set, then you are doing strength training. However, if you can easily do your reps and maybe you are doing 50 or 60 reps for each exercise, then you are probably doing a kind of cardio workout and you may not need the bike.

I stick to the weights for strength training and i do my cardio separately. Do not get confused about letting your body rest. Unless you are really out of shape or have an injury, you can (and should) do cardio 4-6 days per week for fat loss. Weight training for strength is great because you don't want to lose lean muscle tissue when you lose weight.

Many people on Atkins will lose weight, but it is a shame when some of that weight is from muscle loss. Muscles need to be exersised (not just cardio) in order to keep your metabolism up. Cardio will burn calories almost exclusively when you are doing the cardio, whereas the weight training will burn calories AFTER you are done (called EPOC).

If you do bowflex on a split day plan (one day back and biceps and another day for chest and triceps) then yes, you will be letting the one muscle group that you just worked out get a break. Generally, you NEVER want to work the same muscle group two days in a row. Although some people say that abs are the exception, i think that you really don't need to work abs more than 2 or 3 days per week MAX.

So, you probably should get back on that bike.

I would suggest a 5-10 minute bike BEFORE your bow flex - that is a great warm-up. then do your bowflex for weight training, and if you are up to it, then do your 30 minute cardio workout on the bike. Do that 3 days per week and then just do the bike on the intervening two days.