When we went to LA in May of 2014 to shoot my Treadclimber commercial with Bowflex, everyone was talking about this new 'Max Trainer' that had just been rolled out. Being fully honest, I thought they looked super cool and well, let's be serious, the slogan of a '15 minute workout' sounded pretty ideal right?! Watch their first commercial here:
All this is great, but it wasn't until a good friend of mine lost 30 pounds in 3 months that I was like 'ok legit, what is this machine?!' So with my gym reno that is happening in the basement right now, I figured what a perfect time to purchase one.
Setup - This was all Lorne. I don't do very well with instructions... and building things... and just all around I am more of a supervisor. It came in two boxes and took Lorne about an hour to build it. He thought the instructions were very straight forward and were not a problem for one person to build.
Size - It is definitely smaller than my TC10 (I am not sure of the exact measurements) and just like the treadclimber it has the wheels to assist in moving it.
So I have now had and used this machine every day for a week, and let me tell you: IT IS INTENSE! The machine itself is very tech savvy and user friendly.
The screen has all you would need to know: your RPM, heart rate, burn rate & average level. I love seeing your calorie burn rate change on the meter and the sounds are super fun!
There are different programs to choose from and the ability to pick User 1 or 2 (which was super perfect for Lorne and I). Now the first time I went on it all I kept saying was "my legs are burning, why are they burning?" I could instantly tell this machine was very different from the treadclimber. The first 2 times I tried the program 'The Fat Burner' I had to stop 3 times in the 15 minutes because I thought I was going to swallow my lungs..seriously I was dying…BUT the third time I finished the 15 minutes with no stopping, so yay me! I did try to do no program just going a steady pace for 20 minutes but I found myself constantly playing with the resistance buttons and adjusting my speed and then kinda confusing myself, so for me I definitely prefer the programs. Each time I get off this machine I needed to take a couple minutes to regain myself, as I feel it everywhere but mostly in the top of my thighs. Such a great burn!
Then two nights I thought I should try both machines right after each other, so I could really get a good idea of both.
As you can see, I did the 'Fat Burner' program and let me tell you…when it gets to those 4 minutes in a row at level 13 I want to quit... its awful. But I powered through, finished and felt proud and awesome after. I burnt 193 calories in 15 minutes.
Then I went on my TC10 and did 15 minutes at a steady pace of 3.7. I sweated a ton in those 15 minutes, though I was on my phone checking Facebook, and picking and finding new songs, something I wouldn't even think of doing on the M5. I burned 183 calories in 15 minutes.
So I bet you're wondering...
How do you choose one? Because honestly not everyone wants to have a full gym in their house like me, you want a machine you can stick to and give you results. My thoughts…these are two completely different machines that you can't even compare. I mean yes, they are both cardio machines, that I am absolute certain both will give you results. But deciding on which one shouldn't be as simple as price or size in my opinion. I think you need to ask yourself what you will be comfortable using.
In my opinion, if you have never been 'athletic,' have bad joints, or are very overweight (like I was), then I would tell you to get the treadclimber. Now please note I am also a bit biased because I LOVE my treadclimber, that thing gave me the results, it was easy on my joints, plus it's the only thing I have ever continued using and maintained my weight with. BUT this M5 is exciting - it's pushing me and making muscles burn that I didn't know I had. Now could you start at a steady pace and move up as you feel comfortable - absolutely. Plus, as my friend has shown me, it gives you results quickly. So this really is a great buy too!
So really being fully serious - You CAN NOT go wrong with either! These machines are legit and honestly thank you Bowflex for making such amazing machines that I really can't compare, nor tell anyone which is better. They both burn serious calories and they both make me a sweaty mess, which is exactly what I am wanting :)
-Chandell
