Toning With a Bowflex

The Bowflex is a home gym that uses rubber power rods and pulleys instead of weights to provide users with the the ability to do physical workouts at home using one device. It is a versatile and compact home gym that folds up, making it easy to store when not in use. The machine is used to build bulky muscle, but it is also a tool for toning and tightening up muscles. Follow a specific workout, isolating certain muscles and using the correct amount of resistance, to achieve your target muscle tone.

  1. Compound Movements

    • To achieve an overall toned look in the least amount of time, concentrate on doing compound movements on the Bowflex instead of isolation movements. Isolation movements stress the body across a single joint. Compound movements stress the body across multiple joints at once, allowing the user to tone several muscles doing one exercise. Bench presses, a compound movement on the Bowflex, work the pectoral muscles, shoulders and triceps in one exercise. Isolation movements work best for toning calves, biceps, triceps and abs.

    Getting Started

    • The key to toning with the Bowflex is to start slowly and build up your resistance with consistent workouts. Start by doing 30 minutes of resistance training three to four times a week. Do 14 repetitions of each exercise, starting out with a low level of resistance. If the resistance seems too much, make note of it and choose a lower resistance for the next workout. The resistance will change for each exercise because each of the muscles of the body can handle different amounts of "weight." The successful approach is to be able to execute each exercise with steady control, making sure that the muscles do not give out before the end of the workout. Take 30-second breaks in between each exercise to allow the body some rest.

    Upper Body Toning

    • There are a variety of exercises that provide optimal resistance for toning the upper body. The bench press is a good starting point, concentrating mostly on toning the chest muscles, followed by the seated row, which tones the back muscles. Finish with the seated shoulder press and triceps extensions, targeting the muscles of the shoulders and toning the triceps, which is one of the hardest areas to tone. If the arms start to appear too muscular, lessen the amount of resistance used.

    Lower Body and Abs Toning

    • Toned legs and abs are important for the classic beach body or for someone who wants to achieve a healthy looking body. Start lower body exercises with seated calf raises, which concentrate on toning the muscles of the calves through resistance and extension. Move on to squats next, working to tone the muscles of the thighs and rear end. End the workout with the most difficult exercise: crunches. Crunches require 30 repetitions instead of the usual 14, and the abs will burn toward the end of the reps, demonstrating the power of resistance bands in working the abdominal muscles.