Equipment update: Last week I began a discussion of home strength-training equipment. I men-tioned that I have been trying a NordicFlex Gold machine and that it was well-made and easy to use.
The NordicFlex Gold is one of several very nice strength-training machines that have been designed specifically for use in the home. The other two machines of the same basic design are the Soloflex and the Trimax, which I will discuss later in the column. All of these machines are smaller and less bulky than the more traditional strength-training machines that use weight stacks for resistance, and all would fit into a large bedroom or family room with less disruption in terms of size and design. I liked the looks of the NordicFlex Gold in my basement, and it was convenient to complete a workout without leaving home.The NordicFlex Gold came with a small training and owners manual that contained a suggested Monday, Wednesday and Friday workout. A short video tape was also included to show how these exercises were to be done. I tried all of the suggested exercises and was impressed with how easy it was to use this machine.
The major advantages of the NordicFlex Gold machine over either Soloflex or Trimax is related to the basic design of the upper resistance arm. With the NordicFlex Gold machine, the resistance unit for the upper resistance arm is mounted on a vertical post and moves up and down the post as exercises are done (called linear machine motion). With both the Soloflex and Trimax machines, the upper-body resistance arm is attached to the vertical post so the motion of this arm is an arc rather than a linear motion, and linear motion is better for overhead presses, bench presses, lat pull downs and squats (and other linear-motion exercises). The linear motion of the NordicFlex Gold did not work well with bicep curls and tricep extensions, however, because they are rotary motions activities. All three machines use rotary motion for leg extension and flexion.
I was also impressed with the design of the isokinetic device on the NordicFlex Gold and enjoyed the smoothness of the motion. The device is mounted on the bottom frame, and cables extend out through pulleys to the lever arms. This type of resistance is surely superior, at least in theory, to the rubber-band resistance used in the Soloflex machine. The Trimax machine does, however, use shock-absorber-type isokinetic resistance devices that make it possible to feel resistance both ways on every exercise. Although I am impressed with the looks of both the Soloflex and Trimax machines, I have not actually tried either of them, so it is difficult to evaluate them fully.
There were a few minor problems with the NordicFlex Gold. For instance, the squat (they call them "leg bends") action was wonderful, but they need a pad on the upper lever arm to decrease the pressure on the shoulders. And I was unable to do dips as shown in the instruction manual because the upper arm was too narrow. Otherwise, the machine worked beautifully.
The question is, should you spend from $950 to $1,200 for a home strength-training machine? That is a difficult question to answer. Although they are all well-designed and would be effective for developing and maintaining strength in the fitness setting, and would look nice in your home, that is a lot of money.
Next week I'll discuss some alternatives to help you make a more informed decision.
Garth Fisher is director of the Human Performance Research Center at Brigham Young University.