Q&A
A. It would be great if you could, but you cannot. The number of calories per day is the problem. Teenagers require significantly more calories each day than 1500, which is the highest level. Check with a registered dietician (RD) for appropriate recommendations. Your teenage son and daughter, however, could follow the Bowflex® exercise routines.
Q. I’m afraid that I might get large, unfeminine muscles from some of the Bowflex® exercises you recommend in this course. What can I do to prevent this from happening?
A. You are worrying about large muscles unnecessarily. Building large muscles requires two conditions. First, the individual must have long muscles and short tendons. Second, an abundance of testosterone must be present in the blood
stream. Women almost never have either of these conditions.
Under no circumstances could 99.99 percent of American women develop excessively large muscles. Progressive resistance exercise such as using a Bowflex® home gym will make your muscles larger
– but not excessively large – and larger muscles will make your body firmer and
more shapely.
Q.Why is it so important I perform the Bowflex®
exercises with a
A.Because a slow, smooth
by a
Q.I’m confused about how to breathe during each Bowflex® exercise?
A.Let’s say your goal is to do 10 repetitions on a specific Bowflex® exercise that is performed in the recommended
style. Here are the proper breathing guidelines to follow:
•Breathe normally during the first five repetitions.
•Take shorter, more shallow breaths during the sixth, seventh, and eighth repetitions.
•Emphasize exhalation more than inhalation, especially during the ninth and tenth repetitions. Focus on good form and slow movement.
•Do not hold your breath on any repetition.
Practice relaxing your face and neck. Do not grit your teeth. Keep your eyes open and remain alert.
Q.I’m not as disciplined and patient as I’d like to be. How can I better stay on track with the program?
A. One suggestion is to team up with a partner. Most people are more motivated and make better progress if they go through the program with a friend. In selecting a training partner, here are several things to keep in mind:
•Your partner should be similar to you in age and condition.
•Your partner should be serious about
getting into shape and making a
commitment . That commitment means you’ll be exercising together one hour, three times per week. Each of your joint training sessions should take
approximately50 minutes: 25 minutes for your workout and 25 minutes supervising your partner’s workout.
•Your partner should be someone with whom you’ll share a spirit of cooperation, not competition.
62
Owner’s Manual
