May prove too easy for some, a cheat . Replacement pads and components cost money
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Ahh yes, the million-dollar dream. The ability to lose weight and gain muscle mass, all without the actual need to do any exercise. All of this can supposedly be done on all parts of your beautiful body. Does this seem too good to be true? Yes and no.
What is it? The Bodi-Tek EMS System is basically an electromagnetic muscle stimulation system which in theory contracts your muscle fibres in a regular pattern of stop and start in order to achieve the body that want to achieve. This is all achievable without the need to ever lift a weight, or do a sit-up.
Option, options, options… There are many options available, all of which are to cater for different types of muscle growth or fat burning. First off, there are four sockets where you plug in a cable, which is attached to two soaked felt pads (they are soaked so that they are more conductible), fitted between a strap which goes around a body part, say for example the upper abdominal region.
There are two selectable modes to the system, Sports mode and Therapy mode. Sports mode is mainly for muscle toning, while Therapy mode is for muscle massage and relief. Now, you can select how long you want the contractions to occur for, and the pause time. The contraction lengths range from 1 second to 25 seconds, and the same goes for the pause time.
Now the contraction time and pause length are set (They can be varied during the exercise), it is time to set how hard you want your muscles to work. So moving the analogue dial up increases the electromagnetic force, contracting your muscles much harder than humanly possible. Have you ever tried to do just one more crunch, ending up in failed misery? This machine allows you to go the distance, and then some.
First impressions As soon as I used this machine, I was shocked. Literally! You will be very surprised at how much your muscles actually contract whilst using the Bodi-Tek. I was very sceptical before receiving mine for Christmas, but now I definitely prefer it to doing thousands of sit-ups – any day!
Due to all the various settings and adjustments, there are so many potential uses to this machine that it would take too long to talk about all of them in any depth. If there is sufficient demand from you lot then I may add this as an extra section. The main thing you need to know is that if you want to get rid of excess baggage, it will help you by choosing Therapy mode. For muscle toning and shaping up choose Sports mode where the electromagnetic signals are stronger.
Does it work? On the face of it, this type of product could revolutionise the way we live, saving time, and indeed energy. Like all methods of training, if you do not use it for sufficiently long enough, then you will not see the results. Having said that, it is all too easy to soak up the pads and start building that six-pack you always wanted, and whilst watching your favourite soap. Believe me, I’ve done it and it is a liberating experience. Oh, and before you think that this is God’s gift to the human race, there are some issues to think carefully about.
Is this machine only for men? I’m sorry if I haven’t mentioned earlier, but the Bodi-Tek can be used for both men and women. Men and women have different exercise points, and therefore may use it in different ways. For example women can get high hip roll, and men want to exercise their pectorals. These various exercise points are shown in clear and concise hand-drawn diagrams with small explanations of what exercising each body part will achieve. For example, Women: Waists – The equivalent to side bends, helps with waist measurements. One thing that women may find ridiculous is that there are extra photographic photos of where the Bodi-Tek should be placed on a man’s body, but not the female. This is a minor gripe however, and it should be stressed that the system can be used for people of all ages.
I have a heart condition, is this for me? As mentioned earlier, the machine is not age or gender dependant, and can be used by any age grouping. However, the manual suggests the very elderly and children to use it under supervision and to keep the intensity low. Perhaps the most important information to consider before buying the Bodi-Tek is to check whether you have any health issues such as a history of heart disease or a cardiac condition. If this is the case the company advises you to consult your G.P. before use.
Famous links I am not sure how much of a recommendation this is, but allegedly athletes and other celebrities also us this system. The list ranges from Daley Thompson, Sharon Davies, and Michael Schumacher, to Prince Nasseem Hamed and Lionel Blair (?). I say I am not sure how important this issue is, because it could be just like saying; Linford Christie uses a treadmill, which means that you too can become an Olympic sprinter. I think it is nice that I use the same exerciser as used by these famous individuals, but I believe that the Bodi-Tek will only be as useful to yourself as you make it.
So is it too good to be true then? Before you all rush out and get one thinking that you can just leave it on all night whilst you fall asleep, you can’t. For one important reason is the fact that you will not be able to get any sleep at all, for imagine your buttocks tensing every 20 seconds really hard when you are dozing off to the land of Nod. And yes, it is great for toning the ass! Also, the pads eventually dry out, leaving you feeling minimal contractions. That is my next point.
When you first buy the machine and use it, contractions are very hard and last for roughly 30-40 minutes (or more) depending on what body part you use it on. After a short while the conductivity of the pads start to fade unless you constantly wash them, leaving you with poor pads that need replacing. This is where Bodi-Tek gets its money. Replacements upon replacements :-O Having said that it is not so bad, the initial set-up comes with 8 large pads and 4 smaller ones (consider that you will only need to use two at one time on your right arm, left arm etc.), and some conductible gel. What is the gel for? It simply allows the pads to be used for longer, without drying out as quickly. My only qualm with this is that you only get a little 50ml bottle, which will last for about 2-3 sessions.
Conclusions This technology is still in its infancy, and the implications of using it are great for achieving the ultimate healthy body, combined with a calorie-controlled diet. There are many improvements to be made, but at the end of the day you would find me hard pushed to keep this product stored away for longer than a day.
Although I have said that you will not need to ever do any exercise again if you use this regularly, this is half true and half myth. Technically the Bodi-Tek will never be a true replacement for bodybuilding, not will it be a superior method of enjoying the regular morning run, listening to the morning songs of praise from the delightful birds. No. However, if you are looking for the total, all round muscle toning and shape trimming, then you can’t go far wrong with the Bodi-Tek.
Thank you for your recent comments towards this opinion, and am very grateful that it has been of help. If you do decide to purchase one, perhaps in a few weeks/months leave another comment and tell me how it has been useful to you. As such, I will update this opinion as I see fit.
For more information, check out the web site at www.bodi-tek.co.uk.
That was my opinion, and it has been fun.
=- Joseph Phuong -=
Revision logs... =- 24/01/01 - v1.0 -= * Original version
=- 25/01/01 - v1.1 -=
Is it suitable for both men and women?
What about people with health issues?
Famous athletes use this too!
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