Are you trying to choose between the Nordictrack Freestride Trainer and the Bowflex Max? Are you wondering which is the best machine for your home?
These are two very popular elliptical type machines that help you get better results than a standard elliptical trainer. And getting into the same price range means a lot of people are trying to decide between the two.
This article will give you a rundown of the main differences between the two to help you find the right option for you.
#1 Type of movement
These two machines give you two very different types of exercise movement. The Freestride Trainer is more like an elliptical trainer.
You can go back and forth. You can even change the slope of the elliptical path with incline and decline.
But unlike a typical elliptical trainer that has a set stride length, you can actually vary your stride with the Freestride trainer. Thus, he can do short step movements, longer running strides, or even longer show jumping type strides.
Therefore, you can constantly change the movement, which leads to less adaptation and more calories burned.
The Bowflex Max Trainer gives you a more stair-like movement, with elliptical-style movable arm bars for toning your upper body.
You don’t have as much flexibility to vary your movements as with the Freestride trainer, but you do have a high calorie burning workout that really works your lower body and core muscles.
#2 Training Program Options
While this varies depending on which Max Trainer or Freestride Trainer model you choose, you generally get a few more built-in workouts with the Freestride Trainer than you do with the Max Trainer.
However, all Max Trainer models come with the famous 14 minute high intensity workout built in.
This workout is part of what makes the Max Trainer so popular and effective. It’s high-intensity interval training designed to burn the most calories in the least amount of time, and even keep burning calories post-workout for hours.
#3 Calories burned
The Max Trainer has a slight advantage here, but only because Bowflex has had the foresight to lab test their machine.
With the Max Trainer you can burn up to 2.5 times more calories than a stair climber, treadmill or elliptical.
Max Trainer users in a fitness test actually burned up to 600 calories in 30 minutes, which is amazing.
This doesn’t mean you can’t burn more calories on a Freestride trainer than you can on an elliptical. In fact, you probably can (because you’re not acclimating to a set pace, and you’re always challenging your body).
But so far, Nordictrack hasn’t actually released the results for calories burned. Therefore, there is no hard data to stand on and compare with the Max Trainer.
Support #4
I always like looking at the console of a machine because let’s face it, you’ll be looking at it a lot during your workout. So you want to see exactly what you’ll see (i.e. is it backlit, easy to read, easy to use, etc.)
Bowflex Max Trainer models come with various consoles, but for the most part you get easy-to-read feedback with an intuitive layout.
There’s even an intensity meter that allows you to participate and challenge yourself to go further. However, there aren’t many toys or extras on the console.
On the other hand, the Freestride Trainer console is backlit and easy to read too, but you do get a lot of toys and extras.
For example, the FS7 and FS9 models come with full color touch screen consoles with web browsers. So you can surf the net, watch YouTube videos or read emails while exercising. Very cool.
You also get a built-in jack for your iPod or mp3 player with console speakers to listen to your favorite tunes.
#5 Price
While the price range is in the same ballpark, the Max Trainer starts out a bit cheaper, with a starting model costing around $1200 and going up from there.
As of this writing, the most affordable Freeestride Trainer costs around $1599. So if you’re on a budget, then the Max Trainer might be just the thing for you.
Those are some of the main differences between the Nordictrack Freestride Trainer and the Bowflex Max. Both have many advantages over standard elliptical trainers.
It really all comes down to what you want, your budget, and your training goals. Good luck and have fun!