Last Updated on October 19, 2020 by Michael Brockbank
A very good friend of mine gave me her Bodyblade. It was something she saw on TV and decided to try. However, she lacked the motivation to really get into the device. So, I’m going to see if Bodybladed exercises are worthwhile through personal case studies.
Because I love to play with data in a spreadsheet.
The Idea Behind Bodyblade Exercises
Bodyblade works on a basis of making rapid muscle contractions in a very short period of time. Ideally, a user can contract muscle groups up to 270 times per minute. These microbursts of muscle use contribute to toning and definition.
And due to the balance of keeping yourself upright, the Bodyblade helps you work on a vast number of muscles, depending on the workout itself.
For instance, standing a certain way or moving the Bodyblade back and forth in various positions focuses work on very specific muscle groups.
Also, because of the rapid micro-movements and constant motion, you can burn calories by performing Bodyblade exercises.
Do Bodyblade Exercises Really Work?
In reality, any exercise that keeps your body in motion is going to be good for you. I’m more interested in whether the Bodyblade does what its developer’s claim.
After all, it’s not exactly a cheap unit. That is, if you buy the brand name and not the knock-off, reactor aerobar trainer at Walmart.
Using Various Muscles
I’ve only played with the Bodyblade a few times so far. But in those sessions, I found it to be an effective unit. For example, I spent just over five minutes holding upright to move it back and forth like wings and felt a bit of a burn in my shoulders, triceps, and upper armpit area.
For fitness gurus, this is the latissimus dorsi and teres major muscle groups.
And when holding the device in front of me, directly in front of my chest, I noticed my pecs jumping with each “flap” during the Bodyblade exercises. Though, it did make me feel a bit weird to see my chest jumping up and down like that.
In one exercise I tried, the one focusing on tummy toning, I did feel a bit of a burn just below my chest line.
Burning Calories?
Admittedly, I’ve only used Bodyblade exercises a few times as of this post. However, I did track each one using my FitBit Charge 4. According to my heart rate, I was burning around 10 to 12 calories per minute.
This is essentially about a fast-paced, 4-mile-per-hour walk.
But, I do plan on running the Bodyblade exercises through the trials as I do with everything else. If the calorie burn is sustainable, this unit may have some benefit for the price.
As I said, though, it really depends on the exercise itself. Some movements, positions, and methods just don’t seem to be as effective as others.
Like every workout, however, everyone’s experience is different. All I can do is show how it affects me, personally. And so far, the calorie burn is up there with a few of my lesser Xbox 360 Kinect games.
Benefits of Using a Bodyblade
So far, I’ve discovered a few benefits of using this device. And I’m sure I’ll discover more as I start the case study today.
Easy to Just Jump Into
For one thing, using the Bodyblade for exercises is quick and easy. You can simply pick it up and start right away. Then again, I can say that about so many other devices.
And I know that it comes with a handy-dandy chart to show you proper positions. But I find it fun to make up my own on the fly, which I’ll be doing a video about in the near future.
Stores Well Enough
The Bodyblade classic is about 4 feet tall and about two inches wide at the tips. It’s also relatively thin, which makes storing the unit quite easy in just about any room.
In my case, I have it leaning up against the wall in the far corner of my bedroom. Which is better than kicking a set of 20-pound dumbbells on the floor with my foot.
Can Work Out Above-Waist Muscle Groups Easily
As of using this unit, I found that it does a fairly good job of activating muscles that are above the waistline. That’s because it’s awfully hard to move the blade with your feet.
However, you can always add more to the workout by doing a semi-crouch. Kind of like a half-assed squat, or like you’re sitting on a bicycle.
This works out the glutes, hamstrings, and thigh muscles as you hold your position while bouncing the blade.
Doesn’t Really Seem Like Working Out
When “playing” around with Bodyblade exercises, I found that it doesn’t really feel like a workout. Instead, I am more inclined to play with the blade and swing it in various positions.
Again, I’ll demonstrate some of my favorites in a future video.
It’s one of those tools that you can use while watching something on Netflix. You don’t realize you’re working out until certain muscles start to feel sore. I first did this while watching Family Feud.
Drawbacks to the Bodyblade
As of this article, I’ve found only two, but very distinctive, drawbacks to performing Bodyblade exercises. And both are not related to workouts themselves, but more of an environmental concern.
Need a Bit of Space
First of all, make sure you have ample space. The first time I used the Bodyblade above my head, I whacked the ceiling in rapid succession. Of course, this won’t happen today because my new house has two-foot-taller ceilings.
But if you’re not careful, it would be exceptionally easy to whack a pet in the face, smack a passer-by, or otherwise injury yourself in a myriad of ways.
Now, I doubt this is a life-threatening unit. However, it will leave a nice little bruise should someone walk into the path of the weighted ends.
The Grip Leaves Behind Residue
Because of the type of rubber used in the Classic version, it leaves behind a kind of residue after extended use. In fact, it’ll easily turn a sweaty hand black.
You can offset this problem using workout gloves, which I have. I use my workout gloves when handling the dumbbells, resistance bands, and anything else that is strenuous. Apparently, the Bodyblade Classic is among these, now.
Experimenting with Bodyblade Exercises
After the brief amount of time I’ve been performing Bodyblade exercises, I can tell that there is some kind of positive benefit. Certain muscles are feeling more firm while the calorie burn hasn’t been terrible.
But, I’ll know far more once the case study is complete.
At any rate, using this device may have its benefits. I just don’t know yet if the benefits compare to the price you’ll pay for a new unit. After all, for the same price, I could add quite a few dumbbells to my home gym or several Kinect games.
Bodyblade sucks. I fell into the hype and bought one. Used it daily for over a year, just to give it a thorough try. I used it 6 days a week and it did absolutely NOTHING to my health or psyche whatsoever. Its not worth the money. I never felt a burn and it certainly didnt do a thing for my stomach.
I’m sorry you didn’t find value in it. I think the reason it works so well for me is because of how I use the Bodyblade. I think their “workouts” are a bit bland, so I added a bit of flair. One of these days, I’ll make a video, but I can assure you, my heart rate went up to over 180 BPM one day. I hope you find something that works for you. 🙂
I did 3 sets of over 1 minute each of the POWER 10 exercises 6 days a week for a year. My bpm never got over 127. And yes, the workout got BLAND and BORING.
For me, it’s all about the “dance.” lol
I’ll definitely have to record it soon. 🙂