Guest guest Posted December 22, 2006 Report Share Posted December 22, 2006 TREADMILL Talking Bull Back in the early seventies, the one must-have gadget in any self-respecting male teenager's room used to be the Bullworker. Are you old enough to remember the Bullworker? Or did the neighbourhood gym come up by the time your first miserable round of acne did? For those of us who remember the Bullworker-it was always bought by mail order-it used to have this near-mythical property of being able to transform you from a 40-kg weakling to a beefy giant. To be sure, its application of a combination of isometric and isotonic principles did help build muscles. In simple terms, exercising on the Bullworker made muscles work against each other, creating resistance and strengthening them. Its fabled inventor, Gert F. Kobel claimed to have studied the workings of human muscles for over 10 years before producing a prototype from which the Bullworker was derived. The only problem with the Bullworker was that it could make you look very beefy. No problems with that. Those were the days of the beefcake look-bulging pecs, hefty delts and huge biceps. The lean muscled look wasn't popular then and it was size that really mattered. No one wasted time doing cardio-vascular exercises-the only place you'd risk encountering the treadmill was perhaps in the biology lab where the poor rats would be running on them. A Bullworker was convenient too, it was portable and less cumbersome than, say, having an assortment of barbells and other weights at home. But exercising on the Bullworker had its problems. Like a friend who built huge biceps and very little else. Also, since most of the exercises on a Bullworker are done sitting down or kneeling, your lower body tended to get neglected-another aspect that didn't seem to matter in the seventies! Sometime in the 1980s, the Bullworker lost popularity. And then came the gyms and a focus on fitness rather than on building muscles. By the time the nineties rolled in, the Bullworker was almost extinct. So I was surprised to learn that it is making a comeback. Its X5 model retails at around $100 on its website and comes in a sleeker design. I'm wondering... if you follow a regime of cardio-vascular exercises and add a bit of Bullworker workouts, could it be a good exercise combo? Perhaps I'm just trying to find an excuse to buy one just like the Zippo lighter I have or the Remington mechanical typewriter I picked up last summer... just for old times sake. -MUSCLES MANI __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2006 Report Share Posted December 22, 2006 I'm going to agree and disagree. As I read the article, it seems to be saying what I've read about isometrics for a long time, that they will build muscle but not useful muscle. In my case, this was once again proven wrong yesterday and the day before. I spent nearly an hour shoveling snow day before yesterday and another hour again yesterday. Unlike previous winters, when it would take me twice as long because of the need for rest stops or to let my lower back stop hurting, I shoveled the heavy wet stuff non stop until I finished, both days. There was no tiredness, no lower back stiffening up or becoming sore. It never occurred to me that I hadn't stopped to rest. At the end of the miserable jobs, I still felt good and could easily have done a lot more. The only thing I've done different this past year is using the Bullworker. This isn't a controlled lab test, but it's real world. --- richard pancoast wrote: > TREADMILL > Talking Bull Back in the early seventies, the > one must-have gadget in any self-respecting male > teenager's room used to be the Bullworker. Are you > old enough to remember the Bullworker? Or did the > neighbourhood gym come up by the time your first > miserable round of acne did? For those of us who > remember the Bullworker-it was always bought by mail > order-it used to have this near-mythical property of > being able to transform you from a 40-kg weakling to > a beefy giant. To be sure, its application of a > combination of isometric and isotonic principles did > help build muscles. In simple terms, exercising on > the Bullworker made muscles work against each other, > creating resistance and strengthening them. Its > fabled inventor, Gert F. Kobel claimed to have > studied the workings of human muscles for over 10 > years before producing a prototype from which the > Bullworker was derived. > The only problem with the Bullworker was that it > could make you look very beefy. No problems with > that. Those were the days of the beefcake > look-bulging pecs, hefty delts and huge biceps. The > lean muscled look wasn't popular then and it was > size that really mattered. No one wasted time doing > cardio-vascular exercises-the only place you'd risk > encountering the treadmill was perhaps in the > biology lab where the poor rats would be running on > them. A Bullworker was convenient too, it was > portable and less cumbersome than, say, having an > assortment of barbells and other weights at home. > But exercising on the Bullworker had its problems. > Like a friend who built huge biceps and very little > else. Also, since most of the exercises on a > Bullworker are done sitting down or kneeling, your > lower body tended to get neglected-another aspect > that didn't seem to matter in the seventies! > Sometime in the 1980s, the Bullworker lost > popularity. And then came the gyms and a focus on > fitness rather than on building muscles. By the time > the nineties rolled in, the Bullworker was almost > extinct. So I was surprised to learn that it is > making a comeback. Its X5 model retails at around > $100 on its website and comes in a sleeker design. > I'm wondering... if you follow a regime of > cardio-vascular exercises and add a bit of > Bullworker workouts, could it be a good exercise > combo? Perhaps I'm just trying to find an excuse to > buy one just like the Zippo lighter I have or the > Remington mechanical typewriter I picked up last > summer... just for old times sake. > -MUSCLES MANI > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 23, 2006 Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 A great post, Chuck. Thanks.And, I agree with you. RichChuck Barone wrote: I'm going to agree and disagree. As I read thearticle, it seems to be saying what I've read aboutisometrics for a long time, that they will buildmuscle but not useful muscle.In my case, this was once again proven wrong yesterdayand the day before.I spent nearly an hour shoveling snow day beforeyesterday and another hour again yesterday. Unlikeprevious winters, when it would take me twice as longbecause of the need for rest stops or to let my lowerback stop hurting, I shoveled the heavy wet stuff nonstop until I finished, both days. There was no tiredness, no lower back stiffening up orbecoming sore. It never occurred to me that I hadn'tstopped to rest. At the end of the miserable jobs, Istill felt good and could easily have done a lot more.The only thing I've done different this past year isusing the Bullworker. This isn't a controlled labtest, but it's real world. --- richard pancoast <plumbguy2002> wrote:> TREADMILL> Talking Bull Back in the early seventies, the> one must-have gadget in any self-respecting male> teenager's room used to be the Bullworker. Are you> old enough to remember the Bullworker? Or did the> neighbourhood gym come up by the time your first> miserable round of acne did? For those of us who> remember the Bullworker-it was always bought by mail> order-it used to have this near-mythical property of> being able to transform you from a 40-kg weakling to> a beefy giant. To be sure, its application of a> combination of isometric and isotonic principles did> help build muscles. In simple terms, exercising on> the Bullworker made muscles work against each other,> creating resistance and strengthening them. Its> fabled inventor, Gert F. Kobel claimed to have> studied the workings of human muscles for over 10> years before producing a prototype from which the> Bullworker was derived. > The only problem with the Bullworker was that it> could make you look very beefy. No problems with> that. Those were the days of the beefcake> look-bulging pecs, hefty delts and huge biceps. The> lean muscled look wasn't popular then and it was> size that really mattered. No one wasted time doing> cardio-vascular exercises-the only place you'd risk> encountering the treadmill was perhaps in the> biology lab where the poor rats would be running on> them. A Bullworker was convenient too, it was> portable and less cumbersome than, say, having an> assortment of barbells and other weights at home.> But exercising on the Bullworker had its problems.> Like a friend who built huge biceps and very little> else. Also, since most of the exercises on a> Bullworker are done sitting down or kneeling, your> lower body tended to get neglected-another aspect> that didn't seem to matter in the seventies!> Sometime in the 1980s, the Bullworker lost> popularity. And then came the gyms and a focus on> fitness rather than on building muscles. By the time> the nineties rolled in, the Bullworker was almost> extinct. So I was surprised to learn that it is> making a comeback. Its X5 model retails at around> $100 on its website and comes in a sleeker design.> I'm wondering... if you follow a regime of> cardio-vascular exercises and add a bit of> Bullworker workouts, could it be a good exercise> combo? Perhaps I'm just trying to find an excuse to> buy one just like the Zippo lighter I have or the> Remington mechanical typewriter I picked up last> summer... just for old times sake.> -MUSCLES MANI> > __________________________________________________> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 23, 2006 Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 I had a similar situation... I was doing annual tractor road work but this time I had started using my BW before hand. I usually have to get off the tractor and pick up the large rocks that cannot be smoothed out. This time is was not as heavy. Not very scientific, but very factual. jp richard pancoast wrote: A great post, Chuck. Thanks.And, I agree with you. RichChuck Barone <cbarone18> wrote: I'm going to agree and disagree. As I read thearticle, it seems to be saying what I've read aboutisometrics for a long time, that they will buildmuscle but not useful muscle.In my case, this was once again proven wrong yesterdayand the day before.I spent nearly an hour shoveling snow day beforeyesterday and another hour again yesterday. Unlikeprevious winters, when it would take me twice as longbecause of the need for rest stops or to let my lowerback stop hurting, I shoveled the heavy wet stuff nonstop until I finished, both days. There was no tiredness, no lower back stiffening up orbecoming sore. It never occurred to me that I hadn'tstopped to rest. At the end of the miserable jobs, Istill felt good and could easily have done a lot more.The only thing I've done different this past year isusing the Bullworker. This isn't a controlled labtest, but it's real world. --- richard pancoast <plumbguy2002> wrote:> TREADMILL> Talking Bull Back in the early seventies, the> one must-have gadget in any self-respecting male> teenager's room used to be the Bullworker. Are you> old enough to remember the Bullworker? Or did the> neighbourhood gym come up by the time your first> miserable round of acne did? For those of us who> remember the Bullworker-it was always bought by mail> order-it used to have this near-mythical property of> being able to transform you from a 40-kg weakling to> a beefy giant. To be sure, its application of a> combination of isometric and isotonic principles did> help build muscles. In simple terms, exercising on> the Bullworker made muscles work against each other,> creating resistance and strengthening them. Its> fabled inventor, Gert F. Kobel claimed to have> studied the workings of human muscles for over 10> years before producing a prototype from which the> Bullworker was derived. > The only problem with the Bullworker was that it> could make you look very beefy. No problems with> that. Those were the days of the beefcake> look-bulging pecs, hefty delts and huge biceps. The> lean muscled look wasn't popular then and it was> size that really mattered. No one wasted time doing> cardio-vascular exercises-the only place you'd risk> encountering the treadmill was perhaps in the> biology lab where the poor rats would be running on> them. A Bullworker was convenient too, it was> portable and less cumbersome than, say, having an> assortment of barbells and other weights at home.> But exercising on the Bullworker had its problems.> Like a friend who built huge biceps and very little> else. Also, since most of the exercises on a> Bullworker are done sitting down or kneeling, your> lower body tended to get neglected-another aspect> that didn't seem to matter in the seventies!> Sometime in the 1980s, the Bullworker lost> popularity. And then came the gyms and a focus on> fitness rather than on building muscles. By the time> the nineties rolled in, the Bullworker was almost> extinct. So I was surprised to learn that it is> making a comeback. Its X5 model retails at around> $100 on its website and comes in a sleeker design.> I'm wondering... if you follow a regime of> cardio-vascular exercises and add a bit of> Bullworker workouts, could it be a good exercise> combo? Perhaps I'm just trying to find an excuse to> buy one just like the Zippo lighter I have or the> Remington mechanical typewriter I picked up last> summer... just for old times sake.> -MUSCLES MANI> > __________________________________________________> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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