The Activ5 Isometric Fitness System is just plain and simply….REVOLUTIONARY! It’s not a wearable. Rather, it’s a whole new way to think about working out, one that’s efficient, quick and something you can do anywhere, anytime. How’s that for convenience. Ultimately, it’s a new and fun way to get fit without the gym travel-time or a lengthy workout routine.
Activ5 ($119.90) is a small device, shaped like a large stone, which fits in the palm of your hand. It’s light, portable and is designed to give you an isometric workout, which is just as effectively, if not more so, than the typical cardio and iron pumping we’ve been conditioned to do when we consider what working out is.
Activ5 and Isometrics
Isometric exercise is a type of strength training in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during contraction. In other words, you are contracting your muscles, and sustaining that contraction for a few seconds. This would be compared to concentric or eccentric contractions, called dynamic/isotonic movements, which is what we typically do when working out with weights.
Activ5 measures up to 200 lbs of force from your own strength, and its companion mobile app aims to help you tone and strengthen your muscles in short burst exercises.
Great for anyone on the go or stuck in an office all day, Activ5 provides workouts customized to suit your fitness level and goals, and the workouts can be done standing up or even sitting down. The workouts can be completed in as little as 5 minutes, which most anyone has time for, and which anyone can begin doing, regardless of their current fitness level.
Overview
This portable workout device and it’s companion app let you get quick and effective workouts in a short period of time that will help you tone, build muscle mass and lose weight if that’s your goal. As mentioned, Activ5 uses the principles of isometrics, the principles behind pilates and yoga. The idea is to tense your muscles against a static object, such as the floor or against other muscles, so your joints are static. And because these exercises require little wide or long movement, you can perform them anywhere, anytime.
Five-minutes a day is all you need, and the workouts are fast and fun so you’re not getting bored like you would with a ridiculously long session on the treadmill. In fact, some of the Activ5 workouts are in a “game” format, so it makes it that much more fun, challenging and enjoyable. Plus, you’ll get a full body workout standing up or sitting down. Or you can target a specific muscle group to really build up certain muscles for certain sports. Of course, the Activ5 will track your progress using the device and the app.
Building lean muscle is the real magic behind Activ5. when you strength train, your muscles are burning fat all day long. This doesn’t happen with cardio. Cardio might burn some fat, but it takes a lot of exertion to do so, and sometimes cardio is counter-productive because it trains your lungs to use less oxygen, which in turn can eat away at your muscle mass. Activ5 aims to increase this muscle mass in a short amount of time. Having said that, Activ5 will at the same time improve your Aerobic fitness level…..just in a better, more efficient, and more effective way.
With Activ 5, you can increase strength by as much as 30% over just a few weeks, and because it’s low-impact, you avoid being susceptible to injury.
Features
Activ5 has a battery that will last you for almost half a year, so you rarely have to re-juice it. There are 100’s of different workouts that you can perform, some uniquely designed for busy parents and traveling professionals, enabling exercise in the hotel, office, while watching TV….even in the car or plane.
The app is available for download on Google Play or the Apple App Store, and it includes lots of workouts, which can improve stamina, build muscle, improve your range of motion, aid in weight loss, and can even lower your blood pressure.
There’s even a 6 week challenge on the app, which instructs you to complete the 5 minute workouts 3 times a day. Participants that did this experienced 32-55% more muscle activity than cycling, squats or a treadmill workout, lost weight, 63% of it being pure body fat, and increased strength by an average of 30%.
Availability
Activ5 is only available online through the company website, and they offer two fitness packages. The standard Activ 5 Fitness Package sells for $119.90, and includes the Activ5 device, a mobile stand, a fitness towel and a nutrition Guide.
The Deluxe package (pictured above) sells for $159.90 and includes the Activ5 device, Mobile stand, fitness towel, nutrition guide, exercise mat, foam roller, a fit grip and a sports waterbottle.
Finally, Activ5 offers a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.
Bottom Line
I’ve always been a fan of isometrics. Many fitness experts would agree that static muscle contractions, which isometrics offers, is the most efficient way to build muscle mass and even improve cardio in a healthier way. Couple that with the fact that Activ5 is super portable, inexpensive and convenient, and you not only have a winning product, but you also get a workout system that you could actually stick with for a prolonged period of time. This is obviously key to improving fitness over a lifetime.
Activ5 will easily integrate into your day to help you tone up, slim down and get fit. You can purchase the Activ5 Fitness Package ($119.90) or the Activ5 Deluxe package ($159.90) here.
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