Activbody Activ5 Handheld Isometric Strength Training Device – for Arms, Legs, Upper and Lower Body Muscles – Portable and Lightweight - with Customized Workout Trainer App, Black & Orange

I put this in a List a while back thinking of gift ideas but did not purchase until recently. Purchased as a supplement to physical therapy for my shoulder. Therapy included isometric activities so it seemed to make sense. Introduced it to my therapist and he thought it was a great idea. Only used it 4 times now since I bought it a week os so ago but pleased with it overall and looking forward to seeing progress.As a word of caution, look at the exercise closely before doing it. The app tracks several metrics so doing a right side exercise with the left will affect the stats but that should wash out over time.Can be a little difficult watching on the phone and streaming to tv might be helpful but you get used to it after doing an exercise a few times.

Wow, I really love this thing!I can finally apply powerlifting cycles accurately to isometric calisthenics training!The standard Activ5 coaching app is not optimal for this application, but Activbody was kind enough to send me a code to allow access to the Activeforce app, which displays real-time force for up to 60 seconds as well as maximum force applied during the period.It works very well for tracking maximum force overcoming isometrics as well as submaximal contractions applied for time.“… a true advantage of the barbell is the precisely calibrated resistance. You can easily specify something like “82.5% 1RM.” Why is that important? Because it enables you to do a power cycle: a multiweek program that specifies exact training poundages and culminates with a strength PR. Such a cycle is very easy to implement and highly effective.Cycling will not work with other traditional types of resistance the way it will work with barbells… “is a quote from Pavel Tsatsouline’s book “The Naked Warrior”.That barbell advantage has been substantially reduced, or even eliminated, through the use of this device, as powerlifting cycles can now be successfully applied to highly demanding bodyweight exercises like pistols and one-arm pushups without resorting to imprecise leverage or unquantifiable assistance to modulate level of effort.Yay!!

I was very motivated and excited about trying this product because in theory it's a great idea and very innovative. I love the idea of getting the muscle building in a short amount of time and using body weight. However, the exercises are not very well explained so you never really sure if you're doing them right. The documentation sucks. There's no reason why they can't have YouTube videos to help Eensure that you are doing things correctly and getting the benefits from the work you putting in. They're simple diagrams that don't explain correct positioning and some you really have no idea what you're actually supposed to be doing. So in essence you're paying for a really expensive little scale. Great idea. Interesting concept. Terrible documentation and execution.

It is fun to watch your strength increase. I need to use it regularly, which I haven't. There is a learning curve and I think there should be better guidance about which exercises to use. Even a few sample workouts such as fully body, upper body, and lower body would help a buyer get started. I'm going to go get it and use it right now!

It’s a novel way to exercise using a compact method to measure and monitor strength.App is excellent bit needs more Bluetooth sound features so that it will not require to look at the cell phone screen during compression exercise. (Example wood chop exercise while walking). Other wise, highly recommended, well thought out device, app, and application!

I can't tell much improvement after daily use. Having to watch the phone screen during exercise to do exercise is awkward and at times uncomfortable. Wish it had audible directions or didn't require watching phone.

Seems to shut off alot

This device is designed for a specific purpose. It does achieve that purpose quite well. You really need to understand Isometric training, and manage your expectations accordingly. There are many great books that explain the nueral connection one must practice, for Isometric gains. Bodybuilders usually master nueral connection. With that being said, this device is no way intended to create large muscle mass. That is a science unto itself which involves a significant increase in protein consumption, compared to the average American diet. I have been using the Active5 for about a month - no changes to diet, resistance training or cardio. Overall, my muscles feel harder. I wouldn't say they grown in size, but I suppose it's possible. But here's the big takeaway. I've had zero problems with the app. Using this can be done sitting or standing. And I find it to be a lot of fun. Anything that creates muscle tension, and provides a some fun - is a total win in my book. If your a person of average strength, I would add this to your routine. But you should definitely do other exercises to stress your muscles besides this. Also, if you're a true fan of isometrics, you will want a Bullworker.

Wow! I've used many indoor home exercise gadgets, from exercise bikes to steppers and lots more.Due to many injuries over the years including having 3 bulges in different parts of my spine and now living each day with chronic almost full-body pain as well as living on several opioid painkillers - I have become totally unfit and unable to use any of my other exercise equipment.My energy level is such that I find it hard to get through the day without the need to sleep several times a day and then get up just as (and even more exhausted) than before going to sleep.I decided to give the Activ5 gadget a try. For what it costs and for the important fact that it takes up zero room to store at home (unlike all my other exercise equipment that I'm unable use and takes up so much of the little space I have in my home) it nothing less than brilliant!I started my first week (of six) and am on my second week. I only use it 3 times a week and although any of the 3 day's exercises take up to about 11 minutes in total - need to do the exercises lasting about 30-40 minutes.That's one of the things I really like about it. I don't have to do one exercise directly after another - I can simply wait until I've got enough energy to do the next exercise.I'm really amazed at how I feel the different parts of my body that it hits and I'm feeling it the next day in all the different parts of my body.I'm 62 years old and have been feeling about 92 years old for some time now.I hardly ever leave my home due to pain and lack of energy but now feel like I'm not only making small improvements to my physical health but it's seems to be good for my mind and believe that regular continued use of this Activ5 can and will continue to improve my overall mental and physical health.The one thing that I will say is that each exercise requires them to be done properly and that it's absolutely necessary to focus on the specific parts of the body to get any real benefit.You do have to use optimal strength for each exercise and for me, that requires a lot of motivation - which I find very hard. But I start with light stretching for about 30-40 minutes beforehand and is the catalyst that then gets me mentally set to start my Activ5 exercises.That's the hardest part of using it. The getting my mind set to begin them. Once started, I'm able to continue to the end (albeit that it's takes me 3-4 times longer to complete).But for me, it's a real accomplishment when I've finished them on that day and am so happy that I got myself to do them.To be honest, before I bought this, I'd been ready and hoping to just not waking up anymore. I'd literally had no quality of life and had not been coping with life at all.If I can continue to use this every few days, I believe I can drastically improve my overall health.I bought a second Activ5 and have then connected to 2 different mobile phones.I use one to go through the complete 6-week exercise program, which logs my continued up and down of improvement and I use the other one to just do a few exercises that isolate and target individual parts of my body, like say my chest, arms, and abs (which have disappeared - ha) and legs.It connects very easy to my phones - even though they are relatively cheap (STK X2). The cost about £200 each - nothing fancy about them.The science behind these exercises are proven and whoever designed the exercises for this excellent gadget really knows their stuff.I've used Bullworkers in the past and they are great but Activ5 can isolate parts of the body that a new style Bullworker can never do.I stopped using both my Bullworkers, as they seriously damaged my shoulders. I had to have both of the operated on. They've never been the same! Still can't lay on either of them.I recommend Activ5. I'm not being paid for this review and would be quick to give a negative review, as I bought so much useless crap in the past.I recommend that if you buy this, it's very important to read each instruction a few times before doing each and every exercise, as you do need to mentally focus on the specific muscle.The hardest part for me to use this, is to get started but as I stated - once I've done my stretching first, it gets my mind in gear to use the Activ5.I'm still waiting to get my first Covid-19 vaccination at home, as I'm agoraphobic but once I've had them both, I'm gonna be selling all my other unused exercise equipment that I've not used for several years and enjoy the extra space I'll have indoors.Personally, I wouldn't believe all or any of the negative reviews although some may love Activ5 (as I do) and others may not find it to be if value to them.But like anything - it's only of value if you use it. If you're looking to build your body like Arnold Schwarzenegger, then this wouldn't be for you - although it can help.I hope my review helps. Good luck 🤞😃

I have been using this for some 6 months. I am still using it 6 days a week so clearly it is meeting a need.The good points:It has built up the strength in my arms and stomach muscles, which is what I wanted.It connects easily to my iPhone.The less good points:The instructions are poor, I learned how to use it by trial and error. I'm still not sure I am making the most of it.The support web site FAQs don't deal with the FAQs buyers have raised on sites like this.I forgot my password; the reset feature doesn't work so I had to create a new account with a different email.The software takes an unnecessarily long time to get going when you launch the app. A little circle goes round and round for about 2 minutes and you cannot leave the app during this time or you must start again. I have no idea what is going on during this pause and it is annoying.I tried one of the games; it just didn't work. The buttons didn't respond at all.If the manufacturers would tidy up these niggly software problems I think they would have a winner.

I have to say I needed something like this to get me moving. I have a sedentary job and what with the lockdown I'm not even getting my walk from the bus stop to the office.This device is quite ingenious, using isometric principles that put specific muscles into tension. The exercises are quite easy to follow from the pictures on screen and the reports are indicative and show improvement (or lack of) after the session.The gadget itself feels quite substantial and because the two sides are rubberised they stay in place during exercised. The key to pairing is to open the app first before turning in the device itself. The hardest part is sometimes its difficult to quite understand what they are asking you to do and, although there is a text help you can pull up it can give you the names of the muscles, which is great if you know what they are called.Would I buy it again? An unqualified yes. It has got me into a habit to exercise and, because they are short sessions, you don't feel that you are wasting time. A little expensive, perhaps, but it works!

One word.... Useless!I was so excited to get this but was a but wary given some of the reviews around quality and issues.Unfortunately the negative reviews are true! The product broke after 3 uses, it would no longer connect to my phone despite following all reset instructions including taking the battery out.Literally became a rock once the connectivity stopped. I can squeeze a rock by going in my garden.Luckily I have arranged a return....please don't waste your time by purchasing one!

Product didn't work. No response to customer support on their website. Difficult to recommend under those circumstances.Shame, looks a good idea.