Koelbel Isokinator Classic, Mobile Fitness Machine Made by Gert F

I've been enthusiastic about fitness since my teens and I'm now nearing 50 with a large chunk of my working life having been spent in the armed forces. I think this is an outstanding piece of kit. I was hesitant about buying it because it looked expensive and from the You Tube videos that I saw I still couldn't quite see how it worked: it just seemed no different to a standard tension bar. But here is what it does; unlike the kind of tension you get from a tube or chest expander which varies depending on your movement, this device makes you lock specific, isolated muscle groups in a constant state of tension from start to finish. When you first pull the straps (after sliding the small metal side bar along the chart that you see displayed on the front of the device), the two golden balls at the top move apart and there is a bit of 'give': the idea is not to go for as much tension as possible. Once the balls move apart to the point where each is on either side over a little marker (a small hole) that is your indication that you have reached the optimum point of tension and you hold that degree of effort while moving your arms, shoulders, torso, legs, through the exercises in the booklet which target those precise muscle groups. There must be some ingenious design inside that manages that tension as the description doesn't do it justice. It works really well - those groups really feel thoroughly worked after very little time. I still think it's worth having other things in your exercise routine as most people like a bit of variety, but this will now be an integral part of mine. The effect it produces is similar to tension exercises used in some martial arts. It is very simple to use (my advice would be to practise the first time on the lowest possible setting so you can find out how it works); you just move the slide, grab the straps, lock your arms in a state of tension and follow the exercises. It is the epitome of German engineering: beautifully crafted, light yet solid and sturdy. A very good invention and a very clever idea.

The isokinator. Hmmm, I’m still not convinced after owning one for several months. Having used a bullworker for a few years where you pull/push/stretch against a spring and hold the pose, this very small device is made so you move whilst pulling the straps. Circle your arms, perform curls etc The range of movement in the straps is tiny, probably less than an inch, there is a slider to create more resistance in that inch of movement which works well – this is the brass balls you see in the picture indicating your pressure is correct. You can certainly exercise to exhaustion, however I’m not convinced that pulling against a normal solid loop strap would be that different, due to the tiny range of movement. I guess this little device shows you how much pressure you are exerting but for the money asked that is an expensive way of determining how much effort you are using.The device itself has phenomenal build quality and I can imagine it surviving a very long time however the instructions are very dated and the videos are terrible, poor quality – think grainy 1980’s infomercials.I’ll stick with it but I get far, far better results and more sense of achievement with the bullworker and steel bow.

I have had this since January of this year. Without a doubt, it is a well-made piece of kit hence the 20-year warranty. Although I am not convinced it is the be all and end all of fitness equipment. I did all I was instructed to, e.g. measured my body took proteins and kept a diary. The first week I really felt the exercises. As such the length of time taken to do them was longer than stipulated, in fact, the first month I felt that ache of well-worked muscles. Yes, it does keep you strong and resilient, as for muscle mass well, I am not sure.I may not have followed to the letter everything in the manual eg no 20 the maximum strength test. So it is possible that some of this is down to me. It certainly does not cause any injury pulled muscles, or strained joints as stated in no 18 of the manual. All in all an excellent piece of portable kit. I am just not 100% sold on it.

Disappointing. Bought this to do some strength training after intending to buy a bullworker, which I had as a young man. I feel I can do these exercises without any equipment as they are basically dynamic isometric exercises.

At a casual glance the Isokinator may appear to be another of those fitness gimmicks that produce little in the way of results. At this price the Isokinator has to be good and show a change in physique. As a fan of the Bullworker and Isometrics in general, I purchased this item knowing it was invented by the same person as the Bullworker and that certainly gives great results if used correctly. The Isokinator is VERY well made. Only the best materials are used. Some parts are even gold plated! Obviously it has to be sturdy as you are pulling as hard as you can on the straps, or with atleasy 70% of your strength anyway. It's made to last and the 20 year warranty reflects this and shows the company have confidence in their product.The first time I used it my muscles were quite sore next day. I've had it a couple of weeks now and it seems very effective. My strength has definitely improved (I've almost doubled the amount of push-uos I can now do) and my wife says I'm looking more muscular. It is expensive but you can see that it's made very well indeed and worth the money.