Isokinator Green Giant Most Professional Total Home Gym in Mobile Compact Size Made in Germany

I bought this because I'm a truck driver and getting to the gym it's sometimes hard to do. It has a total of almost 400 lb of resistance that is adjustable. I'll start with the bad: they make some claims in their videos that are true of form of strength training and not just their product. They also make claims that are flat-out wrong and potentially dangerous such as you cannot be injured using this. There are a lot of potential injuries doing any kind of strength training and other risks specifically with the kind of training that this involves. If you have high blood pressure or high risk of stroke or heart attack this is risky and you have to see a doctor before using it. The exercises and range of motion are limited doing these types of exercises. The leg exercises aren't as effective as the upper body exercises. The good: I tested the amount of resistance and it was always more then what it showed it was which, as far as I'm concerned, is more bang for my buck. On that note finding variable resistance up to 400 lb is nearly impossible. If you were to buy dumbbells with 10 lb increments up to 400 pounds you'd be spending thousands upon thousands of dollars. What some studying of kinesiology you could easily develop other exercises beyond what they give you to target specific muscles. One of the best features in my opinion is the devices smart building that uses 70 % of the maximum force when you follow the instructions which is a great way to train. Overall the product is very well built but it might not be for everyone and I'd suggest you understand muscular anatomy and some Kinesiology before you use it. It's a great workout with a solid ability to progress by increasing resistance for a long time. Because of its price I would recommend it if you plan on using it often.

I purchased my "Green Giant" directly from Koelbel in May of 2013. It is a moderately small device with two heavy springs sandwiched between two slabs of metal. The springs are pulled on by permanently affixed lengths of webbing. There are two lengths with loops on either side of the device that you grasp or place feet or hands into. The idea behind it is really quite simple. You are pulling on heavy springs which provide resistance. The device is quite solidly made from steel, aluminum, and nylon webbing. It is not heavy but has a nice weight to it. It is clearly not cheap. I have been using this device on a regular basis since the latter part of May. Koelbel recommends this as your main or only exercise modality. I use it in conjunction with a variety of other equipment. I can't really imagine it being the only fitness program I would use. Fundamentally Koelbel reccomends a series of 7 exercises intended to work the entire body. This is a unique set of exercises that is a nice change of pace from working with weights or doing bodyweight exercises. The exercises are based around static holds that are moved through a range of motion. The springs provide resistance which can be changed via a slider and gauged by keeping two gold plated balls aligned with holes in the metal sandwich. This allows one to see progress. My feelings are that the exercises, by nature of the device are a bit upper body focused and while there is sn attempt to tailor exercises to the legs I feel those exercises are not as effective. The manual is clear and of a large size. It is easy to use. A dvd is also included. It is mostly a long and somewhat overblown infomercial but it does include good video demos of how to use the device. I like the Isokinator and have continued to use it on a regular basis since May. It is great to use whilst traveling as it is fairly compact and the exercises can be done with fairly limited space. I also like to have a yoga mat and a pair of cycling gloves as the webbing can get a bit uncomfortable at higher resistances. I have not used the Isokinator in isolation so it is hard to speak of exact results. I have seen developments in my fitness and strength but I am also using weights, bands, and bodyweight exercises. I like the Isokinator but have doubts it needs to be so expensive. While very well made, it is, in the end, a very simple device. When I purchased it directly from Koelbel I paid $382 for the device, the Iso-hook strap, and shipping. The price for this same combination at the time of this review (Nov. 17, 2013) would be $495. I believe that to be excessive. In fact I believe $382 to be excessive. I give the device 3 stars mainly because I feel it to be too expensive. I do like it but it does not seem like a necessity when compared to weight training or bodyweight exercises.

The Isokinator by Koelbel Training Research is just as described...a precision piece of machinery that delivers a great workout. I disagree with anyone who claims that this product is not worth the price. When you compare what you are getting in terms of a workout, compared to the net result from even a hard-core, power-lifting gym, then it's impossible to complain about price. BTW...I purchased not one, but two.

I received this device today from Germany.The instructions were clear and concise.It is ready to use right out of the box.This device seems very well made.It fits in a pants pocket to carry around.A good isokinetic type workout can be achieved with this device anywhere, anytime at upmost convenience and ease.

Easy to use, portable and durable.

I have tested this supposedly "home gym in a pocket" for 4 months. I used it as indicated 3 times per week, every other day. No gym membership during that period. End results: No muscle mass increase (in fact I lost muscle which I had built up over the years at the local gym!). Therefore, I cannot recommend the Isokinator for anybody involved in bodybuilding. At most for old people or couch potatoes who cannot make it to the gym. In that case, obviously it is better than no exercise at all. Unfortunately, I cannot give it a better rating, as that would be misleading to anybody wishing to buy this, especially considering how hugely overpriced it is! Communication with Koelbel has been frustrating, not so much that they do not answer (they in fact do), but they consider the customer an idiot and talk/write to one as if you were a stupid baby...I can definitely not recommend this product who serious about bodybuilding.

Phenomenal device.

Opening this for the first time had me a bit stumped to be honest. Not a particularly big package opens up to a chocolate bar-sized wrap. You tear open the paper and, 'what the heck is this?' is the first impression. Small, metallic, and very different. Look at the on-line movie before buying to get an idea of how novel the isokinator is. It is undoubtedly very well-made but I am glad I bought the case to protect it from scratching. I have bought the equipment, bag and extra strap from Koelbel and their customer service has been excellent. It has been a leap of faith paying so much money for this, particularly the GG, but I trust its Bullworker legacy (which I still use). After a couple of weeks I got used to using the isokinator and I find it hard to believe most people will want anything more than the standard yellow model. The exercises rely upon applying constant tension by pulling left/right straps apart to a certain point and then making a slow, controlled movement for each exercise - normally 3 sets of 10 reps. It feels different and as I have used more force I have felt more powerful in my arms and shoulders. Somebody wrote that the leg and ab exercises were probably the least effective and I agree. In fact I have ditched the leg exercises and the abs routine is pretty quick. I would never use this device and nothing else besides but it adds an extra dimension to work-outs. I reckon anybody can use it: male/female, any age, any level. As a novel piece of equipment, I like the isokinator but I have not been transformed - just stimulated - and as a result I have started to use my Bullworker again - and I love it. Scientifically, I suspect the isokinator is probably better for the combined tension through a greater range of movement, but penny for penny I favour the Bullworker.

Having used various kinds of training in the past including heavy weight training, I decided to take a change of direction and use something new. Glad I did. Other than the initial price of the product, there is very little against it. I opted for the green giant as I'm fairly fit and health but to be honest, any model would suffice and it's not so much the weight you can lift, it's using a combination of power and motion. This reduces the amount of tension you need, therefore less kilogram resistance needed for the exercise performed. The item is small but extremely powerful so don't let it fool you. There are also only 7 main exercises. Again, don't let it fool you. It only takes about 25 minutes to complete the workout. Again, don't let it fool you. I'm used to using different equipment and exercise routines including marathon running and martial arts so I adapt to suit the goal set. Every muscle gets a workout. My goal this time is to use a piece of equipment at the time I want to use it and do it quickly. The isokinator does exactly that. I'm not fussed about saving gym fees but this will (after initial cost). I purchased the ISO hook and leather bag but to be honest, you don't need them. The ISO hook is for variation and the bag protects as well as looks nice. I've stuck to the main 7 exercises and started at lowest setting to get used to the way it works and get used to a new way of thinking. That's the trouble with most regimes. You get used to them and find it hard to leave that way behind. All I'm saying is just try it. It's worked for me. I'm 46 and the difference a few weeks have made are great. It's challenging and pushes you to your limit. I'm a firm believer in the more you put in, the better the rewards. Following the advice passed on by KoelbeI training, I use the isokinator 3 times a week. Simple as that. Along with a good diet and water intake, it works. You feel stronger, fitter and flexible as the isokinator uses motion which enhances movement under tension. I've already upped the kilogram slider in the right direction but will never reach the 180kg limit. That's ok for single explosive moves but not for continuous tension and movement. If you can change your way of thinking and try what the guys at KoelbeI suggest, very few will be disappointed. Don't do any more or any less. Just 3 times a week. Keep the work rate high with a 20 second rest interval in between to catch your breath and then go again. If it gets easy, don't do more, just up the resistance. The slider takes seconds to adjust and couldn't be easier. Within 30 minutes of starting, I'm all done and in the shower. In fact, you can even use it in the shower. You can even put it in the dishwasher if it gets dirty (KoelbeI claims) although I haven't had to do that yet. It also comes with a 20 year guarantee!!!! To put 20 years guarantee on a product, they obviously believe in the product and the components it's made from. It is a high end piece of kit and will outlast much more expensive and bulky items. It's portable, compact and discreet. I've even taken it to work to use after my shift when I haven't had time to use it early morning. You don't need any more space than where you stand so a small office or store room is enough to bang out a top notch workout. I find very little negatives about the isokinator and intend on using it for the foreseeable future. I'm very happy with it and would recommend it to others particularly if you have little time and space. A great buy.

Owned it for just over a week now, and the jury is still out. It is certainly very, very well made. No issue with the build quality. As far as the workouts go, they were pretty intense. The device certainly activates muscles in a different way to free weights or calisthenics. I'm still early in, so can't comment in the effectiveness yet. In truth, the exercises are nothing you could not do with a loop of rope or an ISO BOW. The difference is that the Isokinator provides tension and measures the resistance you apply to it. This allows you to gauge progress and ensure even tension throughout a movement. Something you cant do with other means. The DVD is... special... in the bad sense. It is so unbelievably bad that I was laughing out loud at the pure thick creamy cheese of the production. So, so awful and very dated in the presentation. The instructions are also pretty bad: poorly drawn cartoon characters to demo the moves. If I had seen these before buying it would have put me off. The DVD in particular... just SO awful. I am also left confused by the company selling. I got an invoice in the box, telling me they had refunded the money I paid to Amazon, and I am to test the device for 30 days and then either send it back or pay them directly, in Euro. I paid in Sterling, on Amazon UK, specifically because the price was cheaper than buying direct and converting the currency. The issue is that I have received no refund or credit, and the invoice states I could be charged a fee for late payment! Thus.means I'm going to have to spend time contacting Koebel to sort this out. A bit frustrating. I'm giving 3* for now, simply because of the issues mentioned. If I get good results by 30 days, I'll post an update and keep the device. If not till be going back.

Do not be fooled by its size, this thing is seriously powerful. I remember watching the videos thinking it was a gimmick. I saw guys wearing sun glasses in the middle of fields doing routines while holding this tiny device but they looked like they were shaking and doing something really heavy. Then I watched the 'Isokinator Training - Health By Muscles - The Movie, and started to get a better understanding. (...) After I did more research on isometrics and other related types of training, I was still unsure and the expensive price further added even doubt. I am pleased to say that every bit of doubt disappeared after my first routine. It felt similar to lifting heavy weights but so much more natural. My muscles were given a serious workout, I had those nice aches, I was sweating and after a while they were exhausted. I had those similar nice aches after using this that I always got with heavy weight training and I felt like I had just come from the gym. Without the slightest doubt, this has been one of the best purchases Ive ever made. Build quality is of the highest quality, they took no short cuts, used no cheap materials and this tool will last you forever. The workout manual is brilliant and the adjustable resistance, and the mechanism of the golden balls is simply genius. You really have to try this before you know what I'm talking about, you can't get it from watching the videos because it looks nothing like it feels. I also find that I look forward to the next workout because it is effortless in the sense that I do not need to warm up, no need to clear an area, no need to swap tools, no need to do anything but just workout. However, I think it is a bit cumbersome when it comes to leg workouts so I would find an alternative for that. Another potential downside is that it may render a lot of your other workout equipment completely obsolete. Update: After spending more time trying out the leg exercises, it seems they are more effective than I first imagined and not as cumbersome. Edit: Ive now placed most of my workout equipment in storage because the Isokinator does it all with less fuss and less space. Update: After a few months of use 3x a week, Ive started to see increased muscle mass and strength. Ive had people ask me questions assuming that I lift heavy weights in the gym. When I tell them that I do not do any weight training, they can't believe it! I use the Isokinator Green Giant and occasionally the Bullworker for the back and abs. After seeing my success, some have ordered an Isokinator but most are confused as to how it works so I will be doing a few demonstrations later.

Excellent product, designed by the inventor of the original Bullworker. Combines very challenging measurable isometric holds during dynamic range of motion exercises, for the best of both methods. Don’t be fooled by the diminutive size, as this latest equipment easily provides an incredible amount of very challenging constant resistance. This is the heavy duty model, but even the classic version has more than enough resistance, so that it could take years to become strong enough to outgrow it. Has a 20 year guarantee as well. Renowned German engineering & build quality. 5 Stars for innovation!