Which Bowflex Max Trainer Is For You? M3 Vs. M6 Vs. M8

If you are someone who is looking to get in shape at home and are on the hunt for a good machine that will double as both an upper body and a lower body workout, the Bowflex Max Trainer machines are ones that you’ll definitely want to give considerations to. The Max trainer is an ideal option for those looking to get in shape at home and now with three different models on the market, you can get one that will best suite your needs.

So what’s the difference between the various models of the Max Trainer? Let’s take a closer look so you can understand how each compares.

An Overview Of The Bowflex Max Trainer M3 Vs. M6, Vs. M8

What sets each of these apart? Beyond price, there are a few differences that you’ll definitely want to take note of. Each trainer has it’s own benefits so coming to determine your own specific needs will help you best determine which model is going to deliver you the experience you’re looking for.

So now that you have this brief overview, let’s get into the intricate details of these machines.

Price

First let’s talk price when comparing the Bowflex Max Trainer M3 vs. M6 vs. M8. These machines are higher end machines so you do need to expect to pay a bit of a premium, over $1000 per machine. The good news is the M3 comes in as quite an affordable option for most at just $1299. The M6 pushes it upwards to $1699 while the M8 goes even higher, moving you up to the $2299 price point.

As you will soon see, this tends to go hand in hand with the type of user and their price point. The higher end machine does offer features that cater to a more advanced exerciser and someone who likely places great value in their piece of workout equipment and has a bigger budget to spend.

The lower end machine, M3 is a smaller budget machine but is also more tailored to the beginner exerciser. This makes it a good fit and a relatively easy adjustment to the right machine based on price.

Space Requirement

Next we need to consider space requirements. How much room will you need to put this machine in?

As you probably already know, setting up a home gym in a tight space can be a challenge, so this may be a primary concern of yours.

The good news is all of these machines are fairly compact and require about the same amount of space. So you won’t really be limited with which machine you want to buy – you’ll need about the same total floor area.

That floor area is suggested to be approximately 78.5 inches wide and 97 inches long. So measure out your space and make sure you have this if you plan to buy a Bowflex Max Trainer.

Stability And Support

Now we come to stability and support. These are also important features because they will dictate how the machine feels as you move. A machine that is heavier duty and can support more user weight is going to feel more sturdy and rugged, so to speak, giving you that great feeling of confidence as you use it.

The last thing you want as your workout intensity increases is to feel like the machine is going to fall over if you go any harder.

The good news here is all three machines do have a user max weight of 300 pounds, meaning they should all feel relatively the same to be using regardless of your intensity level.

The assembled weight of the machines are 148 pounds for the M6 and M8 and 143 pounds for the M3. The difference here is very minor though so it should not detract from usability at all.

Ability To Progress

Now we need to assess the ability to progress on these machines. Which machine lends better to naturally progression? If you are serious about your workouts and looking to step things up a notch, you’ll want for the M8 for sure. This machine offers 20 different levels of resistance, which is far beyond what the M3 can offer at just 8. Someone who is more advanced in their workout program may find that the M3 doesn’t even support them where they are now, so adding more resistance and making that session more challenging is just not going to happen.

The M6 holds the middle ground coming in with 16 levels of resistance, so does allow for quite a bit more progression.

So for everyone except the new beginner, it’s probably going to be most ideal that you opt for the M6 over the M3 because for a few hundred dollars more, you get almost double the resistance level, which will very much be appreciated when you are seeing the progress you see.

Heart Rate Tracking

Taking a look at heart rate tracking, we see a difference here as well. The Bowflex Max Trainer M3 is going to use a heart rate strap while the M8 and M6 both use wireless heart rate sensors.

If you’re someone who prefers not to use a chest strap, this is definitely going to come into your benefit. You’ll find these are simply more comfortable to use and are going to often give you more reliable readouts as well.

This said, you can always also use your own heart monitor separate from the machine if the strap is really an issue for you.

Warranty

Finally, the last point of difference that’s important to note is the warranty on each of these machines. The higher up you go in the machine, the better the warranty becomes. The Bowflex M3 gives you just one year on the frame and parts while the Bowflex Max Trainer M6 gives you three years. So if you are someone who is looking  for longer term support on your machine, this may be an important consideration.

You can purchase extended warranties for the Bowflex M3, however once you have that in place, you may just find that you should have just went with the M6 to begin with because now the price difference isn’t going to be so great anyway.

So there you have a few of the key considerations when purchasing the Bowflex Max Trainer and deciding upon which model is going to be best for you. All of these machines will deliver stand-out benefits and will help you get in terrific shape, so you really can’t go too wrong with this decision.