The Bullworker has been in existence since the 1960s, and since then there have been a number of different models. The Bullworker is capable of exerting between 25lbs and 110lbs of resistance depending on what model you have. The modern Bullworkers come with a number of springs allowing you to vary the resistance depending on your goals.
I was keen to know the answer to this question myself. I came across a secondhand Bullworker on e-bay and decided to treat myself (I already had the X5 model). This new one came with green handles and I was keen to know whether the resistance was the same.
I then stumbled across the following infographic:
Source
Frankly I had no idea that there had been so many different models.
I also realised I had purchased one of the original designs – the Tensolator. It’s a testament to the design of these devices that, despite being decades old, it’s still in perfect working order.
I saw from the above infographic that my Tensolator exerted the same force as my X5 but that’s only half the story. It’s not strictly true to say that the Bullworker exerts a certain amount of force.
The resistance provided by a Bullworker comes from a spring within the central cylinder that compresses as the spring is used.
The amount of resistance provided by the spring varies depending on the degree it is compressed. Light resistance is offered when the spring is lightly compressed and heavy resistance is felt when the spring is tightly squeezed.
This is why when using the Bullworker it gets tougher to compress the handles the more you try. It also means that you can test your strength improvements by seeing how far you can move the ‘power ring’ that moves along the cylinder as you compress the handles.
So the figures in the above infographic are likely to be the maximum amount of resistance that the device can offer.
This is impressive. Imagine the number of free weights that you’d need to equal this and the amount of space they would take up. In contrast, the Bullworker is portable enough to go anywhere making it the perfect traveling companion. It also brings the gym right into your living room.
Click here to see the latest Bullworker design (link to Amazon).
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Original, Vintage Bullworker X5 Review and Exercises
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