Home Health and Fitness

X3 Bar home gym review

REVIEW – How can you build muscle without spending hours in a gym each week and spending money on monthly membership dues? Sure, you can work out at home with your own fitness gear, but that can get expensive too and there’s the matter of all the time you have to devote several days a week to do the actual workouts. Then there’s the X3 Complete Home Gym that claims to build muscle by only spending 10 minutes 4 days a week. There has to be a catch right? Let’s find out.

What is it?

The X3 system is a home gym system invented by Dr. John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer. The portable workout system uses three parts. There’s the ground plate, the bar, and a set of heavy-duty latex bands.

What’s in the box?

X3 bar
Ground plate
4 bands
Exercise charts

Design and features

The main and most important component of the system is the X3 bar. The 23.5 inch bar is made of stainless steel with a special hook design to hold the exercise bands and ball bearings that allow the hooks to rotate freely for wrist comfort.

The bar has a well made substantial feel. There’s no way this thing is going to break or bend. I bet you could even run over it with a truck and it wouldn’t be any worse for the wear. I wouldn’t advise testing that theory though.

The biggest part of the X3 system is the ground plate which is a CNC milled high-density polyethylene 19 x 10-inch plate that has been designed to stand on for some of the exercises. The top of the board has raised dots that keep it from being slippery but you’ll want to use the board on a non-slippery surface and not a bare hardwood floor like I’m showing here.

There’s a wide routed slot on the bottom of the ground plate which allows the exercise bands to fit under the plate while you’re standing on it.

X3 bar + bands + ground plate = let’s build some muscle!

Let me start out by saying that I’m not that strong. I’m a 5’6″ 129lb female that had a double mastectomy back in 2011 due to a fun-filled adventure with breast cancer which left me with some minor range of motion and upper body strength issues.

I work out 3 times a week on a lower tier priced Total Gym system, but I am a sucker for workout gear and thought the X3 looked interesting with the claims of building 3x the muscle working out only 10 minutes a day 4 times a week.

The X3 website outlines a 12-week workout program with videos that explain how to do the exercises which consist mainly of

  • Chest press
  • Tricep pushdown
  • Overhead press
  • Squat
  • Deadlift
  • Bicep curl
  • Bent row
  • Upward row
  • Calf raise

In the videos, Dr. Jaquish also talks about nutrition info and medical research info that backs up the system that he’s created. Actually, he talks a lot in his videos and I kept wishing for videos that were less talk and just demonstrations of the exercises that I could follow along with while doing my daily workouts.

The X3 bar ships with 4 latex bands that are different widths which translates into different strengths or weights.

The extra-lightweight band – 10 to 50 lbs, then doubled over 100 lbs
The light weight band – 25 to 80 lbs, then doubled over 160 lbs
The middle weight band – 50 to 120 lbs, then doubled over 240 lbs
The heavy weight band – 60 to 150 lbs, then doubled over 300 lbs

You have to choose the band that is right for you for each exercise so that you can do the exercise with the proper form for as many reps as it takes to get to total fatigue.

The X3 workout system has two different workouts for each week. One workout is done on Monday and Thursday and the other workout is done on Tuesday and Friday. Each workout only has 4 exercises and you only need to do 1 set of each exercise. That hardly sounds like a workout that will build muscle right? Well, trust me when I say that you will work up a sweat because you have to do each exercise to fatigue. That means you do reps until you can’t do another one. That’s all there is to it but it’s not quite as easy as it sounds, especially if you’re not all that strong like me. I had problems with a few of the exercises.

The exercises are done with the band hooked in the bar hooks or looped around the ground plate and the X3 bar. In the image above, I’m doing a chest press with a band doubled around my shoulders. This is one of my favorite X3 exercises because it’s easy to get into position, but sometimes the band separates around the back of your shoulders. It would be nice if there was a clip that could keep the band doubled and stacked correctly.

This is the triceps pushdown position and while I enjoy working triceps, this particular exercise can be uncomfortable because the band needs to rest across your trapezius muscle and not your neck. If you don’t have a big trapezius muscle (I don’t), it can feel awkward and painful especially if you try to use a band that is too strong for you. I have to use the 2nd weakest band for this exercise and sometimes I feel like it’s going to snap my collarbone. You can also do this exercise with the band around the back of your shoulders similar to the chest press exercise, but I find that to feel even more awkward for me.

And here I am demonstrating an upward row with the band under the ground plate and looped once through the X3 bar.

The main X3 exercise that I have trouble with is the squat. For that exercise, you’re supposed to put the band under the ground plate and through the bar as you see above, but then you are supposed to rest the bar across your arms in front of your shoulders/pectoral muscles. Well, I don’t have a chest at all now. I’m completely flat like a 12yr old boy, so I don’t have anything to balance the bar across and it’s a bit painful to have the bar across the tops of my arms when there’s not a lot of padding there. You can see what I mean by watching Dr. Jaquish demonstrate that exercise.

Why is this type of workout equipment effective?

The X3 exercises use variable resistance and stabilizing muscle firing which means that the tension on the muscle is not constant throughout the exercise and puts less stress on your joints where you’re weaker and more stress where you’re strongest. According to Dr. J, exercising this way will cause an increase in the release of human growth hormone which has a lot of health benefits for your whole body including helping your muscles grow.

What I like

  • Compact/portable system
  • 10 minute workouts 4 times a week

What needs to be improved

  • Expensive
  • Can be difficult for beginners to do all the exercises
  • Safety concerns  with some exercises like overhead press, tricep pushdowns, and squats

Final thoughts

In all honesty, I hated the X3 bar the first time I tried it because I found it awkward to use the bands because they would separate or twist across my back. I also had problems with some of the exercises due to my own strength and body shape. After the 3rd or 4th workout, I started becoming more accustomed to getting the bands in position and began liking the workouts a little more. I’ve now used the X3 bar about a dozen times and I definitely feel stronger. I can almost even do a real pushup now (sorta). Don’t laugh but it’s been a goal of mine to be able to do a real pushup for the past 2 years and only just in the last week have I been able to do one. I can only go down about 4-5 inches, but I couldn’t do that at all before and I think the X3 system has made the difference.

Does the X3 system help you build muscle? Yes, I truly believe that it does. But you can get the same results from other workouts and equipment. That means you have to decide if you’re willing to spend $500 on this system. I actually prefer my existing Total Gym to the X3 system because I can do a lot more exercises with it. But that equipment requires a lot more room than the X3 system and I’ve been using that equipment for years and am seeing more results now using the X3 for 10 minutes a day 4 times a week vs. the Total Gym for 30 minutes 3 times a week. I plan to continue using the X3 and the Total Gym so I can have a variety. I’ll update this review in a couple of months as I continue to use this system.

Price: $499.99
Where to buy: X3bar.com
Source: The sample for this review was provided by X3.

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X3 Bar home gym review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 17, 2018 at 1:43 pm.

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The new JLab Flex Sport just might be the ultimate on-ear fitness headphones

NEWS – I love working out, and an essential part of my workouts includes listening to music, so a good pair of headphones is a must. Over the ear, Bluetooth sports headphones are nothing new, but the Flex Sport Wireless Bluetooth Headphones from JLAB Audio may be the perfect workout headphones.

The Flex Sport Wireless Headphones offer 20 hours of listening time and a custom fit adjustable tension headband. Two removable Tension Bands allow for three different fitting preferences. Loose, normal or tight.

And the headband is capable of being twisted 180 degrees without breaking. 

The headphone’s ear pads are sweat resistant and moisture wicking. They can also be removed for quick, easy hand or light machine washing.

As far as audio is concerned there are 3 different equalizer settings, Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost modes, all without having to download a separate app.

JLab also uses something they call Be Aware Audio which allows you to hear your music and natural ambient noise at the same time. So you can hear things around you like car horns or your workout partner. This feature can also be turned off for those times when you really want to get into the zone.

Other features include universal controls for volume and music track control, Bluetooth 4.2, 40mm drivers along with a built-in microphone for taking calls. The microphone can even be used to activate Siri and Google Assistant.

The JLAB Audio Flex Sport Wireless Bluetooth Headphones sell for $99.99 and are available from the JLab website or Best Buy.

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The new JLab Flex Sport just might be the ultimate on-ear fitness headphones originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 17, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Pitbull Gold Shaver review


REVIEW – Many years ago, I experienced frequent issues with my scalp that were caused by the stiff texture of my hair and the direction of growth, which resulted in severe in-grown hairs. After many attempts to resolve the issue, including via professional medical personnel, it was obvious that the only trouble-free solution was to “rock” a bald head. Over the years, I have tried several electronic multi-blade shavers but have always returned to my trusty Gillette Fusion battery-powered razor, including the previous iterations of the current model, to obtain the smoothest shave. The Pitbull Gold shaver seeks to change my opinion about electronic multi-blade shavers. Let’s see!!

What is it?

The Pitbull Gold Shaver is a powered wet/dry skull shaver, that utilizes 5 articulating rotary blades that allow for an effective contouring of your scalp to produce the best possible shaving experience. The body of the shaver is designed to fit easily in your hand and to allow you the option of multiple ways to hold it for the best comfort.

What’s in the box


It is important to note that Pitbull included the accessories that made this the Pitbull Platinum package.
1 x Pitbull Gold Shaver (Platinum Package)
1 x Blade Cover
1 x Blade Brush
1 x Rinse Stand
1 x Instruction Manual
1 x Power Cable and Adapter
1 x Felt Accessory Pouch
1 x Carrying/Storage Case

Design and features

Pitbull has 3 shaver packages of this type of Skull Shaver. They are the Silver, the Gold, and the Platinum packages. The following is the comparison chart:

The shaver has a nice weight and feel to it, and does not feel fragile or cheaply built. It also feels like the right size that allows you to balance it well when using. The top handle is designed to fit the contour of your fingers should you choose to hold it in that position (See pictures later in the review). On the front short side of the shaver, there is the Pitbull logo.


On the opposite short side of the shaver, there is the power jack.


On the top of the shaver, there is the power button and the battery charge LED indicator.


There are 5 rotary blades on the bottom of the shaver that is on a contoured base and with the built-in flexibility it helps to match the shape of your scalp.


Also included with the shaver is a rinse cup that you fill with water and place the shaver in periodically to rinse the blades during the shaving session.


Performance

Once fully charged, the Pitbull shaver is primed and ready to go. A simple press of the power button turns it on, and the blue LED battery charge indicator shines brightly and displays the remaining battery capacity. The battery charge is quite long-standing and from my experience, I should be able to complete at least 6 complete shaving sessions without needing to recharge. Keep in mind that from my experience, I consider a session to be at least 15 minutes. I followed the instruction and on the first try, I chose to dry shave. In small circular movements, I began to shave and I continuously checked the progress of the shaving. It is important to note that I shave my head every day, especially because my hair grows back overnight. In the end, I managed to get a reasonably close shave albeit not silky smooth, and it took me about 15 minutes to get to that point. I still had to use the razor to properly shave the areas behind my ears and some other parts of my head. The picture below shows the end result of the Pitbull Shaver test. My complexion makes it difficult to see, but there was still stubble on my head that needed to be removed with my Gillette.


On my next attempt with the Pitbull Shaver, I used shaving foam, and while I found the experience quite pleasing in terms of the scalp massage that it provided, the shaving result was the same, with the need for me to go over my head with a razor to take the experience from a close shave to a silky smooth shave. With both tests, I had to press the shaver quite hard against my skull, but remarkably, this action contributed to the really nice massage benefit as opposed to causing any abrasions or irritation. I did try two gripping methods, but the one shown in the second picture below proved to be most comfortable and effective for me.



The rinse stand worked well to rinse the blades during shaving and as a stand.

What I like

  • The build quality
  • The great scalp massage it provides while shaving
  • The longevity of the battery

What can be improved

  • There is still room to improve to provide as close a shave as a razor.

Final thoughts

In my opinion, the Pitbull Gold Shaver is possibly the best attempt at a Skull Shaver that I have ever tested. While I have to honestly say that the Gillette Fusion Power razor is still the King and on the throne, the Pitbull does provide for a nice shaving experience with the benefit of an enjoyable scalp massage, and with patience and effort it is capable of a relatively close shave. While not as close as the Gillette, the benefit of having a less abrasive shaving experience is subject to individual preference and tolerance. The Pitbull Gold Shaver gets an “A” for effort, but will not overthrow my Gillette Fusion Proglide that still provides the smoothest shave.

Price: $99.99
Where to buy: Skull Shaver Website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Pitbull.

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Pitbull Gold Shaver review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 9, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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The Nima Peanut Sensor allows you to test food for allergens right at the table

NEWS – My daughter has allergies and asthma, and she has a lot of food allergies, including peanut allergy.  Over the years, we’ve had to be very careful with what she ate.  Peanuts can cause anaphylaxis, meaning an exposure can be fatal.  Even when she was tiny, she knew to ask first if food had peanuts in it before she could accept food from even her grandparents.  To make things a little easier for those with peanut allergies now, Nima has developed the world’s first portable peanut sensor, so you can test a new food or a restaurant’s offerings before you take a bite.  I would have lived my life with one of these Nima Peanut Sensors in my hand when my daughter was growing up, if only they had been available then.

To use, you place a small amount of the food in the peanut test capsule, put the capsule in the sensor, and wait a few minutes for the result.

“Nima’s antibody-based chemistry was developed by MIT scientists to be faster, cheaper, and usable right at the dinner table. Nima is optimized to detect 10 parts per million of peanut protein and above. 10 ppm is the lowest adverse reaction level observed in patients during clinical research studies.

“Nima is recognized as a leader in allergen research and has been awarded a grant from the National Institute of Health to develop the peanut sensor. Nima is advised by some of the top allergen researchers in the world.”

Using the Nima app, you can also search their database of over 20,000 results to discover peanut-free restaurants and packaged foods tested by Nima sensor owners.  You can help build the database by uploading information about your testing results.

Nima’s Peanut Sensor has a rechargeable battery that usually needs to be charged about once a month.  It comes with a carrying case and twelve test capsules for $289.00.  You can purchase more test capsules for $72.00 for 12 tests; with automatic refills, the price drops to $59.00 per 12-pack.  To help with the cost, financing for 3, 6, 0r 12 months is available, if you qualify.  And the Peanut Sensor and test capsules are FSA/HSA reimbursable.

Learn more and purchase the Nima Peanut Sensor at the Nima website.

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The Nima Peanut Sensor allows you to test food for allergens right at the table originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 6, 2018 at 8:16 am.

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Kong Jr. Gym Bag review

REVIEW – I have always been in search of the perfect bag.  That means I own many bags for the different types activities in which I participate.  The one activity that I have been unable to find the perfect bag for is for when I go to the gym.  I go to the gym after work so I need it to be able to hold my gym gear plus the occasional small item or lunch bag I may take to work that day.   Let’s see if the Kong Jr. gym bag by the King Kong company worked out for me.

What is it?

The Kong Jr. gym bag is a multi-compartment bag made specifically to carry your gym clothing and accessories to the gym.

What’s in the box?

The only thing in the box was the bag itself as you can see in the picture above.  It came wrapped in a plastic sleeve in a standard cardboard shipping box.  The bag is advertised as being 30% smaller than their standard King Kong gym bag.  The dimensions of the bag are 11 inches tall, by 18 inches wide and 11 inches deep.  The original bag has an extra inch on the height and depth and is 20 inches long.

Design and Features

The bag has several pockets and features that allow you to really organize your gym paraphernalia.  The bag is made of  1000D nylon.  It seems very well constructed with #10 YKK zippers and heavy duty buckles.   Each zipper has a really nice pull tab on it in addition to the standard zipper pull.  That makes it really easy to pull the zippers.  They don’t use plastic on any buckle piece.

From the main picture at the top of this review, you can see that the bag comes with two pockets that run along the front side of the bag.   One is a zippered pocket and the other is a Velcro flap pocket.  The picture above shows both pockets open.  The small black strip you can see at the top of each pocket is where the bag handles are sewn into the main body of the bag.  In the Velcro pocket bag I have my weightlifting gloves and in the zippered pocket, I have some Beats headphones.  I like the separate pockets so I know which pocket has what I need depending on the type of workout I am doing that day.  I don’t wear headphones when strength training so when I do that, I know I just need to go to the Velcro pocket.  There is more room for other stuff in the zippered pocket, but I just did not have anything to put in them.

One one end of the bag is a shoe holder.  The first picture on the left shows my size 9 /12 women’s shoes in the pocket.  The next picture shows my husband’s size 11 shoes.  You can see there is still a bit more room for a larger shoe in the pocket.  The shoe pocket is made with water-resistant 1000D nylon.  King Kong advertises the pocket as a place to store wet clothing in there if you wished to keep your other gym items dry.   My only complaint with the shoe pocket is there are no ventilation holes of any kind in the area.  I have been using the bag now for several weeks and have not had any odor issues, but I see where this could possibly be an issue depending on what you put in there.

The next picture above shows inside the main compartment of the bag.  On the left side are my gym clothes for the day.  I have shorts, tights, shirt socks, and sports bra in there.  The blue bulk on the right-hand side is the shoe pocket with my shoes inside.  Obviously, the larger your shoes, the more internal room they will take in the bag.  I still had plenty of room in the bag to place in there my lunch bag holding a sandwich and chips.  I know on the larger bag folks talk about putting weight belts and other things inside the bag,  There would certainly be room for that if you wanted to use that extra room for more things like towels or the weight belts if you did not put a lunch in there as I did.

Above the shoe pocket, there is a smaller zippered pocket.  I put my Beats case in there so you could get an idea of the depth.  Basically, this pocket takes the top half of the side and the shoe pocket takes the bottom half.

The opposite side of the bag has two nice external mesh pockets you could slip your keys or wallet to if you wished or anything else you might want.

Inside that side zipper is a full sized pocket that has a small zippered mesh pocket where I stored deodorant and comb.    There was more room in that pocket for other things.  This is a nicely sized pocket and could easily hold a gym towel or any other similar sized item.

Finally one of my favorite things about this bag is the carry handle.  Every gym bag I have owned has always had a Velcro-based handle to hold the two carry straps together. I have had gym bag handles fail over time as the Velcro eventually wore out.  The King Kong bag uses a pair of magnets.  At first, I was skeptical thinking it would not really hold the handles together very well. Well, I am happy to report I was wrong and they do a great job.  I also love how quite they are.  I often open my bag at work to get things out of it and it is nice not to let the whole office know I am opening it due to no loud Velcro sound.

What I like

I love the size of this bag.  It has worked out perfectly for me in that aspect.  Only a couple of times I have wished I had a larger bag, but that was because I was bringing something extra into the office that I would normally not bring that was big and bulky.  This bag will hold just what I need and not feel like I am lugging a big piece of luggage to the gym.  I love the magnetic handle and the large shoulder strap with removable padding.   The shoulder strap is held on with heavy duty swivel buckles so I don’t spend a lot of time untwisting the shoulder handle as I do on bags with fixed shoulder straps.

What can be improved

The only suggestion I have is for King Kong to add a couple of ventilation holes on the zipper flap of the shoe compartment.  I feel that would really help keep the bag smelling fresher in the long run.

Price: $109.95
Where to buy: King Kong Apparel and Amazon
Source: The sample was provided by King Kong

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Kong Jr. Gym Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 4, 2018 at 9:08 am.

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