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Slam Man Boxing Computer
Without a doubt, Slam Man is a high-tech, fun and motivating punching bag. Many boxing classes require you to punch against an imaginary target, but this product allows you to slam a real opponent. Maybe that's why so many people report that a boxing workout is a great stress reliever. After all, most of us wouldn't actually hit someone who was irritating us, but we might think about doing it, and that is how stress builds. You have no physical outlet. Slam Man can take your best punch and not hold it against you!

The Slam Man workout emphasizes eye/hand coordination, which can help improve performance in other activities or sports. Slam Man comes programmed with various combinations of punch locations (prompted by one of eight target lights illuminating), and tempo variations (prompted by audible beeps), in its "cyborg" computer.

The eight target lights are imbedded in Slam Man's face and torso region. Fifteen pre-programmed workouts challenge the user's coordination and endurance at 60 beats per minute. If you want to replicate the pace of the study mentioned below, just double your tempo. Or if you want additional variety, just slam-the-man to the beat of your favorite CD. Boxing footwork can be added to the workout if you want to increase your effort and calories expended.

Slam Man comes with an instructional video, eating guide and a pair of 12-ounce boxing gloves. What sets Slam Man apart from simple punching bags are the pre-programmed workouts that can motivate and offer the variety that many people need to stick with the program.

What Does The Research Say
The American Council on Exercise (ACE is a non-profit consumer watchdog for health and fitness products) commissioned a study to investigate the effectiveness of a boxing workout that featured a punching surface. At the time (November 1998), the Slam Man product had become a successful infomercial, having sold in excess of 100,000 units. So, ACE (ACE FitnessMatters, Jan/Feb, 1999) and a research team from the University of Mississippi put the high-tech punching bag and its claims to the test.

Heart Rate: The subjects were instructed to perform straight right and left punches ranging from 60 to 120 beats per minute. This tempo is similar to tempos used in box-aerobic classes. On average, the subjects worked at 84 to 92 percent (61 to 72 percent of their VO2max) of their heart rate max, which is at or above the range recommended for increasing or maintaining cardiovascular fitness (ACE, Jan/Feb 1999). (Note: For less fit individuals, lower levels of effort are recommended and are an option in the Slam Man programming, or you can simply work at a comfortable pace.)

Calorie Burn: If heart rates don't mean a whole lot to you, the study found that boxing proved to be a very effective calorie burner. Boxing burned an average of 9 to 10 calories per minute. Those numbers compare favorably with any cardiovascular workout, independent of equipment being used.

The Final Word
Slam Man is both a fun and functional workout and it is obvious that boxing represents effective exercise for reducing fat and improving cardiovascular fitness. And, none of these health benefits accrue unless you're having fun and stick with an exercise program. Slam Man will surely have you coming back for round after round!