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Spinoff story
Bowflex System Spurs Revolution in Home Fitness
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
The Bowflex Revolution home gym was a phenomenon of the 2000s and to this day sells well—but it might not exist without NASA. Inventor Paul Francis took his idea for a weightless weight-trainer, using elastic resistance, to Johnson Space Center, which was looking for ways to help astronauts retain muscle mass and bone density in microgravity. The end product launched to the space station in 2000, and Francis began approaching fitness companies. Nautilus Group, now based in Vancouver, Washington, licensed the technology and released the Bowflex Revolution in 2005.