Bowflex Anyone?

I've heard that the Bowflex is a solid piece of equipment. The problem is that the list price isn't the end of the story because you may need to buy the additional attachments. At worst, the Bowflex can become an expensive clothes hanger.

 

Yes, I have one. Yes, it's easy to use. Yes, it is a good value if you use it. I have all the attachments like pulldown bar attachment, squats/bench press attachment, and leg attachment. Mine is about 4 years old. They have the new Ultimate version which may be better. I have seen excellent muscle gains when using the product in all muscle groups. It really works and works well in my opinion. The only gripe I have is mine had a defect they have since corrected which caused mine to fly apart and bust my head open on an incline bench press. I settled with them on that but I still have the scar on my forehead to show for it. That little incident scared the hell out of me when it happened. Imagine doing an incline bench press...the pulley wheel breaks loose...and the force causing it to swing around and hit you in the forehead. Then, all the blood and aftermath. Fun. But, I did get back on it after I got some corrected parts. I'm probably the only one that ever happened to. Just my luck I guess.

I would recommend it because it is convenient, it does so many different exercises, and it works well while you don't need a partner to spot you for heavy weights.

Surf

 

how much did you settle for? hopefully alot.

 

The best piece of equipment you can buy for your home gym is a powercage. This will allow you to squat and bench press without a spotter. You will also need a good sturdy bench, preferably one that can adjust to be used upright as well. You can also do pull ups from the power cage. With just a powercage and a bench you can do a very extensive workout. You will also need a barbell, and some weights. Some dumbells would be nice too. I have known some people with bowflex before and they just never really used it that much because it doesn't inspire you like some cold hard squats will.

 

Actually, it wasn't that much. It did cover my expenses and the cost of the BowFlex. After inquirying with an attorney, he said it wouldn't be worth taking them to court because all I got was a gash on my forehead which required about 20 stitches.

As far as people not inspired to use the BowFlex, then they must have inspiration problems because I never had that problem. I always felt inspired because I could easily switch between exercises in a matter of a few seconds. You have to be inspired to work out in the first place. If you can't muster up inspiration to get on the machine, then you have a problem there...lol. Also, BowFlex does squats really well with the attachment.

I don't care if anyone gets one or not. I'm just giving my personal opinion. Maybe there is a better piece of equipment like you say. I've never tried your equipment so I can't say what it's like. The BowFlex can do tons of exercises and I had many variations of workouts to not be bored.

 

I've heard some good things about Bowflex, and after listenning to Surfguy endorse the product after it came about 8 inches away from slashing his throat, makes me think it must give you one helluva workout.

 

I see Bowflex`s in the paper {classifieds} all the time for pennies on the dollar for what you would buy new...........I would also check out used sporting equip stores.

 

I was millimeters from losing an eye. The force of the impact was significant enough to destroy my eye. I probably wouldn't endorse the product if that happened...lol.

I won't lie to you...some people buy the Bowflex and absolutely hate it. I don't know why. I think people get into purchasing one with hugely inflated expectations that it will almost work itself out while they just glide along. The person still has to do the work. Once you unpack the thing, I wouldn't even dream of packing it back up and returning it but I guess it could be done. I feel for a home gym...the Bowflex offers enough variety and flexibility to suit these needs well. Nothing will compare completely to free weights and muscle building so hold no illusions there. Yes, there are attachments and I had to buy another 200 lbs of rod weight because it only came with 210 lbs. I also always have questions of is this really 270 lbs I'm bench pressing or is it more like 260 or is it more like 280. I just don't know. The rods start out really stiff but once their broken in that may impact the tension and, thus, the weight one is lifting. I can't be sure. They have put these rods through significant testing so if they say it's 270 I'm lifting, then I'm inclined to believe it give or take a few pounds. I guess you could always bench free weights and then use the BowFlex to compare. The Bowflex also requires extra stabilization and use of more muscles like when incline bench pressing for example. It feels pretty natural and I have never had a problem with how it felt. The tension is good. I have been in some serious muscle pain after lifting really heavy on it...that is for sure.

I am not using my Bowflex currently but it's because I'm being a lazy b*stard and not anything to do with the machine itself. I have gone through significant long periods of using the BowFlex for 6 - 12 month stretches with great results. I know it is there any time I want to use it and that is comforting. I tend to gravitate between healthy workout periods eating healthy and non-healthy slacker periods eating not-so-healthy. I guess you could say I suffer from work-out/health burnout. So, my efforts there tend to come in cycles.

 

I'll put it this way... Those guys advertising bowflex on TV, I can guarantee you that none of them got their bodies from bowflex. It is an overpriced piece of equipment that does not allow you to get the full benefits of training with free weights.

 

Legrouper, I agree they did not get their bodies that way. It's not that they couldn't...they just didn't. They were brought in to sell the product. As far as calling it overpriced, I disagree. If you never use it, then it is overpriced. If you have used it as many times as I've used it, then it was cheap considering.

It all depends what your goal is. Like I said before, it is no substitute for free weights if you want to be a bodybuilder type. But, it is more than satisfatory for the average person who wants to be in shape, improve strength, and build muscle in the comfort of their own home. If you want something else, then go to a GYM and pay the monthly/yearly fees.

I'm trying to tell you what you are getting if you get one...plain and simple. You will not get to be Arnold freaking Schwarzenegger on a Bowflex. I think we are clear on that.

 

What about THe Crossbow by Wieder-- at less than half the price of Bowflex?

 

I am not contrasting gym vs. bowflex.

90% of the crap in gyms isn't at all necessary to build a good body.

The most important part of the gym starts at the powercage, with squats.

If you don't have a spotter for bench presses, which most people don't have at home, then a powercage, with the safety bars adjusted so the bar can never come down on you, is the next best thing.

Here is a link to an inexpensive powercage that is cheaper and superior to a bowflex.

powercage

It is listed as a power rack under the home gyms section.

With this piece of equipment and a good bench you could do any exercise you needed too. All with free weights and without the need of a spotter.

 

Well, you don't need a spotter with the BowFlex. I wouldn't consider the powercage even in the same category as a Bowflex. What if I want to work all my muscle groups selectively and not just do squats and bench presses? I don't see the powercage anywhere near as versatile as the Bowflex as far as the various exercises you can do. Plus, it doesn't appear to be convenient to store when I'm not using it. The powercage is nothing more than a device to faciliate lifting of free weight for a few exercises like you said. It's good if that's all you want to do I guess.

As far as the CrossBow, it should probably be looked into as an alternative. This is relatively new item that wasn't around when I purchased the Bowflex. I had the Soloflex as an option, however, which I believe was one of the, if not the, first types of these equipment machines. It uses the rubber bands instead of the power rods.

The purchaser should make a decision based on what they want to do, how much their willing to spend, what results their looking to achieve, etc. . I was asked my opinion and I gave it. Audios mucachos...lol.

 

You can do ANY exercise you want with a powerrack, an adjustable bench, and a barbell with some weights. Throw in some dumbells and you can get some one armed rows and things like that in too.

Compound exercises that can and should be done:

Squats - the foundation of any good weight training program.
Bench Presses - the foundation of upper body development.
Deadlifts - the foundation of overall body power.
Powercleans - the single best cardio/power movement.
Bent Rows - Blast your lats.
Standing Shoulder Presses - Blast your delts.
Upright rows - blast your traps.
Lunges with a barbell - blast your hammies and glutes.
Incline Bench press - adjust your bench and attack your pecs from a different angle.

If you want to get more muscle specific:

Get a block of wood to do calf raises on.
Do bicep curls in any number of ways.
So skullcrushers for your tri's.
Do flies for your pecs.
Do bent one arm rows for your back.
Do standing lateral raises for your traps and delts.

I am sure you get the idea.

I just don't want to see someone waste alot of money on a bowflex when they could get a real home gym that incorporates the exercises that made the models on the bowflex commercial look like that. I understand that getting a bowflex wouldn't hurt, but niether would it be the best bang for your buck.

 

Yes, I understand the concepts of a do-it-yourself home gym.

I prefer the home gym machine. I don't consider a Bowflex to be expensive, however, given that I will have its use available at any time the rest of my life. I wouldn't consider it very expensive anyway. It's not much different than buying a treadmill...which you don't need if you run outside. But, people buy them anyway for the convenience factor. It's all in the perspective I guess.

You don't have to convince me...lol. Your mind's made up as is mine.

 

Man, Soloflex has dropped like a rock

 

You might be the one out of a thousand that who uses their bowflex on a regular basis and gets results. But I do not think it is a good option for someone who is trying to put on muscle.

It might work for someone who is already thin and wants to stay thin or something like that, but I have used one and I just cannot get the pump from that bench press that I can with a barbell.

I have a friend who has one and he uses it alot. He is naturally slim and keeps in shape with the bowflex. But my friends and I continue to get bigger and stronger while he just stays lean. That is fine for some people.

Deuce was asking advice on how to expand his home gym. My advice, which is fairly credible since I was a certified personal trainer for two years, is to work with free weights. Even in a gym, where you might have the option between a machine and free weights, free weights are superior. Such as a leg press and a squat.

 

I thought Deuce asked specifically about a Bowflex?

As far as what your saying, I agree with you. Bowflex is a good tool to work out, stay in shape, weight lifting to accompany a diet, gain strength, put on some muscle, and/or tone. It is not the ideal way to make the type of gains your talking about. I would venture a guess that your friend is doing something wrong in his training if all he is doing is staying thin, such as his supplementation or his approach. Obviously, we would have to know specifically what he is doing to determine if there is something wrong in his approach. I think we have established that free weights are superior to any machine. I'm agreeing with you. If the goal is to be as big and strong as you can be, then free weights are the way to go. As you said, that is not the goal of everyone. Did I ever question your credibility or say you were giving bad advice? Nope.

The bottom line is you feel it is a waste of money. I do not and I have put in several hours on it to get my feelings down on the issue...even after a near catastrophic injury. It is what it is...nothing more...nothing less. It is not the cure all to weight lifting and bodybuilding.

As a credible personal trainer, I don't see how you could even agree with what your saying in that first line in your last post. That is almost saying using the Bowflex is like muscle atrophy. The other 999 people your referring to must not be serious...at all.

 

Alright SG, you win....I give up!

Deuce - you need a bowflex dude.