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Any bowflex owners/users?

M

mazeroth

Golden Member
Looking for some input as to which one you use and how you like it? My schedule is crazy busy and I can't get to the gym. I'm of the crappy breed in that if I don't get at least 8 hours of sleep a night I can't function well. I work 50+ hours per week and have two kids. I want something that I can wake up in the morning and get a good workout in 20-30 minutes. Space is at a premium so I'd like to get something very compact.

Bowflex is having a sale on their Xtreme SE for $499 with free shipping (usually $1420 with shipping) and the sale ends tomorrow night. Before I get one I was just looking for some feedback.

I'm 30 years old, 5'10 174 lb. I just had a Bod Pod done and I'm 26.4% body fat. Back in my late teens and early 20's I was in incredible shape, probably sub 10% body fat at 165 lb. Ripped, if you will. Time has taken its tool and I want to get back in shape big-time. I don't want to be huge but I do want to gain some muscle back and lose the fat. If I had to guess what my goal stats would be they would be 180 lb. 10% body fat.

Thanks for any input.
 
I tried one at my cousins house and was really disappointed in the amount of resistance I got over the whole range of motion of a number of exercises. It's a definitely a "try it before you buy it" piece of equipment.

If it was my money, I'd look into some free weights (barbells/dumbbells) but you mentioned that space is tight.
 
I bought a Bowflex Blaze system off Amazon. I like it but I am not seriously into working out. I was using free weights but my bench sucked and I didn't like how long it took to change the weights between exercises.
 
I have a bowflex power pro xtl. It's an older version but in some aspects, I think it's a better setup b/c you have a flat bench that you can use with dumbbells and the bench can be folded-up making it the most compact of the all of the bowflex machines.

For $499, I think it's a great deal. Though expect to probably have to upgrade to additional weight rods.
 
Bowflex is a good machine for the home, esp apartments were they don't allow free weights.

It's enough to give anyone a good workout.
 
It's not a replacement for a full gym pass but it's a good machine for a home. It's light, low profile, and quiet to operate. I've got and older Xlt ultimate. It's good for upper body stuff like presses, curls, pulldowns and some shoulder work. Too awkward to reconfig for leg work. What I really like is I have some old rotator cuff injuries and it doesn't hurt as much as freeweights. I would keep some dumbells on hand for some isolation exercises.
 
I had a 1st gen Blowflex Xtreme. It made an awesome standing closet but I wasn't a fan of the power-rod resistance. I never really used more than 2-3 weeks at a time though.
 
My last boss had one. It was a clothes rack for a long time and then he got motivated to use it. He got pretty big when he was using it consistently every day.

imo every single exercise machine works, it's just that people aren't consistent. Also, your fat suit is controlled by diet for the most part, whereas your muscle suit is controlled by your workout. You can have 12-pack abs but if you don't eat right you'll never see em :awe:
 
Pair of Powerblock dumbbells, an adjustable bench, an in doorway pull up bar, and maybe a nice set of heavy duty elastic bands, all for not much more than a bowflex, all can be stored out of the way and will give you a MUCH better workout than a bowflex.

If not that then one of the none TV infomercial Total Gyms. More expensive than a bottom of the line bowflex but IMO a much, much better piece of equipment. I've had one for going on 7 years now. I use it with some free weights on it when needed and raise it up on a stand for additional resistance.

I'd skip the bowflex there are much better alternatives.

Gene
 
gar655 said:
Pair of Powerblock dumbbells, an adjustable bench, an in doorway pull up bar, and maybe a nice set of heavy duty elastic bands, all for not much more than a bowflex, all can be stored out of the way and will give you a MUCH better workout than a bowflex.

If not that then one of the none TV infomercial Total Gyms. More expensive than a bottom of the line bowflex but IMO a much, much better piece of equipment. I've had one for going on 7 years now. I use it with some free weights on it when needed and raise it up on a stand for additional resistance.

I'd skip the bowflex there are much better alternatives.

Gene
Click to expand...

wow powerblocks and elastic bands in the same recommendation.

Total Gym for the seal.
 
I'd favor a bench, an adjustable free weight system, and a doorway pull up bar.

Those bowflex machines just look cheap and gimmicky to me.

Is there a gym on your way home from work that you could stop in before or after work and do a quick workout? I think that would be better than a machine taking up space at home.
 
The newer bowflexes certainly have a gimmicky look to them...it's like a riced out weight machine with an obnoxious body kit.

The older XLT setups were very solid, well constructed (other than that ooopsie recall) devices that certainly aren't a toy or worthless gadget. They offer a very good workout and wide range of exercises in a very compact, easy to operate device. It's a good product for a casual weight lifter. You aren't going to get huge on them...but most people that use them wouldn't in a real gym either.
 
alkemyst said:
wow powerblocks and elastic bands in the same recommendation.

Total Gym for the seal.
Click to expand...

You betcha!

Don't think the OP is looking to be a BB, so each of the mentioned equipment has its use, advantages and disadvantages given their respective constraints.

Any or all would be far better than wasting money on a bowflex.
 
Loved my old (10+ years I'm guessing) original BowFlex Motivator. Thing did everything it said it would and more.

Bought a new one 2 years ago or so... what a piece of crap.
 
This is the first time I'm chiming in on this board, and I'm only doing it to tell you not to do it! I used to own one of those older bowflexes, and altogether I spent at least one solid year using it. You cannot get a half decent full body workout on it. Almost all exercises are somehow awkward and do not stimulate your muscles through the full range of motion (I'm your average 5'10). The only exercise that felt right and made me feel like I got a good workout was the bench press.

Before I got the bowflex during college my bench press with a barbell was 145x10 or thereabouts. My numbers on the bowflex were the same I believe, which made me very excited because it made me feel that hey, this is just like freeweights. More than two years later I was working with the entire set of 310 for like 12 reps, and do you think I looked like a man whose upper body became 2x stronger? No, no I did not, and I suspected it. So I decided to head to a gym and see what I can do with a bar. Let me tell you, getting that 225 off my chest was an effort of epic proportions.

From that point on I joined a gym and have been using dumbbells for my bench press. My strength hasn't increased by 2x on that movement, but I've gotten much bigger, and the strength carries over to any other bench press type movement just fine.

So like someone suggested, get some high quality dumbells and a rack to hang in your door - that'll be far more effective than anything a bowflex can give you.
 
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