Bowflex: warmups, cooldowns, resistance and breaks

[CaesarX]

I have a couple of workout questions for you guys tonight.

The first one is about doing warmups and cooldowns on the Bowflex. The guide says i should do the rowing exercise for both, so that's what i'm doing. For the warmup, i do one set of 10 reps with 10lb/10lb, then another with 20/20, and finally one more with 30/30. For the cooldown, i do the opposite - starting with the 30/30, and working my way down to 10/10. Am i doing this right? Should i do more sets, or more reps? Should i increase resistance, decrease it, or keep it the same?

The second question is about the weight resistance. Would bench pressing 100lb (50/50) on the Bowflex be identical to bench pressing 100lb on a traditional machine at the gym?

And finally, how long should the breaks between sets and reps be? Right now, i rest for about 45 seconds inbetween sets/exercises, and about 2 seconds inbetween reps, though i sometimes need 3-4 seconds if i'm really pushing myself to the limit (usually bench pressing).

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: CaesarX
I have a couple of workout questions for you guys tonight. The first one is about doing warmups and cooldowns on the Bowflex. The guide says i should do the rowing exercise for both, so that's what i'm doing. For the warmup, i do one set of 10 reps with 10lb/10lb, then another with 20/20, and finally one more with 30/30. For the cooldown, i do the opposite - starting with the 30/30, and working my way down to 10/10. Am i doing this right? Should i do more sets, or more reps? Should i increase resistance, decrease it, or keep it the same?

The second question is about the weight resistance. Would bench pressing 100lb (50/50) on the Bowflex be identical to bench pressing 100lb on a traditional machine at the gym?

The first one - I really don't know.

Second - NO

 

[CaesarX]

Yeah i was thinking the same. So what would 100lbs of resistance on the Bowflex be equal to then?

 

[Angrymarshmello]

To be honest I don't know. You have to remember to take into account the weight of the bar (standard - 10lbs vs olympic - 40lbs) and that benching free weights is much different from machine. (Bowflex or weighted stacks) Also, the motion of it and the psychological fact that with free weights you're worrying about it not dropping on your neck affects it also. I can do 200+ machine but have a hard time throwing up 100 on free weights.

 

[CaesarX]

Anyone else care to comment?

 

[KGB1]

My dad got me/himself a Bowflex Ultimate ($2K) I'm like WTH. I wanted a Toyota Corolla Manual transmission. Then he told me "SHUT UP BOY its NOT for U, Its for my leg" (he previously had surgurey so his left leg, so he's using it to get strength in his legs)

And I use every time i'm over there. Without reading the manual. I've been using it for like 3 weeks. I just use it on my abs. Do I have to warm up to the machine in a different way? I run for a half hour and stretch. Its what I've done since HS, its enough right? I've done what I possibly can without resistance and weights for my abs, my buddy gave me his technique but its a 3 hour schedule A DAY!!! I'm like dude I like my 4 pack but I aint lifting my legs above the air so I can work my lower abs. (Looks ghey)

How much are the extra 100 lb power rods? I'm benching 200 and I'll probably get up to 250 by February. I need MORE resistance. But I want more of a lean look instead of big. I was on the swim team in HS so I want to keep my V shape. The book is long, it also hurts my eyes, I just follow the poster it came with and the video is kinda lame (for an expensive machine like that)

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: KGB
My dad got me/himself a Bowflex Ultimate ($2K) I'm like WTH. I wanted a Toyota Corolla Manual transmission. Then he told me "SHUT UP BOY its NOT for U, Its for my leg" (he previously had surgurey so his left leg, so he's using it to get strength in his legs)

And I use every time i'm over there. Without reading the manual. I've been using it for like 3 weeks. I just use it on my abs. Do I have to warm up to the machine in a different way? I run for a half hour and stretch. Its what I've done since HS, its enough right? I've done what I possibly can without resistance and weights for my abs, my buddy gave me his technique but its a 3 hour schedule A DAY!!! I'm like dude I like my 4 pack but I aint lifting my legs above the air so I can work my lower abs. (Looks ghey)

How much are the extra 100 lb power rods? I'm benching 200 and I'll probably get up to 250 by February. I need MORE resistance. But I want more of a lean look instead of big. I was on the swim team in HS so I want to keep my V shape. The book is long, it also hurts my eyes, I just follow the poster it came with and the video is kinda lame (for an expensive machine like that)

That didn't make a single ounce of sense

 

[KGB1]

You telling me.... I ate no turkey... freaking relatives man, I had freaking alcohol free beer and pudding ARRRGH never mind.. I'm gonna go workout.

 

[CaesarX]

What the hell is the point of drinking alcohol free beer?

 

[yakko]

Originally posted by: CaesarX
What the hell is the point of drinking alcohol free beer?

All the calories and none of the drunkeness.

 

[Hoeboy]

my brother has a bowflex and i didnt like it. the motions were too akward for me to get used to. it's just sitting there now. i think im gonna have to get myself an olympic weight bench when i move out.

 

[CaesarX]

Someone feel like actually answering my questions?

 

[dfi]

Well, I don't have a bowflex so I can't help there. However, I can tell you some things about how I work out. Don't know if I'm right or not, just giving you a point of reference.

I will usually do 2 exercises that work common musculature. Say I am working bench and dips, which both work chest/tri. So I will do 2 warm up sets of bench, increasing the weight on the second set. Then I will go ahead and do my work sets of bench and dips, w/o bothering to warm up for dips. On reps, I pause just long enough to make sure I completed the full rep before attempting another. I go to failure and rest about 3 minutes between sets. My only cooldown involves walking home.

There are so many different chest machines at the gym that it's impossible to know what to say. All I know is, a lot of people arch their back on the incline, and the bowflex looks kinda like an incline.

dfi

 

[CaesarX]

Hmm i'd still like to know how those Bowflex rods compare to free weights in terms of resistance.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: CaesarX
Hmm i'd still like to know how those Bowflex rods compare to free weights in terms of resistance.

Ok instead of asking stupid questions and b1tching when you don't get the right answer, why don't you email or call Bowflex's customer service? If it doesn't say in the instruction manual then how would anyone else know?