I did a search, but only saw a few threads about people selling them.

Have any of you ever tried one? Are they worth it? I was thinking of when I get out of school possibly purchasing one. I've always been very attracted to the idea of working out at home.

12/2/2005 4:56:28 PM

no one?

12/3/2005 10:47:00 AM

i think it'll be cheaper and a whole helluva lot better to just get a gym membership

12/3/2005 10:53:33 AM

^


or buy a bench and free weights

bowflex really isn't that great, check out some reviews online

12/3/2005 10:54:29 AM

Haven't you seen the infomercials? The dude is a complete idiot and ass clown.

12/3/2005 10:56:37 AM

I hear they make a better piece of furniture than workout equipment, since that is what most home "gyms" end up as anyway. Go to gym. Lift weight. Get big. Enough said.

12/3/2005 11:01:57 AM

We sell them at my work (Play It Again Sports - Glenwood Ave).
PROS:
-They're safer than a regular bench. You don't necessarily need a spotter. If you drop the bar during a benchpress on a Bowflex, you get a bruise. If you drop a bar & weights on yourself, you could crack your sternum.
-The 'weights' are rubber rods that are under a no time limit warranty- Bowflex will replace the worn out power rods for free. That means no rusty weights, no stacks of plates on the floor, and no changing plates off/on the bar.
There's probably more, I just can't think of any.
CONS:
-They take up a lot of space, and they're heavy. That is not a problem for everybody, though.
-The power rods shake. Let me explain: Let's say you're on your 15th rep of a heavy bench press. Your arms are shaking as you squeeze out that 15th rep. On a regular bench, the bar and weights don't shake much. On a Bowflex, the handles would shake, which travels down the cables to the oscillating power rods. It's a lot easier to show somebody this example.

There are a lot of different models, too. Each one comes with 210# of resistance
-Power Pro: crappy and under recall. The bench won't stay in the incline position.
-Sport: $799.99. 60-70 exercises. Lat tower, leg extension, row feature, leg press, squat rack, flat/incline bench, folds up. The best value, in my opinion. You get everything you need on one great Bowflex, for less than $1000. It's actualy $855.99 with tax.
-Xtreme: the one they show in the commercials. 60-70 exercises. They normally go for $1,199.99, but I think they're on sale for $999.99. great machine, but you only get an incline bench. It's less space than a Sport or Ultimate, but you lose some nice features. less leg extension, no row feature or leg press, doesn't fold. If you don't care about the features you miss from the Sport, this is a good buy at $999.99.
-Xtreme 2: same thing as the Xtreme for more money ($1,399.99?). The only addition is an automatic power rods system, so you don't have to mess with the power rods.
-Ultimate: same thing as the Sport, only more exercises (80+). Like the Power Pro, it is also under recall. It comes with 310# standard. I don't think it's worth the money. Last time I checked, it was $1,999.99. Not worth the power rod upgrade and extra exercises, IMO.
-Ultimate 2: Same thing, just add a preacher curl and add more money.

Keep in mind that all new Bowflexes come with a warranty and 210# (except the Ultimates-310#). You can get 100 more lbs. for $100, upgrading to 310# or 410# max.

Best Value:
1. Sport
2. Xtreme
3. Xtreme 2

We sell them all the time, and we have all actually tried the. I like it, and my coworkers have said the same. Call up there for more info (788-7788) or come in and see for yourself. Even if you don't buy one from Play It Again Sports, at least you'll have your questions answered.

I hope this helps.

Play It Again Sports
6282-102 Glenwood Ave
Ral, NC 27612
788-7788

http://www.bowflex.com

12/3/2005 11:11:27 AM

i just hate having to wait at the gym all of the time. The program I'm on requires circuit training, and the several times I've been during the day to the gym to scope it out, there are way too many people to do circuit training. I can't justify taking up 4 different areas when there are 20 people crammed into one of those small rooms.

Maybe just a bench and some free weights like you suggested.

^ thanks for all the info. I wasn't going to consider purchasing one until after I graduate, so I've got until May to make my decision. I just know there are certain exercises I want to do, and that may force me to join a gym. Such as squats. But then again, just having a bench and free weights would be difficult to do squats as well. Ugh, I'll just have to look into this more.

Or maybe that problem will be solved when I get out of school and look at actual gyms instead of a school gym

[Edited on December 3, 2005 at 11:22 AM. Reason : .]

12/3/2005 11:12:22 AM

joining a gym isn't for everybody if convenience is an issue.

you should just try it out at a retailer and get a feel for it.

12/3/2005 11:53:57 AM

I've dicked around on one a couple of times, and I just find it really weird. The shakiness that bubbevan mentioned was really what I dislike about it. It was really kinda weird.

Additionally, all the force comes from a single point on the machine - the pulley. Let me explain:
On a free weight system, all of the resistance comes from straight down (gravity). Whether you are straight benching or incline benching, the weight is pulling down toward the floor.
On the bowflex, all the resistance comes from the pulley. When you shift your body around, sometimes you can find that the resistance is coming from an awkward position.
It's not a major pain in the ass, but it can certainly feel funny in a couple of circumstances.

12/3/2005 12:53:37 PM

stick to free weights. tried and true.

12/3/2005 12:58:55 PM

^

12/3/2005 2:34:44 PM

Careful advocating free weights, we might get another long-winded sales pitch for b.flex. (bitch-flex)

12/3/2005 2:46:47 PM

I've played around on one before. I'm a gym and free weight person myself...but for someone who doesn't like going to the gym, is time constrained, and want's a weight system in their house but doesn't want to go out and buy a bunch of dumbells, weight, and a bench, it's a good deal.

You have a large number of exercises you can do and its really good for your form (which is a con when it comes to free weights). I think it's one of the better home gym systems.

12/3/2005 2:52:43 PM

calisthenics pwn all

12/3/2005 2:55:13 PM

Free-weights demand good form for good results, i.e. discipline, unlike rickety home gyms that only get used after the holidays or in the spring when lazy fat-asses start feeling guilty. To be honest, I would prefer that slackers actually stay at home with their toys rather than walk aimlessly around the gym with no idea what to do except get in the way.

12/3/2005 2:59:05 PM

210 lbs is what it says is the resistance but i know for a fact i cannot bench that right now and i was benching all the "210lbs" it had with ease.

not worth the money. if you are committed to getting big and working out you will find other times to go to the gym when peope are not there. i joined the ymca for that reason and we go 3 times a week at like 6-630 and lift, then do cardio 4-5 days of the week in the afternoon. if you really can sit there and complain about the gym being busy and yet not going at different times then you really have no room to complain

12/3/2005 3:20:42 PM

Quote :

"Careful advocating free weights, we might get another long-winded sales pitch for b.flex. (bitch-flex)"

It's called helping. I don't give a fuck where he buys anything. I'll still get paid whether he buys one from PIAS or not, and I won't see any extra money by selling Bowflex items through the internet

12/4/2005 1:20:10 PM

I don't like to use a bowflex because when you do lifts like bench, the cables and biners attached to the handle rest on your arm, feels like it's gonna pinch be really badly when I'm lifting. I think gyms are the best, but if you don't want to go with that, just get an exercise ball and some dumbells. You can do about anything you want for just kinda keeping in shape with that.

12/4/2005 1:28:34 PM