Anyone here got anything made by Bowflex?

I've been thinking about getting the SelecTech Dumbbells, and a simple bench. I've got a resistance style home gym, and it just takes up so much space. With the dumbbells and a bench I could do just about every upper body excercise that I can with the other except pulldowns, but there's things I can do with the dumbbells to work those groups...

So, any opinions?

 

If you are already in the habit of working out with weights regularly and wish to upgrade your equipment, then fine. But the problem is that most who buy machines like this are trying to motivate themselves to work out and simply buying a piece of equipment isn't going to make you want to work out.

As for the Bowflex- I've seen a couple of them in person over the years, I've never seen one that was actually used on a regular basis.
Most big gyms (Bally, LA Fitness, etc.) will let you work out for free for a few times in order to try and get you to sign up. I'd hit a few gyms and try out different machines and then decide.

 

I need to step it up a little, but I use what I've got. It's just so bulky. The system that I want is just a set of dumbbells. I'm not trying to motivate myself here, just wondering if its worth switching from resistance to a dumbbells workout... I understand exactly what your saying though about don't buy it thinking it will motivate me...

Here is the setup I'm thinking about. Again, it's just dumbbells, but they do have a nifty little stand for them (expensive, but nifty), and they've even got some nice benches, which I would need for press, butterflies, etc...
http://www.bowflexselecttech.com/pro...duct%5Fid=1254

 

Hahahah, google makes a funny...



Adrianspeeder

 

I've had a Bowflex PowerPro XTLU, for 4 years now and absolutely love it. I used it regularly for 2.5 years until I destroyed my shoulder in a work related mishap. Now, after 1.5 years, my shoulder is just about back to normal, I'm starting to work out regularly again. I would absolutely not hesitate to recommend a Bowflex to anyone. About the only issue would be the string of recalls on all the older models, such as the one I have. It's been recalled I think 8 times. Everytime its been fixed for free (they sent me the parts and I fixed it) and I've never had it fail, break or injur me. The newer models, the Xtreme & Ultimate (my PowerPro would be equivalent to the Ultimate XTLU), are not affected by these recalls. I was going to get one of the new ones but after installing the parts from the recall kits, the is really nothing wrong with mine.

Like someone else mentioned, any machine is only as good as the effort you put into it. I've had a problem keeping in shape most of my life so I have no choice but to work out. The USAF looks down on fat as$es so I try my best to keep up a regular fitness routine.

KC-10 FE out...

 

bowflex is a waste... there was a major recall on the pulleys couple years ago.. for them shattering and causing injury to people.

 

It depends on what your goals are. For cardiovascular and aerobic benifits, the Bow Flex would be good. If you're wanting to bulk up and get strong, you can't beat free weights. The only place I would substitute a machine for free weights is working any muscles that require pulling down. Example, working your lats. The machine I would use would not be a resistance machine, but a cable/pulley machine that uses the free weights.

The reasons? Whenever you can use freeweights, it trains your muscles in multiple directions, and the weight is constant. It works the entire head of each muscle with the same amount of weight. While the new Bow Flex does a much better job then the old rubber band machines (Solo Flex) at consistant resistance, it still is not a consistant as free weights.

Buy yourself a nice bench, with a nice set of weights. Get a 45 or 50 lb., 7' bar, a 25 lb. curling bar, an assortment of weights, and a GOOD lat machine that uses 2 seperate cables with weight carriers. I'd also get a dumbell bench, and a nice assortment of dumbells too.

 

Well, see that's the thing. I don't have much room. and the bowflex I want is just dumbbells, not the big risistance machine. The system I've got uses standard olympic weights with cables, plus I have a curl bar, and dumbbells that use the olympic weights, but it all just takes up so much space... and as you mentioned a machine limits me to the motion it can produce. Free weights work other muscles while doing the same excericise.

Also, I talked to a friend last night who was looking into the same set of dumbbells, but he talked to a guy at the local fitness supply shop who said Bowflex machines are good, but the new dumbbells are not. He said they don't always release, or will release at the "WRONG" time...

So, here's what he IS getting, and I'm now considering... along with a simple inclining bench...


http://www.powerblock.com/frame.html

 

the Bowflex is best used in conjunction with other weight lifting.


There are 3 basic types of strength training:

Isobaric
Isotonic
Isokinetic.


A balance of each will give you the best results.