Opinions of Bowflex

[rogue]

Anybody here own or use one? My gym membership just jumped up and I'm looking for alternatives.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

in my opinion the boflex is hands down the best machine on the market, but still isn't as good (or cheap) as free weights.

[IronFist]

I used my friend's parents and I didn't like it much. There's not much you can do for legs with it. It's got leg extensions but those kind of suck anyway.

It's like... is it better than doing nothing? Yes. But for way less you could buy a barbell and a squat rack and a bench and get much better results.

Their selling nitch is "it costs less than a year of gym membership." I think it's like $1,000. I don't know where they live, but I've never seen a $1,000 yearly gym membership. The ones I've seen are like $350/year.

Even so, it might be better for you to join a gym for a month and use their stuff just to see if you really like lifting or not.

Good luck.

IronFist

[IronFist]

And if I wasn't stupid I would have actually read your post before I responded and seen that you already have a gym membership.

In that case, no. Bow flex sucks compared to weights, and it will probably **** you off when you use it. The one I used did not have a smooth motion for things like arm curls and stuff.

How much is your gym membership? I'll probably just end up buying a squat rack (where you can do pullups on it too) a bench and a bar one day when I finally get fed up with my gym.

IronFist

[SevenStar]

If the gym membership is too steep, I'd invest in some free weights, a bench and a squat rack.

[ricksitterly]

Dude... I would just look for a better gym. One with a pool.... and hot chicks.... on treadmills. They actually have co-ed changing rooms in some of them now. The last time I joined a gym I haggled my way into paying only 25 dollars a month. Of coarse, you could just start grappling. Everyone knows that you dont need to lift weights at all... it's a waste of time. Havent you heard? Grappling will build you up and make you huge. No need to ever touch a weight again. You'll be enormous in weeks. Just ask sevenstar. :)

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by ricksitterly
Dude... I would just look for a better gym. One with a pool.... and hot chicks.... on treadmills. They actually have co-ed changing rooms in some of them now. The last time I joined a gym I haggled my way into paying only 25 dollars a month. Of coarse, you could just start grappling. Everyone knows that you dont need to lift weights at all... it's a waste of time. Havent you heard? Grappling will build you up and make you huge. No need to ever touch a weight again. You'll be enormous in weeks. Just ask sevenstar. :)

you know what the funny thing is? I saw that you replied here, and before I even clicked on it, I said "He'll probably just say 'start grappling'" LOL

where have you seen a gym with a coed changing area?

[yenhoi]

bowflex

[ricksitterly]

All-Spport Fitnss cntr has a co-ed changing area in their pool area. They also have a co-ed hot tub where u can b naked (for adults). The one I went to was in newburgh NY. They dont promote sexual activity going on in there but I've noticed that they dont really watch it that well... especially at night. I dunno if you've heard of them.... they're mostly located in the north east. Anyways I'm never really tempted to use it cause there's always just old men in there during the day when I go to swim.

[abobo]

If you can find a Bowflex for really, really cheap, it might be worth it. That said, I would never buy one myself.

The kind of stuff in the home gym section of the IronMind catalogue is all that you really need.

A membership isn't a terrific deal in the long run, unless you're a big fan of the pool.

One of these days I'm going to set up my own garage dinosaur gym, and it will be awesome.

[rogue]

Thanks guys. The gym is up to $75 a month and it's about hit that price point where it's too steep. The other alternative is a smith machine and dumbells.

As far as nekkid hot tubbing the only ones I ever get to see are old fat folks.

[Rolling Elbow]

its a rip....get a total gym before a bow flex. My dad left us the original Total Gym which is better than the new Chuck Norri-fied one... I don't use it much but it has its place.

HAving said that, go with an olympic bar, 300 pounds of weight, a bench, and a powerack and you are done. All of that stuff is cheap enough in the states..its only in canada where we get hosed on things like squat racks because of "import" fees or the "exchange" rate.

[rogue]

I have to buy equipment with my wife in mind as she'll be using it too.

[Kungfu boy]

You could try www.thecrossbow.com

it is a machine like Bowflex but cheaper. A friendd of mine has one, he likes it.

[Cheese Dog]

Rogue, never tried the bowflex. But I bought a total gym about two years ago and have gotten alot of use from it. I really like it for circuit training because it very quick going from one exercise to the next.

[Kempo Guy]

I own one and use one on a regular basis. As suggested earlier in the thread, I wouldn't pay full price for one. I was lucky enough to have picked one up (the XTL, which comes with lat pull-down, leg extension and the squat attachment w/410lbs of rods) for about $500 from a yard sale (most of it was still in the box)! One thing I like I about it is it's versatility. Easy to switch between exercises and provides good resistance.

I can also confidently say that the strength gains on the Bowflex translates almost directly to regular barbell/dumbell lifts.

Having said all this, I do own a bench with 300lbs worth of plates, 3 kettlebells and am about to invest in some power blocks as well after I buy a dip/pullup station.

KG

[MonkeySlap Too]

I picked a BowFlex up last fall, and love it. It's easy to store, easy to use, and easily adaptable to some CMA specific exercises.

The training info that comes with it is complete and utter crap however.

I've used the BowFlex to rehab some old injuries before I return to my more caveman strength methods.

It has some flaws, but it has proven very useful to me.

[StarBoy]

Dude... I would just look for a better gym. One with a pool.... and hot chicks.... on treadmills. They actually have co-ed changing rooms in some of them now.

I'm partying with this guy. :D

As for the Bowflex, it sucks. I've used it before and it's a waste of money. I'd rather save up some more cash and get a bench and some barbells. And like IronFist says, the leg exercises are pretty bad.

I'd only keep a gym membership if you're big on swimming. Even then it's not all that necessary. I don't know what you're area is like, but where I was living before, it was no trouble to sneak into the pools (and gyms) at some of the universities. I was almost never checked, and half the time when they did check, they didn't care anyway.

If you're looking into home gym products, the best advice I can give you is to not buy anything that you see on TV.

[azwingchun]

I have bought the Crossbow for my wife. She loves it, as far as I am concerned it isn't a bad machine. But, at the same time neither one of us have the time to go to the gym with our schedules. It cost I believe it was $499.00, it is a pretty smooth machine. By the way, the things that cost extra with the Bowflex come standard with the Crossbow.

I might also add I heard Bowflex is sueing Crossbow.;)

[Kempo Guy]

StarBoy,
Sorry to point out the obvious, but why would you "save up some more cash and get a bench and some barbells"? Do you realize that the Bowflex costs A LOT more than a bench and barbells? I got a bench w/300lbs. of weight for like $199 (or something like that). A brand new Bowflex is insanely priced and runs something like $1500 for one with a couple of extra attachments. Not a good deal...

BUT, I'll have to disagree with your opinion: "bowflex sucks". Mainly because I own one. :D j/k

Seriously, I have made some great gains with the Bowflex. It allows you to do many exercises you would never be able to do on a regular bench w/barbell. I use it several times a week (along with my bench/barbell and KB's) for many of my lifts.
I would still say that nothing beats lifting old-fashioned irons. ;)

KG

[StarBoy]

I meant "saving up" in comparison to the gym membership, not the bowflex.

I'm sure the Bowflex works for some people, or else there still wouldn't be infomercials for it on TV. However, I was speaking from the experience of myself and everyone I know that used one.

[Kempo Guy]

Sorry dude, my mistake.

I'm surprised to hear that everybody you know dislike training with one... most of my friends thought the opposite. Oh well...

KG

[rogue]

Here's the options I'm looking at now budgeting around $2000.

1: A good Orbitrac
Crossbow
PowerBlocks

2: Orbitrac
Smith Machine(in the garage)
PowerBlocks

Option two takes care of major upper and lower body, option one though leaves legs to the Orbitrac and the power blocks. My big concern is really about a good leg workout.