Talk to Me About a Bowflex

springlering62

I was tossing around the idea of getting a bench and a set of Powerblox or similar, in case of another shutdown.

My trainer says if I go the home route, to get a Bowflex, that it works everything, she had one several years ago and loved it.

All the Bowflex threads here are several years old.

Anyone got a Bowflex, which version, are you happy with it, has it held up well? Anything else I should know. Are there any comparable competitors?

One of my instructors just got a Tonal, but it doesn’t seem to be an all around machine, and (besides the fact that it’s ridiculously expensive and smacks of über trendy) all that digital tech combined with weights strikes me as a breakdown waiting to happen. It also appears to require a subscription like Peleton. (The Tonal is like a cross between Mirror and Bowflex, but with a computer controlling the perceived weight.)

We’ve downsized. I don’t want something that’s a space gobbler.

MikePfirrman

I've never had a Bowflex home gym, but I have a LateralX made by Bowflex. Their customer service is putrid. I mean just horrible. It's nearly a $3000 machine and they discontinued making it because they had so many issues with it and can't talk you through what parts it needs. It still works but I have to put up with noise that shouldn't be there.

Their Revolution Home Gym was discontinued on Amazon because it had terrible issues and, guess what? Putrid customer service.

I'd buy a Total Gym any day over a Bowflex. But I believe there are better options.

The only Bowflex product I like is my 52 lb adjustable dumbbells. I'd get them and a Nike type bench (like they have at Orange Theory) and call it a day. Would set you back around $500. Add in a few Kettlebells and it would get you a solid workout.

MikePfirrman

Just as a follow up, if you're pinched for space and considering a Bowflex product, something like this set up would probably work and there's less to break down. I have the dumbbells and they are great. The bar looks like the same concept and they have an adjustable Kettlebell.

https://www.bowflex.com/selecttech/

cupcakesandproteinshakes

I have a set of power blocks. They are a bit ugly looking but easy to use and take up minimal space. They got me through 2 uk lockdowns.

ninerbuff

Bowflex (especially the FLEX ROD versions) are garbage. Yes you get PROGRESSIVE resistance, but NO ECCENTRIC resistance which is essential if you're trying to build muscle.

I have a BIOFORCE Xtreme and it uses hydraulic resistance up to 200lbs. Can't really do a good leg workout on it IMO, but for all upper body workouts it's more than enough. It has CONCENTRIC and ECCENTRIC contraction resistance. I used it all Pandemic shutdown in 2020 to lose 40lbs and keep my muscle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpDSk-31RjA

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

springlering62

Thanks everyone. I sincerely appreciate the suggestions. Omicron is clobbering us. Many people back to wearing masks out. I’m kinda expecting some gym shutdowns. It has hit our gym crazy hard and she’s discussed closing it down, and many local restaurants and shops (touristy local town) are closed due to it.

I just want to be prepared so I have more than endless walks and yoga Zoom this time- although I was very very grateful I had those! And I’ve got the recumbent stationary bike now.

MikePfirrman

Another one with a very small footprint (though it requires a subscription and a newer I-Phone) is Tempo. Tempo just got like $60M in financing to compete with the Mirror.

They have a product that is really genius. It's just a cabinet and uses a newer I-Phone. It's called Tempo Move. By using your I-Phone, not a big *kitten* mirror or huge cabinet (it has a small cabinet), it might be great for your lack of room. It uses any TV with an HDMI input (which nearly all have). But you do have to get the $39 per month subscription to fully utilize it. But right now they have it on sale for $399.

Actually, I considered that for my daughter's X-mas gift this year. She would love it.

rheddmobile

Space wise I’m working out in my walk in closet, so I hear you. My setup is a five foot 35 lb girly bar with weights and a pair of stands with safety bars, plus free standing bench which I can set up against the wall when I’m not using it and adjustable dumbbells. I have 300 lbs weights which works for me but my bar is theoretically rated to 1500, which I have no clue how you would even fit that on the bar, and the rack is rated to 1200 I think. My setup wouldn’t work for a big man but for a medium sized woman it’s just fine. Since you’re a free weights person just wanted to point out that free weights don’t have to go in a giant space.

ninerbuff

MikePfirrman wrote: »

Another one with a very small footprint (though it requires a subscription and a newer I-Phone) is Tempo. Tempo just got like $60M in financing to compete with the Mirror.

They have a product that is really genius. It's just a cabinet and uses a newer I-Phone. It's called Tempo Move. By using your I-Phone, not a big *kitten* mirror or huge cabinet (it has a small cabinet), it might be great for your lack of room. It uses any TV with an HDMI input (which nearly all have). But you do have to get the $39 per month subscription to fully utilize it. But right now they have it on sale for $399.

Actually, I considered that for my daughter's X-mas gift this year. She would love it.

Beachbody is cheaper if that's what one wants to do with a TV.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MikePfirrman

ninerbuff wrote: »

MikePfirrman wrote: »

Another one with a very small footprint (though it requires a subscription and a newer I-Phone) is Tempo. Tempo just got like $60M in financing to compete with the Mirror.

They have a product that is really genius. It's just a cabinet and uses a newer I-Phone. It's called Tempo Move. By using your I-Phone, not a big *kitten* mirror or huge cabinet (it has a small cabinet), it might be great for your lack of room. It uses any TV with an HDMI input (which nearly all have). But you do have to get the $39 per month subscription to fully utilize it. But right now they have it on sale for $399.

Actually, I considered that for my daughter's X-mas gift this year. She would love it.

Beachbody is cheaper if that's what one wants to do with a TV.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Agreed, but some like the interactive part of Tempo. Tempo has an award winning AI built in that (allegedly) tells you if you have proper form. And, like Peloton, you're part of a class (I believe) with feedback.

Supposedly, if the description is right, it even recognizes the size of weights you are using.

Now, hard to say if the "form correction" or recommendations for increasing weight and such are 100% accurate, but it's interesting.

https://tempo.fit/how-it-works

MaggieGirl135

I'll talk to you about Bowflex @springlering62 ! My husband and I purchased a Bowflex XCEED early in 2021 and the both of us have used it for the vast majority of days throughout the year. We absolutely love it and think that it was an excellent purchase for us. Prior to that, we had membership at our local Rec Center and only went on occasion (before COVID, stopped during COVID). Our exercise was primarily in the warmer months, walking a few miles in our neighborhood. It may sound fairly tame, but we are at a higher elevation and have elevation change on our walk, so it was a good workout, albeit an incomplete one (no upper work). When cold weather started to come around again in Oct, we also purchased an elliptical machine (Sole E35). We have done well with these two pieces of equipment. My husband and I have each dropped a few pounds (working on eating less, too), can definitely feel and see the muscles more, and our bodies are reshaping. We are in our early 60's.

Clearly, @ninerbuff is more knowledgeable about this kind of information, but for input from non-gym rats (although sporadic throughout our lives), we have found that we actually enjoy using it (the elliptical machine, too). It is easy to switch around the weights and pieces of the equipment (like seat, etc). The first day, I was like, how will I ever figure this out? Within just a couple days, I was using it easily. It comes with a good booklet showing you all the exercises, how to set them up, and which muscle groups they work on. The best equipment is one that you will use!

I hope this helps! Oh, and P.S., our physical therapist (husband joint issues, me an earlier bout with IT band/bursitis issue) agreed with my husband that it would be a good purchase (I was concerned about his joint problems). She was excited that we bought it and helped us select exercises to specifically help us with our concerns.

springlering62

Thanks for the advice everyone. I waffled and waffled and finally decided the best thing for me would be a set of the Bowflex 552 adjustable dumbbells and an inexpensive bench with incline and decline feature.

Doesn’t take much room,the dumbbells are plenty adequate since I like the small increments, and while they looked awkward when on low weight, the handles in actuality were less than two inches longer than the shortest loadable dumbbell handles I could find.

I’m hoping they arrive soon, since crunch time came sooner than expected. Other than walking the dog in the wide and windy world, I’m in indefinite self imposed quarantine in case I’m needed to help with a family member, who is ill.