John Baier Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Any comments of the bow flex line would be greatly appreciated. I'm tired of spending over a hundred bucks a month at Life Time fitness for the family. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdragon Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Thats what you will pay for a Bow flex, Just to hang your shirts on! Ivan PS Been there done that! I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 I was wondering the same thing, I can get a like new Bowflex with all the stuff for $500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carcass Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 I was wondering the same thing, I can get a like new Bowflex with all the stuff for $500. I have one...I like it a lot. I have the version with the sliding seat so you can use it for rowing. I find that it is a great solution if your reloading setup takes up all your "extra" space . I don't like having to go elsewhere specifically to work out, so I found it very useful. Like any workout, you have to stick with it to make it work. The book that came with mine has a good number of exercises described. All any machine can do is provide resistance to work against; you have to provide the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 (edited) This is my experience only! I love my Bowflex. I've had it for less then 3 months, I work out about 45-60min 4 times a week. I've lost 20lb since I've been using it AND I have a better muscle tone and strength then I have had in a long time. Now the caveats. It is a machine you yank on. If you do not yank on the machine it doesnt help you though it does make a fine place to hang laundry. Also there is marked difference between the cheaper models and the higher end models. I've shopped around for about 1month before I got mine and I checked out a lot of machines. I ended up buying the most expensive machine Bowflex sold at the time, the Ultimate 2. This is not something I did because money was chasing me out of the house. The entry level bowflex you can buy at most chains and priced between $500 and $700. The $500 ("Motivator") one is junk. The $700 one (the "Sport") is small step up and it might be ok, though it is build a bit light and if you exercise with larger amounts of weight it gets a bit shaky. In my opinion the only 2 models worth buying are the Xtreme and the Ultimate. The Xtreme is a decent machine with lots of nice options. The Ultimate is TWICE the machine the Xtreme is and in a class of it own. It is build like a tank and in comes in 8 boxes, each I could barely lift to drag into the house. It is a monster of a machine but when assembled you can look at it and dont feel like you overpayed. For both the Xtreme and the Ultimate, there are the models "2". The "2"'s are the same basic machine with a bit of extra cables which are worth the money in my opinion. Most machines of this design use a set of cables which attach to the rods, and then a number of cables which you have to attach to the rod cables for each exercise. So if you want to switch from one exercise to another you will need to change the rod weight AND which cables are attached to the rod cables. With the model "2"'s that mess is gone. ALL cables are attached to the rods at all times using a system of floating pulleys. All you need to do is set the weight you want and pull on the handle or attachement you want to use. In my opinion that makes the workout a lot smoother. Then there are the rods. When it comes to machines based on rods, you either like them or you dont. They do not feel like real weights, the build up more resistence as you bend them more. I personally like that. However that means that their weight rating is a an aproximation of the resitence at some point in the bend. The heavier rods (100lb, 50lb, 30lb) are more linear. The lighter 10lb and 5lb rods exhibit the resistence build up a lot more. Of the rod based machines, the bowflex rocks. They use carbon fiber rods and the warranty them for a good long time. Most of the other use fiberglass rods. The Xtreme and the Ultimate are also VERY smooth. They feel very pleasent to work with and most all positions are well designed and do what they are supposed to do. I have never been a morning person or much of an athelete but I now look forward to waking up earlier so I can get in my workout before I go to work. No doubt, any decent machine and motivation would do the same, and the nicer bowflexes are on that list of decent machines. They also come with long warranties, the more expensive the machine the longer the warranty. Mine is 10years. They also have some new even more expensive model based on coiled springs which looks really fly but I havent got the chance to play with one. This is just my opinion, but I'm a fan of the machine. Edited for spelling crap. Edited March 25, 2006 by Vlad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 (edited) I just checked their website and I noticed that the Ultimate 2 is even more overbuilt then the standard Ultimate, which I've never seen in person. So the 2's are both a better cable design AND beefier. Edited March 25, 2006 by Vlad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Baier Posted March 25, 2006 Author Share Posted March 25, 2006 Vlad did you pay out right or on a payment plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 I payed it outright. I figured I know how much my credit card charges in interest, I didnt want to do the math on Bowflex's loan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 One note, most of the machines I played with where in stores, assembled by who knows who. It is possible that my impressions of the "shakey" feel of the lower end models may be based on poor assembly. The more expensive models have more cross members and supports which would make them more rigid even with assembled poorly. It maybe that when assembled well they are all solid as my Ultimate 2, though keep in mind that on the Ultimate 2 they use two steel tubes wherever they use 1 on the other machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundaeman Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 I have an Xtreme that I bought used on Ebay and saved a pile of cash. I've been happy with it, just getting into the habit has been the hard part. A friend of mine has a Ultimate he bought new and is extremely happy with it. Looked at the payment plan a year or two back when I bought mine. The interest was through the roof. In addtion to hanging laundry, it can also make a fine magazine or bookstand too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 Join the Y...more machines, cheaper, got a trainer there with you, and it doesn't take up space in YOUR house.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWLAZS Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 We have the crossbow with all the bells and whistles. My wife wanted it. She hangs pants from it mostly because the shirts hand better on the treadmill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATMester Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 (edited) If it was me I would buy a rack a bar and plates and a bench. It will serve as well as a gym and will last a life time (iron bars and plates usually last...), unlike the pos bowflex and the other Hollywood super machines what advertised daily. Yes a "home gym" needs some room if you can spare some space for it you won't regret it. My main concern against bowflex and the others that you not working agains gravity - when you actually "lift" weight on a bowflex it just not a constant ressistance what you feel it changes every inch as you go. Imagine telling somebody that you do pull downs on a bowflex or telling somebody that you can do 20 pull ups. Something like this: Edited March 29, 2006 by TheHun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenTexSlim Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Man, check the classifieds in the local paper. There are usually two or three listed in there every Sunday by folks that are just trying to get rid of their laundry hanger. Have an idea of what you want & if you have the room & if you can get motivated to workout at your house (somtimes easier to get into it going "somewhere" to work out) then check it out. You can get the exact same equipment much cheaper (i.e. less investment if it just doesn't work for you). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11.43mm Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I was wondering the same thing, I can get a like new Bowflex with all the stuff for $500. ifyou are going to spend (only) A$500 on the low end Bowflez, you might consider the varible selection dumbbells ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 If I had $500 to spend of fitness equipment I would get some kettlebells, a pullups bar, a fairly small weight set (a few hundred pounds), and a few dumbbells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 What's a BowFlex cost? Too, if the family isn't using the gym, then take some of the jokers off. (I'm sure it's a flat rate though). For $100/month though...dang....that's a good chunk of change. Hope it's a good gym. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Decent free weight rack and bench no buttons knobs lights etc etc. I had an older rubberband machine the ex wife wanted I used it a few times was ok and like most she used it as a cloths hanger. I traded it for a AMT Backup .45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boo radley Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Be interesting to see what John ended up with since his thread is a year old.... :/ I've been on the fence about a home gym, too. Paying $81/mo for my wife and I at the local Gold's, which is right on the edge of what I'm comfortable with considering I go about 2x week, and she averages maybe 1x week. OTOH, they've got great equipment, and plenty to look at, though the atmosphere is a bit amusing at times -- probably because at age 42 I'm a bit older.... Thought about a rock-solid bench, and free weights, but there's the issue of damage to the floor (upstairs), and needing a spotter. Some of the higher-end Smith machines, and Universal stuff looks nice, but so much of that stuff is designed for working muscle groups in isolation. I did buy one of the gym's treadmills, when they were getting new ones in, for $500. Best money I've ever spent -- the difference between running on a commerical treadmill vs. anything from Dicks Sporting Goods or Sears, isn't funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Norman Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Looking at Bowflex VS YMCA VS Commercial Gym. Bowflex Extreme2, $900 YMCA about $900 per year, on the way home or to work BUT I havbe to stop on the way in the AM or PM, already away 11-12 hours a day Commercial GYM, Likewise $ 800 year, for one person and also additional stop. Motivation is the key If I really wanted to move my arse, I would say this just do a daily dozen, Squats, push-ups, sit ups, stretches, etc., but all that requires space and also height (for pull-ups) basement is only a tad ove 7-0 high Leaning towards Bowflex. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Wise a$$ time. My fitness center has 30 different machines with variable weights for different parts of the body. 10,000# of free weights for bar bells, 4,000 # of dumb bells & 500 # of kettle weights. 20 treadmills, 20 elipse/striders & 26 spin bikes. Spa, sauna & steam room. Price per month - 23 years of service to the military. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAL Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I also bought a Bow flex Ultimate 2 like Vlad did. Bought it off a couple up in Long Island that paid full retail used maybe a couple of times and let it sit. I paid 900 for it and it came with a ton of extra accessories, We have also been using it 4 times a week. Although I have no lost any weight really as he did, but have added muscle for sure, feel stronger. But I have not been dieting though. still have to eat to be able to fuel up for Mountain and Road bike riding. My wife on the other hand has really toned up and has some muscles now instead of just sticks for arms and legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11.43mm Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Have you ever tried to roll up (and lower) a weight by winding a stick with the string in the center? Cheap yet effective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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