26 Feb 2005 - Joe of Pennsylvania, USA writes:
lets start with the cons.. two years ago i ordered the ultima but i got the cheap version instead, ya know the first model. i figured ok it will take to long to send it back so ill just grin and bare it! the bowflex is an ok machine if you want to drop some weight and tone up, but for bulking up? don't waste your money. i even own the crossbow..eh, even worse,. i say either buy free weights...join a gym...or buy the golds gym home gym. the only good thing about the bowflex is...nothing acually , there isn't anything good about em,. in fact i stopped making payments on it..screw em all lol
20 Feb 2005 - Hoon of California, USA writes:
Just be aware! Bowflex may not be what you want! I've been using my Bowflex for about a year and honestly, I am not very happy with purchase. No question that it's a great equipment for home work-out. However, it's not for someone like me who wants to bulk up. If your goal is losing weight and toning your body, along with moderate muscle gain, Bowflex is the best thing for you. But if you are already fit and want to gain big muscles, like the guy on infomercial, even the highest resistence woun't let you achieve your goal. So stick with old fashioned free weights. Now I use my Bowflex on the days I don't feel like to drive to the gym and wait in line for my turn of free-weights.
13 Feb 2005 - Kevin of Virginia, USA writes:
OK. I watched the late nite infomercial just like everyone else did and it was impressive to watch. I am a former high ranking competitive bodybuilder that did one too many sets of heavy squats and blew my back out. I had to continue training though but everytime I got back into free weight training, no matter what the exercize was, I seemed to get injured. My joints, lower back, shoulders, etc wouldn't allow me to train with any intensity at all. SO...I order my PowerPro XTLU with the Squat attachment. At first, it felt very awkward since all of my life I lifted (heavy) dumbells, barbells. But I kept at it and after about a week I got used to using the bowflex. I really like most of the exercises you can do except the leg extension, leg curl...The resistance doesn't feel right. I bought my Bowflex back in 1997 almost 8 years ago, and a few things have broken because I've abused it so hard with my heavy workouts, but the warranty department always promptly sent me every replacement part I needed. I quit competitive bodybuilding in 1995 and I can honestly say that I am in the best shape since then. I don't have as much bulk on me now but I the most important thing is that I get a really good workout, and I don't feel the aches and pains when I work on the bowflex. Last year, I joined Golds Gym because I was 37 then and made up my mind that I was going to try to compete one more time...I only took 6 weeks: I tore my tricep, hurt my back again, and my left shoulder. Now I'm back working out 5 to 6 days per week on the bowflex at home and have just about gotten my body back into the same shape it was in 1995..not quite the size, but at 38 years old, I feel great. Now my only decision is to keep getting replacement parts or go ahead and upgrade to the new extreme 2!
30 Jan 2005 - Craig of Indiana, USA writes:
Best fitness expense I've ever made. Had a Motivator with all the bells and whistles, lost 35 lbs in about 6-7 months without any regimented eating plan, just ate a little less. Recently upgraded to an Ultimate XTLU because I expect to stay with the Bowflex for a long, long time. I've kept the weight off for more than a year now working out less than a half hour 3 times a week. May not be quite as good as freeweights, but much safer. May not be quite as good as a gym, but way more convenient (and easy to stick with). May be more expensive than some alternatives, but I have not had a single problem with my Bowflex and between my wife and I it gets used every day (and I do some exercises at 300 lbs). I would highly recommend the Bowflex if you have the commitment to stay with it. Bowflex book by Darden is very useful too. I have other fitness equipment that I've gotten rid of over the years, but not the Bowflex.
11 Jan 2005 - Anne of California, USA writes:
I've had my Bowflex for about 5 years now and I'm very happy with it. Pros: It's a great resistance workout that is light weight enough and compact enough to have in your home. I really like the upper body workout and lat attachment. Cons: sometimes it takes a little rigging and creativity to make the cables long enough to get the range of motion you want (add a chain or cable extender). I don't really like to use the leg attachment- it feels wobbly- I'd rather just do squats. I don't like the "aerobic" rowing exercise they offer either. Overall: It doesn't have the same solid feel as pro gym machines... but for a home strength training machine it's great and I would buy it again! I would recommend getting the additional 100 pounds too.
19 Dec 2004 - Frank of New York, USA writes:
The model of Bowflex I have is the Extreme 2. Once you get past the idea spending some serious money for a home gym (including the two hundred pound rod upgrade), the rest is all up hill. The machine is very heavy (a good thing, it stays put). Without the need for cable changes I can easily go from one excercise setup (weight, handles or bar, pulley location) to another, in any order, without extending the normal short rest between moves. The more I use it, the more impressed I am with it. If I ever wear it out I'll be a better man for it!
5 Dec 2004 - Stuart of Michigan, USA writes:
i bought the original schwinn bowflex in 1988 or 89 and still using it. the condition is no different than the day i got it.........perfect. after 15 years i did think the 5 and 10# rods were getting a little weaker, perhaps my imagination, but the bowflex people are sending me new rods, no questions asked, free of charge. lifetime warranty on rods must really mean lifetime. the newer style machines intrigue me, more versitale, i think a new bowflex is on the horizon for me
18 Nov 2004 - Clint of Texas, USA writes:
BowFlex is by far the best overall "fitness" machine i've ever used. I've been using one for two years on and off and it's worked better than anything else i've used. I do use free weights on occassion but in my Honest opinion free-weights don't work as good. Time is the best thing about BowFlex, but the results are tremendous if you follow the routine! The price could have been a little better on the Finance side - but other than that it's definately worth the price.
12 Nov 2004 - Deanna of Ohio, USA writes:
I love my bowflex. I live in Cleveland where in the winter months working out is typically done in a gym. Right after Thanksgiving until mid March going to a gym after work is going to take a lot of time. The bowflex can give me a great workout without the travel time to the gym especially, if I have some where to be. I can get a pretty good upper body workout. Right know I only have the 210lbs but, I want to get an upgrade to 310 to do some leg stuff. I have had my bowflex for about 4/5 years and use it pretty regularly. However, I also have a membership at Bally's. I think it is a motivation factor to see others working out. OK the negative part. I am a female who stands only 5'3". Just like in a gym some of the exercises just don't work for me. On in particular is curls sitting on the bench. I am so small I feel absolutely no resistance. However, I am capable of doing curls lying on the bence. So, the amount of resistance weight you think you are doing can be misleading. Basically, the more the rod is bent/curved the more resistance. So, when first doing the exercise you do not feel the full 35 lbs of resistance than as you finish the 35 lbs is there. Another big complaint I have noticed is that the rods are DEFINITELY affected by humidity. Once again living in Cleveland we have humidity in the summer but in the winter it is not an issue. I can definitely tell that in the summer time the resistance in the rods are FAR LESS than when in the winter. I have never read anything about this but, it happens! Other than that, it was one of the best investments I have ever made and I would do it again in an instant.
26 Oct 2004 - Kevin of Saskatchewan, Canada writes:
Hi there, I have owned a Bowflex for just over 2 years now. overall I have been very pleased, I didnt really notice anything really significant however over the first 6 weeks, but without a doubt I have become much stronger. When I first started I used 60 lbs to do 3 sets of 12 reps and now I can do 2 sets of 10 with 170 and can also now max out the entire thing relatively easily. I have found that certain exercises on the Bowflex are harder to do on it as opposed to free weights and vica versa with others. ex. the benchpress, without a doubt it is harder to do on the Bowflex, I can do more weight with free weights then I can on my bowflex. an opposite example is the biceps curl in which I can do less with free weights. I have been very pleased with my power pro and am very glad I made the purchase a couple years back. in conjunction with a diet(Dr. Phillip McGraw) in about 5 and 1/2 months I lost near 90 lbs and have never been in better shape. when I first got my Bowflex I was 270 lbs, when I started the diet I was 240 lbs, and after I finished the diet, with a cardio regimine as well I am now at a personal best 180 lbs. I am now working on my Ab Lounge to try and tone up that left over flab in the gut region. and so far I have been very pleased with that product as well.
5 Oct 2004 - John of Illinois, USA writes:
I have had my Bowflex Power Pro for about nine months. I have received the recall upgrade. Prior to buying my Bowflex, I did the gym, I also had a home gym with the bench, lat tower and leg extention with free weights. The Bowflex difference is TIME. Gym workouts & free weight workouts would take forever to switch weights/exercises. I have gotten the best workouts and results using Bowflex. People have noticed the change in my body, lost weight and gained muscle. I should have taken pictures- I believe all the before and after pictures you see on the infomercials because I have seen the results myself. My only regret is not buying it sooner wasting my money on gym memberships and freeweights.
20 Jul 2004 - Jon of Florida, USA writes:
Bowflex gave me good results all you have to do is flex for the whole exersise. Also with progressive resistance its better for instance if on a bench you get it up half way than you almost always can finish it bc ur stronger on the top as compared to bottom. So bowflex on some exersises is better than freeweighs and some its worse but it messes you up when you go to a bench, o well
12 Mar 2004 - Mark of Indiana, USA writes:
I use to have a bowflex. It is convenient and well made and the latest versions look to be improved in various areas. There are (2) negatives I think should be mentioned. The price, you can get an olympic barbell/dumbell set with about 300lbs, bench, mid size rack with upper and lower pulley for about half the price. Granted, these items cant be folded up into a closet as easily but this leads to my second negative. The bowflex power rods will work your muscles but the resistance starts at 60% and gets to 100% as you flex the rods. Call customer service and ask them. While you can still get a good workout of sorts, I got tired of having to figure out how much I could actually lift on free weights when ever I tried them. I was at 210 "lbs" or so on the bowflex bench press. Lets just say I was not even close to that on free weights. So yes it does have some nice features but keep these issues I have mentioned in mind and know what your goals are.
7 Mar 2004 - Glen of Texas, USA writes:
I have owned my BowFlex XTL with the power rod additions to 410 lbs. and all attachements for 3 1/2 years. My only regret is that I didn't purchase it sooner. It is not a perfect machine, but it is very, very good and is certainly the best single piece of equipment I have used in my 50+ years of exercise/strength training at gyms from coast to coast. The attachment for leg curls and extensions is quite effective, but the machine does lack capacity to challenge many users on the leg press. The addition of the squat attachment will provide sufficient challenge for most. An alternative is to do the leg presses one-legged. This is a bit awkward at first, but, again will provide plenty of capacity and a good workout for most. Finally, here are two hints which will make the machine better: 1) Buy at least 8 additional snap links like those provided (available at [], [], etc.). Use 4 on each side between the handles and the link on the power rod cables when doing any of the inclined bench exercises. This will enable the user to get the handles into the exercise position considerably easier. An additional link or 2 can also be used to make some of the other exercises/attachments easier to get into postion and/or more effective. 2) Buy some 5-minute epoxy and use this to fix any slipping cable stops, O-rings, plastic caps, etc. Easy, quick, and effective.
6 Feb 2004 - Roger of Oregon, USA writes:
The Bow Flex is thge best home finess machine I have ever used and the equipment works just as they show in the infomercial.Its esay to use and work outs are great. I recomend this product to anyone
3 Feb 2004 - Marshall of Ohio, USA writes:
I have owned a Bowflex PowerPro with Lat Tower for over a year. I have probably used it two to three times per week. Also, my son and wife use it, too, so it has been a good family investment. I am very happy with the quality. Thought the price was high, but rationalized it over what I could save over five years membership to a health club. Mainly, it saves me time. Instead of going to the Club, involving making time to get there, and waiting in line to use a piece of equipment, I go down to my basement and get the workout in. Matter of fact, I have more time for the workout, so I don't feel so rushed and do a better quality workout. Overall - satisfied.
2 Jan 2004 - Adam of Pennsylvania, USA writes:
I had my bowflex for 4 years now. I love it. The handles broke twice. But they were replaces at no charge. But the screws on the seat came loose once and scratched the rail. And it is overpiced. But it is great for a home gym. As a personal trainer I think overall it is a good product.
28 Dec 2003 - Walt of Ohio, USA writes:
Very good machine. Have owned the Bowflex PowerPro for 2 years now, and love it. As far as customer service is concerned, I have had no problems with it. Recently I broke a piece off of the upright bench. I called customer service, they were friendly and took care of the problem no questions ask. The only thing I did not like, is they wanted the broken piece returned at my expense. Overall I would recomend this machine to everyone. You really get out of it what you put into it. You can bulk up,slim down,tone up, its up to you.As far as price,you get what you pay for. A quality machine,well made. When this one wears out I will purchase another.
29 Nov 2003 - Anne & Dave of New Jersey, USA writes:
We have have the Bowflex Power Pro for 1 1/2 years. We got the lat tower instead of the leg attachment. My husband and I both love it. The machine was rated up to 300 lbs for the bench capacity, but my husband was over 350 when he started and the machine held up fine. He is 6'6" and has not had any problems using it. His biceps are like rocks. As far as the price, it's a well built piece of equipment, and the treadmill we have was more expensive. He recommended to a friend from work who bought it and loves it. My arms and shoulders look great, and I now have calf definition. I recommend it to everyone I know.
28 Nov 2003 - Jerry of Alaska, USA writes:
I've had the Bowflex XTL for about 2 years, with serious use over the past 9 months. I have been working out for many years, on and off, and was competetive bodybuilding at one time. First, yes the price is high, but easily offsets paying 40 plus a month for the gym, and I have it set up in my room. The rods and pulleys are much safer though I am tradionally a free weights guy, I have sucessfully worked out in gyms on business trips with very little transition worries between the free weights and rods. If you have the money get it, otherwise, talk to both users of bowflex and the crossbow? system. The versatility is definitely there in the bowflex and is worth it since I have saved that much by working out at home.
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