Bowflex Users?

[Sheep]

My gym membership just expired and I was thinking about how much it costs to buy new ones. Now, I know the bowflex is expensive, and it runs infomercials at night, but does it really work? I'd rather invest in something like that then 45 bucks a month for a gym thats crowded, smelly, and full of idiots. I have used a knock-off one but is was too easy. It said I had 80 pounds in each hand for a dunbell incline benchpress, but I can only do about 40 or 50 with real weights.

Thanks for the help

Sheep

 

[furrycute]

Ever considered an elliptical exercise machine. Personally I like aerobic exercise more than weight training.

Costco has some exercise equipment on sale. I think I saw a bowflex like machine there. But don't quote me on it.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

My brother in law just gave away his bowflex for a sturdy Smith machine. You'll get tone on a bowflex, but never gain any size. Depends on what you want. An eliptical machine is awesome, but is more for cardio than size. If you have the room and want the big muscles...
http://newyorkbarbells.tv/4015.html

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?prodid=10039120&whse=BC&topnav=&cat=4603&hierPath=111*2268*

 

[ironlung]

My opinion

I wish I had room at the homestead for a gym. I'm stuck at the public gym.

If I could invest in some equipment for the home I would stay away from the all in one type things like a bowflex. A good quality squat rack, multi angle bench a barbell and some free weights will give a better workout that is just as safe as a bowflex for a fraction of the price. The only drawback is it might take up a little more room.

You can do all of the major multi joint excercises for upper and lower body with just that little equipment. Any angle bench press, chin/pull ups, dips, rows, many squat variations, dead lifts, good mornings. Stick with these few excercises and you can look good in your birthday suit and have the strength to match. Leave the curls and the triceps extentions to the bodybuilders.

I will admit that the cable type machines like a bowflex are more safe than the lever type machines. The lever type force you into a groove and eliminate the need to stablize. Both could increase your chance of injury.

The fact you are working out puts you ahead of 90% of the population in the U.S.A. and a bowflex is way way way better than nothing.

If your open to looking at a rack and some free weight http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/ and look under power racks to see what is available. Buying from a fitness outlet near you will save alot on shipping especially for the weights themselves.

Just my opinion....good luck on whatever you decide,
Ironlung

 

[ironlung]

Smith Machine

A Smith Machine can be dangerous also. It forces an unatural groove that might cause shoulder problems after extended use. It also eliminates the stablizing that is important for muscular coordination. The rack is just as safe. If you fail a lift it can be set on the safety bars and you can get out from under it without being stapled to the floor/bench.

 

[Sheep]

Thanks for the replys. Maybe I should have given some background info before asking for machine advise.

I have been lifitng for 3 years now, and I took coarses and classes at school to learn the exercises and techniques, so I know my way around equipment. As far as goals go, I want to be able to bulk, and tone. I'm at about 17% bodyfat, 5'9" tall, and 250 pounds. Basically, I won't be doing any chin-ups or dips

As far as design, the bowflex is better, because it is not guided. It allows free motion, but I don't know how much resistance it has. I have used ones like that smith one, but they just weren't up to snuff.

One cable machine that I like is the 2 linked tower design. Its great for standing flys, but its HUGE.

I guess for now its the gym, but I will have my own, oh yes, it will be mine.

Thanks alot, and if anyone here has used a bowflex, please, chime in and give use a review?

Sheep

 

[Sheep]

Update:

Just got back from costco, and there was a bowflex set up there. It was a basic one with a tower and bench. Its biggest rod thingy was 50lbs, and there was 4 of them plus two 30's four 10's and two 5's.


There wasn't alot of room and only one side of the machine could function (space constraints). I had one 50lb rod on and the handle grip hooked to the bottom so I could curl it. Well, how do I say this..... either im way stronger then I was a week ago, or this thing is just not as strong as it says it is. Its weird though, the resistance is not consistant. Its starts off REALLY easy, and then gets harder, and harder as you bend the rod. The only problem is you have gone full motion in the curl before it gets to the really hard part.

Although my test was breif, and not proper, I think I will save my money

Sheep

 

[Rob Babcock]

Try this for a month and I seriously doubt you'll ever consider wasting your time on a machine again.

 

[Sheep]

Try this for a month and I seriously doubt you'll ever consider wasting your time on a machine again.

Thats ok, my country doesn't need me to fight a war...

But seriously, Im not buying a book, that can tell me how to loose weight, I can just write my own.

see...

"I know how you can loose weight, and become stronge, and sexy...stop eating. Its not hard, just stop putting food in your mouth, its easier to follow my plan, then to eat, cause you don't have to do anything."

Or another approach

"Hey, you bought this book, because you are unfit, and want to loose weight etc. Ok, until the end of this book, which goes for 400 pages, im going to insult you. This will result in you taking drastic measures to change your apperance."


The gym will do, I think im going to change though. Brother said fitness world is much better then my gym (GRIMS)

Sheep

 

[soniceuphoria]

That plan looks like a real winner. I think that hell will freeze over before something like that helps you get into shape. But alas there is a sucker born every minute. I have been lifting weights for over 8 years and I'm here to tell you that nothing beats good old weights and dedication to keep strong and fit. The bowflex is pure marketing crap. I have personally used one and find it to be very lacking at best. If we can all remember back to the Nordictrac or more recently the Gazelle (?), try to find someone who lost any weight or got in shape off of one of those. It will be just as hard as finding someone who has lost weight off of a drug (other than crack, meth, or herion). If I were you I would save your money up and buy a good quality Nautilus machine. To find one on the cheep check with your local gyms and schools to see if they have an older one they have replaced that they will part with. You can also check your local classifieds and the trader paper to see if they have one in there. These are just a few alternatives to buying a brand new one. Just remember sucess comes with dedication.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

If you're a really frugal guy, get yourself some dumbells that adjust for different weight, 150lbs of iron weights, and a flat bench that inclines/declines. You'd be surprised what you can do with a bench and dumbells.

 

[zipper]

The Bowflex-type equipment really only gives you about 50-60% of the workout that free weights do. You get little or no negative out of each rep. Only the initial movement gives you any resistance. I would agree that it's better than nothing but it's not worth the price. Ironlung & Sonic are right...........free weights & basic movements are most effective. You'll get the most for your time & effort.

 

[Matt34]

Push-ups, sit-ups, 2 mile run. That's what the army tells me I need to do to stay in shape.

 

[Rob Babcock]

That plan looks like a real winner. I think that hell will freeze over before something like that helps you get into shape. But alas there is a sucker born every minute. I have been lifting weights for over 8 years and I'm here to tell you that nothing beats good old weights and dedication to keep strong and fit.

Your sorry weightlifting arse is gonna be gassed in five minutes of Combat Conditioning. Believe me, you'll be shocked. Furey was a champ wrestler, competive swimmer and Gold Medal Kung Fu champ, but that's not what CC is about- it's pure conditioning.

I don't care what you can bench- I wanna see you drop and give me 100 Hindu pushups. I'd bet you a six pack you flat out can't. I know plenty of weightlifter types who've been burned down trying.

 

[soniceuphoria]

Your sorry weightlifting arse is gonna be gassed in five minutes of Combat Conditioning. Believe me, you'll be shocked. Furey was a champ wrestler, competive swimmer and Gold Medal Kung Fu champ, but that's not what CC is about- it's pure conditioning.

I don't care what you can bench- I wanna see you drop and give me 100 Hindu pushups. I'd bet you a six pack you flat out can't. I know plenty of weightlifter types who've been burned down trying.

I can assure you that I can do 100 "hindu" inclined pushups. The way I actually like to do mine is to be more vertical. I put my feet about 4 feet up on the wall and do truely inclined pushups. I agree with you that it is not the maximum ammount of weight that you can bench press that determines how good of shape you are in or how many inclined pushups that you can do. Stamina is the true factor. The key to building strong muscles is repetition not maximum as any one who has done any true strength training already knows. Which leads me to Bowflex's inherient weakness, the fact that the same ammount of force isn't being applied to your muscles throughout the power stroke. Which leads to your muscles being weaker in some positions, and stronger in others. This is because the bowflex "power rods" function through tension which increases the further you bend the rods. As opposed to dead weight that has the constant force of gravity acting on it. As for Mr. Furey, I am not doubting his physical fitness, I am not doubting his abilities, and I am definatily not doubting his marketing genius. What I am doubting though is that a book is the solution to all your fitness problems. In the end a book can only be a guide and it is what is inside you that will determine wether your workout regimine is a sucess or not. The book might point you towards the right direction but it will not do the excercise for you. And anyways overexerting yourself for short periods can actually do more harm than good for your body. I would be glad to demonstrate my abilities to you and would be even more happy to remove that six pack from your hands. I live in Carmel, Indiana, and I would prefer Budweiser.

 

[FLZapped]

Wasn't there a big recall on these things not too long ago for a serious safety issue?

That thing that Chuck Norris endorses looks interesting.....

-Bruce

 

[ironlung]

Chin/Pull ups and dips

Your selling yourself short if your avoiding Chins and dips. Compound multi joint excersise are key to getting big and strong. Pull ups can hit your lats, mid back, biceps, forearm, and grip with a major load. Dips hit the tris, chest, front delt with a major load. How many hours in the gym to hit all that with wimpy isolation excersise?

Take the curl for example your lower back/general core strength limit the load you can use to stimulate the biceps.

Do 10 sets of 1-3 reps at the chin bar I gaurantee you will not be able to curl a little pink plastic dumbell. If you can't even do 1 rep jump to the up position and lower for a 10 count (or as slow as you can) for 3-5 reps. In a few weeks you be able to do them. I'm 6'1" at 200lbs 20% fat I went from zero max reps to 7-8 max on a fat grip rolling unstable chin bar in 1 year with a similar plan.

If it's to easy(I doubt it) strap a few 45's to your belt.

BTW the average man can do zero chins.

 

[Sheep]

Your selling yourself short if your avoiding Chins and dips. Compound multi joint excersise are key to getting big and strong. Pull ups can hit your lats, mid back, biceps, forearm, and grip with a major load. Dips hit the tris, chest, front delt with a major load. How many hours in the gym to hit all that with wimpy isolation excersise?

Take the curl for example your lower back/general core strength limit the load you can use to stimulate the biceps.

Do 10 sets of 1-3 reps at the chin bar I gaurantee you will not be able to curl a little pink plastic dumbell. If you can't even do 1 rep jump to the up position and lower for a 10 count (or as slow as you can) for 3-5 reps. In a few weeks you be able to do them. I'm 6'1" at 200lbs 20% fat I went from zero max reps to 7-8 max on a fat grip rolling unstable chin bar in 1 year with a similar plan.

If it's to easy(I doubt it) strap a few 45's to your belt.

BTW the average man can do zero chins.

Yeah, I would do them, but I can't. I've tried. I'm 5'9" and 250lbs at 17% or so (since last measure).

As for back limiting the amount of wieght for curl.... thats doesn't affect me. I havent reached that weight yet. and i try to work out everything evenly so my back gets stronger too. I can do dips, but they are slow, and in the last set i have to cheat. There is a machine I've used that has a counter balance, so you can make yourself lighter so you can do full motion.

Sheep

 

[soniceuphoria]

One of the best ways to increase you back strength is to do reverse sit ups. If you don't already know how to do these I'll explain. Find a bench that you can secure your feet to (that is sturdy) and lay face down with your torso hanging over the side. You then bend down to the floor and back up. These will help to get rid of those nasty love handles. Also power cleans and squats will do wonders for your back strength also. As for pullups a lat pull down machine and a military press machine are your best bet.

 

[Sheep]

One of the best ways to increase you back strength is to do reverse sit ups. If you don't already know how to do these I'll explain. Find a bench that you can secure your feet to (that is sturdy) and lay face down with your torso hanging over the side. You then bend down to the floor and back up. These will help to get rid of those nasty love handles. Also power cleans and squats will do wonders for your back strength also. As for pullups a lat pull down machine and a military press machine are your best bet.

I have done reverse situps, my gym has a special stand for it. Military press is alright, I perfer to use dubells for it, more realistic weight and a better overall workout.

Sheep