I admit it, I've become a workout freak over the past two years. Especially when it comes to weight training. Never having really been into the free weight thing and finally deciding to purchase a home workout system, the Bowflex seemed right for me. I had heard that the muscle building exercises gave astounding results and that the row feature was one of the smoothest around. So, reluctantly, with credit card in hand, I ordered one online about a year and a half ago.

First Impressions

In my 21 years on this planet never have I had to ask for assistance in setting something up. I've put together huge entertainment centers, various book shelves and even wall supports before on my own (and I'm a chick). This time the Bowflex proved to be just too heavy for me to safely manipulate around my home. It was already assembled but I wasn't going to ruin my carpet whilst dragging it around to its final resting place. I had to call a friend over to help me lift it off the ground completely to move it.

But oh well... That's only moving the Bowflex to the spot where it would sit for years to come.

So, after all my anticipation, I finally got to play around with my new toy. The instruction manual is straight forward and the machine itself is fairly idiot proof. No head scratching here. I decided to start off with something really simple, you're basic bicep curl. Now, on the machines at the gym, I usually do 3 sets of 15 reps at 40 lbs., with free weights I do the same sets and reps at 30 lbs., and the same remained with the Bowflex. Three sets of 15 reps at 30 lbs. However, I did feel more in my tricep then I normally would with free weights.

Unfortunately, with my first use of the Bowflex the pulley action squealed and squeaked. It almost felt as though the wheels were catching on something and it made for a very rough workout. Not very smooth at all. A little Dow 33 grease fixed this problem, although it did also create quite a mess.

Advantages

The thing I loved about having a home workout system was that I didn't have to worry about people watching me. I was fully able to concentrate on my workout without being self-conscious. You can do your workout while listening to whatever music you want, watching whatever television show you want and all while cooking dinner at the same time. You also have the ability to drop your workout quickly if you need to and pick it up again later without paying extra gym fees.

The two way resistance really does give you a good workout. I lost a total of an inch off of each of my arms within the first 20 days. Being involved in archery, I was able to step up to a 70 lb. draw weight bow from a 50 lb. after only a month. I was (and still am to some degree) very impressed with my first results.

Downfalls

Okay... Here's where it gets messy.

I noticed that after three months of exercise with the Bowflex my visible and physical results began to taper off. You can achieve nice, lean muscle tone very quickly, and maintain it, however you eventually reach a plateau where results come much slower and much less grandiose. One of the first rules of an effective muscle building routine is variety of exercises and I honestly don't believe the Bowflex gives you this. Its almost as if the two way resistance begins to impede muscle development after three months. I had never experienced this problem with free weights or other workout machines before.

Secondly, another of the fundamentals of a strength training routine is body form as you're lifting. In a gym you usually have various benches to correct your posture and on you're typical machine you can fully adjust back rests, arm rests, etc to fit your form. With the Bowflex you have to watch yourself all the time, making sure your wrists are at the right angle, that your back isn't arched, your arms are extending fully, etc, etc. The Bowflex marketing campaign attempts to rectify this problem by comparing the machine to free weights. However, even with free weights, as I said before, you have various benches and rests to utilize during your workout. I also don't personally believe that an effective leg press can be obtained from a sitting up position. I had the Bowflex maxed out for the leg press and my only thought was, "This is it?"

Also, if I don't have anyone to spot me while I'm lifting, I'm not able to just drop the weight if I need to like I am with free weights and other machines. When you drop the resistance on the Bowflex you'd swear that the thing was about to break on you, making a terrible noise and denting itself. One time I dropped the weight from a chest press position and my hand got caught on the handle. No injury, but more on that later.

The cardio row feature is a pain to use for those of us who are used to the typical rowing machines. On a Bowflex you can't get that nice, quick pull at the end that you can get from many other machines. The seat didn't slide freely for a very long time, even after the application of copious amounts of Dow 33 grease. Despite the 5 year warranty, I was told by customer service that the seat needed to be "worked out" for it to work to its fullest potential.

The price is also very prohibitive to 90% of the people out there. I'm still paying off my credit card for it. And, even after I spent nearly a grand on the Bowflex I had to spend another $150 on the leg bar so that I could do leg extensions and curls. Without that extra piece the only lower body workout you're going to get is from the mediocre leg press and the less then grand rowing feature. Any rear extensions you try with the Bowflex's basic features will usually slip off of your foot before you're finished with your exercise.

Finally, and this is my major issue with the Bowflex, is the possibility of injury from the machine. Several times have the handles slipped over my hands and onto my wrists or have my hands gotten caught, putting the full weight on places that it shouldn't be. I, personally, haven't had anything worse happen then some nasty muscle strains from these incidents. Since my purchase, I've known two other women who have had similar problems with the Bowflex, one incident of which broke an arm. The company was quick to refund my friend's money and pay for her medical bills, but her lawyer said it was far from the first time he had handled similar cases from women. Safety is always a major concern for me in weight training so this is just some food for thought.

Conclusion

While I enjoyed (and still enjoy) the Bowflex it does have some major downfalls. I wouldn't suggest it to anyone on a long term training program nor would I suggest it to anyone who thinks it will provide them with an effective cardio workout or calorie burning routine. After a lot of work and Dow 33 my Bowflex works great although I still spend time at the rec center for overall workout variety and occasional free weight training.


Recommended: No