Don't believe the naysayers
Written: Jan 12 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Safe, solid construction, huge range of exercises, works every muscle group.
Cons: Price
The Bottom Line: I got mine used from a friend. If you will use it - buy it. If you are just going to hang clothes on it, save your dough.
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| doug4321's Full Review: Soloflex |
This is an excellent product. Those who don't think so, don't know how to use it properly. I have had my Soloflex for almost 20 years and I would never part with it. Let me tell you about it.
About the weight straps - They have a lifetime warranty because you will never be tough enough to wear them out. Don't think about rubber bands, think more like stretching a rubber car tire. That is closer to the mark. Someone said his straps developed holes in them but he bought them used, so who knows what the history was there. No, they don't feel like free weights - who says they should? Their action is smooth as silk. Very easy on the joints. They are labeled as pounds (25 lb. straps, 50 lb. straps, etc.), but they are not exactly equivalent. In other words - lifting 100 "pounds" on the Soloflex is not the same as lifting 100 pounds of free weights. Sometimes they feel "heavier", sometimes they feel "lighter". It depends on how the machine is set up and what particular exercise you are performing. That's ok - I'm not really concerned about the numbers. It's not about bragging rights - it's about getting fit. Three sets of each exercise - push yourself to failure on the last two sets. All you really need to know is how many "pounds" of straps you used last time.
About free weights - Someone wrote abut "modifying" his Soloflex to accept them. That's just another case of a guy who hasn't got a clue. The Soloflex accepts free weights right out of the box. Soloflex even sells free weights and the attachment rods on their Web site. you can add up to 400 pounds of free weights.
About simplicity - The machine is well built and slim. There are no cables, pulleys, or "bows" sticking out in all directions. The classic Soloflex only has 4 main parts (body, bench, arm, straps). The bench has legs and a pin which are used to adjust the incline. The arm has a pin to control the height. The straps have a pin to attach them to the body of the machine. Four parts, three pins, 75 exercises.
About time - Setting the machine up takes no more than 30 seconds for any exercise. Many exercises take a lot less time. Some exercises don't use the bench, some don't use the bar - these are the fastest to set up.
About safety - My favorite thing about the Soloflex is that it is safe. I don't get tangled up in cables and cords. I can't drop the bar on my chest - even when it's loaded with free weights. The majority of the exercises are no impact and the rest are low impact, so my joints are not stressed. The only pain it has ever given me is the pain that I have earned from a good workout. The kind of pain that makes you smile as you ache because you feel proud of yourself for pushing to the limit.
About comparisons - Compared to free weights, the Soloflex is safer. Compared to the "bows", the Soloflex is simpler. Compared to just about everything out there, the Soloflex is the only machine to provide for free body exercises (sit ups, pull ups, dips, etc).
Bottom Line - Read the materials and watch the video that come with the machine. If you get a used machine, buy the materials from Soloflex online. Like anything, the more you know about it, the better it works.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
doug4321
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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