Bowflex?

[oz25]

Anyone using the bowflex and what is your experience with it? I'm thinking about buying one, but am concerned about the weight limitation.

[HWS]

I have one with I think 410 lbs of "resistance". I'm not sure how acurate the numbers are or how they're measured, but all in all I really love the thing.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Anyone using the bowflex and what is your experience with it? I'm thinking about buying one, but am concerned about the weight limitation.
For what it's worth, as far as resistance training goes, your body has no ability to distinguish between elastic resistance and free weights. One advantage though is with elastic resistance, you actually get an ascending resistance curve vs. a flat resistance curve with a slight downward resistance trend at the top of the lift cycle with free weights. For fitness overall, you are beter off lifting at less than your max capability for more reps anyway. This improves endurance and general strength. Massive powerlifts are for bodybuilders anyway and more bulk=less lung volume/gram bdy mass=less aerobic endurance because with more bulk, you have more muscle mass to burn Glucose and saturated O2 from yor blood. You might benefit on your short game, ie sprints, but on endurance events/rides it's a liability.

[Dakota]

I have one that has 210 lbs weight limit. I'm not trying to gain massive amounts of muscle, and I let the bike take care of the legs. I think it's great for my upper body workouts.

[sizzam]

Check your local fitness equipment specialist first before you buy anything. Bowflex is the best advertised, but there are a lot of other options in the same price range. You might find something that you like better.

I had a Bowflex, but I ended up selling it and going with a Hoist V2 (http://tinypic.com/xfrhc3.jpg). I'm much happier with it than I was my Bowflex. The main problem I had with the version of the Bowflex I had at the time was having to change cables around every time I wanted to do a different excersise, which I don't have to do with the Hoist. The Hoist also uses actual weights in a stack instead of the rods. The rods always made me nervous when using them over the winter in a cold garage (afraid they would snap, not sure if they actually would or not).

[cmcenroe]

My friend has a bowflex and I too have always been very afraid that the rods would fatigue and snap at some point. That would be pretty scary/catastrophic and would seem to be likely to cause some real injuries.

[sep999]

I have used bowflex for years. It works very well. I have 410 lbs of resistance and have never used all the wait (get close with leg presses though). The power rods are guaranteed for life. I have also found that their customer support was very good.

[NM-NewRoadie]

i have one, not sure the weight, probably the 210 model, I too let the bike take care of the legs and cardio and do some upper body workouts on it. Not as many as I should but....I never had the fear that the rods would brake, and like sep999 said, they have a lifetime warrenty. Good peace of equipment, mine is the regular bench with the lat tower, and it doesn't take up as much room as other home gym's i've seen, but isn't tiny either. The lat tower is great place to hang sweaty cycling clothes too :-)

[Al.canoe]

I used one for a few years but sold it and switched to a cable-weight type machine. I didn't like the low resistance when you first start the "lift". Lifting things in the real world is not like that and I like to train like I operate in the real world. Lifting heavy stuff around the home, portage packs, back-packs and canoes requires a maximum force when you begin the lift.

Also, while it was efficient to switch weights and exercises, it's not nearly as fast to make those changes as my present Schwinn weight machine which costs about the same.

I also use free-weights as the whole body gets involved in supporting the weight, again like in the real world.

Al