Bowflex or Total Gym experiences

[Craig Sheppard]

These two machines are always hyped on TV. Does anyone own one of them? And if you do, have you gotten good results with them? I realize the Bowflex is much more expensive and somewhat a different animal. Rather curious if owners are glad they bought one or think they're garbage. Thanks.

 

[gmlasam]

A friend of mine had the total gym. He used it for about 8 months and it broke. One of the roller assembly had worned out. It is pretty cheap in my opinion. As I recall, there were several recalls on the total gym. He ended up throwing it away.

The bowflex, I've seen at my local sporting goods store, and it does take up plenty of room, due to the bow rods, but seem to be better made than the total gym.


IMHO, a better choice would be a bench that can be adjusted at different angles to sit up, incline, flat, and decline positions, and a set of free weights.

This combo by far much more durable, less room compared to the bowflex, and cheaper.

 

[chad shaver]

I own a bowflex and am glad I bought it. It holds up very well, and Bowflex has very good customer service. Feel free to email me with any questions you may have.

 

[Phil]

I haven't tried either, but I see an awful lot of both machines, less than 1-year old, on sale in classified ads. That indicates one of two possibilities: 1. Some couch potato caught the infomercial at 3:00 a.m. as he swilled beer and gorged on Doritos, and decided to get rid of his beer gut. Then, two months later, he realized that exercise actually requires a commitment-that looking like the blah porn film star type in the infomercial ain't such a walk in the park. and 2. The machines aren't all that they are advertised to be (surprise!!!).

 

[hampshire6]

Pick up a pull up bar, squat rack, flat bench and barbell set and you will get way more muscle and it will be cheaper too. something like this http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92563.html you can do squats, deadlifts pullups with it and bench press. get this http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/5900.html as your bench and
this http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/im-5315.html for weights. Now you can prob find some items that are cheaper but new york barbell is good solid stuff that won't costs you the world.

 

[Kirko]

Phil's right. Buying these machines makes a person feel good "they're taking the 1st step to good health" and these companies play off of that . A guy thinks I bought this machine I'm on my way and don't get me wrong thats a good way to think, but you don't machines playing tennis, running and most important a good diet. Thats all you need.

 

[Kevin T]

I'm a free weight man myself but my wife bought a Bowflex and it's a good machine, five years old and still ticking.
Pros: nice and smooth resistance, don't need a spotter, works each side independently, never makes your joints sore like free weights (nice!)

cons:limited range of motion, even if you load the rods to the max (410lb) you can't get enough resistance for good, heavy squats and other leg movements, can't do pull-ups, expensive

I agree with Hampshire-get a decent bench and some Powerblocks or other other adjustable dumbell system.

 

[bob]

Here's a link for Scrapper's workout #1
-push up pyramid from 1 to 12 and back to one
-pull ups
-dips
-4 sets of squats and "bootstrappers"
-4 sets of lunges
-crunchies

You can get an EZ-chin bar for around $60. You can get a used granny walker in a salvation army store for $70 and use it for dips... total cost around $70. If you do this workout every day it'll work as good as the bowflex or anything else. The #1 workout takes around 32 minutes.


http://www.trainforstrength.com/workout1.shtml

 

[raftermania]

Did you guys see the 50 year old bowflex grandmother who isn't ashamed of wearing a bikini???? She inspired me to buy my bowflex machine, I want to be like her!

 

[hampshire6]

Yeah She Got Voted Gilf Of The Month In My Dorm

 

[hampshire6]

it could happen...................actualy I was thinking about it and no it could not happen. But man bowflex grandma had it going on! lol......

 

[tennis-n-sc]

Had a Bowflex for about 4 years and it is a good machine for the bucks. It keeps on ticking. I sold it because I could not get committed to use it regularly at home. I am a gym rat and do my best work there. More motivation. But the Bowflex is worth the price if you can stay committed to work out at home.

 

[nimxnooj]

got the bowflex at costco (the best store on earth) for $750. Was $999 but had a $150 coupon. Took me 3 hours to assemble by myself (at 16, dass not too bad) and it was well worth the money and time to assemble. I consider myself a pretty athletic guy and have worked out since about 7th grade (YMCA, community college gyms, home) Not too much free weights cuz i hear that machines won't stunt ur growth or watever, but at 5'8 i'm tryin to get as tall as i can (goal is 5'10, anybody have any advice for growing?). Anyways, after using the Bowflex for about an hour, i was sore the next morning, and it lasted for 2 days, which is quite a long time for me. VERY smooth actions, superb build. excellent for chest exercises. You can 'feel' your chest muscle fibers tearing begging to be rebuilt (muscles get bigger by tearing and protein filling the gaps). Anyways, in short, i'm very glad i bought the machine. and i had the total gym, but sorta outgrew it. It's nothing compared to the bowflex. Of course it's price is also nothin compared to the bowflex too, but, eh... o well. Bowflex is worth every cent. Hope that helped (don't think it did tho...=\

 

[raftermania]

Wow a history, biology and motivational class all in one message! Good job nimxnooj!

You're message was very helpful, don't doubt yourself like that! I didn't know the bowflex was so expensive, so I guess my lifelong dream of becoming the bowflex gilf comes at a high price.

 

[Audiodude]

Did you guys see the 50 year old bowflex grandmother who isn't ashamed of wearing a bikini???? She inspired me to buy my bowflex machine, I want to be like her!

I know how much the Bowflex cost, but you also have to figure in the cost of the implant surgery, not to mention the danger of going under general anesthesia to improve her "fitness".

 

[raftermania]

Nooooooooooooooo! Don't ruin my dream!!!!!