Bowflex/Crossbow Home Gyms?

[myst3ry 0]

Well it looks like my cheap benchpress stand is about to collapse if I place any more weights onto the bar so I'm looking to upgrade my "home gym".. Currently i'm just using the free weights, barbells, cheap stand etc, and it's done the job so far, but i've heard a lot about Bowflex or Crossbow and they seem very tempting to buy (The Crossbow especially because it is over half the price).. The reason being is because i'm missing out on some cable exercises that could benefit my workout.. However before I go and splurge im wondering if anyone here has tried either of them? Not just for a couple minutes and said its crap, I mean given it some time and found it to be a decent buy or not.. If so, please share what you know.

[morty 0]

I've had the bowflex for about two years and the only complaint I have out of it is that I can't get enough weight on it for a few excercises, so I would have to substitute some with others. The weight (resistance) feels different than freeweights, but after a while it feels really smooth and good. I get great workouts from it and it's very easy to use and switch positions and all that. Mine was about 1600 CDN. I have a pass to a local gym so somedays i'll use the bowflex, some days i'll hit the gym.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Now does the Bowflex and the crossbow take up alot of room? They look really big in their ads and I don't have a ton of room. What exercises don't you have enough weight with? $1600 cdn seems like an awful lot to me, but I knew they were around that.

[morty 0]

They take up room when you use them, the entire thing including the bench when extended with the leg exercise unit is maybe 7 feet long, and the bars stretch to about 4 feet wide. After you are done with them, you can fold the bench up, and tie the bars together and then it's a pretty compact unit. Also, after you do this, you're able to roll it around to place it wherever you want. You'll need room to store cables and crap like that but not very much. The main excercise without sufficient weight is the leg press but that is replaced by doing squats and a few other leg excercises they show you in the manual that comes with it.

[Veltri 0]

i seen comercials recently adverstising it for 19 dollars a month. if you could get that deal, who cares how long it takes to pay off, thats just crazy.

[hockeyshmockey10 0]

my dad and I went in together to get a bowflex. I love the machine but I feel that at the gym I get a better workout. The bowflex is great for most upperbody workouts b/c Im not huge in my arms/shoulders but my legs are def bigger. I use up all of the weight to do a leg press. Its great if your not 100% focused to look like the guys in the commercial. but it will get you halfway there if not more

[Eazy_b97 1]

Are there any other exercises that you have trouble getting the right weight for other than the leg press? How does it work..... it comes with a certain poundage of power rods and thats it? Can you buy more? I think this'd be great as I have limited space in my house and prefer working out at home.....gyms give me a bad vibe.

[mojo122 535]

Are there any other exercises that you have trouble getting the right weight for other than the leg press? How does it work..... it comes with a certain poundage of power rods and thats it? Can you buy more? I think this'd be great as I have limited space in my house and prefer working out at home.....gyms give me a bad vibe.

I have one myself....It's great in that I can work out when it's convenient for me...Takes up little space when folded up and out of the way...Resistance rods can go up to 410 pounds, but most folks go no higher than 210

[Eazy_b97 1]

Does it take long to switch the rods? The only beef I have with working out at home is the time it takes to switch weights and to set everything up. My room is small my ceiling is maybe 7feet so I know it'd be tight, but I could definately find a spot in the house. I may go take a look this week at some of the systems.

[mojo122 535]

I also have low ceilings and my bowflex with the lat attachment is just fine. Takes no time to change the rods, which allows you to get a good cardio workout as well.

[biff44 0]

If I were you, I would get a power rack and stick to free weights. The power rack keeps you from getting in too much trouble if you lose a lift. I've seen some college hockey weight rooms (umass Amherst, for example) and there were NO machines, and have see a gym that NHL players train at, and there were almost no machines (and they were seldom used).

If you want to try something truly unique, get youself a Russian Kettlebell and one of Pavel's training videos. Very cheap, old-school, but will turn you into an iron man, comrade. Also, it is really hard to get hurt with the kettlebells unless you drop one on your foot--excellent for training alone.

[Jim Bob 0]

I have a Bowflex.

My only complaint is that a lot of the plastic parts have broken on me over the years.

Other than that, it was great.

[NJDevil1511 0]

what equipment do u use a gyms ? freeweights or machines

i workout at home and i use free weights

i just got a home gym

the powertech leverage system and i got powerblocks

no complaints with either

the powertech leverage home gym uses free weights but is safer then regular bench with bar

it has all trhe stations u can do everything

i highly recmend for young hockey players

[Chez 0]

you can check pawn shops to see if they have any bowflex's there i remember seeing an add in the news paper..