Bowflex Tips

Reviews on Bowflex Power Pro XT Bowflex Results! Honest Epinion on Bowflex Part 2 I went over the purchase and assembly in part one, in case you missed it, here is the link: http://www.epinions.com/sprt-review-7A69-45020C5...

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I finally bought a Bowflex Powerpro XT after months of researching and trying everything from Soloflex to Gym memberships. I don’t have time or patience for a gym and I don’t have room for a lot of equipment. I had narrowed the machines down to the Soloflex and the Bowflex. I have used the Soloflex before and I was less than impressed. I had never used a Bowflex and bought it on blind faith, they have a money back guarantee and you can always sell them for what you pay on ebay, so I took the plunge.

Placing the order: The order process was a breeze. The lady I spoke with was very patient with me while I asked a ton of questions. She knew all of the answers, so I got the feeling she was familiar with the product. She explained to me how the money back guarantee works and the procedure for returning if I was not satisfied. If you take your time about making decisions like I do, order the free video and wait for the "coupons" to come from bowflex. Even though my last one had expired in July, I was able to get my Powerpro XT for the price of the regular powerpro with and extra 100lbs of power rods! Ask them to give you a deal, they just might!

Arrival, Unpacking, Assembly: I received my Bowflex in 17 days (including weekends). The box is not nearly as big as I thought it would be, but it weighs about 75 pounds. Not hard to manage with 2 people. Everything was packaged very well, no parts were able to shift around during shipping. All of the metal was wrapped with plastic or foam to keep it from being scratched.

Assembly took me 45 minutes, I used 4 wrenches and a screwdriver. The assembly manual is well written and easy to understand, it has pictures that show you exactly how things are supposed to fit together. I had no parts left over and I wasn’t short any parts so I must have done it correctly. The major assemblies are already put together for you, all you have to do is connect them together and put the seat on.

First Impression and Use: After I got it all together, I sat and looked at it for a few minutes. It really doesn’t look like a $1000 piece of equipment! It is a simple machine! We watched the included video before trying out our new Bowflex. The video is very helpful, they show you the correct form for each exercise used in the Bowflex "Better Body" workout, which is very helpful because using the Bowflex is different than anything else I have ever used.

After reading through the manual and watching the video I was ready to give it a shot. I started light so I could get the feel of the power rods. The Bowflex is extremely quiet! The only sound you hear from it with the seat locked is and occasional rattle of the power rods you aren’t using touching each other. The Power rod resistance is very smooth and more importantly continuous. The rods don’t get harder when fully flexed or easier when less flexed. The better body workout took me about 35 minutes the first time, it works every major muscle group. Even though I was taking it easy I still got a great workout, and since changing between exercises only takes a few seconds you really do keep your heart rate up like they say on TV. The handles can be a bit hard to reach in the bench press position, if you are using a lot of weight it may be a problem.

Observations: The cables may make things like bicept curls a bit difficult for taller people unless they offer some sort of extension. I am 5′10 and they are fine for me, but I can see someone that is 6′2" having trouble getting a full range of motion. The seat doesn’t roll as smoothly as I thought, still very manageable though. The Leg attachment that comes with the XT isn’t really worth the extra money. You can exercise the same muscles without it and save $200. *** updated 9/30/2K - the leg extension and curls are MUCH easier with it, but they can be done without the extra attachment ***

I am going to try the Bowflex "Six Week Challenge" and report back with my results. I am going to take pictures and keep a log so I can find out if it really does what they claim. I like the smoothness, quickness, and convenience of the Bowflex. It is great that you can fold it up and stick it in the closet if you need the space. My first impression is that it is a nice design and a well made machine. We will see!

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