Bowflex Tips

Bowflex Xtreme XTLU Home Gym Brand:BowflexFitness Type:Weight Training EquipmentSports Type:Personal FitnessWeight Training Equipment Type:Home Gyms Details...

Bowflex Treadclimber 3000 Silver Service Delivery Brand:BowflexFitness Type:Other Personal Fitness ProductsSports Type:Personal Fitness Details The Bowflex(r) Treadclimber 300...

We had been looking at the Bowflex Unit for over 3 years..since we first started working out at the local Gym. I’m thankful we didn’t buy it back then, because we gained a lot of knowledge and appreciation for what the term “health club style” exercising really means. We are not amateur or professional bodybuilders: just your average Joe (and Jill) fighting to keep the fat in check, and stay in shape, so that we don’t end up having to use canes and walkers in our retirement years.

Okay, flash to two months ago. Fed up with fighting traffic getting to the gym, loud music, and poorly maintained gym equipment once we got there, we decided to go for the Bowflex, the Power Pro series because we liked the moving seat for aerobic rowing. We went with the XTLU because we wanted the lat pull down tower, the leg attachment, and the squat attachment.

After a painless experience putting in our online order, we finally received it in 4 boxes about 3 weeks later from Vancouver, Washington. Wow, I thought…4 boxes?? Ah, well, lets not get negative yet. We took pictures of how each box was packed as we opened them, which turned out to be a very wise move! AND, we kept the boxes, just in case we wanted to avail ourselves of the 6 week satisfaction guarantee policy.

Assembly:

If you’re all thumbs with a crescent wrench and a socket set, get help from a mechanically inclined friend: it will take you much less time. As it was, it took us about 3 hours for assembly(we are both mechanically inclined). I remember thinking..”how is this thing going to fold up once the Lat tower is installed…?” Well, its NOT going to fold up, so you lose that functionality with the Lat Tower! Hmm… ok, thats tough to swallow, but lets move on.

In Use, the sliding seat sometimes binds, and rubs against the rail. The “aerobic rowing” doesn’t cut it as an “aerobic” workout, although you upper body will feel it long before you reach your target heart rate! Neither of us are “heavyweights” by anyones standards, so why the seat did not work well is still a mystery!

The bicep curls are one of the exercises the Bowflex does well, and THAT has a very uneven feel to it. After our first workout, we realized that the definition of “health club quality” as used by Bowflex was rather loosely interpreted! It takes more time than we expected between sets to adjust and readjust cabling and attachments for various exercises in whatever exercise routine we were doing. While the range of exercises was there, the quality was not. And, some of them using the Squat attachment, were almost dangerous, especially if you attempt them on your own, which I would NOT recommend. The GENERAL FEEL of the exercises was very jerky and uneven. I am saying this knowing full well that some of you are thinking..”well, what experience does this person have?..”. Well, I DO know what FORM should be used when strength training, as my wife and I invested over $5000 in working with a personal trainer for almost a year. And, as most personal trainers will tell you: its not the weight, or the reps, but the FORM you use that is important! The Bowflex does NOT encourage beginners or intermediates to develop good form, where some gym style equipment almost forces you into it as you exercise. And a personal trainer demands it (or should).

Of course, if you are a free weight user, you probably are NOT reading this anyhow, since most of you wouldn’t even think of buying a product such as the Bowflex. But, for the rest of us who are looking for a good workout in the privacy of our homes, we have found that the Bowflex Product is NOT the answer we were looking for. And, we haven’t even mentioned another criticism: the PRICE, which we think is a bit steep. The construction is adequate, however you do think about the “what ifs”…like, what if someone was to really give the lat tower a “workout”…would it survive? Not that it wouldn’t, but it does groan and creak, and along with the POWER ROD’s clanging together while the machine is in use, it produces a cacophony that will very nearly drowned out your favorite workout music.

Final Opinion:

The infomercials hype this equipment out of proportion, as well as the people in the infomercials demo-ing the equipment: c’mon Bowflex, anyone who has worked out at a gym can tell you that you do NOT look like they do only by using the Bowflex alone! Those bodys are “free weight” chiseled!! Someone has to pay for those lavishly produced commercials: THE (prospective)BUYER!

The price is premium for a piece of exercise equipment that leaves a LOT to be desired! We sent ours back (thank god for the pictures. If you think putting it together is a major undertaking….)

Next stop: maybe we’ll try the Personal Trainer PT-3000(www.exerciting.com).

Tried it, and it IS EVERYTHING the BowFlex pretends to be: easy to use, health club quality exercising with full range of motion, smooth movement, and consistent resistance from beginning to end of exercise! And, you don’t need 2 people to operate it! About the same price (with shipping) as the XTLU. The Personal Trainer PT3000 is definitely a keeper! Order the free video info if you need to be convinced! www.exerciting.com

Friendly and responsive sales/support staff!!

Month Two with the PT-3000 personal Trainer! What a workout! Leg exercises you could only do at the gym, you can now do at home! And exercises you only wish you could do effectively on the Bowflex products, are not only effective, but enjoyable on the PT3000. Just received TWO DVD’s, packed with over 8 circuit training routines…all they asked is $10 bucks if we found them useful. Again, Check it out BEFORE you spend you hard earned money on ANYTHING else! Then, make your Home Gym purchase decision. You will feel the “burn” in every muscle group exercised using the PT3000. Breakthrough Home Exercise Equipment! I wish the folks at epinions were more open to including new products in their respective categories. This would be one to add!

Updates

Almost a Year with the Personal Trainer 3000

Man, this beats ANY home gym equipment currently out there, especially the bowflex! Do yourself a large favor, and get on over to www.exerciting.com, and check the PT3000 out!

Well, its been over 2 years with the Personal Trainer 3000 , and it is STILL a pleasure to use. They are now introducing 2 new models to their line of equipment. Get on over to www.exerciting.com, and see what they have coming BEFORE you spend your money on another machine that is mostly marketing hype…

THIS JUST IN: RECALL Initiated!

As if there aren’t enough reasons to think twice about the purchase of a Bowflex: as of 1/30/04 reported by MSNBC, a voluntary recall has been initiated for 420,000 Bowflex Power Pro XL, XTL, and XTLU systems. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the machine’s backboard bench can unexpectedly collapse when being used in the incline position.

There also are problems with the “Lat Tower,” which attaches to the back of the bench and has a metal bar that the user can pull down to strengthen the upper body. Nautilus Direct says the frame of the tower can weaken over time, twist forward and fall — hitting the user in the back, head or shoulder.Of the reports received, 59 people suffered injuries when the backboard collapsed. Another 14 were injured by the “Lat Tower.” The machines in question were sold nationwide from 1995 to 2003 for about $1,200 to 1,600, depending on the model. Consumers are advised to stop using the backboard bench in the incline position, and immediately cease use of the “Lat Tower.”

Yet another GREAT reason to seriously consider the new models by exerciting.com. Spend your money wisely, exercise safely, check it out!

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