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Band Flex Gym/Fold Up Brand:Stamina Products Details Compare to The Bowflex ® The Stamina® Band Flex gym is designed to offer a f...

Stamina 50 0202 Band Flex Home Gym Sports Type:Personal Fitness • GymnasticsGymnastics Type:Other Gymnastics Products Details Description:The Band Flex Gym wa...

As my fiance and I are “marrying” our belongings while moving into our new home, we are discovering a number of duplicate things. One of the first things we discovered was that between us we had enough exercise equipment to open a four story YMCA. First we threw out some of her useless ab machines- and banned her from ever watching infomercials again- and then we chucked her 1925 model stationary bike. Finally, it came down to whether or not to keep her strength machine. We decided that I would give it a try and see if it worked for me. If not, it was history as well. So, I gave her Stamina Band Flex Home Gym a whirl.

THE SPECIFICS:

* Dimensions of 84″ x 27.5″ x 76″

* 140 lbs

* Folded size 27-1/2″ x 21-1/2″ x 76″

* Up to 260 lbs of resistance

* 67 different exercises

* Five year warranty, 90 days on parts

* Exercise stations include: Multi-position adjustable

bench, Sliding seat, Lat pull down bar, Leg curl and leg

extension unit, Preacher curl attachment, Seated row

handles, Adjustable resistance settings

WHAT I LIKE:

1. The Band Flex can and does fold up and can be stored in a closet without a lot of difficulty. A nice touch that is becoming more and more a part of exercise equipment manufacturers. When folded for storage, the Band Flex is about two feet by two feet and roughly six feet tall.

2. The price. Can you believe that you can purchase a Band Flex for around $350? Well, you can. The big questions are whether or not you get what you pay for and how they can charge so much less than what their bigger competitors pay? More on both shortly.

3. The arm workouts. I beat myself up when it comes to arms and the Band Flex allows me to do so. The 260 lbs of resistance are more than enough for my arms. You have the ability to do roughly 20 arms exercises and that is more than enough.

4. The ease of use. The Band Flex is very easy to use and probably easier than any other home gym setups that you may be accustomed to. The reason is that the bands are easier to maneuver than the cables and weights that other machines operate with. The shoulder and bench exercises are especially easy and quick to perform. Additionally, the machine is easy to get from box and from storage position to operating position.

5. You can get a decent full body workout. Not a great full body workout, but a decent one. You can do isolation exercises that will leave your body moaning in pain. I must say that this is one thing that really impressed me. I do wish you could a full body workout that would do the same. However, the Body Flex runs into the same problem as most other home gyms; by the time you change and reassemble and everything else, a full body workout might take a month to complete.

Now, I must tell you that I have searched and searched my mind and my fiance’s mind to see if either of us could find anything else good to say about the Band Flex. We both came up empty.

WHAT I DO NOT LIKE:

1. The Band Flex just does not seem as though it is well put together. I guess that when you are paying 25% of what you pay for other machines, this is to be expected. Neither of us have used the Band Flex extensively enough to determine whether or not you can actually “break” the machine or not, but I would not want to really bust my butt and find out that that was it.

2. Speaking of poorly constructed. Have you ever heard of an exercise machine that will not accept a 260 lbs pound person? You have now. Which leads me back to the point above and whether or not a machine that is not safe for some weighing 260 lbs is truly safe for a 200 lb man performing a vigorous workout. Yes it may be safe, but how long until it starts to suffer under the stress?

3. While 260 lbs is plenty of weight for my arms, it is not enough for my legs. No I will not be doing curls with 260 lbs, but presses I would like there to be more resistance. Samina does receive a mulligan here; 95% of the population will be fine with the 260 lbs of resistance.

4. Though compact when folded up and stored, the Band Flex is a large piece of equipment. If you live in a studio, one bedroom apartment, or if you do not have large rooms in your house/trailer/garage, for get it. How much room do you need? The Band Flex is more than seven feet long and almost as high. It is also more than two feet wide. Remember this when viewing it in a store that provides tons of room that makes everything look smaller than it really is.

5. You do not get the same good feeling as when you leave the gym. I always have a relaxed, yet tired and good feeling when I leave the gym. I do not get the same sensation with the Band Flex. My guess is that this is because it just does not provide the same degree of workout. For instance, abs are not able to be targeted as well and you have to do your cardio in some other form.

6. False advertising. The Samina advertises that the Band Flex provides a full cardio workout. I am not sure how. the machine does have rowing capabilities, but the motion is not smooth and I have a tough time thinking that this is their version of aerobic activity.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Would I purchase the Samina Band Flex Home Gym? No. The reasons listed above are enough to convince me that you get what you pay for. I would rather pay twice as much and have a pretty good idea that I am getting a good piece of equipment versus paying half and wondering if the equipment will still be together in a few months.

However, the Band Flex works for a couple of people. For one, those who are on a strict budget. You simply cannot find other home gym sets for a similar price. Secondly, those who are new to the home gym market. If you are new to the home gym market you should not splurge on the most expensive equipment available. Why? Well, who knows if you will be using the equipment in a matter of months. better to be out $350 than $1250, right?

I will not totally trash the Band Flex because it does have it’s place- as mentioned above- yet I would not suggest the machine to the masses. Rather I would suggest finding a cheaper version of a better known brand or locating a used machine that has been well maintained.

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