Home Gyms

[MaverickBP]

As the title says what do you guys think about the bowflex for a home gym? I was thinking about getting one of the sports extreme models...which I may have named incorrectly but doesn't matter

 

[Quasmo]

It doesn't have enough resistance for my legs, even on the heaviest resistance.

 

[bcterps]

I hear that they are pretty good, since they require you to really stabilize yourself when doing the exercises.

 

[Red Dawn]

Not as good as free weights but better than nothing.

 

[Accipiter22]

better than nothing.

 

[purbeast0]

I think home gyms cannot even compare to going to a gym and using their equipment there.

not to mention it gets you out of the house which is a good thing, and you won't be as inclined to put working out off till later once you leave the house.

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: Quasmo
It doesn't have enough resistance for my legs, even on the heaviest resistance.

Yeah that's pretty much my complaint too. Doesn't offer a lot of resistance (enough for me but I'm a lightweight haha) for some people. The leg exercises aren't too good IMO either.

 

[ric1287]

my brother has one (hes huge) and does an awesome workout with it. Takes like 30 min tops.

-use the same weight for about 6-7 different exercises, and no breaks in between
-3 sets of that and you are good to go.

EDIT- and you are not looking to be a power lifter with this, its better for endurance and fast paced workouts.

 

[alkemyst]

katanaflex FTW.

 

[Linux23]

i heard that bowflex's are shatty and overpriced.

 

[MaverickBP]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I think home gyms cannot even compare to going to a gym and using their equipment there.

not to mention it gets you out of the house which is a good thing, and you won't be as inclined to put working out off till later once you leave the house.

I think it does the exact opposite for alot of people. I just had a little girl and actually enjoy working out...but don't have the luxury of leaving whenever I want now. If I had one inside the house I could workout whenever I wanted and could still attend to my girl. I do agree that it doesn't add that much resistance for the legs but 300lbs is plenty fine for most people.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: MaverickBP

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I think home gyms cannot even compare to going to a gym and using their equipment there.

not to mention it gets you out of the house which is a good thing, and you won't be as inclined to put working out off till later once you leave the house.

I think it does the exact opposite for alot of people. I just had a little girl and actually enjoy working out...but don't have the luxury of leaving whenever I want now. If I had one inside the house I could workout whenever I wanted and could still attend to my girl. I do agree that it doesn't add that much resistance for the legs but 300lbs is plenty fine for most people.

Well yah in your situation I agree, I was just talking about generally speaking if you have the option, going to an actual gym is a much better thing to do.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: MaverickBP

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I think home gyms cannot even compare to going to a gym and using their equipment there.

not to mention it gets you out of the house which is a good thing, and you won't be as inclined to put working out off till later once you leave the house.

I think it does the exact opposite for alot of people. I just had a little girl and actually enjoy working out...but don't have the luxury of leaving whenever I want now. If I had one inside the house I could workout whenever I wanted and could still attend to my girl. I do agree that it doesn't add that much resistance for the legs but 300lbs is plenty fine for most people.

Well yah in your situation I agree, I was just talking about generally speaking if you have the option, going to an actual gym is a much better thing to do.

for me, if i had the choice, i would work out on a bowflex at home alot easier than going out. But im super lazy.

 

[MaverickBP]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: MaverickBP

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I think home gyms cannot even compare to going to a gym and using their equipment there.

not to mention it gets you out of the house which is a good thing, and you won't be as inclined to put working out off till later once you leave the house.

I think it does the exact opposite for alot of people. I just had a little girl and actually enjoy working out...but don't have the luxury of leaving whenever I want now. If I had one inside the house I could workout whenever I wanted and could still attend to my girl. I do agree that it doesn't add that much resistance for the legs but 300lbs is plenty fine for most people.

Well yah in your situation I agree, I was just talking about generally speaking if you have the option, going to an actual gym is a much better thing to do.

Ya a gym offers a little bit more but a bowflex can be cheaper in the long run and actually has alot of exercises for it. I just think it would be much easier and more enjoyable as i'd be home and can watch tv...listen to music...get attacked by my girl and "break in" the workout bench

 

[wheresmybacon]

Look how many are for sale on Craigslist and/or Ebay and you have your answer.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: hungfarover
Look how many are for sale on Craigslist and/or Ebay and you have your answer.

don't listen to crap like this. Find someone who knows how to use it properly, try it out, and decide for yourself.

i used it and it was great. The people selling them are the ones who expected to get ripped like the comercials "in only 60 min a week" without doing any diet/cardio.

 

[MaverickBP]

Originally posted by: hungfarover
Look how many are for sale on Craigslist and/or Ebay and you have your answer.

That can be attributed to people buying them on a whim since you can make monthly payments and then becoming lazy and never using them. While I probably sound just like them, I know I will use mine should I ever get one.

 

[vi edit]

It's great for upper body stuff. I've got a really beat up shoulder that screams at me when I do dumbell/barbell presses but the Bowflex is a lot more gentle on it. Curls, presses, pull downs, and rows are very smooth and offer great resistance.

As mentioned, the leg stuff is a little weak. Squats and deadlifts simply don't offer the resistance and range that deadweights give you. But it does okay for exensions, curls, and some isolation cable stuff.

It's compact, easy to use, and doesn't require a spotter like free weights. So it's a great alternative for a lot of people.

Just don't buy it new. Hit up some 2nd hand fitness stores and get it for half price. Then it starts becoming a bit more of a bargain.

 

[MaverickBP]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
It's great for upper body stuff. I've got a really beat up shoulder that screams at me when I do dumbell/barbell presses but the Bowflex is a lot more gentle on it. Curls, presses, pull downs, and rows are very smooth and offer great resistance.

As mentioned, the leg stuff is a little weak. Squats and deadlifts simply don't offer the resistance and range that deadweights give you. But it does okay for exensions, curls, and some isolation cable stuff.

It's compact, easy to use, and doesn't require a spotter like free weights. So it's a great alternative for a lot of people.

Just don't buy it new. Hit up some 2nd hand fitness stores and get it for half price. Then it starts becoming a bit more of a bargain.

That sounds like a good idea. It's not something you really need to buy new anyways. Upper body is what i'm mostly looking for. The top of the line ones top out at just over 300 lbs which is decent enough for the legs and plenty fine for upper body. I've been training in Jeet Kune Do for about 15 years and try to stay toned rather than bulky.

 

[wheresmybacon]

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: hungfarover
Look how many are for sale on Craigslist and/or Ebay and you have your answer.

don't listen to crap like this. Find someone who knows how to use it properly, try it out, and decide for yourself.

i used it and it was great. The people selling them are the ones who expected to get ripped like the comercials "in only 60 min a week" without doing any diet/cardio.

You're 100% right about that bolded. At the end of the day it can work, but a gym membership at one of the national chains (Bally, etc.) is of comperable expense and offers so much more in the long run if you want to make fitness part of your life.

IMO you can only go so far with a Bowflex.

I've had 2 roommates buy one and plop it in the living room to collect dust so I guess I'm a little biased.

 

[Syrch]

its kinda like bose in the sense that the founders have absolutly not fitness background. That may have in fact changed though. personally, i'll take the free weights any day.

 

[azazyel]

I don't know about the Bowflex but I love my Totalgym. Once you get in the habit it's hard to quit. I know a lot of people don't like home gyms but for me it's harder not to work out when it's right there in your bedroom mocking you. I also agree that you shouldn't by it new, go used and just clean it really well. Also, take it really slow at first! The worst thing you can do is start off too strong, get too sore and have to stop. I made that mistake with my curl bar. Worked out so hard that 2 days later I couldn't even straiten my arms. It made wiping my arse a pain in the arse.

 

[MaverickBP]

Originally posted by: hungfarover

Originally posted by: ric1287

Originally posted by: hungfarover
Look how many are for sale on Craigslist and/or Ebay and you have your answer.

don't listen to crap like this. Find someone who knows how to use it properly, try it out, and decide for yourself.

i used it and it was great. The people selling them are the ones who expected to get ripped like the comercials "in only 60 min a week" without doing any diet/cardio.

You're 100% right about that bolded. At the end of the day it can work, but a gym membership at one of the national chains (Bally, etc.) is of comperable expense and offers so much more in the long run if you want to make fitness part of your life.

IMO you can only go so far with a Bowflex.

I've had 2 roommates buy one and plop it in the living room to collect dust so I guess I'm a little biased.

Ya if they let it collect dust then yea it is a waste and alot of people end up doing that. A gym can offer more I do agree...but it is by no means cheaper. At least not around me. The cheapest gym membership around here (Las Vegas) from what i've seen is like $25 a month. That's $300 a year. After a few years you could've bought one of the high end bowflex machines. Of course i'd be paying for 2 memberships (my girl and I) so you can cut that time in half. After the first year you can buy a decent bowflex and after that it starts saving you money.

I do agree you can only go so far with a bowflex, but I think it should be able to take someone easily to the point they're wanting to get to while only a few would want to go that much future into it. Of course this is my speculation as i've never owned one.

 

[MustISO]

We have a bowflex and I wish I had gotten something different. I think we paid about $900-$1000 for it like 4 years ago. It's certainly not a bad piece of equipment but I think it would have been better to get one of those 3 station rack systems.

 

[MaverickBP]

Originally posted by: azazyel
I don't know about the Bowflex but I love my Totalgym. Once you get in the habit it's hard to quit. I know a lot of people don't like home gyms but for me it's harder not to work out when it's right there in your bedroom mocking you. I also agree that you shouldn't by it new, go used and just clean it really well. Also, take it really slow at first! The worst thing you can do is start off too strong, get too sore and have to stop. I made that mistake with my curl bar. Worked out so hard that 2 days later I couldn't even straiten my arms. It made wiping my arse a pain in the arse.

Ya i've heard good things about that one as well. That's the Chuck Norris endorsed machine right?

I do agree with taking it slow at first. When I first started working out strategically (about 14) I tried to mimic Bruce Lee's workout to the tee. Unfortunately I tried to start off where Bruce Lee was in his prime. Ya...not a good idea lol.