Should I Buy A Bowflex?

If you’re just getting serious about lifting weights to tone up, build and strengthen your muscles, you might thought about purchasing a bowflex, and have wondered to yourself:

“Should I buy a bowflex? And does the bowflex really work?”

The bowflex is an effective piece of exercise equipment, however, there are some unique properties of this machine that other home gyms do not have. For example, bowflex uses a power rod system for resistance. As you lift, the resistance on the bowflex increases, and you’ll actually find it more difficult in the contracted portions of the lift. This may be beneficial to exercises such as the bench press, where you’re actually stronger at the contracted phase of the lift; an exercise such as the lat pull-downs might have a negative effect, because at the contracted portion of this lift, you’re actually weaker.

The other factor to determine if the bowflex is right for you is the cost. In fact, the bowflex is an expensive home gym, ranging anywhere from $1000-$2000 or more. You could obtain a similar home gym such as a Weider crossbow/crossbar at a lower purchase price, or you can buy a more traditional weight stack or plate loaded home gym.

Another consideration is the number of exercises you can perform with the bowflex. You can do about 60-90 different exercises with a bowflex. However, weight free weights such as a dumbbell or barbell set, you can perform hundreds of different exercises. The drawback with free weights is that there is a high learning curve to master the exercises.

The bowflex really does work, but if you want to purchase a bowflex, consider these points before you make a decision to buy. Overall, the bowflex is a good buy, however there are many other options available.

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