Well, Bowflex in my opinion a bowflex is a good (albeit expensive addition) to a home gym. There were certain exercises that gave a completely different range of motion and resistance than free weights. The Bowflex is also pretty good for rotator cuff exercises… to me. But the one thing isi can’t duplicate is gravity and the human body’s natural righting, stabilizing mechanisms that move us under gravity.
It’s hard to integrate the kinetic chain… in my non-professional opinion. It just doesn’t train the body to move naturally under resistance. A lot of the programs on this site stress that. The bowflex is pretty good for isolated movements provided that you have enough resistance. The chest exercises, for me, were a good alternative to dumbells because I had shoulder problems and it was relatively easy to stabilize the scapula on the bench.
And my chest had a full filled out shape while using the bowflex, recognizign that I had already built a foundation of muscle in years past. You can always buy the traditional extensions that you see in the gym and use them on your Bowflex. I used the triangular seated row extension, rope pulldown extension for triceps, got horseshoe extensions like on a cable pulley machine. The leg extensions and curls are pretty intense using the bowflex, but remember the resistance increases throughout the movement.
It is supposed to mimick gravity, but there is no substitute. It’s definitely not a peice of junk, as I beat the shit out of mine, but without freeweights you will not get the equivalent neuromusculoskeletal (is that a word?) benefits that you will get from freeweights. It will build muscle. Your diet and genetics will limit you more than the bowflex. There may be no truth to what I’m saying, but there arent’ nearly as many programs on the bowflex to address biomechanical imbalances as there are for freeweights on this site.
I look at it like a swiss army knife, you have a knife, screwdriver, magnifying glass, etc. However any of these things taken alone, although they function as designed, are no replacement for a buckknife, a screwdriver set, or a microscope. That didn’t make sense did it? lol.
[quote]muscleheadz wrote:
SpeedStrength wrote:
muscleheadz wrote:
What I did was find a nice used bowflex in a local newspaper and put it up for auction on e-bay. I ended up getting about $500 on top of what I paid for it(idioys on e-bay will pay anything to win their auction). I then used the money to buy a powerrack at a local Sams’ Club for about $250 that came with a bench, curl attachment and 310lbs of weight; also a lat-pulldown, seated row, pec-deck, and standing calf machine with only a couple of extra dollars thrown in. The bowflex was garbage but it was one of the better fitness investments I’ve made. LONG LIVE E-BAY!!!
Sure you did… Ok, you DIDN’T buy that bowflex for yourself and you DIDN’T buy it on ebay for $500 more than in the paper. Oh, and you DIDN’T get ripped off because you’re an idiot. Oh and that crap you bought at Sams’ club; it ISN’T complete sh1t.
Now keep telling yourself that.
I actually bought the bowflex for my wife when we had our first child and I was going to a local gym. Bought it off of a guy in a local magazine called the penny pincher.he was selling it for $750 because he tore his rotator cuff and couldn’t use it properly and wanted to get rid of it. Turned it around and sold it on e-bay for $1280 to a person in Georgia(even had them pay for the shipping whick was $120!).
Used that money to start my own gym 5 yrs ago and now have about $4000 invested in it. Don’t know why the hate came my way over this (maybe you were the dumb-ass who bought it from me?) but I took a bad situation and turned it into a positive thing for both my wife and I and our 2 sons when they get bigger while you still probably go to your local gym, pay your $40 a month fees to wait for equipment and wonder how smart you could be if you actually had a fuckin clue what you are talking about!!!
Gotta go my sweet home gym awaits. By the way only the rack came from Sam’s, the rest was bought from an online store called fitnessfactory and is all bodysolid equipment, but you would know that because I’m the idiot right???
[/quote]
Wow… Sorry that I made a joke. I am very happy for you having a home gym and think that a very good idea. I actually DO go to a local gym as my dad won’t set up a home gym and he pays for it. I am working on saving money to get myself a warehouse gym and I’m not quite 16 yet so its hard to make much. I will be 16 on the 21st of march though so not long before I have a nice gym too.
[quote]SpeedStrength wrote:
muscleheadz wrote:
SpeedStrength wrote:
muscleheadz wrote:
What I did was find a nice used bowflex in a local newspaper and put it up for auction on e-bay. I ended up getting about $500 on top of what I paid for it(idioys on e-bay will pay anything to win their auction). I then used the money to buy a powerrack at a local Sams’ Club for about $250 that came with a bench, curl attachment and 310lbs of weight; also a lat-pulldown, seated row, pec-deck, and standing calf machine with only a couple of extra dollars thrown in. The bowflex was garbage but it was one of the better fitness investments I’ve made. LONG LIVE E-BAY!!!
Sure you did… Ok, you DIDN’T buy that bowflex for yourself and you DIDN’T buy it on ebay for $500 more than in the paper. Oh, and you DIDN’T get ripped off because you’re an idiot. Oh and that crap you bought at Sams’ club; it ISN’T complete sh1t.
Now keep telling yourself that.
I actually bought the bowflex for my wife when we had our first child and I was going to a local gym. Bought it off of a guy in a local magazine called the penny pincher.he was selling it for $750 because he tore his rotator cuff and couldn’t use it properly and wanted to get rid of it. Turned it around and sold it on e-bay for $1280 to a person in Georgia(even had them pay for the shipping whick was $120!).
Used that money to start my own gym 5 yrs ago and now have about $4000 invested in it. Don’t know why the hate came my way over this (maybe you were the dumb-ass who bought it from me?) but I took a bad situation and turned it into a positive thing for both my wife and I and our 2 sons when they get bigger while you still probably go to your local gym, pay your $40 a month fees to wait for equipment and wonder how smart you could be if you actually had a fuckin clue what you are talking about!!!
Gotta go my sweet home gym awaits. By the way only the rack came from Sam’s, the rest was bought from an online store called fitnessfactory and is all bodysolid equipment, but you would know that because I’m the idiot right???
Wow… Sorry that I made a joke. I am very happy for you having a home gym and think that a very good idea. I actually DO go to a local gym as my dad won’t set up a home gym and he pays for it. I am working on saving money to get myself a warehouse gym and I’m not quite 16 yet so its hard to make much. I will be 16 on the 21st of march though so not long before I have a nice gym too.[/quote]
Didn’t raelly know how to take that as a joke. Was just trying to help this guy find a good way to make something out of a bad investment(whick bowflex is!). Good luck getting gym started, I am a very fortunate person to have what I have and hope you’ll be able to put something together to further along your fitness goals. Maybe even be able to use some of the advise here. Next time use your head a little before trying to make an insulting post, there are times and places for them
[quote]Chanzen wrote:
I was just wondering if what I heard about Resistance training was true. I was told that Bowflex will not build as much muscle as fast as free weights(dead weight).I was considering buying one and wanted to know if I was wasting my money.[/quote]
Having a home gym is a huge plus, however a bowflex is not the optimum way to start. I started with one of those expensive home multi-gym things, and honestly the more I work out, the less I use it. Freeweights, and a bit of cables are the way to go. Here’s the basic package I recommend:
Power Rack with cable weight stack and chinning bar.
Set of olympic weights and bar
Adjustable bench
Given that, you can do nearly any good weight training program. Look for used equipment, people are getting rid of stuff all the time.
lol, as for setting up a home gym what I’m having trouble with is space. I can’t have it at my house and so I want to rent a warehouse. Now, I just can’t find like a site or something for a renting warehouses. Someone who has or currently is renting a warehouse, feel free to chime in and let me know how you did it!
about the only gimmick type weight system I think is worthwile are those adjustable bowflex DB’s. You just dial in the weight you want and vualla. Looks like a real space saver and appears to have a range from 5 to 100 lbs.
[quote]Hugrafix wrote:
about the only gimmick type weight system I think is worthwile are those adjustable bowflex DB’s. You just dial in the weight you want and vualla. Looks like a real space saver and appears to have a range from 5 to 100 lbs.[/quote]
They go to about 45 pounds. PowerBlocks are the better option 5-125 pounds.
I see a lot of people buying these stupid,cheap workout machines and wasting their money on them.I think you’re missing out if you skip free weights.Period.In my opinion,NO machine can replaces free weights or a squat machine.
Ive have been using bowflex for 7 months now and couldnt be more pleased with the results that i have gotten. I honestly dont think that i could go back to freeweights.
