Bowflex

Hey Yall,
New member hear! My name is Ryan and I am a big (fat) boy. I am currently starting to work out on my bowflex I bought a couple of years ago. I have one question for those of you who own a bowflex. Does anyone have a sheet of paper that explains to you what the different excersises are? I am really trying hard, but need more excersises.
 
Thank You,
Ryan

No one here owns a bowflex...
Just a squat rack, a bench and a barbell.

This is the 1st link I found googling bowflex exercises.

http://www.safe-weight-lifting-for-women.com/bowflex_exercises.html

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lol...

That guy in the bowflex comercial did not get his body from doing bowflex exercises. Trust me on this, if you are serious about working out, the best thing you can do is sell your bowflex and buy a gym membership or some free weights/bench/squat rack etc for your home.

ORIGINAL: Godzmarine

No one here owns a bowflex...
Just a squat rack, a bench and a barbell.

This is the 1st link I found googling bowflex exercises.

http://www.safe-weight-lifting-for-women.com/bowflex_exercises.html

6'3"  @215

Squat 1x20x275

press: 190, Deadlift: 450, Bench:285, P.clean: 235, Squat: 385

"The only failure that is final is to stop trying to improve"

"Women lost an average of 16.96 pounds of fat and men lost an average of 27.95 pounds of fat in only 6 weeks! These people didn't workout every day either. They worked out three times a week for only about 20-30 minutes. Hey, you can do that too! You can take 20 minutes out of your day for these kinds of results."

 

 
 
lolololololololol

i have a bowflex, and its nice for recovering from injuries, but i wouldnt recommend this for serious bodybuilding. sorry but they fooled you as they did me, its a piece of junk :/. i havent touched mine in months, just get a squat rack and a bench, you'll be much better off.

then =/= than!!!!!

Sell your bowflex and buy protien.

It's not ideal - certainly one can get a better workout with a bench, rack and free-weights, but if that's what he's got, he can probably get a decent workout on it. It should support the basic motions like squat, dead-lift, bench, bent-over rows, etc. So don't get discouraged by everyone's negative attitude about your equipment. Unfortunately, I don't have a link for you to describe how exercises are performed with that machine.

On the other hand, if you do have the opportunity to sell it and replace it with some nice free-weights, bench and rack, do jump at the opportunity.

My Journal: Jheft's Heftorium

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." -- Mark Twain

I love my equipment, so I do not know what they are talking about. The Bowflex is great for building strength and size but you need to add some variety. I have periodically gone to a gym to see if I had still the same lifting p oundage on free weights that I have on the Bow and I would have to say the resistance is different so 100 pounds free weight does not feel the same with the Bow due to the resistance increasing as you move through the range. That said I am still able to lift the same poundages as when I was lifting in the gym regularly, but I have not really gained much more ability to lift heavier weights. Maybe genetically I cannot lift more than say 135 for preacher curls in the gym, but do I want to? I think lifting at home got a lot safer then free weights without a spotter. And the variety you may seek is as available as you have an imagination. Meaning if you read in bodybuilding magazines a slow rep speed or HVT pyramids you can do it and feel a great burn too. The only resource I think you can pick up at the library is "the BowFlex body plan". But you can look in your search engine for bowflex sites and I recall that there is a computer program that is available on-line from Bowflex/Nautilus and that there is another from a private company too. Sometimes if You ask Bowflex they will send you a guide free of charge. I am only talking Bowflex from the power pro that I have, I do not have some of the more fancier newer units like the revolution or the ultimates 1 or 2. There used to be a BowFlex forum though, but I think it is not available anymore.

Since the 1st exercise you refer to is curls and you talk about feeling the burn shows you know nothing.

The bowflex is a piece of $hit. 

end of thread.

ORIGINAL: Godzmarine

Since the 1st exercise you refer to is curls and you talk about feeling the burn shows you know nothing.

The bowflex is a piece of $hit. 

end of thread.

 
Sorry bowflex fans but I have to agree..
GM...you forgot to mention, "over-priced, piece of $hit..."
 
 

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing

 

I am uncertain why you feel that way, maybe ignorance. You know if you do not use something you are less apt to recommend the thing. For example the use of HVT or HIT, HVT is well known and used frequently where as HIT has had a very small following and in spurts you hear about the benefits.

Bowflex is expensive no doubt but if you compare it to other home exercise equipment with plates and pins, then it is cheap and easier to use in comparison. Gym memberships can be costly too, and in 1-3 years your Bowflex may be paid off but you still will be paying at the gym.

Does it work? Well why are there manufacturers making equipment like the Bowflex Revolution? Is it because the technology of that piece of equipment is used in space to keep the astronauts fit so it has similar applications to humans living on this planet? Or is it that many individuals have bought the equpment and the manufacturers want to be able to compete for your hard earned $$$? It works for me, and that is all I can say. Will it work well for everyone...I can not make that call. Some people need to exercise in the presence of others (need eye candy for motivation) and some can be self starters and be motvated to work out at home. Do runners need to run on a track or can they run alone outside? You know who you are, so choose well.

Can you get more muscular, like the guy for the equpments on the comercials? I have to say that they got their training in the gym, they are just actors using the Bowflex. Will you get much of the size that a traditional gym will get you? I have not seen studies that say one piece is better or one exercise is better for an individual. For example does Muscle and Fitness or other magazines always tell us the same way to exercise; same reps, the same exercse for body part, everything is the same, right.....? No! There is variety and different people will respond to exercise techniques differently.

So for those of you who use a piece of equipment out there and are getting results then feel comfortable in your selections. If you aren't then find a new system or try new techniques to jump start your fitness. There is no wrong way to exercise as long as you do it safely!!

Keep on flexin with my bowflex, Power Block dumbells and a pair of running shoes.
-m

Why would I want to use something that doesn't let my body go through its normal range of motion and use stabilizer muscles?  Why would I want something that I would max out and not be able to increase weights any further?  You never know what you really lift.  You cant do olympic lifts.  Too much isolation and doesnt simulate free weights.  If you are dedicated to weight lifting you will outgrow it and regret buying it.

Do you Squat or deadlift? no

Are you an Astronaut?

Real runners don't run soley on treadmills just like real serious weightlifters dont work out of bowflex.  I was cheering on the runners at the philly marathon today.  I asked all 16,000 of them if they train on treadmills and they said no.

You also have not seen any studies because you haven't googled for any of them.

Bowflex sucks.

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Please check it out.

Is this argument really happening?  Wow.
 
Seriously though, bowflex sucks.  You can not get big and ripped like the guy in the commercial by doing a 20-minute workout, 3 days a week.  It's better then doing nothing though. 

ORIGINAL: Godzmarine

http://www.safe-weight-lifting-for-women.com/bowflex_exercises.html

It's been a long time since I was that insulted by a website...lol.
 
To the OP, if a bowflex is what you have, you can get away with using it. If you are overweight than using it circuit style, with proper nutrition will help you rid some fat, and get your muscles used to working out. Most importantly getting your self in a pattern where you are used to working out, on a daily /semi daily basis.
 
However, if you want to get serious about bodybuilding you are going to have to move on at some point, sooner rather than later, get a bench some dumbells, a barbell and a squat rack and really hit it.
 

I always get scared when I see the commercial like one of those bows is gonna snap and hit someone on the lip.

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umm sell it lol those things are worth big money for some reason.  You could definatly get a better free weight set up that will be way better in the long run.  And to the person who is on bowflex's piece, hey, u need to learn a little before u start arguing with ppl that know their stuff and are really into working out

Best/Goals by christmas '09
P. Snatch: 185/200
full FS: 315/340
atg oly BS: 405/440
Deadlift: 515/no goal
weight: 210/205

Get Strong or Die Trying

I used a friends bowflex when i 1st started getting into bodybuilding/lifting.  imo u can get a little "cut" or shaped from it, but id did nothing 4 me as far as strength @ all!

The bowflex helps when you exercise alone. I would be more afraid of plates falling or unable to get from under a bar(which has happened) but not from the bands snapping. I agree if you want to get large and muscular you need to utilize free weights. But if you want to become fit and possible work up to free weight usage the Bowflex is 4 U. It is expensive, but so is buying a gym membership and not using it. If you utilize any piece of equipment on a regular basis and enjoy the benefits who are we to steer you different.

Keep on flexin with my bowflex, Power Block dumbells and a pair of running shoes.
-m

ORIGINAL: SergiuArsenie

"Women lost an average of 16.96 pounds of fat and men lost an average of 27.95 pounds of fat in only 6 weeks! These people didn't workout every day either. They worked out three times a week for only about 20-30 minutes. Hey, you can do that too! You can take 20 minutes out of your day for these kinds of results."

Bowflex Review - Will it really do that for you?

Yes, however, any workout and eating program (especially if you don't presently work out) will do the same. The Bowflex plan includes working out 20-30 minutes, 3 times a week, and includes their eating plan.

Um.. NO. Bowflex is the CellTech of machines.

 
Haha, thats the same boflex my brother had, and he sold it. I kinda worked? but not really didn't use it much.

haha are you a bowflex rep or something?

Weight: 179.6
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ORIGINAL: ninjashoes

I always get scared when I see the commercial like one of those bows is gonna snap and hit someone on the lip.

 
That is funny.

My friend has(had) a bowflex. After 2 months, he was doing an excercise and one of the rods snapped and put a hole in the wall.











He works out at a gym now.

i would just like to say to redjeep that the boondock saints are the sh!t.   truth and justice

 
 

for sure man, I was wondering how long it would take for someone to recognize the picture.

The anti-Bow bias is laughable and predictable. I used free weights for years and found the Bow as effective and more convenient. Basically you have a lot of lifters with zero imaginations and huge egos, unable to accept something new and putting it down without a lot of convincing logic.

Goodness sakes guys.

I have trained for probably about 20 years.

Yes I have been in the pit. I have thrown up after doing squats before. I have seen stars after leg pressing 1500lbs before.

You must understand that there are pros and cons to free wieghts and bowflex.

I have 15 years of free wieght experience and 5 years of bowflex experience.
 
The free wieghts have some sizable advantages as well as disadvantages. How many of you guys out there have ever buggered up your shoulder from doing heavy bench press training before. Not the kind where you bounce the bar off of your chest. But heavy intense bench press where you are completely under control. I have had numerous shoulder injuries in the past. The free wieghts are the key to getting big the quickest. However, I would also say that you also have to have a training partner to train with free wieghts safely and effectively. The problem is the bench press is not a natural movement and can really stress your shoulder out.
 
The bowflex is just like anything else you have to train hard to get results.
 
If you are using the bowflex and not feeling juiced (if you dont know what this is you arent getting it) you will not get results.
 
I have only had one injury on my bowflex in 5 years and it was my neck. I have managed to keep around 75% of my strength from free wieghts with bowflex without the icepacks on the shoulders and the wraps on the legs.

By the way if you want to really see something try training with Larry Allen (ex cowboy gaurd) he can bench press over 600lbs. I saw him workout one time.

Also you do not need any training partner to train on the bowflex.

Can someone sue bowflex for false advertising?  At least chuck Norris and his total gym has a real body on there that you can get and thats Chuck Norris?  anyone sue bowflex?