OT: Bowflex

[Cat3roadracer]

Anyone here have one? Would you recommend?

The thought of going back to a gym whenever they reopen scares me.

Nothing available on the site, but many on the bay with free shipping.

[yinzerniner]

Anyone here have one? Would you recommend?

The thought of going back to a gym whenever they reopen scares me.

Nothing available on the site, but many on the bay with free shipping.

Would highly recommend AGAINST it if you're talking about the machines. And if you're looking at something like the adjustable dumbells then there are many other options for less.

Body weight and resistance band training should be enough to keep all your muscles very strong and toned with the added benefit of being easier on the joints. If you need additional weights to get more muscle bulk them something like adjustable dumbells should help along with a decent and sturdy tilting bench.

[reuben]

Would highly recommend AGAINST it if you're talking about the machines. And if you're looking at something like the adjustable dumbells then there are many other options for less.

Body weight and resistance band training should be enough to keep all your muscles very strong and toned with the added benefit of being easier on the joints. If you need additional weights to get more muscle bulk them something like adjustable dumbells should help along with a decent and sturdy tilting bench.

Yup. Get a few pairs of dumbells or kettlebells (I have three pairs of dumbbells, no kettlebells). Some sort of pullup bar - using a band to assist is fine. Dips can be done on chairs to start with. Something for balance like a Bosu, but you can do one legged leans with a dumbbell/kettlebell for the same effect (balance/strength).

Maybe a ladder for quick foot movements, a slam/medicine ball.

Definitely some bands, as mentioned. I have a couple of types - one type for stretching, one type for resistance.

Lunges with dumbells/kettlebells, or just your body weight.

Good old fashioned situps and pushups. When you get good at them or just bored it's easy to add a new movement or something to make the harder.

Maybe a speed rope (modern jump rope).

Some way to strengthen your back, not counting pullups. For me, with hereditary back issues, this is important. I do reverse situps with a Swiss ball.

Balance, and I don't mean standing on one leg. If you do something for your chest, do something for your back. If you do something for your quads, do something for your hamstrings. And so on.

There are lots of good videos and books out there, but also a ton of crap you'd have to sort through.

[makoti]

I got some Bodylastics bands. Work well. I'm waiting for the door fitting to come back in stock to make using them faster. Right now, I have to move the door piece after a few sets to get in position for the nest few sets. Pain. This fitting fits over the door, stays put & has all the possible locations available ready to use. Just move the bands.

[sg8357]

Anyone here have one? Would you recommend?

The thought of going back to a gym whenever they reopen scares me.

Nothing available on the site, but many on the bay with free shipping.

They're very good for drying clothes, never seen one used for exercise.
The soul destroying boredom of a trainer is a better choice.

[XXtwindad]

Would highly recommend AGAINST it if you're talking about the machines. And if you're looking at something like the adjustable dumbells then there are many other options for less.

Body weight and resistance band training should be enough to keep all your muscles very strong and toned with the added benefit of being easier on the joints. If you need additional weights to get more muscle bulk them something like adjustable dumbells should help along with a decent and sturdy tilting bench.

Bingo. I do body weight squats and push-ups. All my clients do body weight stuff with a few weights or med balls. Bowflex (and the other late nite infomercial stuff) is marketing b.s.

[Veloo]

If you can find a cheap one on the used market then I'd recommend.
I got one many years ago - think it was just over a hundred dollars. First generation.

[pasadena]

bollocks!


they make a great clothes rack and shoe caddy as well

They're very good for drying clothes, never seen one used for exercise.
The soul destroying boredom of a trainer is a better choice.

[reuben]

bollocks!


they make a great clothes rack and shoe caddy as well

Y'all are funny and totally on point as well (IMHO).

[reuben]

They're very good for drying clothes, never seen one used for exercise.
The soul destroying boredom of a trainer is a better choice.

It takes a special breed to enjoy devices like that. I'm not one of them (neither the breed nor the device).

[Peter P.]

A Bowflex might have some benefit if your workout area is such that dropping weights or placing weights on the floor would create unnecessary noise, or damage the floor.

Otherwise, just get a set of weights and maybe a weight bench.

[gdw]

The classic Bowflex machine is a pretty decent product and can offer a great overall workout if you take the time to learn how to use it. I used one for several years and really liked how easy it was to setup and adjust to work different muscle groups. It wasn't difficult to fit 3 sets of 12-15 exercises into a half hour workout and then the machine could be folded up and l rolled out of the way to free up some space after you finished your routine. That said I agree with the other posters that barbells, kettle bells, and general body weight exercises are an excellent alternative.

[pooneej]

I'm also in agreement regarding bodyweight exercises. It's all I do/have done for past 5+ years.

But - a good bowflex workout would also be better than no workout in my opinion.

[Macadamia]

Would highly recommend AGAINST it if you're talking about the machines. And if you're looking at something like the adjustable dumbells then there are many other options for less.

Body weight and resistance band training should be enough to keep all your muscles very strong and toned with the added benefit of being easier on the joints. If you need additional weights to get more muscle bulk them something like adjustable dumbells should help along with a decent and sturdy tilting bench.

kind of baffled by this, weights aren't bad for your joints, that's like a myth circa 1985. Bodyweight exercises and stretchy bands can work, but aren't very fun imo.

free weights are better than machines, but yeah I don't see any reason to not get a bowflex, if you don't like it, now is the time to be able offload unwanted exercise equipment.

[steveoz]

found a set of the adjustable dumbells at the thrift store - use them all the time -pretty convenient

[dddd]

Two or three sets of a dozen pull-ups is almost enough to get through a day off the bike. Definitely does something to/for the metabolism.

I like that it's body-weight limited, but by the same token there is that same threshold to overcome initially. I used a 1-foot stool to get started, let my legs do some of the work! Now the stool is just for the warm-up round.

For any excess energy left over, there's the bathroom counter for doing upward-push-ups with toes/feet several feet back from the edge of the counter. It's easy on the hands/wrists and there is like suction grip on that shiny counter surface. The combined outward-upward push gets a few muscles into it and this is one exercise where I do much bigger numbers of reps so maybe only one set.

It's nice not having equipment to trip over (that's what the BIKES are for).

[Louis]

I'd suggest kettlebells in lieu of a Bowflex machine, but the problem these days is that all the inexpensive sources are sold-out and the ones that are available are $$$.

Nevertheless, if you can find them, you'd be amazed by how much you can do with just a few kettlebells. Lots of exercises use just one, but except for the most heavy ones (used for stuff like swings) you might as well get pairs.

Good Luck

[XXtwindad]

The first two poses are really tough. Start out in a push-up position. Bring one knee in toward your opposite elbow as close as you can get it Hold for a five second count. Them bring the same leg back, and keeping your back straight, lift your knee out to the side at a 90 degree angle. That really gets your hip flexors and abs involved. Again, don't raise your butt to high, or this will place everything in your arms. This is a hip flexor flexibility exercise. Hold for a five second count again. Do five sets of each and then switch sides.

For the second one, start in a push-up position again. Bring one leg out, knee bent Bring your elbow on the same side to the inside of your knee (or as close as you can can get it) and hold for five. Then bring the same arm up and hold for five. Five sets and then switch sides.

I do these with my clients all the time.

***disclaimer. The first exercise is really tough. Make sure you have the core strength (and some of the flexibility) to do it. No liability on my part :)
Edit: For proper form, do them "vertically" as opposed to "horizontally."

[yinzerniner]

kind of baffled by this, weights aren't bad for your joints, that's like a myth circa 1985. Bodyweight exercises and stretchy bands can work, but aren't very fun imo.

free weights are better than machines, but yeah I don't see any reason to not get a bowflex, if you don't like it, now is the time to be able offload unwanted exercise equipment.

It’s not that weights themselves are bad for joints, but in a lot of exercises where they’re used the total weight/force is applied at the range of motion where joints and ligaments are most prone to injury. The good thing about bands is that they’re progressive so with most of the common motions they’re at minimum load/force at the prone portions but get harder as you go through the full extension.

Also really depends on what is defined as “fun.” With myself it was great being able to do 20 plus reps of 225, but much less fun when trying to throw a football and having shooting pain because I meatdicked the workout too hard. I definitely could have used better guidance, and in that the online tools and YouTube resources are worlds better. But IMO, IME and a lot of other evidence from the pro athletes I’ve knows that there’s greater chance of injury with improper technique with heavy free weights vs resistance and body weight.

[XXtwindad]

It’s not that weights themselves are bad for joints, but in a lot of exercises where they’re used the total weight/force is applied at the range of motion where joints and ligaments are most prone to injury. The good thing about bands is that they’re progressive so with most of the common motions they’re at minimum load/force at the prone portions but get harder as you go through the full extension.

Also really depends on what is defined as “fun.” With myself it was great being able to do 20 plus reps of 225, but much less fun when trying to throw a football and having shooting pain because I meatdicked the workout too hard. I definitely could have used better guidance, and in that the online tools and YouTube resources are worlds better. But IMO, IME and a lot of other evidence from the pro athletes I’ve knows that there’s greater chance of injury with improper technique with heavy free weights vs resistance and body weight.

Undoubtedly true. And the transition away from standard gyms is highlighting this. You don't need a bunch of equipment to get a full-body workout.

[PSC]

Got a Total Gym (Chuck Norris) from Costco. Surprised how well it works. I also do kettlebell, body weight and resistance band exercises to complement. I learned along time ago as you get older, it's about moving weight and using muscles no need to go real heavy.

[Peter P.]

It's nice not having equipment to trip over (that's what the BIKES are for).

I too hate having equipment scattered over the floor, namely weight plates, bars and such. My solution was to build a weight rack. I got the idea from instructables.com (https://www.instructables.com/id/Weight-Rack/). You can build it without wheels if you don't need to move it around, but it certainly tidy's up my basement after my workout.

[old_fat_and_slow]

Nice rack !