Bow Flex?
- Thread starter Keebler Elf
- Start date
Spoken like someone who doesn't have any.blackdog said:
Having muscle mass doesn't automatically translate into looking like He-Man. Most women like muscles. That's a lot different than saying most women like body builders.
What most women find comical is scrawny little fucks with no muscle mass.
I have a bowflex and the main advantage is that the machine is relatively portable, doesn't take up too much space (but you need room for the bows to flex down and about) and won't risk your floor like a 'real' workout set (weight stack or barbells and dumbbells). However, I don't think it's worth the money.
The bowflex movements feel funny because bending the power bars is a progressive spring load - fairly light at the start and very heavy at the end of the movement.
I'm not sure if this is an advantage or disadvantage but 'real world' items don't usually have that sort of progressive resistance (e.g. that 20 lb bag of groceries feels like the the whole 20 lbs when you're getting it into the trunk of your car). A lot of current exercise recommendations focus on 'functional' capability, and that is best served by using loads that closely simulate how you would use the muscles in real life.
If you check out the bodybuilding and weightlifting forums, the most highly recommended equipment is a good bench and a full set of dumbbells, and then when you get serious add an olympic barbell and a power cage (the power cage helps you do squats without a spotter, and the squat is considered the most important whole-body exercise)
A site you might want to check out is exrx.net, read through the beginner's page, they have a lot of excellent guidelines and advice.
Bottom line? If I could do it again, I would pass on the bowflex.
The bowflex movements feel funny because bending the power bars is a progressive spring load - fairly light at the start and very heavy at the end of the movement.
I'm not sure if this is an advantage or disadvantage but 'real world' items don't usually have that sort of progressive resistance (e.g. that 20 lb bag of groceries feels like the the whole 20 lbs when you're getting it into the trunk of your car). A lot of current exercise recommendations focus on 'functional' capability, and that is best served by using loads that closely simulate how you would use the muscles in real life.
If you check out the bodybuilding and weightlifting forums, the most highly recommended equipment is a good bench and a full set of dumbbells, and then when you get serious add an olympic barbell and a power cage (the power cage helps you do squats without a spotter, and the squat is considered the most important whole-body exercise)
A site you might want to check out is exrx.net, read through the beginner's page, they have a lot of excellent guidelines and advice.
Bottom line? If I could do it again, I would pass on the bowflex.
http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-other-bowflex-dumbbells-552-with-stand-NEW-IN-THE-BOX-W0QQAdIdZ31902908
these are pretty good . I don't own them , but my brother does , and I use 'em when I'm staying at his house.
they don't take up a lot of space and its very convenient to change the weights.
these are pretty good . I don't own them , but my brother does , and I use 'em when I'm staying at his house.
they don't take up a lot of space and its very convenient to change the weights.
I do NOT like BowFlex.
I had the traditional BowFlex Ultimate 2 years ago and sold it because I did not like the spring loaded feel. After discussing it over with a personal trainer at my gym, he said it essentially worthless for someone that wants to bulk up. (me- as I'm familiar with free weights)
i bought it used and sold it on CL.
Anyways. My wife got me the new Bowflex Revolution (the one with the spring loaded plates) for a Christmas gift... guess what? I hate this one too.
what I can say about the Revolution:
1. very cheap plastic weights, they chip very easy
2. the plates are a pain getting on and off- making your workout less intense.
3. and it is poorly built. mine came with a warning not to use the full 600lbs for leg work or the seat may break! wtf? a seat that can't hold it's own weight...
I have it listed for sale right now...
BTW-the weights islandman above has listed are pretty good.
I had the traditional BowFlex Ultimate 2 years ago and sold it because I did not like the spring loaded feel. After discussing it over with a personal trainer at my gym, he said it essentially worthless for someone that wants to bulk up. (me- as I'm familiar with free weights)
i bought it used and sold it on CL.
Anyways. My wife got me the new Bowflex Revolution (the one with the spring loaded plates) for a Christmas gift... guess what? I hate this one too.
what I can say about the Revolution:
1. very cheap plastic weights, they chip very easy
2. the plates are a pain getting on and off- making your workout less intense.
3. and it is poorly built. mine came with a warning not to use the full 600lbs for leg work or the seat may break! wtf? a seat that can't hold it's own weight...
I have it listed for sale right now...
BTW-the weights islandman above has listed are pretty good.
