Opinions about Bowflex for weight training??

[SRP]

Hi -
I have an old weight bench with those concrete-filled weights. It's not fit to come in the house. For various reasons, I may need to move my weight system into the house, so I'm looking for something fairly compact that will still give me a complete, full body workout.

I haven't ever tried Bowflex-type systems, but I know that they can come apart for more compact storage, and shoved into a corner or something.

But the big question is, how do those weird little flexible bars compare to lifting with free weights or doing the quad exercises on a bench?

I'm open to other suggestions, as well. Thanks!

 

[newmommy]

We own a Bowflex and although you get a decent workout from it I have stopped using it because I prefer to use free weights. I find that machines give me a little too much "help". If you like using machines like the one's at the gym, then you would probably like the Bowflex. Although, it does take more time to switch from one exercise to the other because you have to move and transfer cables. Also, it may advertise that it folds up and goes into a tiny space, BUT you do pretty much have to take the thing apart depending on how many attachments you have for it.

Good luck.

Katie

 

[SRP]

Thanks, Katie -
Can you tell me about free weights and legs? I don't own any of Cathe's weight training videos, but I've been examining the clips. I currently use the bench for my legs, of course, and do 100-ish pounds on those quad lifts where you sit on the bench and straighten your legs out in front. Same thing for the hamstrings. I know for a fact I cannot lift that over my head for squats and don't have a squat rack.

Now that I've gone into all that detail, my question is, what kind of muscle do you build using Cathe's videos? I'm not massive or anything, but I don't want to lose what I've got.

 

[newmommy]

I've gained more muscle doing Cathe's strength workouts then I ever did on the Bowflex. It's just a matter of increasing your weight to what you are capable of. Cathe does a good job of including moves that are the same motion as what you do on a weight machine, but just done in a different manner or different position. Plus, I prefer Cathe's workouts because her workouts have more variety and therefore hit more areas of the muscle. If you don't feel you are getting enough out of it just up your weight and belive me, you will feel it. She does a lot of squats, lunges and leg presses that really fry your leg muscles. My legs always feel like jello after doing one of her leg workouts.
As you had mentioned, you are obviously not going to be able to lift 100 lbs over your head to do squats, but from my experience, you don't need as much weight when you do her workouts, or any workout for that matter, with free weights. I always found that I was using more weight on a weight machine than I was using free weights. As I said before, I always felt like the machines were "helping" me because I didn't have to balance the weight as well as lift it.

Katie

 

[SRP]

Oh... I guess that means it's time for me to go video shopping again... Oh, darn. Look out, legs!

 

[Kit_]

If you like gym workouts with machines, I'm sure you'll find Cathe's leg workouts tougher then what you do with the machines. Actually I can't get the same feeling from any of the machines that I do with GS or SH leg workouts. And I got access to about every workout machine there is. Her workouts will build leg muscle, and will show you places you had no idea that they were weak until you do one of those workouts.

The bowflex is nice, but it isn't small, at least not if you want the full darn thing with all the attachments, and then if you want to put it together or take it apart, it takes a while, and still some of the attachments are bulky, and I'd be hard press to be able to hide them anywhere in my house. Also will run you about $5,000 with attachments or if you get the payment plan you could be paying a bit more. You can buy a lot of barbells, dumbbells and Cathe videos for that. ;-) And still have a lot more space in your house, and don't have to stop every exercise to change the cables. I think I see people spend about 1/4 of the time they workout on a bowflex just messing with the cables and moving them to a different area. Either that or they just want a break and want to look like they are doing something.

Kit

 

[shelia]

I use my bowflex with my cathe workouts.I like to mix it up using free wts and machines-with machines you can go heavier without a spotter like for bench press.I find the bowflex easy to change between exercises and it folds which is a plus for me.The muscle also contracts thru the whole movement with machines.I just love both.