The main goal for many people when creating a home gym is to have all their necessary exercise equipment in one place. This is where Bowflex home gyms come in handy. With a variety of models available, it’s important to choose the one that’s best suited to your needs. In this post, we’ll guide you through the process of selecting the ideal Bowflex home gym by outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each model.
Bowflex Revolution – The Best Bowflex Home Gym Overall
The Bowflex home gym that we recommend as the best is one that uses SpiraFlex technology instead of the famous flexing bow. The Bowflex Revolution home gym is our top choice among all Bowflex machines, although it’s also the most expensive. However, if you’re serious about exercising at home, we believe it’s worth the price tag.
The SpiraFlex system uses stretchy bands and spokes to provide resistance, replicating the feel and benefits of free weights without the bulk. The Revolution offers over 100 exercises and is highly versatile. Its design includes two independent arms that can be adjusted into 10 different positions, providing 170 degrees of mobility. This allows for a vast variety of exercises, as well as the freedom to adjust each exercise position to fit you properly.
The Revolution also features an adjustable seat and a sliding seat rail that allows for rowing exercises, providing cardio options in addition to strength training. The machine offers consistent resistance up to 300 pounds without needing bulky weights, making it easy to switch between exercises with all accessories included.
The Revolution is easy to assemble and includes an excellent warranty. It’s suitable for users up to 300 pounds and has a seat rail that folds up for compact storage. However, it’s fairly large and heavy, and more expensive than other Bowflex machines (although it’s often reduced in price). Overall, the Bowflex Revolution home gym is an excellent investment for anyone looking for a revolutionary exercise machine that provides a wide range of exercises and allows for quick and varied exercise sessions.
Bowflex PR1000
If you’re new to exercising at home and prefer a simple and uncomplicated workout routine, the Bowflex PR1000 is a great option for you. It is also ideal for individuals who have limited time to work out and want to perform a few movements per session, or those who want to incorporate some cardio exercise into their routine.
However, if you have experience training and want to target your muscles in multiple ways, the PR1000 may not be the best fit for you. Additionally, if you have limited space in your home, you may want to consider a more compact exercise equipment. While the PR1000 provides a streamlined and straightforward workout, it also comes with limited training options.
Bowflex Blaze Home Gym
The Bowflex Blaze home gym has been crowned as the best Bowflex gym of 2023. With similarities to the Ultimate 2 model, the Blaze stands out due to its design and options. Although it requires more room when assembled, it offers a long bench and sliding seat design, perfect for a full range of motion with aerobic rowing exercises, leg extensions, and leg presses. These exercises are must-have staples for any great workout regimen.
The Blaze has a sliding seat rail that allows for aerobic rowing machine cardio exercises and strength training, and leg presses for an intense circuit workout or HIIT session. It offers a total body workout experience with a full range of motion and maximum resistance throughout, with 60 exercises listed for this machine. The Blaze comes with a standard rod resistance of 210 lbs, but it allows for Bowflex power rod resistance levels to be upgraded up to a maximum resistance of 410 pounds, making it a great tool for growing stronger and stronger.
The Bowflex Blaze gym offers excellent value for money with its price tag (often under $900 on Amazon) and the number of gym-quality exercises due to its design for strength training and cardio exercise.
Pros:
- Ideal for rowing workouts
- Over 60 possible exercises
- Upgradable power rod resistance to 310 or 410 pounds
- Multiple cable/pulley positions
- Sliding seat rail
Cons:
- Requires a larger footprint for gym space
- Heavy to move when assembled
Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym – Best Home Gym For Smaller Spaces
The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym is a versatile exercise machine that allows for a full-body workout without the need for cable change-overs. This home gym is designed to target all muscle groups, including the chest, shoulders, arms, abs, legs, and lats. The no-change pulley system allows for quick and easy transitions between exercises without interrupting your heart rate.
The machine includes hand grips, a lat bar, and an ab crunch shoulder harness, with the option to purchase additional attachments for added exercise variety such as an ab attachment and a preacher curl. The adjustable seat with a polyurethane cushion and 5-way hand grip/ankle cuffs provide comfort and stability during workouts.
The bundle includes the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym, two 50 lbs power rods, and two 50 pound rod attachments. The machine has a weight resistance of 210 lbs, which can be upgraded to 310 or 410 lbs, depending on your fitness level.
With over 70 possible exercises, the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym is a compact exercise machine that is suitable for smaller spaces. It features a lat tower and angled lat bar for back muscles, a 4-position lower pulley/squat station for calves, hamstrings, and glutes, leg extensions, and an abdominal crunch shoulder harness. The machine also includes a squat bar and seven free trainer-built workouts.
One drawback of the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym is that some users may find that the power rods do not provide enough resistance for their needs.
Best compact Bowflex: Xceed
If you’re searching for a Bowflex with a small footprint, then the Xceed is the perfect fit. It may not have a folding bench like the Blaze, but it requires less space to workout (96″ length compared to 100″). This makes it an excellent option if you have limited space and cannot move it into open areas. The Xceed is an ideal machine for serious strength training, with the ability to perform over 65 exercises at the same level as a traditional gym. The unique pulley system allows for multiple cable positions, making exercises more challenging as you progress. The high-density foam cushioned seat is fully adjustable and features a quick release, making it convenient and comfortable to use. With 210lb-410lb resistance, the Xceed is perfect for building muscle, and accessories such as the ab training strap, squat and lat bars add to its versatility. The compact 53″x49″ footprint makes it suitable for limited space, but it lacks a rower, unlike the Blaze or PR1000.
Bowflex Home Gym Buyers Guide
So, you already know that the Bowflex Revolution is the top Bowflex home gym. But what about the others? Are they worth considering?
The remaining options in our guide to the best Bowflex home gyms use the tried and tested Bowflex power rod system, which has made Bowflex famous over the years. When using a power rod machine, you’ll notice that the resistance gradually increases as you pull, providing a challenging workout that simulates drawing a bowstring.
This innovative system creates a smooth and fluid movement during exercise, putting less strain on your joints and tendons than traditional free weights. Using cables attached to the Bowflex power rods, you can perform a variety of upper body, lower body, and core exercises.
The Xtreme 2 SE is the Bowflex power rod model with the most exercises available, boasting over 70 different exercises. So if you’re looking for a reliable and versatile home gym that utilizes the power rod system, the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE is definitely worth considering.
FAQs
What are Bowflex power rods made of?
Bowflex power rods are made of a composite material called poly hexamethylene adipamide. They are used for resistance instead of traditional free weights or machine weight stacks.
In an attempt to combat the lack of results many athletes were seeing from free lifting weights, Bowflex developed their Power Rod technology. The more rods you add on, the more resistance you are able to generate. Some models, like the Xtreme 2SE, allow you to remove or add more Power Rod.
Can you really build muscle with Bowflex?
Yes, you can build muscle with Bowflex machines! The Bowflex home gyms were initially designed to combat issues that some weightlifters were having with stunted progress. They are intended to help you build up muscle mass.
The limitation is that it provides a maximum resistance of 410 lbs. If you already bench more than this, then you probably won’t see muscle gains.
Is a Bowflex worth it?
A Bowflex is definitely worth it for someone that is looking to lose weight and tone. If you lack space and want a well-built machine for a reasonable price then it’s perfect. However, if you are looking to become a bodybuilder and want to lift heavy weights, the Bowflex is not ideal.
The maximum resistance is 410 lbs and it can feel like a lot less for a well trained free weight user.
Bowflex power rods vs SpiraFlex- What’s the difference?
SpiraFlex machines (such as the Revolution) are different from power rods because you will get the resistance throughout the full range of motion of the exercise. Whereas power rod technology gets progressively more resistant towards the end of the movement. This is due to increased tension on the rods.
David Henry
Hello, everyone! I'm David Henry, a dedicated customer and enthusiastic reviewer of Tractor Supply Company. As a farmer and agriculture enthusiast, I frequently visit Tractor Supply Company to explore and purchase a wide range of agricultural supplies, tools, and equipment. Over the years, I have accumulated extensive experience and knowledge in shopping at Tractor Supply Company, and I aim to help others make wiser choices through my sharing. I understand the importance of selecting the right products for farmers, ranchers, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. That's why I enjoy sharing my insights and recommendations to assist individuals in finding the best-suited products for their needs. Join me as we embark on a journey of discovering quality products and making informed decisions at Tractor Supply Company. Together, let's enhance our farming and outdoor experiences through valuable insights and practical advice.
