What's everybodys opinion of Bow Flex? Has anybody ever used it before?

I think it might give a decent workout at best.

Am real skeptical, I don't think any of us believe the models got built using Bowflex!

No, I haven't tried it. I heard from online review that it isn't so great, and the initial price is a little steep (for me at least).

Here is a review:

http://www.bigobb.com/pr.htm

Disclaimer: Be prepare for some pop-ups. They are annoying.

I heard the bowflex is *the* best workout gym money can buy. Differs from person to person so i guess u should give it a try.

The actors and models in the infomercial got big and ripped through diet and weight training.

That being said, I have no opinion of the product. I have never used one. I cannot answer your question but I can guarantee you the bodybuilders and celebrities that were paid to show you how wonderful the equipment works spent more of their time planning meals and workouts than looking for quick fix solutions and watching late night paid advertisements.

BowFlex is NOT worth 1,200 dollars or whatever. You could go to www.dragondoor.com and buy a full set of kettlebells (poundages of 9, 18, 26, 36, 54, 72 and 88), Pavel Tsatsouline's teaching books (Russian Kettlebell Challenge, From Russia with Tough Love, and More Russian Kettlebell Challenges) and Steve Maxwell's "Cruel and Unusual Kettlebell Exercises", then go to www.mymaxtrainer.com and buy their 144 pound MONSTER kettlebell, all for literally a fraction of the price! Not to mention, you'll be able to outrun, outfight, outlift and outplay any BowFlexer.

Originally posted by DJ Girevik
BowFlex is NOT worth 1,200 dollars or whatever. You could go to www.dragondoor.com and buy a full set of kettlebells (poundages of 9, 18, 26, 36, 54, 72 and 88), Pavel Tsatsouline's teaching books (Russian Kettlebell Challenge, From Russia with Tough Love, and More Russian Kettlebell Challenges) and Steve Maxwell's "Cruel and Unusual Kettlebell Exercises", then go to www.mymaxtrainer.com and buy their 144 pound MONSTER kettlebell, all for literally a fraction of the price! Not to mention, you'll be able to outrun, outfight, outlift and outplay any BowFlexer.

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Kettlebells are gay. The only things I've heard about it (other than sales pitch and you) are bad.

Originally posted by Fred Da Head
Kettlebells are gay. The only things I've heard about it (other than sales pitch and you) are bad.

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Try it before you knock it. I use them myself, and they live up to the hype.

Did you try Bowflex? Did you try steroids, prohormones, etc?

Haven't tried BowFlex but have read numerous reviews on DragonDoor and on that site OddTech posted. Never read anything about it that said the same thing the sales pitch did. Steroids and prohormones, seen their effects on people like Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti. Not to mention that they're illegal (at least roids are).

Read my KB thread if you want a flood of good GENUINE reviews on KBs. The US Marines must train with them for a reason, right? And what about the SWAT team? And let's not forget Wake Forest University (one of the smallest NCAA Division One schools).

Marines train with normal weights. I don't know about the ratio of KB/Normal weights usage but it is impossible they would not use KB exclusively.

"The" SWAT team. What SWAT team? There are SWAT teams all over the place!

And what about all the other universities who use normal training and kick Wake Forest's ass?

About the effects of steroids... I PERSONALLY know guys who've used them, and they're perfectly healthy, and a lot bigger than I can expect to be "naturally." I don't advocate the use of steroids in pro sports other than bodybuilding, but I definately think that people who talk against them constantly are poorly informed. They're just like any drug.

-----Marines train with normal weights. I don't know about the ratio of KB/Normal weights usage but it is impossible they would not use KB exclusively.-----

Well no kidding. I never said anything about exclusivity.

-----"The" SWAT team. What SWAT team? There are SWAT teams all over the place!-----

Obviously. I had forgotten where exactly he DOES train them at. I'm thinking some SWAT team in Texas, but I'm not positive.

-----And what about all the other universities who use normal training and kick Wake Forest's ass?-----

Bigger universities? More athletes? Uhh?

-----About the effects of steroids... I PERSONALLY know guys who've used them, and they're perfectly healthy, and a lot bigger than I can expect to be "naturally." I don't advocate the use of steroids in pro sports other than bodybuilding, but I definately think that people who talk against them constantly are poorly informed. They're just like any drug.-----

First off, I was making a reference there to two former major league baseball players, so obviously I wasn't talkin about bodybuilding. Second, you never know what they do at home/on their own. Caminiti can't even produce his own testosterone anymore. Dunno about Canseco.

This debate is pointless. We obviously won't change our opinions, and I don't feel like going in either a flame war, or a "I got more backing than you do"-war

We? I'm only arguing with you, nobody else. And experience is the best judge. Do me a favor. Go to the gym or wherever the nearest 35 or 45 pound dumbbell is, and do 10 two arm swings, and 5 one arm swings with each arm. Do 5 sets of that. (what that is is swinging it from between your legs to above your head - and use your legs when doing it). Then come back and tell me it ain't a good workout, aight?

Yeah, we, you and me.

And I won't try that. I'm getting results with my current workout, and why fix something that isn't broken? Plus swinging your arms sounds like the best way to screw your shoulders.

WTF? THAT IS A HORRIBLE WORKOUT!

Swinging the weights? You know how much it helps the muscle when you use momentum and don't isolate it? NONE at all. Swinging weights around is a good way to get yourself hurt. If you're doing any excersize with only 10 pounds, it obviously isn't working too well, sugarpants.

Originally posted by Fred Da Head
Yeah, we, you and me.

And I won't try that. I'm getting results with my current workout, and why fix something that isn't broken? Plus swinging your arms sounds like the best way to screw your shoulders.

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Yeah, if you screw it up it is. But driving it with your legs and NOT literally pulling/swinging it up there with your arms you might get injured. But it's easy to do it correctly, and it still works your arms AND legs safely.

Not enough balls to try a new workout and possibly get even MORE results? Aww, poor you And I misread the first quote as "we won't change YOUR opinions", so pardon. But like I said, experience is the best judge. Machines haven't done for me in all I've done with them (and they have helped me but not much) anything like what kettlebells have done in the month or so I've been using them.

WTF? THAT IS A HORRIBLE WORKOUT!

Swinging the weights? You know how much it helps the muscle when you use momentum and don't isolate it? NONE at all. Swinging weights around is a good way to get yourself hurt. If you're doing any excersize with only 10 pounds, it obviously isn't working too well, sugarpants.

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You need to brush up on your exercise science. Isolation is all fine and good, if bodybuilding is your only goal. Where the hell did I say 10 pounds? I said 10 two arm swings with 35 or 45 pounds to start. I started on 54 pounds but I have more experience with compount workouts because I'm an olympic lifter. I can now swing around an 88 pounder, but swinging the 36 pounders for high reps STILL kicks my ass.

I'm a veteran swinger, and by doing swings I know that they are awesome. Care to challenge me? Find out for yourself - grab some dumbbells and swing.

I could challenge you in farting, doesn't mean it's impressive.

You aren't targetting a whole lot of muscles with any intensity. If you tell me to brush up on my excersize knowledge, I'll tell you where to shove it. You're the one swinging around metal balls and getting nothing done. If you aren't bodybuilding or powerlifting, you're just playing with your balls.

And yes, I am a bodybuilder, and I know my S.

Originally posted by Soshyopathe
I could challenge you in farting, doesn't mean it's impressive.

You aren't targetting a whole lot of muscles with any intensity. If you tell me to brush up on my excersize knowledge, I'll tell you where to shove it. You're the one swinging around metal balls and getting nothing done. If you aren't bodybuilding or powerlifting, you're just playing with your balls.

And yes, I am a bodybuilder, and I know my S.

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What does farting have to do with working out? Yes, actually I am targetting a lot of muscles. Upper thighs, inner thighs, ankles, sides, abs, shoulders, lower back, upper back. That's not a lot of muscles? Ok, I believe you And don't tell me I'm lying, cuz those are where I feel it after doing a swing workout.

I'm not doing either one, although I'm probably going to incorporate a lot more powerlifting into my workout routine. I'm an olympic lifter and a kettlebeller, which are different from both and require a lot of coordination. I'm not a great oly lifter by any stretch, but show me a bodybuilder who can kick my ass at oly lifting and kettlebelling and frankly, I'll be pretty amazed.

Originally posted by DJ Girevik
What does farting have to do with working out?

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Well if you are on a high protein diet supplementing with creatine and ZMA then you are farting a LOT, so I guess it does have some relevence


And back to the topic of Bow-Flex. Bow-flex is a machine, machines isolate 1 specific muscle when you work out. In order to get a good work out and put on mass all over your body you need to not only work out your target muscles but you need to work on your synergist and stabilizer muscles or you are not going to gain mass and strength very easily...Basically machines HELP you lift the weight with pulleys (in bow-flex's case) and they limit your range of motion extremely which does not allow you to work out your stabilizers...The ripped guys you see on bow-flex commercials got ripped using free weights, I guarentee you this. With free weights all your supporting muscles grow along with your target muscles.

Here's an example: say you are wanting to work your hamstrings. You could do deadlifts with a barbell or you could do hamstring curls with a machine. If you are doing deadlifts you are working your hamstrings but you are also working your glutes and lower back as primary movers, you are working your quadriceps as synergists and you are working your calves, abdominals, obliques and trapezius as stabilizers. If you do hamstring curls you are working your hamstrings only, nothing else. See what I mean? Get a gym membership and stick with free weights! Hope this helps.