Bowflex is a line of exercise machines developed and sold by Nautilus, Inc., a company located in Vancouver, Washington. All of the company's exercise machines use circular, coiled resistance straps, wrapped around a central cam, which provide tension for simulated weight lifting and resistance training for all core areas of the body including the arms, legs and back. Bowflex machines are adjustable and cater to a wide variety of body shapes and sizes, making them highly versatile.
Arm Exercises
Two core areas in the arms that strength trainers often focus upon are the triceps and biceps, both of which can be targeted with the Bowflex. For the triceps, a triceps pushdown is a highly effective exercise that can be done without the need for a bench. To do this exercise, remove the bench and place the bent lat bar on the lat pulley. Standing with the feet shoulder-width apart, grasp the bar at rib-level, palms facing down, and simply press down on the bar until the arms are fully extended with the elbows tucked in. To repeat, reverse the direction and allow the bar to return to rib-level, making sure to keep the elbows tucked close to the body.
For targeting the biceps, the standing curl is simple and effective. To prepare for this exercise, remove the bench and attach the hand grips to the chest bar pulley. Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, grasp the hand grips with the palms facing up and, with the elbows tucked close to the body, pull the grips to the chest. This action flexes the bicep and works the entire muscle when the wrists are straight and the arm fully extends back down to the starting position.
Leg Exercises
The squat targets several core muscle areas in the legs, including the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves, along with the gluteus maximus. To prepare for this exercise, place the squat attachment onto the squat pulley and stand under the attachment, allowing it to rest upon the shoulders. After grabbing the squat attachment handles for balance, slowly bend the knees and keep the body---including the back and chest---flat until the legs are bend at a 90-degree angle. To repeat, slowly stand up to the starting position until the legs have fully extended.
To target specifically the soleus, which is the primary calf muscle, use the same body positioning and equipment needed for the squat. With the squat attachment resting upon the shoulders, grasp the attachment's handles and press up on the toes and the balls of the feet as far as possible. This action, called a standing calf press, flexes the calf muscle and strengthens the ankles. To repeat, simply return the foot flat upon the floor and repeat the toe press.
Back Exercise
One of the most popular and effective back exercises is the wide pulldown, which focuses on all of the major back and shoulder muscles, including the rear deltoids, the dorsi group and the teres major muscles in the shoulders and back. To prepare the Bowflex for this exercise, attach the bent lat bar to the lat tower and grasp the handles while seated upon the bench. With the feet firmly on the floor and the back straight, pull the bar slowly down to the chest or shoulder area, whichever is more comfortable, and hold. To repeat, extend the arms and allow the bar to rise back over the shoulders.
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