Bowflex Exercise Gear

Bowflex is the brand name of a range of strength-training equipment marketed and sold by American company Nautilus Incorporated. Since the inception of Bowflex exercise machines in 1986, there have been numerous models which all use the same technology but differ in design, resistance and number of exercises offered. Bowflex strength training equipment is designed primarily for home use.

Design

Bowflex exercise machines use flexible polymer bars called power rods for resistance instead of the more common metal weights used in most strength training equipment. Arranged vertically or horizontally depending on the model in question, the rods can be connected to a number of pulleys and handles to allow you to perform a wide variety of exercises. To adjust the intensity of your workout, simply select more or less power rods. Bowflex machines are supplied with power rods which provide around 200 lbs. of resistance but this can be upgraded to 300 lbs. or more by purchasing extra rods.

Types

There are currently five Bowflex home gyms in production: Bowflex Classic Home Gym, Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym, Bowflex Revolution XP Home Gym, Bowflex Ultimate 2 Home Gym and the Bowflex Revolution Home Gym. Priced from, as of August 2010, $650 for the basic Classic model and up to $3,000 for the flagship Revolution model, all Bowflex home gyms are available directly from the manufacturer and from exercise equipment retailers. There are also a number of optional extras that you can purchase to upgrade your Bowflex, including additional power rods and a variety of bars, handles and other attachments to enhance your workout.

Advantages

Bowflex machines are much lighter than the equivalent home gym that uses weights for resistance. This makes them ideal for use in apartments or homes where floor strength may be an issue--the lack of weights also means that Bowflex machines are very quiet to use. Power rod technology makes exercising with a Bowflex relatively safe as there are no weights to drop which negates the need to have a spotter nearby and means you can safely train alone.

Benefits

According to "The Bowflex Body Plan" by Dr. Ellington Darden, Bowflex home gyms are suitable for men and women. Darden states that regular workouts with a Bowflex home gym will increase your muscle tone, muscular endurance and strength as well as increase your bone mass which may reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. Regular resistance training workouts, says Darden, can help with weight management, especially when combined with a calorie controlled diet.

Disadvantages

Bowflex exercise equipment does not allow fast, multidirectional exercises such as power cleans, squat jumps to be performed. This means that Bowflex is of limited use to sportsmen and athletes. Some stronger individuals may find that, even with the upgraded power rods, there is not enough resistance for advanced strength and bodybuilding training. The resistance delivered by Bowflex machines can feel a little wobbly compared to free weights and traditional strength training equipment and some users may find this off putting.