The Power Pro series of Bowflex home gyms was born out of Ethiopian immigrant Tessema Dosho Shifferaw's original Bowflex design. The power rod and pulley system created by Shifferaw was refined and widely marketed in the Power Pro series in the mid-1990s, helping fitness giant Bowflex turn its first profit as a company. Though the Power Pro series of machines is no longer manufactured, they are still sold by third-party distributors.
Size
The Power Pro is compact when compared to newer Bowflex models currently marketed by the company. When in use, the exercise area occupied by the machine is 84 inches long by 38 inches wide by 81 inches tall. The footprint of the machine can be greatly reduced for storage by folding up the weight bench and attaching it to the power rod tower.
Features
The Power Pro comes standard with 10 power rods ranging in tension from 5 to 50 lbs., a horizontal bench press, sliding seat for aerobic rowing and adjustable ankle and hand grips. A Bowflex leg extension, lat pull down bar and specially designed "Purvis" pectoral bar are available to upgrade the Power Pro home gym. The Power Pro owner's manual comes with written workout programs and also advises users how to develop their own program to meet specific fitness goals.
Exercises
More than 30 exercises are achievable on the Bowflex Power Pro. These exercises target all of the major muscle groups in the body, including the chest, shoulders, back, arms, abdominals and legs. All of the exercises in the Power Pro owner's manual are achievable using the standard components included with the machine; however, some exercises, such as leg curls and lat pull downs, are more efficiently accomplished with the purchase of add-on components.
Function
The Bowflex Power Pro is marketed as a versatile piece of home fitness equipment that can help you achieve your fitness goals, whether that is muscle building, endurance, cardiovascular training, flexibility or weight loss. The Power Pro workout guide has eight workouts that are targeted toward specific goals and can be refined by you to meet your specific needs. These workouts range from short general training, such as the 20-minute better body workout, to more intense and goal-oriented programs, such as the body building routine.
Potential
The Power Pro comes standard with 210 lbs. of resistance in the power rods. This may not be enough weight for some exercises on the machine depending on your ability, meaning that increasing the number of power rods on the machine may be necessary if muscle building is your primary goal. However, for general fitness training and weight loss, Ellington Darden states in his 2003 book "The Bowflex Body Plan" that Bowflex home gyms like the Power Pro are quite effective straight from the factory.
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