The Bowflex Home Gym is one of the better-known pieces of home fitness equipment. It has offered users a variety of weights and exercises to perform all in the comfort of home. As of 2011, Bowflex has introduced the Ultimate 2 Home Gym, which offers 95 different exercise options. Weight machines are an alternative to other types of strength training equipment, such as dumbbells and resistance bands. Strength training is a vital part of exercise, as it helps build muscle mass and bone density. As with any type of exercise routine, you must work out with the Bowflex Home Gym on a regular, consistent basis to achieve results. Ask your doctor before using this equipment, particularly if you are new to strength training.
Exercises
The official Bowflex website touts that the Ultimate 2 Home Gym is better for the joints and offers more exercise options than free weights. The total amount of resistance is 310 lbs. You can perform exercises for your abdominals, chest, back, legs, shoulders and arms. Examples include resisted crunches, chest flys, back pulldowns, squats, shoulder extensions and wrist curls. The Ultimate 2 also has a rowing machine for added cardiovascular exercise benefits.
Preparation
Like other gym equipment, the Bowflex Ultimate 2 Home Gym comes with risks. Your risk of injury is greater if you are new to exercise or if you increase the resistance level too soon. Kids Health recommends a 5- to 10-minute warm-up before lifting weights. This will help increase blood flow to your muscles and help loosen up your joints. You will know you are using the correct amount of resistance if you struggle with the last repetition of a particular exercise. If you can barely move the weight throughout the whole set, you are using too much weight. Stretch out your muscles at the end of your workout to prevent pain and injury.
Price
The Bowflex Home Gym offers a variety of exercises but at an investment of $2,500. You will also have to pay shipping and handling costs on top of the cost of the equipment. This adds between $200 and $500 to the initial cost, based on where you live in the United States. The Bowflex official website does promise a money-back guarantee, but you will still have to pay a portion of the shipping costs.
Considerations
The Bowflex Ultimate 2 is effective, but you have to work out on a regular basis to see results. For best results, Kids Health recommends performing strength-training exercises three times a week, with a day of rest between each session. Depending on how often you work out, this system may be too expensive for your needs. You might consider going to a gym or fitness club to use other pieces of weight equipment. Keep in mind that a health club membership is cheaper in the short-term, but you may end up spending more over the years. You may also end up wasting money if you don't uphold your commitment by going to the gym a few times per week.
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