Bowflex PR3000 Home Gym : More than pleased with purchase

More than pleased with purchase, March 10, 2010
By B. B. Strauss (Texas)

My husband has been wanting a home gym for quite some time. My objection was the cost and "where will we put this huge monstrosity." I did a lot of shopping and found the best price -by far- at Amazon.com. I also read the reviews and it seemed it would not take up too much space. So it was purchased and delivered quickly (free shipping). A couple of reviews said they put it together in one hour. They must be super human because it took two of us over two hours. We still felt it went quickly and are now thrilled to be using the equipment. If you are into heavy weight lifting, I agree with others that you may need to upgrade. If you are needing to tone your body and do not need 300 pounds of weight, this is perfect for you. We also purchased separately the lat bar. It is a good plus.

BOWFLEX TREADCLIMBER

Bowflex PR3000 Home Gym : Nice for the Price

Bowflex PR3000 Home Gym : Nice for the Price, May 7, 2009
By Michael LaBossiere (Tallahassee, FL)










Like most people, I had seen the Bowflex commercials on TV and was skeptical of just how such a machine would produce the gods and goddesses shown in the ads. However, the idea of an all-in-one resistance machine was appealing and I often considered buying one. I finally took the plunge after undergoing quadriceps tendon repair surgery. Since my usual exercise was out of the question (running and martial arts) I decided to give the Bowflex a try. After all, I don't want to become psychotic and fat while I'm recovering. :) While I cannot do the leg exercises yet, my experience has been positive.

Pros: On the plus side, the machine provides a wide range of exercises that enable you to work almost all of the muscle groups. It was easy to assemble and comes with fairly clear directions. It also includes a basic workout book, although you will probably want to supplement this with additional information about working out. Properly assembled, the machine seems very solid and as long as you maintain it, it should provide a safe workout.

As you can see from the pictures, it has three sets of handles: one high, one middle and one low. This allows you to get a wide range of workouts and replicate most traditional free weight training moves. It also has the attachment for doing leg lifts. The seat can be easily removed to allow you to safely do standing exercises.

A major plus for this machine is that the power rods connect to all the handles. In other words, you do not need to constantly switch cable connections for your workout. Some lower end models lack this feature, which would be a bit annoying.

Cons: While the machine allows you to do a large range of exercises, it does have clear limits. For example, you can only do leg lifts with the leg exercise attachment (although you can do leg exercises using the handles). Also, it suffers the inherent limitations of a rod based machine relative to free weights. For example, the weight on the resistance rods seem rather optimistic (I suspect the weight is based on the resistance offered at maximum bend). To compare the machine with free weights, I did curls with the 50 pound rod and with a 35 pound free weight. The free weight provided far more resistance (in the form of weight). This is because the weight always weighs 35 pounds and the rod's resistance increases as it is pulled.

You will also want to spring for the 100 pound upgrade-this consists of two 50 rods. I think the rods should have been included, but I suppose that some people would be fine with the stock rods.

I'd suggest getting them when you get the machine, otherwise you'll have to take the "rod box" off the machine so as to put in the rods. Mine didn't come with instructions (just two rods and two screws in a cardboard box), but this is what I did: carefully lean the machine to one side, preferably with someone trustworthy holding it (make sure that they are not the beneficiary of your life insurance). Unscrew the three screws holding the box in place. Remove the box and take out the plugs (two of them, just ahead of the installed 50 rods). Insert the rods and screw the included screws into the rods (at the bottom). Put the rod box back in place and then screw the screws back in. Carefully test the rods to make sure they are secure, and then you are ready to go.

Bowflex PR3000 Home Gym

Bowflex Home Gym
Bowflex PR3000 Home Gym

At amazon.com
List Price: $1,299.00
Price: $849.00 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save: $450.00 (35%)

Features
-Get a total body strength workout with affordable home gym; no cable changes needed between sets -
-Provides as little as five or as many as 210 pounds of resistance via Bowflex Power -Rods (upgradeable to 310 pounds)
-Over 50 strength exercises; includes vertical bench press and lat pull down
-Upholstered roller cushions for leg extension and leg curl, triple function ankle cuff grips
-300-pound maximum user weight; requires 100 x 78-inch minimum workout area

The Bowflex PR3000 home gym is a great way to strengthen your muscles with over 50 strength exercises and a built-in rowing station. With up to 210 pounds of Power Rod resistance (can be upgraded to 310 pounds), this versatile machine helps work the abs, arms, chest, back, shoulders, and lower body. It includes a no-change cable pulley system, vertical bench press, triple-function hand grips for lat pull-down, and four-inch upholstered roller cushions for leg extension and leg curl exercises.

The PR3000 utilizes Bowflex's patented Power Rods, which provide resistance, or weight, that feels as good as or better than free weights--but without the inertia or risk of joint pain usually associated with free weights. You can hook one, two, three, four or all of your Power Rod units to the cable pulley system and go from as little as 5 pounds all the way up to 210 pounds of resistance.

They're precisely manufactured from a high-tech composite material under the highest quality control measures, then sheathed and tested 4 separate times to ensure quality and durability. The Power Rod units are so strong, you can flex them repeatedly but you won't be able to wear them out.

Features and Specifications:

-Multi-use Hand-Grip/Ankle Cuffs designed to add flexibility and performance to any workout
-Workout Placard displays workout descriptions for easy reference while you're exercising
-Number of available exercises: 50+
-No-change cable pulley system
-210 pounds of Power Rod resistance (which can be upgraded to 310 pounds)
-Four-inch upholstered roller cushions for leg extension and leg curl
-Vertical bench press
-Triple function hand grips for lat pull down
-Triple function ankle cuff grips
-Leg Attachment
-Height: 83 inches (211 cm)
-Length 64 inches (163 cm)
-Width 41 inches (104 cm)
-Workout Area: 100 x 78 inches (254 x 199 cm)
-Maximum User Weight: 300 pounds (136 kg)

Exercises:
-Bench Press
-Decline Bench Press
-Incline Bench Press
-Crossover High Rear Delt Rows
-Seated Shoulder Press
-Shoulder Shrug
-Lateral Shoulder Raise
-Shoulder Rotator Cuff (internal)
-Shoulder Rotator Cuff (external)
-Standing Low Back Extension
-Narrow Pulldowns
-Stiff-Arm Pulldowns
-Reverse Grip Pulldown
-Triceps Pushdown
-Triceps Extension
-Seated Biceps Curl
-Triceps Kickback
-Seated (Resisted) Abdominal Crunch
-Trunk Rotation
-Leg Extension
-Squat
-Standing Calf Raise
-Standing Hip Extension (knee bent)
-Standing Hip Adduction
-Standing Hip Abduction
-Hip Flexion

Bowflex Home Gym Review

This review of the Bowflex Home Gyms is designed to go beyond the infomercial hype, and give you the low-down on the most popular strength building fitness equipment.

The Hype - The biggest hype is that Bowflex home gyms will get you ripped with the perfect body in only 20 minutes a day — Get Real. Those extremely fit models they show in the infomercials did not get that way in just 20 minutes a day. They are probably exercising hours per day.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: You can buy Bowflex Home Gyms direct at Bowflex.com. They are currently offering free delivery and $100 off per gym. Financing is also available.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Facts - The Bowflex home gyms can give you a full body workout, and several of their models also offer a cardio workout. What can you expect from 20 minutes a day? If you are out of shape you can expect to see some toning and reduction of fat mass. If you workout consistently you will see a vast improvement in your body.

If you are overweight, you will find that the Bowflex home gym will help you lose weight. However, to get slim and trim you will also need to include cardio workouts in your exercise routine. And of course, you need to eat right and eat less.

Benefits of the Bowflex Home Gyms
A Generous Selection of Exercises - The various Bowflex models offer anywhere from 60-100 different exercises. This means you can target just about any part of your body for toning. In fact, some of their home gyms have the "Freedom Arms", which adjust 170° to work muscles from various angles. With some limitations, the Bowflex home gyms offer just about all the exercises you would find in a row of strength machines at a health club. That is one of the reasons they are so popular.

Compact Design - One of the major benefits of the Bowflex home gyms is the small footprint. In fact, several home their models can be folded for even less space. A typical home gym that uses weights and pulleys can take up to twice the space as a Bowflex machine. I own a Body Solid home gym and it occupies a good part of my garage. The Bowflex gyms offer more exercises in less space than any other strength machine. This is the other reason they are so popular.

Issues with the Bowflex Home Gyms
Not Free Weights - Bowflex has two types of home gyms. Several models use "Power Rods". They are rods that bend to provide resistance. The Revolution models use SpiraFlex Weights, another form of resistance exercise. Some customers, particularly serious body builders, complain that the resistance strength training is not equivalent to free weights. However, the majority of customers found the resistance training to be to their liking.

Suggested Weight Limit - Some customers felt the suggested weight limit was overexaggerated. For example, several models have a maximum weight resistance of 210 lbs. There were some complaints that in comparison to free weights, the designated level of resistance on the Bowflex gyms was not realistic. For example, a person who might press 150 lbs. on the Bowflex, might not be able press, above 100 lb. with free weights. All models allow you to buy additional strength resistance.

Assembly - There were some complaints about the difficulty of assembly the machines. If you plan to buy a Bowflex allow a few hours of your time and expect some head scratching. These machines consist of numerous parts. The same is true with a weight and pulley home gym. My Body Solid machine took over half a day to assemble.


See More...
BowFlex TreadClimber