Bowflex Vs Soloflex

[soloflexer]

In my opinion, the soloflex is a good gym, in some ways better than bowflex etc. They all have strenghts and weaknesses.

(I'm posting a separate topic comparing them because I have seen a lot of disinformation mostly from soloflex haters...)

I am also considering buying a bowflex (or Crossbow, can't decide which).

Briefly, the soloflex has the following ADVANTAGES over bowflex:

1. Easier to assemble! I don't care what anyone says, cable machines are a pain to operate (and assemble!). I don't know about the bowflex, but from what I have read, the Weider crossbow is a nightmare to assemble. The soloflex has only two main parts to its frame and you assembe it with ONE BOLT!
Everything about the soloflex is EASIER than cable machines.

2. Easier to use! Again, cable machines require MORE work between exercises than the soloflex. Having to rearrange the cables to add the leg attachments, etc.. for example take more work and time than the soloflex.

3. Freeweight adaptable. For those who complain about the negative resisitance of soloflex vs. freeweights, well you can easily add freeweights to the soloflex.. you can't with the bowflex. Basically, the Soloflex is more more like traditional weightlifting than the bow/cable machines. You can't even do a real leg press or squat on the bow machines! ON the soloflex, it is just like freeweights, with the added advantage that you don't need a spottter.


Furthermore, with the soloflex you can get a LOT MORE resistance than with the bow machines. While the bowflex comes with only 210 lbs of resistnace which you can upgreade (for more $$$), the soloflex comes WITH 425 lbs of weightstraps! PLUS you can add 500 lbs of weights for a total of over 900 lbs!
I would think the soloflex would be better for SERIOUS weightlifters as well of folks who just want to tone up.


Also, unlike the bowflex, you can do free body exercises (pull ups,
dips, incline sit ups, etc.)

4. WELL MADE. The soloflex is EXPENSIVE yes. But it is well made.. much better quality than the bow machines. HEAVY steel, not cheap crap. The soloflex is so simple and well designed, it could easily sell like crazy against the other machines.. if the price were dropped.

5. Great Customer support. Soloflex still has great customer support (it may only be one person working out of their house now, I dont know But I have never had any problems getting help from them. Even when one of my straps broke (the only one that breaks is the small 2.5 lb one) they have replaced them immediately, no questions.

NEGATIVES

There are a few negatives with the soloflex, but they are minor in my opinion:

1. Price. It really is over priced even though it is well made. Especially since they stopped doing all those TV commercials, I would think they could drop the price now. But, the bowflex is even more overpriced! Which is why I've considered getting a crossbow.. but I'm not sure it is well made.. seen complaints about missing parts, etc... and poor customer support.

2. Weightstraps can break... The straps were a revolutionary idea at the time.. they do the same job as freeweights, though some argue the negative resistance is not as good (but like I said, you can add freeweights if you want). However, these bands are made of heavy rubber, but the small ones can break. The only one that has broke on me is the 2.5 lb one, which is very thin and probably not needed. They started making them for people who needed something less than 5 lbs increments.. but really 5 lbs is small enough for most people.. But, they do replace the straps if one does break.. but since they may not be in business forver, I bought a box of extra straps to last me..

3. Pulls downs.. no freeweight adaptability. While you can add freeweights to the push up exercies, there's no way to add weight to the pull down exercies... here's where the bowflex has an advantage I think... you can get some better pull down resistance...


Now, I have been tempted by the bowflex (maybe the weider crossbow since it is cheaper) mainly because the do some exercies you can't do on the soloflex, but most of those can be done with dumbells, so I'm not sure they are worth the price.

MOST of the bowflex exercies can be done with a (cheaper) set of dumbells!

I do like the rowing exercises on the bowflex and crossbow...
but is that worth $1,000 (bowflex) or $500 (crossbow) ?


BOWFLEX/CROSSBOW

I don't have either of these yet though I'm thinking of getting one of them, but they also seem to have some advantages and disadvantages:

1. Resistance.. from what I've read, the resistance of the bows is not as good as weights, and varies. On the soloflex you can make up for this problem by adding some freeweights, you can't on the bow machines. The bowflex only comes with 210 lbs of resistnace, the soloflex comes with 425 and you can double that with freeweights.

2. OVERPRICED/INCOMPLETE
The standard bowlfex costs $999, and does not include the leg attachment or the lap pull down attachment. You can do pulldown exercies with the basic soloflex w ithout buying any attachments. Like the soloflex, the bowflex is also overpriced.. $1000 is way too much, especially when you have to pay extra to get the pull down attachment and add the resistance of the soloflex! So even if you were going to buy one of these new, the soloflex is still a better deal.

Whether you buy a soloflex or a bowflex, you will spend too much money if you buy one new, it is better to get one used.. I got my solofelx for $100, but I have spend about $500 to get attachments and extra set of weightstraps, and I bought their dumbell set and weights. Still, it was cheaper than a bowflex!

[Shmackey]

I had a Bowflex for about 2 years. Gave it away. I can say with experience that none of that stuff comes even close to weights.

If I were going to spend $1000 or even $400 on a home gym, I wouldn't hesitate to get a bench and free weights.

[4banger]

Self spotting bench, maybe a smith machine so you can do squats to failure...

[soloflexer]

Response to Schmackey...

Both the bowflex and soloflex are expensive compared to freeweights.. what people get with them over freeweights are (a) more exercises and (b) convenience.

Unless you are a pro weightlifter or like expensive gyms, most of us would rather work out at home. I hate gyms. If I'm going to work out at home, it would be expensive to buy all the machines (leg machines, cable machines, etc.) in the gym, which is why I would rather buy a simple home gym like the soloflex or bowflex.

While many of the exercises on the soloflex or bowflex CAN be done with freeweights or dumbells, not all of them can. Plus you have to buy extra equipment to do the exerciseds you can't do with a set of weights... all of which you can do on a soloflex or bowflex.

So for people like you who want to bench 500 lbs of olympic weights, a soloflex or bowflex would seem like a toy... but for peopel like me, thos home gyms make it a lot easier to work out at home.. If I had to mess with all the weight machines that my soloflex combines in one gym.. I probably would not work out everyday.

A home gym like the soloflex lets you do a lot more exercises than a basic weightbench, like pull down exercies adn freebody exercieks (dips, pullups, include sit ups, etc.) you would have to buy separate if you went with a normal weightbench.

I use freeweightgs and the soloflex, and both seem to give me the same results... and I can add freeweightgs to the soloflex ... and it is safer and easier to use than a normal weight bench.... and I can work out without a spotter, etc...

I agree that as far as cost, weights are much cheaper, and the soloflex and bowfles are over priced NEW... but some people will pay more to get what they want... which is why I pay more for my Apple Mac than cheaper PCs.... I like the Mac better and I'm willing to pay more for a better product...

But back to your point... I guess for a serious weighlifter, the resistance of the soloflex (or bowflex) would not feel as good.. but for most of us who just work out to stay in shape (not bodybuilders), the soloflex works great..

I certainly would not GIVE one away... if you have anything else to give away let me know

[RideHarley]

Soloflexer,

Once someone has decided that freeweights are the only way to go you cannot change their minds and I can respect that. If someone feels that they cannot get a good workout on a cable or soloflex machine then they shouldn't invest their money on them.

If you want to look like the cover of Mens Fitness magazine you can get there with machines, if you want to look like the cover of Flex magazine you are going to need freeweights.

I am 43 years old and I like the way machines treat my body and joints. I have abused my body with sports and am now starting to pay the price with shoulder and knee pain. If I use freeweights only my joints tend to ache bad after a hard workout but they don't with the Crossbow. For instance, if your shoulder is hurting you can simply change your motion with the cable machines but you can't do that with freeweights. I can still get a very good workout and have made good gains.

[4banger]

if your shoulder is hurting you can simply change your motion with the cable machines but you can't do that with freeweights.

I don't totally agree with that statement, you can work any muscle at any angle wityh free weights, even shoulders, all you have to do is change the inclination of the bench you're using.

[RideHarley]

4Banger,

I do agree that you can change incline positions and sometimes it will help but you can't change your hand position. For instance, on a regular bench press (back of hand facing me) it hurts my shoulder but if I rotate my hands 15 to 30 degrees or so it doesn't. I have no idea how I could do that with any type of bar?

Some people may say this is not a true bench press but it builds my chest and I don't have shoulder pain so it is what I have to do. Too many throws from shortstop :-)

[4banger]

Originally posted by RideHarley
4Banger,

I do agree that you can change incline positions and sometimes it will help but you can't change your hand position. For instance, on a regular bench press (back of hand facing me) it hurts my shoulder but if I rotate my hands 15 to 30 degrees or so it doesn't. I have no idea how I could do that with any type of bar?

Some people may say this is not a true bench press but it builds my chest and I don't have shoulder pain so it is what I have to do. Too many throws from shortstop :-)

Have you ever tried dumbbell pench presses? You can rotate your hands anyway you want, and It's a heck of an exsercise.

[Shmackey]

Soloflexer,

Man, I wish I could bench 500. That's over 3 times my bodyweight; I'm a little dude, so I'm really not trying to come off as a fanatic. Like I said, I did own a Bowflex for two years, so I'm definitely speaking from experience.

Honestly, I have to disagree with most of your points. But hey, we're talking about opinions here.

I would much rather work out in a gym than at home. I find it much more motivating and I learn a lot from watching other people. And all of the stuff there--non-free-weight machines included--is top-notch material.

It's going to sound strange, but I also disagree with your assessment that you can do more exercises with a Bowflex than you can do with weights at home--especially a weight setup of the same price. I found the Bowflex very limiting because only a few of the exercises were really ergonomically sound. Sure, you can do flyes and one-armed cable-crosses, and you can do squats, but they just didn't hit me right at all. I'm not even talking about the difference between the feel of weights vs. rods.

I could do dips, pullups, and situps all day long on $1100 worth of free-weight setup. "Free-weight setup" doesn't just mean an olympic barbell and a nasty old leather belt.

As far as giving one away--well, I gave it to my dad. I didn't put it out on the curb or anything. Seemed like a fair trade: changing my diapers and sending me to school for a Bowflex!

[RideHarley]

4Banger,

I do dumbell presses and you are right, they are an excellent exercise. I was trying to give an example for someone who didn't want both freeweights and a bowflex or crossbow.

[Gilbert]

I am 59 years old and bought a bowflex, about 2 months ago (cheap).
I've played many different sport's, but never entered a weight room or lifted weights in my life. The bowflex allows me to work out at home (I am way out of shape) and slowly let the air out the spare tire around my mid-section.

I would have to vote for the home gym, as I would not enter a Gym looking like I do now(lol). SoloFlex, bowflex, free weights, the choice is yours. If you use it, and like what you are doing, than the money should not be a problem.
It cost more to visit a doctor, or for the medications, so invest in yourself, you are worth it.

just my two cents

[etothepii]

Thee is no way that yopu can do more exercises on one of those things than you can with some pretty mainstream free weight equipment. Heck, I would propose that you can do more exercises with dumb bells than you can with a solo or bow flex.

[EliteLift]

i have used both bowflex and crossbow and i can say for experience they both feel cheap.
the amount of weight they say comes with the machines is not even close to what it feels like when you useing it, example: i am able to overhead press all the weight on their 215lb model and am only able to press 130 with free wieghts.
invest in something that can really have and impact on your body, like free wieghts....