I'm getting a Bowflex Revolution in near unused condition from a relative delivered to my house as I plan on using it alongside my treadmill to cover my 3/week routine.
Is there any reason to get any other piece of work out equipment? I have nothing to do squats with, but it would feel a little silly getting a gym membership just for that- same for buying weights exclusively for squats.
Also for those of you who have used or own the Revolution, what's your opinions on it?
That's a lot of plastic . . .
what are your goals?
if you want to build muscle then that thing is useless. all you need is a rack and a bench.
if you want to lose weight that's fine.
>3/week
Dropped
24 y/o, 6'0, 188lb.
Mainly just looking to get in shape and tone what little muscle I have.
The dilemma I'm facing is that I already have an amazing treadmill and am getting the Bowflex, so they'd just sit around and I'd have to deal with selling them if I went to a gym to do what I can already do at home sans actual muscle gain.
Considering I can put up to 200lb on the machine, surely it will cover everything I am needing.
I just figured it wouldn't hurt seeing what opinions were out since I never see it talked about here.
You should sell the bowflex and the treadmill, buy a rack, barbell, bench and like 350 pounds in weights, download some audio books and run outside
So, despite having a perfectly usable treadmill and then a Bowflex that I'm getting for free, I should sell them and run outside/buy a bench?
Does anyone have any actual critiques of the work out machine?
>So, despite having a perfectly usable treadmill and then a Bowflex that I'm getting for free, I should sell them and run outside/buy a bench?
It's like you don't even want to make financial gains. Sell that PoS and get some real equipment
>a Bowflex Revolution in near unused condition
That's a description of most fancy fitness machines to be honest.
Free weights are always better than machines, a quick google search will tell you why
A fool and his money are easily parted
My friend has one. It isn't worth the money ($5,000 new WTF)
For way less money you can get:
CAP 300 lb Olympic weight set ~ $300
CAP half rack (300 lb capacity) ~ $100
Resistance band set ~ $100
There you have it. For $500, you can now:
Squat
Deadlift
Overhead press
Chin ups / Pull ups (bands for assistance)
Barbell row
Floor press
As you get better, you could add a weight belt for pull ups and floor mats for deadlifting heavy... and still be under $1,000 total investment.
>tone
no one here uses a fucking bowflex, dip shit
Well, if the Bowflex is a free gift, the use it!
Just move the arms to do the following:
Vertical push / pull
Horizontal push / pull
Squats
Use progressive overload and mimic the barbell versions of these movements.
So I bought a barbell and weights and squat stands
I figured I didnt need a bench and could do floor press, but the bar is still too low for my forearms to get vertical with the plates, and I can't get it into pressing position even though I know I can normal bench more than that weight.
What do? Do I need to make things to go under the plates to start off?
Why would you ever get one of those stupid turds when literally all you need is a barbell and weights?
Do your squat stands have safety catches?
Maybe lower them and use them for floor presses?
Alternatively, go to the Home Depot or Lowes and get some large patio bricks. Also, get some patio tiles made out of recycled rubber.
Use the bricks to get some height for your plates to sit on. Use the rubber to cushion the bricks from the plates.
This can also be used for deadlifting.
It's like you can't read. OP is getting it for free, not paying a dime, not even for delivery.
Oh, also, get rid of your squat stands and buy something like pick related.
Trust me, when you fail an OHP, you will need to slam the bar against the rack... Can't do that with squat stands.
Wow, yeah, did not think about that. Feel like a dumbass now. It does have safety catches.
Although when I tried it was before I got the squat rack
Awesome I don't have to buy a bench now
its complete bulshit and the only use this machince has is maybe burning calories in a more entertaining way, no real Veeky Forumsizen, dyel or not, owns and uses something like that(except injured)
Just get a power rack, barbell and OLY plates.
just put a bench in your rack, steal a bench out of a park at night or something if u dont even own a frikking bench or something similar
I almost failed my last set of OHP and I did set down so violently they rocked forward a little. I bought the cheap $60 stands off of amazon, and I know that one was just a bit more, but it doesn't have the safety catches
I also move a LOT and I like the fact that the squat stands are so compact
>buying budget barbell
enjoy throwing it out in 3 months/killing yourself
Glad I could help.
Bonus tip:
In a floor press, your elbows can go behind you (because of the floor). Thus, can can start and end each rep with the safeties directly above you the whole time.
If an average novice gets to 300 lbs on anything, they can then consider more expensive options.
Most people don't need more than 300 lbs for fitness.
For perspective, a 300 lb bench press is like a one arm push-up for almost all people.
A 300 lb row is impressive.
A 300 lb standing OHP is godlike.
As for legs, 300 lbs is more than enough for all but the competitive lifters.
Even I without safeties, the cheap Amazon rack in my picture can be used to keep the bar falling in one plane of motion (slam and down to floor as opposed to running it into a wall).
If you move a lot, I get the need for stands. Just be careful with OHP.