The Bowflex Extreme Reviewed

Below you can find information on what the Bowflex Xtreme can do, what it can’t do, and also help deciding whether (or not) it is the "right" piece of equipment for you.

What Will Working Out on the Bowflex Extreme Do for You?

Of course that depends on what your starting point is. Working out on Bowflex can be very beneficial for anyone, but especially for those who are not currently physically active. One of the tremendous benefits of Bowflex is that it is very “user friendly” (unlike free weights).

What does Bowflex say working out on the Extreme will do?

"Women lost an average of 16.96 pounds of fat and men lost an average of 27.95 pounds of fat in only 6 weeks! These people didn't workout every day either. They worked out three times a week for only about 20-30 minutes. Hey, you can do that too! You can take 20 minutes out of your day for these kinds of results."

Bowflex puts it's money where it's mouth is... they offer a 6 week money back guarantee - if you don't like it just send it back for a full refund (minus shipping costs).

Is working out on the Bowflex Extreme as effective as free weights?

Bowflex’s Power Rods

Pros

+Easy to change - just hook in another rod for more resistance (or less).

+Light - no picking up weights off of the floor or adding plates - which if done incorrectly can be dangerous.

+Can have up to 410Ib of resistance - for most people 410Ib will be more than enough.

+Body has a nice "toned" look - working out on Bowflex gives your body and muscles a long, toned look rather than the “blocky” look free weights can create.

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+Smooth movements - because there is no momentum with Power Rods, you can train as quickly or slowly as you like.

+Very safe - no momentum, thus no risk of injury.

Possible Cons

-Temperature sensitive - If room temperature is "cold", rods can get stiff.

-Sunlight sensitive - If Power Rods are in direct sunlight they get very light.

-Only 410Ib - If you are exceptionally strong 410Ib can be light for certain exercises such as leg press and calf raise.

Free Weights

Pros

+Unlimited resistance (in gym) - If you are used to training with “weights”, the tension offered by Power Rods will feel different, but will be challenging in a new way.

+Muscles - get thicker which gives the body a "harder" look.

Possible Cons

-Stiffness - Using free weights can shorten the muscle which can cause stiffness (stretching can solve thisproblem).

-Momentum - Free weights and weight stacks can be susceptible to momentum - if a person happens to dothe exercise to quickly the weight can become lighter but also can increase the person's risk forinjury.

-Muscles - can have more of a "blocky" look to them.

- SPECIAL Motivation TIP –

To build your motivation, confidence, and sense of accomplishment, set achievable goals.

For example: If you bench press 150Ibx 14 on your Bowflex Xtreme:

Achievable goal – 160Ibx14 next Bowflex workout
Too Ambitious – 200Ibx14 next Bowflex workout

In addition, writing down your rep/weight goals and circling them after you’ve achieved them will give you an added boost and help you track your progress.

Is the Bowflex Extreme the "Right" Piece of Equipment for You?

Here are a few questions to help you decide:

- Are you able to do squats? Though the Bowflex Extreme XTLU does come with a legextension (for toning the front and back of your thighs), squats are still the best exercise foroverall toning. 2nd to the squat is the leg press. Unfortunately the Bowflex Extreme doesn't allowyou to do leg presses - but the Bowflex Sport does.

- What is your budget? The Bowflex Extreme comes in at $1299 plus shipping and handling.

- Is quality important to you? Just like any other product Bowflex has knock offslike the Crossbow etc. They do cost less, but are not of the same quality.

What other visitors have said

What experiences have others had with their Bowflex, see below.

My Bowflex Xtreme review - by Tim

For more Bowflex Extreme reviews, please click here

For Bowflex Extreme 2 reviews, please click here

For a comparison of the benefits of a horizontal bench Bowflex vs a vertical bench like the Extreme, please click here

What kind of results are owners getting with the Boflex Extreme? Please click here to find out what they think

To share your opinion, please click here

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