My Bowflex Ultimate 2 Experiences

by Ted
(Auckland, New Zealand)

The Bowflex Ultimate 2 is well made, but I keep checking every few weeks that some bolts are tight - especially upright ones holding the base to the tower bit.

The Ultimate 2 is easy to use and fast. It does have enough resistance, but if you bench the 410 pounds, the whole bar that holds the rods can rip the screws out - it could just have worked loose. It was fine when I rescrewed it back in. But I stick to barbells for real heavy weights, and squats, but the Bowflex works ok for my wife.

The Bowflex Ultimate 2 is good for the whole family. I use it as an extra on top of my free weights.

I use a real rowing machine. The rowing attachment is not that great. You never know where to really put your feet.

I also bought the Rack for all the attachments. It keeps them usable, otherwise they took up so much room I relegated them from the garage to the garden shed.

The rod rejuvenators are good too as my power rods were looking sad and droopy.

No ultimate 2 is the best I reckon.
Good for a pump and specailly for shoulders, side and rear delts. The crunch attachment is big and clumsy - I never use it.

The dvd is good, as I watch the exercise every time I train to ensure my technique is good.
Also, the manual is good to find the Bowflex exercises to work out what you want. I mix Bowflex exercises with weights and dumbells, and use their manual and my Arnolds encyclopedia.

Also, I use Bowflex adjustable dumbells. These are good for quick changes 20-25 k max.
For 30k plus they are a bit flimsy as you tend to drop heavy weights between reps.

I use my olympic dumbells, for 30k plus - as when liftingh heavier you need more rest time and adjustment time.

The Bowflex Ultimate 2 is good for exercise variety.

I would buy it again.