Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym (Discontinued)

I will openly admit that I was highly skeptical of the Bowflex for a long time before I actually bought it. Simply put, it seemed a bit too much like one of the many fitness gimmicks or fads out there. I had previously been going to a 24 hour fitness gym routinely (i.e., 2-4 times a week) for the past 2-3 years, which I liked and enjoyed. However, after I had a baby, my time starting becoming increasingly limited and so I finally decided to gamble on a Bowflex from Amazon.I have had it now for a little over 3 months and wanted to wait to review it because I really wanted to spend some time evaluating it (again, was very skeptical). I feel comfortable doing so now. I will list my observations below:1. The price and free shipping through Amazon were unbeatable. Although you can pick this older version of the Bowflex up at Academy Sports and many other big chain stores for a similar price, having it delivered to your garage was very nice and convenient.2. Assembly was really very simple, and I'm not mechanic at all. It took me about an hour and was very easy/unproblematic.3. The machine is very sturdy -- sturdier than I anticipated in fact. I don't see it failing structurally anytime soon.4. The power rods are also very sturdy. I actually set out with the mindset that I'm going to try to break the damn things (not literally, but not hold back on them) and just see if they hold up. Thus far, they have been amazing.5. The versality of the system -- while obviously not a full gym -- is really pretty amazing. You can get a nice full body workout with it. Granted, you will lose the ability to do some of the exercises available in a full gym or on some bigger much more expensive systems, but I've honestly gotten more ripped and in better shape with the Bowflex than I did after years of going to the gym doing free weight and machine training, so that downside is really minimized or offset by the end result.6. I was very concerned about the seemingly low resistance weight (supposedly 210 lbs, which seemed like a joke), but not anymore. I am an average sized guy (5'11", 175) and it is more than adequate. Granted, I'm not trying to become a body-builder with this thing, but instead trying to get a good, strong resistance workout and have been able to do just that with resistance weight (rods) to spare. No concerns at all with resistance level/weight (some folks have complained about the weight being lighter than what it is supposed to be, but even if it is, it hasn't affected me at all. Just find your preferred resistance and you are set; the numbers really don't matter once you learn the system, which is quick to do).7. Using the machine is incredibly efficient. I can now get nearly the same workout I was getting at my 24-hr gym in literally half the time (or actually less) with no waiting and super quick change outs between exercises, the latter of which I was initially worried about being too burdensome. It's not at all. Super fast and efficient.8. Regarding the size, it is about what you'd expect from a standard bench press set-up, only it folds up nicely. I have mine in the garage and have no complaints about its size or space and neither does my wife.9. Regarding the resistance exercise vs. standard weight and machine training issue/debate, there is a difference and it does take a little bit to get used to, but I did within the first work-out or two and now very much prefer resistance training. You get resistance both ways and have a greater range of motion than most gym machines (and with free weights you often need some type of support).That is about it. I have come to love this thing and am very glad I got it. I can now workout at home anytime I want to without waiting and really enjoy it. It is super fast and efficient and very sturdy and challenging. It is a brilliant machine and concept and I highly recommend it if you have the right expectations.

After years of focusing on cardio to lose weight (and not seeing any results - zip, zero, zilch, nada, not a pound), I've returned to intense, focused weight training, which I did 12 years ago when I lost 50 lbs to drop from 215 to 165. I realized that since I'm now 40 years old, my metabolism is faltering, and my knee and ankle joints preclude me from running, weight training is the answer.Well, "weight training" is a misnomer here. It really is resistance training. The Bowflex is an incredible example of ingenuity and engineering. I was never skeptical, but I didn't expect just how rigorous the workouts would be. As plenty of others have noted, the resistance rods force you to engage your primary and stabilizing muscles. Gym machines are fine and all, but they do a lot of the work for you. When using the resistance rods, your muscles WILL tremble as you engage all of them. I was doing incline chest presses and my forearms quivered and I squeezed out that last rep. It was great. Tremendous burn. Expect to feel the impact for awhile afterwards. It's amazing just how many muscles you can work with these simple, yet brilliant rods. You can hit every major and minor muscle in 20-30 minutes a day. That's much better than an hour on a stair master or elliptical machine. Color me impressed.The assembly was probably a bit more complicated than it could have been. I believe numbering or labeling the screws would have been very helpful (I'm not mechanically inclined, at all). All in all, it took a couple of hours, but once set up, it's very stable and durable. No one's going to knock it over.My only knock on it is that I find leg extensions a bit uncomfortable. The pads, in my opinion, don't offer enough cushioning. But I'll adjust.I also purchased The Bowflex Body Plan book here on Amazon. I was able to get it for about $4.50 used after shipping. I highly recommend it. The control study cited in the book indicated that the average six week weight loss for men was 25+ lbs for me and 17 lbs for women. That's not unsubstantial.Lastly, take a look at the difference between sprinters and marathon runners. Which do you want to be? Sprinters are sleek, svelte, muscular and, in my opinion, much more pleasant to look at. Sprinters weight train. That's the key.Count me among the converted.