BowFlex Home Gym Workout Systems

The Bowflex Xceed is a wonderful workout machine thus far. I am reasonable And got this as a public gym replacement. 2020 had those closed a few months and this was less than the monthly membership. Build: First let me say a friend is essential to put this monster together in a reasonable amount of time. The issue is there are tight tolerances so loose fitting all the screws then tightening them at counter points is a must. Also the parts are labeled in tiny print at each bolt is named by size, thread depth and not an easy alphabetical system. Seriously you will be squinting and thinking you are crazy. It will work out. The item is sturdy and fits me at 6'3". It will eventually rust as it is steel which is normal for home gym equipment (only perfectionists will care but they will). It is well made and built like good home gym equipment. Buy Rogue if you want nicer and hate your wallet. Nothing out of the norm. The bench can also be improved with more resistance rods. Ohhhh yea the box it came in was a total mess on delivery and I was shocked the machine inside was unscathed. I was shocked it lacked blemishes given how tenuous the box's existence was. Moving this box was the first workout this machine provided then assembly was the second. Workouts: It does what cable pull machines, free weights and barbells can do. Basically replacing a bench press station, leg presses and putdown machines. It giving about 3 feet of travel on the wire. So you can do most actions excluding dead lifts. Again think bench press station. This is good for what it is. The Xceed allows most of what the higher end machines bow-flexes provide. However you will be using caravanserai to change from task to task. This is easy enough but quicker carbeaners can really speed things up. I also like to leave spare or additional grips on at the same time to speed up transitions. The X2SE does not require wire manipulation and thus is nicer but sorks humbrid vs shwift teen humbrid on the official bow-flex web page is a lot. Resellers are making a killing in 2020. Some reviews are fixated on comparing this to gravity workouts, they are not the exact same. Gravity can offer more resistance but is much more expensive and space consuming. Most people will never get to the point of outgrowing this machine. Those that have outgrown this machine flood the reviews with dumb but honest stuff. But this is a nice machine if you know it is easier than gravity. But a nice gravity bench and lat pull down, leg machine is some coin. Buying the wight plates puts you up at the X2SE price and not the Eceed. Basically if the price is good you get so much more for your money. People who bring up the discrepancy over resistance are not wrong, it is true. But they miss the point, this machine is inexpensive for what it provides the resistance is astonishing. two 50 lb barbells are currently half the price of the machine. Also the resistance rises the cooler the nylon rods are. Like a memory foam mattress. Who should get this: Reasonable goals and working people with limited space/time/budget. My big advice on getting a bow flex is they are a great start point for working out. It is self contained, looks nice and holds up well. Also you can start with super low resistance and work up. Also the way it sits makes watching TV and working out easy. The gentle resistance is good for rehabbing injuries and allows you to move up in resistance as well as keep both sides of your body honest and balanced. The machine is also good if you are older as you can set it to what you need. The machine will get you pretty big if that is a goal. But reasonably so. 400+lbs resistance is more than most will ever get to. If you are a lifter/bodybuilder you will need a gym. As a former swimmer and martial artist, it will make you look good by those standards. Line backer..... probably not. Cross-fit.....Buy a box and an old truck tire then play on the local jungle gym. Close: Again, for the real price this machine is hard to beat for a workout from beginner to advanced workouts. Expert and professional level is something else but this can get you to needing that next level. Which, again for the price is amazing.

I ordered this back in 2020. 5 years later it's still in perfect working order. The seat has slightly worn but nothing drastic. This is probably one of my best purchases of 2020. This machine has lots of different work outs you can do with it. It's basically a total gym. The only issue i have is that I have maxed out on the weights, they are to light for me now. I just need to look into Buying a heavier resistance bar set. I have also been through 2 moves with this machine, the first time I took it mostly apart to load it into a SUV, it survived. The 2nd move i loaded it into a uhaul. It survived that. Yes it does take a bit of time to take it apart to then load it into a vehicle but honestly it's worth it. Putting it back together is pretty easy. You can also find instructions on how to put it back together online if you lost the instructions manual. One thing to note, because these are resistance bars and not normal weights you have more control over them so it feels different vs normal weights. Also make sure when you are done using it you unhook the resistance bars from the cables so it releases the tension on them, otherwise they will lose their resistance.

My 20 year old workout machine finally broke so I researched several options and landed on the Bowflex Xceed. The deciding factors over a weight stack machine were noise level, footprint and number of exercises. I'm very happy with my decision overall but have a couple minor cons. PROS Fairly small footprint for the amount of exercises available. Very quiet so I can workout any time without disturbing anyone. Very well made, everything feels solid and made to last. Upgradeable to 410lbs resistance (though, actual resistance is about 60% of what's stated). CONS Cables need to be connected to switch between upper, mid and lower pulleys adding time when switching between these exercises. The cables that connect the lower pulleys are 6 inches too short, which makes them difficult to attach under resistance (I replaced them with aftermarket cables that I cut to length, see picture). Power rods will eventually lose resistance over time, hopefully Bowflex will continue to make replacement rods. Conclusion I've been using this machine for 3 weeks and even with the few negatives, I have zero regrets. The quiet operation makes up for the eventual need to replace the power rods. The BowFlex Xtreme 2 SE doesn't require connecting cables, but the option to spread out payments with 0 APR on Amazon for the Xceed was worth the trade off. I installed the 4 additional 50lbs power rods (210 to 310 and 310 to 410 upgrades) so it would meet my 225lbs+ requirement (60% of 410 = 246lbs). I've stayed active over the past 20 years but this new Bowflex machine has breathed new life into my routine. I'm now working out every day and targeting way more muscle groups. It's re-energized my workouts and given me the drive I thought I lost entering my mid 40s.

I waited about 18 months to write this review, as I felt that how the thing aged and how I felt about it after using it a while would be important elements in giving useful feedback. Tl;dr version: it's a solid, well-built machine that is a great fit for certain people, but probably not for everybody. I've used every imaginable piece of workout equipment, and this one is pretty unique amongst the resistance training options out there. I feared that the resistance would feel hokey, maybe more like resistance bands with pulleys and handles than real weights. However, this is not the case. While it does not feel exactly like a weight stack, it's a reasonable facsimile up through medium resistance levels (really high resistance does feel funny and unsatisfying). What you get in exchange for this sacrifice is a machine that can work any possible muscle and muscle combination with a fraction of the weight and floorspace of an equivalent free-weight setup. I've religiously tied the rods back up after every workout with a strip of velcro, and they're still providing similar resistance to what they provided out of the box. The $100 plastic gizmo they sell for this is not at all necessary to achieve this: an shoelace is just as effective. Having to change the pulleys and carabiners between exercises was annoying at first, but once I got used to it it was fine. I know there is a more expensive model that has extra sets of pulleys and thus less changing between exercises, but I don't think it's worth it. At the end of the day, it doesn't take any more time than changing plates on a bar, changing machines, or racking dumbbells like you would in a gym. Who this is NOT for, in my opinion, is the following: --Someone looking to seriously bulk up and get ripped. I'm pretty sure the guy in the promo photos did not get that way with a Bowflex machine. It's less effective and less natural at high resistance, and I'm pretty sure buying the extra power rods to really challenge a serious weightlifter would not change this. --Someone obsessed with tracking improvement over time in a very precise way. The power rods are numbered with weight values, but they don't seem to have much to do with actual pounds, and the resistance they provide is such that it can be hard to know what's progress and what's a rod that you've been using for an hour and is just getting a little tired. --Someone for whom the machine is meant to be the primary fitness outlet. I don't think it's meant for that. On the other hand, if you want an endlessly variable set of resistance exercises to stay tone and/or support other primary activities (running, cycling, golf, etc) and you don't have a ton of space for a stack and a mountain of free weights, this is a solid option. Setup was time-consuming but straightforward, and after maybe 100 workouts it's as good as new.

I am a 37 yo male who has always been able to be pretty height-weight proportionate but have love handles and a flat chest...have worked out at different periods over the years but never really put on mass or enjoyed it all that much. With Covid and working from home I wanted to get in better shape if possible. I have worked out on this five times now so it’s still early on but I am really happy with the purchase. This is a great piece of equipment for the price (I got it when it was $300 off or something). I did a lot of research on if Bowflex works or how effective it is and kept seeing the same old same old - piece of junk, only models used for pictures, makes a nice coat rack etc etc is but I balanced that with the good reviews here and some other blogs or articles that talked about the positives. All in all, if you use it it will work, I can tell that much already. I’ve done five of the twenty-minute better body routines (which takes me about 30 mins, I do more sets) and I see a bit of a difference already believe it or not. I can feel it work the muscles during workout and feel my muscles recovering after. As others have probably said, it’s not for serious body-builders but you can def get muscle definition and put on some muscle mass for sure...it’s resistance training and I think I like it better than free weights somewhat because I don’t feel like I will hurt myself if I can’t complete a rep and so I can push myself a little harder on bench press for example. I think the negative reviews online are those who are either gym rats or really cant get past the fact that a 50 lb Rod is not always equal to a 50 lb weight (it is when fully flexed I believe but there is less resistance prior to fully being flexed). It may not equate exactly and surely I can ‘bench’ more on the bowflex than on a free weight bench but I’m ok with that because I’m not going for a power lift number I just keep adding resistance until I can only do X reps. I love it. I’m excited to continue and I hope I maintain the enthusiasm but I know if I put in the effort then I can get noticeable results (and I am still well below the 220 lb max and this can be upgraded to 420 lb) so I know there is PLENTY of room to grow. Last thing, others were commenting about the installation and how easy it was...couldn’t agree more. Best instructions and easiest setup I have come across, it may not seem important but it was so nice. And the machine feels solid and seems like it should hold up well.

The Bowflex Xceed is quite an impressive machine. We owned a Bowflex before (XTL Power Pro model) back in 2013 and had moved to a new state since. This version is a massive improvement over the older models in my opinion. After reading countless reviews, we had decided to go with the power rod version (instead of revolution), primarily because of the price and space dimensions. Don't listen to the free weight junkies that says you can't build muscles using this machine, you can DEFINITELY build size, you have to use it properly (quality reps, instead of moving weight around without good form and technique). Pros: * Fast and easy to change resistance * Does not take up a lot of space (most rooms will handle it just fine as long as you have about 6' x 6' space and enough height for the lat tower. * Built in lat tower for upper back and chest exercises * Upgradeable to 310 and 410lb of resistance * Highly effective for muscle building and fat loss * Very low maintenance, less complex parts, built solid * Outstanding customer service at Bowflex! Cons: * For those that are experienced gym goers, the included resistance may not be enough for compound exercises such as squats and bench press (however, upgrading to 310 and 410 LB should be enough for most folks. * The handles that come with the Bowflex are great, but I highly recommend buying shorter ones, that way you will get a LOT more resistance out of some of the exercises (such as bench press). The standard Bowflex handles are too long and doesn’t allow the rods to bend enough to get the full resistance in many exercises. Overall, we really love this machine and if you are looking to get into shape, build and maintain a good amount of muscles, this will do the trick as long as you progressively overload and challenge your muscles, eat right, and stay consistent. The 210lb resistance is plenty for me right now but it’s good to be able to upgrade down the road. **Update 07/2025 We STILL use this machine, love everything about it! Bowflex's customer service is fantastic, even with the new owner, they still stand by their products! We had upgraded to 310 lbs, it was a simple and straightforward process.

With gyms being closed indefinitely, my body was feeling and showing the impact of not using free weights and cables and I needed a home gym. Stack gym units and cardio equipment were selling out fast everywhere. I was on the fence about Bowflex units leaning more towards a stack gym with weight plates but Bowflex appeared to offer more versatility and reviews pushed me off the fence. Delivery time was quick and done by a moving company which was constantly notifying me of delivery time. Shipping weight is over 300#; don’t trust the plastic package straps, better to handle the package using leverage or getting someone to help. Thankful for hardwood floors! Components are well packed, all in plastic bagging with ends protected by cardboard wraps. I removed all pieces and laid them on the floor pairing them together. Instructions are simple but graphics could be improved and text larger. Assembly time took two hours, you likely have the tools needed; adjustable wrench, Allen wrench and screwdrivers. Exercise booklet contains several workout plans you can choose to follow along with individual exercises showing muscle group targeted, cable position used, accessories needed, body position and movement. My first workout was spent learning about cable adjustment and gauging which resistance rods to use - not the same as using weight plates! Seemed to take so much damn time moving and connecting cables just for a few exercises. It got better after a week and with studying the exercise booklet. I can get a full workout for paired muscle groups in an hour and have been pleasantly surprised at how my body feels after each workout - pushed to fail!! Paired with dumbbells to target specific muscles, I’m getting what I needed. I still hit my gym that has reopened for additional leg and cardio workouts but Bowflex has proven to be a solid base.

I really liked the concept here of a weight machine workout from home without the weight of a traditional system and with easy set up. It is important for anyone ordering equipment from this company to know that this is NOT the original company. The original company guaranteed much of its equipment for life. They went bankrupt and left customers in a difficult situation. A new buyer bought the name and immediately stopped the lifetime warranty--even for customers of the company who had purchased under the lifetime warranty. They replaced it with a 5-year warranty and anyone who purchased with assurance of a lifetime warranty and owned their product for more than 5 years was left with NO warranty. THAT should tell you a lot about the product and abut the new owners. It's telling us that their equipment has a useful life of 5 years. After that, they are no longer comfortable standing behind the product. It then effectively becomes useless due to to the uniqueness of the product. This is not a product that will continue to function effectively when the resistance rods become less resistant or break through normal use. I have been down that road before with groups that buy up names of companies that went out of business and aren't interested in standing behind the reputation of a company they bought for pennies on the dollar. Yes. That is costly for the new buyer. But not as costly as their actions and reputation are damaging to the brand. I bought the product, paid for it, and sent it back when I learned this. Owners like this damage the reputation of small businesses everywhere. I am not interested in working with people who operate this way. You might be okay with it. If so, just be aware that your purchase is likely to last 5 years on average and then, you fork out money (and your labor) to be able to keep using it. And if it breaks within warranty, be prepared for a fight on your hands to get a company that operates like this to honor even its 5-year warranty. AVOID!!