Soloflex or Bowflex

[anabolic12]

After years of working out In the Gyms I’m almost embarrassed to ask this question. By the name of my title I’m sure you know what I’m going to ask. I have a good friend who is moving out of state to a smaller home. He over the years have purchased both of these systems (soloflex & bowflew). He is the type of guy that would talk about getting real serious about working out, but never thought about stepping into a gym. He would buy this new “state of the art equipment” lol, and use it once or twice then never touch it.
I am all about going to the gym, but he is getting rid of both of these, I personally since knowing him have never once used these home gyms. I was wondering if they are any good, he claims he paid about 2000 for the soloflex, which in my opinion that seems to be the one that would the best home gym to use. Anyway, he is trying to sell them to me, of course I don’t need two different machines, so I wanted to get everyones opinion. But before you share you opinion, please note, I am not thinking about this purchase as a way to replace my 5 day a week trip to the gym. I just think it might not be a bad thing to have around the house for the few days a month I cant make it to the gym. Plus I’m sure the wife would like to have one.

Whats everyones opinion on these machines? Can you get the workout that you would at a gym? He is saying he will sale me the soloflex for 500.. What do you think?

 

[210toosmall]

its probably a piece of junk for what any serious lifter wants to do,
however im sure most can agree that somethings better than nothing,as long as its mostly for your wife,
id say go with the soloflex,again for the wife.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

He should pay you to take it.

 

[lanky]

for $300 you can get a nice small weight set to do core exercises and it will take up less space in your home than a bowflex or soloflex. pocket the extra $200 and take your wife out for a nice meal and change to spare for a new pair of pants

 

[bw1]

He should pay you to take it.

lol

 

[reaper99]

Yeah only take it if its free, but you could use the bowflex to supplement your normal workout routine. or for warmups to freewieghts.

 

[Caper26]

I think if it is a really cheap price go for it. Like you said to supplement if you can't make it to the gym. I have never been into them but tried the Bow Flex before, i was in good shape training at the gym but i was shakey with the bow flex which lead me to believe that it may help with stabilizing muscles more. It is more similar to using cables at the gym. It is no comparison to free weights for sure but definately not garbage if you use it right, if you can do controlled movements with controlable resistance do your sets and reps you are going to get a work out. The more variety you throw at your muscles the better they respond from my exerience. Like you said your wife may also enjoy it, but like suggested i would not take one unless it was really cheap when you can just use free weights with better success.

Caper

 

[c3bodybuilding]

Soloflex was very popular in the 80's. Maybe he paid 2g for it then, but it's certainly not worth that or $500 now. You can look in those penny saver ads and you'll find a bunch of old people selling those for a few bucks. I wouldn't pay more than $200, even it's in really good shape. The bowflex I could see paying $500, because at least that's newer.

And even if it was mostly for your wife, she won't get the same results from the gym. Women should for the most part train the same way as men. I know you know this, but I saw a post from someone that seemed to imply it would be bad for a man to use these machines, but great for a women. I think it would be good for your purpose of getting a quick workout in for you and the wife when there's no time for the gym. It's certainly better than missing a workout!

I won't recommend getting a small weight set for home instead. I see the point of why some people recommend that, but I think you are looking for something to add to your workouts, not replace the actual gym. So there would be no point in buying weights for home. If you want the bowflex or soloflex, go for it. Just don't pay $500 for a machine that had it's heyday in the 80's

 

[scout69]

Tell hime you dont want the shit wait till he's about to chuck them and just take the bowflex I'd over him 100, Not bad to just have at your house in between workouts, hell I have a bench and free weights I'm trying to get rid of for 100 dollars

 

[solidspine]

for $300 you can get a nice small weight set to do core exercises and it will take up less space in your home than a bowflex or soloflex. pocket the extra $200 and take your wife out for a nice meal and change to spare for a new pair of pants

Ditto

 

[musclemom]

I'm a girl, and I wouldn't take a Bowflex if someone gave it to me for free and I workout exclusively at home. I used one for the first -- and last -- time the other weekend. Hated it on every level, horrible thing.

Don't buy equipment you've never tried out, and don't buy equipment for someone else that THEY'VE never tried out. If you think the wife would like the Soloflex, she needs to try it out and love it, or you could be wasting money.

 

[ViperHMS]

Buy the boflex and resell it for more. A friend of mine had one that he hardly ever used, it was the style they had out 5-6 years ago, not the newer ones, but anyway he found someone stupid enough to give him $1200 for it. I knew he was trying to sell it for $1500 and I told him he'd never get that for it, not even half. When he showed me the check, I almost kicked myself in the head. Just total shock.

 

[silver_shadow]

they are good for lounging around in front of the tv with a bag of potato chips and a six pack of beer

 

[myfault]

by both of them then trade them in for a "total gym"

 

[SgtSlaughter]

they are good for lounging around in front of the tv with a bag of potato chips and a six pack of beer

also they come in handy as a good ottoman

 

[anabolic12]

Thanks for all the replys, I told him last night that I wasnt really interested in either of them. He said that he was going to run an ad in the paper for about a week before he leaves, and if he has no takers he will give them to me.
I tried them both out last night, seems to me like the soloflex worked better, but the cable system on the Bowflex was harder to use, but I could see where if you got use to it, then it would be the better choice.
Anyway, thanks for your opinions, but I think that I will wait to see if he gives them to me. I love free stuff!!!
On a different note, I wish everyone could have been there when he was trying to sell these to me. Some of the comments he was making would make your fall over laughing.. These systems are what the real bodybuilder use, and so forth, lol

 

[LAN T]

by both of them then trade them in for a "total gym"

Then trade the total gym for.....

I saw this kid on TV who got a house from making trades. He started with one red paperclip.
popcorn bitch popcorn

 

[MXEng10]

dont pay for them. We had one at our personal weight room in college, and broke it in two places in a week, just our team using it. I dont think ull like the bowflex, it just seems to easy to use, but many opinions vary. If you are going to pay $500 for a home gym, get one of those universal ones with adjustable drop weights, or pne with a universal olympia weight set, u can prob find one that does more for cheaper.... just my two cents.

 

[silver_shadow]

if you get them for free, that's great! if i were you, i'd then put an ad to sell them (there's bound to be someone who'll buy it) and then buy some free weights, bench and a power rack

 

[mono_1]

I thought it was called Gay flex

 

[justinjones1963]

for $300 you can get a nice small weight set to do core exercises and it will take up less space in your home than a bowflex or soloflex. pocket the extra $200 and take your wife out for a nice meal and change to spare for a new pair of pants

Good idea. Personally I'd spend the extra $200 on lottery tickets and loose women.

I have free weights in my home. If you find them used they are very inexpensive.

Heck, in Iraq, before Arnold and Gold's sent them weights they were using rocks and tire rims as weights. A rock and tire rim is better than Bowflex.

 

[silver_shadow]

Good idea. Personally I'd spend the extra $200 on lottery tickets and loose women.

I have free weights in my home. If you find them used they are very inexpensive.

Heck, in Iraq, before Arnold and Gold's sent them weights they were using rocks and tire rims as weights. A rock and tire rim is better than Bowflex.

yep, i've seen tv footage of soldiers using axles too.
that's very strongman type of weightlifting. there's this strong man on the training forum (b fold the truth) who does that alot:
http://www.clintdarden.com/

 

[blut wump]

ViperHMS had the ideal suggestion if you can tolerate the hassle.

Otherwise, spend your money on a bar + weights set and a squat-stand. You might even be able to pick up a usable bench and still have change left over for a cheap night out.