Bowflex Home Gym Workout Systems

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.

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.

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.

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 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.