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.

**Update 2 years later below***This review is for the Bow flex PR1000 and my use of it over the last 3 months. I don't think it's necessary to go into great detail concerning the shipping etc. but the machine is packaged very well. Assembly time- With me and a friend it took about 1 hour. Quality- I was surprised on the quality of the machine. It is sturdy and very well made. After three months it is holding up as it did on the first day. Workouts- There is a lot of workouts you can do on this machine. I would highly recommend the bow flex body plan book as it is a valuable reference. Concerning the workouts the point of the Bow flex is resistance. Each motion of exercise should be controlled. Workout results-With dieting I have lost 35 lbs. and using the bow flex only 3 times a week for approx. 30 minutes a workout. Other Models- I was somewhat overwhelmed at the different models and Bow flex nor do reviews on Amazon really help in this area. After doing exhaustive research I found the main difference between this model and the Pr3000 is mostly the Pr3000 comes with 100 extra lbs. of resistance. For another 500 bucks, they can keep it. *Side note. There are numerous articles and videos showing how you can add more power bars/replace with higher weight without buying a more expensive model. It's actually quite easy. Free weights vs. Bow flex. You will have friends and so called experts argue one over the other. Through my own experience now and in the past, the bow flex concentrates on and makes you use smaller muscles you thought you never had. Will you top out the weights/power bars is a concern I had when buying this. At this point the answer is no. If you're looking to be the next Mr. Olympia then you wouldn't be buying this anyways. But the short answer is this will get you in shape, tone or add some bulk, depending on your workouts. And will continue to do so for years to come. Space required- This is not a small machine so a good 8x10 area is recommended for use. Does it work? - The answer is yes as long as you use it.You will see results as long as the machine is used and you diet. Overall rating- The Bow flex pr1000 definitely is worth the money. The machine is well made and will do its job. **Update Two Years Later* This machine has helped me lose 60llbs of fat in a healthy way, that is not starving myself but by exercising. I have been going to a local gym and still the use bow flex when I am short on time or the weather is bad. I can now speak from experience from using both the Bow flex and free weights in a gym. The bow flex will still do its job and do it well. The key is still to do the exercises slowly. For example, when doing a bench press don't jerk up, push up counting to three, hold, and then come down in three. It will hit the little muscles and will really sculpt you. Works excellent, rods are fine, it has stayed together nicely. The bowflex works if you use it!

It arrived 3 days early, dumped on my driveway. Luckily it is heavy, so no one stole it. Who knows how long it had been sitting out there in broad daylight! It was quite a heavy box to slide and lift up against the house so I could park my car. That was the first workout! And it was a doozy. The movement of the machine is smooth. It is a joy to use, and really does make your muscles work out. There are so many exercises you can do that you will probably never get bored. This machine is definitely great value for the money. This is a great machine for women, older individuals, people rehabilitating from disease or accident. It is not a great machine for men who are already pressing lots of weight. It is also less expensive than a gym membership, so if you think you can self-motivate to exercise in the privacy of your own home, this is the first piece of equipment I would recommend you buy. Next on the list would be a treadmill for cardio (or a stair stepper), followed by teaching yourself how to do stretches (free) and balancing exercises (also free - think yoga poses). There you have it, all you would need to keep healthy for life when you add in healthy diet and good sleep habits. (Oh, and of course, quit those bad habits, you all know what I am talking about.) For set up, a socket wrench and vise grips make it quick and easy. My first recommendation is to measure the bolts, and place them on the page that indicates the parts list. Makes it easy to find which one you need when you need it. This is important, because some of those bolts are only 1/4 inch longer than the others, so it is easy to confuse them. Set up is very easy if you take your time. It does help to have a willing partner, but set up can be completed by one person. Unpacking the box actually seemed to be the hardest part of set up. There are 2 metal plugs with holes in them that come tied to the seat bar. There are no instructions for them. They fit into the holes that you use to bolt the seat rail to the upright part of the machine. The instructions about the bolt that is used to keep the seat rail raised when not in use, or set into the seat rail when in use, are not clearly defined. When is use, the bolt with the large handle grip should be screwed into the seat rail, up close to the upright part of the machinery. When the machine is not in use, and you want to raise the seat rail to free up space in the room, the bolt goes into the hole on the right hand side of the plate where the machine swivels. You have to look to make sure you line up the two holes properly before inserting the hand grip bolt, but you will get the hang of it. The rail goes exactly upright, 180 degrees from the floor, not leaning in towards the upright parts. It is very important to put this bolt in place to avoid injuries to yourself, children, pets, visitors, your floor. The upright will stay up without the safety bolt, but it will also fall if jostled. And believe me, if it fell something or someone would get hurt. It is very heavy. Stay safe. Play safe. I know the explanation above could be clearer if I knew the correct terms, but I did my best. Good luck. Better instructions than what came with the bowflex. When lowering the seat rail, stand to the side, and be prepared for the weight. This is very important the first few times you lower it, as you will be surprised at how heavy it is. You want to control the machine, not the other way round. One more small note, the exercise descriptions are wonderfully laid out, but if you are a non-exerciser, I suggest you look on the net for further descriptions of each exercise. It is really easy to misinterpret the pictures, and the explanations are somewhat lacking.

For the price and what you can do with this basic Bowflex unit, it's a pretty good deal. You can buy all sorts of machines that will do just one thing for the same price or more. It's fairly easy to assemble and the construction is solid. Officially, you can do 30 exercises with this model, but there far more possibilities than those included in the manual. Butterflies and reverse wrist curl as an exemple. The leg station could have used the extra parts needed for Lying Leg Curls, without them, the whole front of the machine serves only for leg extensions. My only real problem with the machine so far is the resistance of the power rods. 210 lbs isn't enough for calf raises and leg presses. The 5 lbs power rods seem useless. They don't offer enough resistance to be worth the space they are taking on the machine. I know it's possible to replace the 5 lbs rods with a pair of 50 lbs, but in my opinion, an extra pair of 30 lbs rods should have come with the machine by default.

I'm very impressed! It was delivered today. The box was pretty rough looking so I was a bit worried when I unpacked it. But luckily it is packaged very well on the inside so nothing was bent or damaged. Just a small scratch on one of the pieces. Putting it together was actually easier than I expected. The parts are all well made. The instructions were easy to follow. Took about 90 mins. Tried it out to see how it felt and the resistance rods really do make a difference. I love the resistance the whole time you do reps. You really feel the burn in your muscles! I'm a female who works out a lot and I think this bowflex is great for just about anyone since you have so many options for the resistance and different exercises. I highly recommend this!

*NOTE* I revised my review and took away a star because this unit is NOT UPGRADEABLE! If you use this unit for a while like I did (6 months), even though I was small to begin with (125 lbs), I've now maxed out on some routines especially leg exercises (press, calf raises) even if I've gained only 20 lbs. You will not be able to use 310-410 lb rod upgrades with this machine! I was excited about getting back to working out this spring! Though I was not interested in a membership at a gym, I figured the price-tag for the PR1000 alluring. I have a spare bedroom, albeit a small 14 x 14 room and the bowflex fits perfectly with plenty of room for other accessories. Even if I expected a bit of a hassle putting it together, the instructions could have been just a tad more precise on what was needed as tools, and what parts (the bits and pieces) were which. Took about 2 hrs to put together. All one really needs is a pair of vice grips, an ajustable wrench and some patience! A great, fun tool to get back into the grove. Mainly for upper body workout though...

noisy and machine is stiff...wish I could get a refund.