Well it took me some time that night to assemble it but mostly because at first I did not have all the right tools.. so I went into a super market that happened to be open 24 hours around here (Ralph's) and bought a couple of things.
So it's assembled, and I just finished my first "the 20 minute workout" thingie... it's the same as my older bowflex for that set of exercises except the new "movable pulley/angle of resistance" change thing. I did a bench press with the default narrow angle (equivalent to my previous Bowflex) and wide angle... it really does make a difference. Made the bench press much more challenging.
So other impressions:
Build of machine is good but..
The row seat. God damn Bowflex, it's virtually the same design. No "superior new and shiny" design. When I did the rowing it all brought back memories.. great rowing, but I can tell at some point something may give (the damn plastic rollers). I have decided to take the route that probably is what Bowflex expects: no I won't return it, but they will definitively hear from me every time the damn things break and will have to send a replacement seat or rollers - whatever. I have to admit this really pisses me off.
They better be working on that "improved design" for real.
My overall advice if you are buying a Bowflex:
* If you want cardio and rowing (and would not mind asking bowflex for a replacement seat every 6 months or every year), or you are not as overweight, anywhere near as I am, buy the Bowflex Pro at Costco. Really, it includes near all the same things and now that I worked out on this "Ultimate" model, the Bowflex Pro will feel for all the exercises they have in common pretty much, the same and will be equally effective. Save yourself $600-$700
* If you are a super hardcore trainer, and you know that you have been going to the gymn consistently 4-5 times a week for the past 2 years, and you want the ultimate variety in all sorts of exercises, then go for the Ulimate. Also if you run/bycicle, whatever consider the Extreme model, which doesn't have rowing but has virtually all of the "pro muscle building" exercises.
So there you go. It's a nice machine but in hindsight, going from what Costco sell would have been equally good and I would have saved $600.
Anyway, now that I have it, I am happy. It's setup, ready to go and zero driving/carding/waiting/getting out of car/getting in car gymn overhead.
"Hey Raist, would you defintively recommend everyone looking for a home gymn or such a Bowflex?"
I recommend you buy whatever you feel you will *USE CONSISTENTLY*, that is a good product at the lowest price you can get. In my case that was Bowflex. If for you that means a nice $500 bank w/ free weight go for that. The real reason went with Bowflex other than I already knew it really offers the training one needs is that I will use it consistently and is a better quality than say the Weider Crossbow.
Other than that, go for whatever you can find at the lowest price, that is good quality and above all *YOU WILL USE*.
The analogy from digital cameras applies here... Just like a big nice camera that stays at home doesn't take many pictures, the same applies to these things... The ultimate system/machine you don't use doesn't train you very hard, does it?
Decided to post a couple of other April shots...
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