Has any one ever had any problems with these 2 gyms? I'm thinking hard about getting one and I am leaning tword the cross bow for the fact that its cheaper and has more weight. There are people saying that you cant build muscle or strenth with these things but the cross bow goes up to 440lbs and unless you can bench press more than that then you WILL build muscle and strinth. But any how let me knoe witch one you think is better.

I have the BowFlex and I guess its possible I'll build some muscle and strength with it (I'm a woman so the 210 pounds it comes with is plenty for pretty much any work I'm going to do), but its just not the same as a gym workout with free weights.

I don't know anything about the Crossbow - I guess its the same idea?

you will get better gains from a good set of free weights and a good bench that adjusts so that you can do squats a lat bar also is helpful. the bowflex and crossbow would probably work if you just want to tone and lose weight. but if u want to gain serious muscle mass free weights are the way to go. besides they are much cheaper than the overpriced bowflex or crossbow.

I'll agree that the Bowflex is seriously over-priced, however the CrossBow is only around $600.00. I too am ready to buy one of these machines, and trying to decide which one. Is resistance not resistance, no matter if it is from weights or rods??

Originally posted by zzippzzapp:
I'll agree that the Bowflex is seriously over-priced, however the CrossBow is only around $600.00. I too am ready to buy one of these machines, and trying to decide which one. Is resistance not resistance, no matter if it is from weights or rods??
it's still resistance but with free weights you involuntarily use a bunch of stabilizing muscles to keep the weight steady. with machines it is kept perfectly in place for you, so you won't get quite as strong with them. that doesn't mean never use them, i like to finish each bodypart with one or 2 isolation machines. working out at a gym is best, but if you must do it at home, i'd recomend going with a set of free weights. a little over a year ago my friend did this and has seen incredible results.

If you really will get one or the other, I'd opt for the Crossbow, since it has a rower for some cardio, and the Bowflex doesn't. If I didn't have a fairly good gym across the street, I'd buy the Crossbow myself.

Go for the Bandflex for $200 and spend a couple hundred more on a adjustable dumbells and bench w/ attachments. HTH

Im gonna butt in here in defense of the Bowflex. I own one and have for over a year and a half. WIth my high calorie, high protein diet, I have gone from 145lbs to my current 192lbs. The bowflex is a little pricey, but I am proof that with determination, and commitment, it works for even wieght gaining. Don't knock it if you've never tired it. I too have used free wieghts, and I do agree that SOME of the exercises in comparison seem a little more effective than the Bowflex. Keyword, SOME. However, I am gaining size fine without free wieghts, and will continiue too. It's all in your genes, and your will to succeed. Now the crossbow, I can't say anything about it, but I am sure it feels basically the same as the bowflex. As far as the bowflex not having a rowing feature. WRONG. That little seat can be adjusted to free-sliding by the simple tug of a locking pin. As a matter of fact, that is my main warming up excersise. Now, one thing I will admit is weather or not the bench press exercise of the bowflex is true to free wieghts. I say this because I can bench 280 on a good day on my bowflex. I have never tried benching that much with free wieghts. Ohh, and when they say the bowflex doesn't wear out, believe it. My buddy who worked out with me when I first started can still only bench 200 max, and when I started, I couldn't even THINK of benching 160, let alone 200. I can say this also. One exercise I decided to try real quick one day with free wieghts was a reverse forearm curl. With the free wieghts, I could pull that sucker right up no sweat. On the bowflex, I couldn't unless I put my hand in the ankle cuff, and it was still difficult. So basically, I am saying, don't think the bowflex, crossbow, etc. doesn't compare to the wieght feel. 50lbs on the bowflex, is 50 lbs on the free wieghts. ( I figure the bowflex was a little harder for this exercise because how the wieght increses thru the bending of the rod, and I couldn't cheat by using momentum.) Anyway, happy exercising fellas and there's some word on Resistance machines from one who has one. It DOES WORK FOR MUSCLE GAIN AND STRENGTH!!!!

My workouts consist of both Bowflex & free weights. I've been using the Bowflex for about half a year, free weights for more. When I first started, my workouts were 90% Bowflex, 10% Free Weights. I now use 50% Bowflex, 50% Free Weights because I wasn't getting enough results from just the Bowflex. I now get pumps in my muscles that I have never felt using Bowflex. So it's probably only a matter of time before i say goodbye to the Bowflex...

That's kinda strange Andrew. Did you have 410 lbs of resistance, or just the 210? As long as you can increase the wieght to where you can only do no more than 8 reps, you should max out your muscles.

I only have 210lbs of resistance. It's not that I ran out of weight to use; there's plenty. I just wasn't getting the results I wanted.

I have considered going with both of these also. One reasaon I did not was the price. Granted the one cost of either would be cheaper than a gym membership in the long run. I looked into both and couldn't decide either. As it turned out I didn't go for either. My brother-in-law has the crossbow set up where he works and said that two employees broke the clips for the bands twice while just testing it out within the first month. I started to look more closely at the Bowflex because of this. I had used it before when it first came out back in the day and it wasn't to bad. In the end I got a Total Gym from the sporting goods store I work at. (It was a "steal") I am happy to say that I am VERY pleased with it. I use it more than my free weights now and still seem to get the same "high". This is my primary unit now for staying in shape to get into the police academy.