Bowflex Power Pro Early Thoughts
With that in mind, I sketched myself out an upper body workout that did not require any of the Bowflex attachments. My plan was to divide my workouts into upper body and lower body, doing each twice a week for a total of four workouts a week, about 30 minutes each.
My first couple of workouts were admittedly slow as I looked up each exercise in the manual before starting. Though I knew my way around a weight stack and the typical machines at the gym, the Bowflex dynamics are a little different. The Bowflex video contains demonstrations of only the core exercises. It would be nice if an extended version was available that gave demonstrations of each of the 60 odd exercises. However, it is not necessary--the manual provides pictures and descriptions that I found relatively easy to understand and emulate.
The sliding seat worked smoothly without any hitches. The leg press (which can be done with your feet perched on either of the two bars, each hitting the muscles from a different angle) felt good. Having used rowing machines at the regular gyms, I wasn't too impressed by the rowing feature on the Bowflex. It works, but for me the arms ended up doing all the work, whereas with other rowing machines I've used, the legs are just about equally involved. It is a usable feature, however, probably more useful in warming up then doing a serious cardio workout.
The only feature I would change, if I was redesigning the Bowflex Power Pro, would be to allow the back of the seat/bench to rise to a vertical position. Right now, it can lay flat or at an angle for incline work. I think the shoulder/military press and a couple of other sitting exercises would be less awkward with something to brace your back against.
A nice addition would be some metal handles, something similar to D-rings for those who know them. The handles that come with the Bowflex are made from some sort of tough fabric (nylon?) with rubber-like grips. The adjustable fabric part is necessary for the leg exercises where you hook the handles around your ankles or feet, but for the upper body exercises, I think a less adjustable handle would have a better feel (sometimes the grip doesn't feel quite centered). The clips for fastening the handles are standard gym make, however, so it would be easy to purchase alternate handles of your own.
Despite these little wishes, I was pleased with my Bowflex purchase. I'm glad I was able to find a used Power Pro in good condition, but I believe it is worth the money new as well. As long as you stick with it, that is. It's a very expensive clothes hanger.
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