Bowflex Ultimate Review
First things first: It took just about a month from the time it was ordered until the time it arrived. It arrived in six boxes and they arrived over two days. I think the UPS guy received a hernia hauling all the boxes.
Assembly: the instructions were perfect. I had the whole thing assembled in about 3 hours. I took my time because I wanted to make sure everything went together correctly.
During the assembly I ran into one problem, the plates that hold the lat bar were bent and had to be straightened. I was able to do this with a hammer and a good pair of channel locks. One hint, make sure you have the proper tools and spacing when you assemble your Bowflex, it will save you time and grief. Also make sure you have a second set of hands, it does make some things easier.
The instructions are easy to follow and all the nuts and bolts and other hardware were blister packed and are well labeled. I did not mix up any parts. I use paper cups with the part number on the outside, it keeps the work area neat and all the parts together.
Quality: The quality is amazing, all the parts are first rate, everything seems to be well made and all the parts fit without any trouble. The Ultimate looks like a work of art.
Exercising: the instructions and video didn’t really show how to connect the cables or more importantly the correct paths for the cables. I can see some people having minor problems connecting the correct cables. The hooks that connect the cables are very tight or very difficult to open and change. A person who has motor control issues will not be able to open the hooks. It will take some practice to become proficient changing between exercises.
I started with several of the exercises and found that the Bowflex was easy to use, there was no binding or obstructions. I really like all attachments that come with the Ultimate. You will not have to add anything for a while (the only upgrade you would need may be the extra 100 pound rods. The unit comes with 310 pounds of rods and I think that will last me a long time.)
Placement: make sure you give your self enough clearance around the Bowflex. I would recommend 8 feet by 9 feet of space. The lat tower is almost 7 feet high so you need to keep and eye out for lights or ceiling fans.
You may want to remove the leg unit when doing some of the exercises. It may get in the way when you are doing the rowing exercises. It is held to the bench by two knobs that are easy to loosen. The whole leg unit slides out of the way.
The whole Bowflex Ultimate is easy to move and can be folded and moved out of the way.
The exercise book is well done. The exercises are broken down into types. The sample exercise guides are done well and are easy to follow. The book is very complete and is wire bound so it stays open.
Video: The video is ok, but I would have preferred a DVD. A DVD will last a lot longer than a VHS tape.
Overall, I am very happy with my Bowflex Ultimate. I know my whole family will get years of use from it. And the quality is great. You will find the Ultimate expensive, but I think you will find it worth every penny.
Review by Rick Gasper
Other Bowflex Owner Comments/Reviews:
If you can afford it the bowflex ultimate is the way to go. It's a really nice piece of equipment that lets you do everything.
--JD Romans, Idaho
The resistance of the power rods feels weird at first but I got used to it and the ultimate gives me a good workout. --Kirby Swanson
I'm glad I got the Ultimate. I did a bunch of research first and was going back and forth between this and bowflex power pro. The reason this is better than the power pro is because it comes with 310 (instead of 210) pounds of resistance and it does 90+ exercises. Also all the attachments come with the Ultimate (and it's cheaper to get them this way than by upgrading them onto the power pro). Basically get the Ultimate if you want all the extra attachments and a little more weight. But if you're just going to do the standard stuff, go with the power pro or the motivator. --R.A. Mosan, BC
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