OT: Home Gyms?

[MizzouRah]

Ok, I recieved a months membership to the Gym here in town last month and used it once. (Just too hard to make it there with their hours and my work hours).

So, I've been nagging the wife about a home gym. She's not happy becuase years ago I had a Soloflex and used it for about 6 months before it became a jungle gym for the cats.

Anyhow, I really like the features of the Weider Crossbow Platinum home gym. It's only $999, much lower than bowflex and it appears to do the resistance automatically (buttons), which is a plus in my book.

http://www.platinumcrossbow.com/platinum/

My quesion, does anyone here have/use a home gym? and if so, what do you recommend. I'm hoping someone has a bowflex or crossbow and can tell me if they like it. The original crossbow has recieved good reviews, but I can't find any on the Platinum version... I think it's too new.

There is also a 6-8 week wait for the CB Platinum, which I would think means... it's selling like crazy.


Any help would be appreciated...


Thanks,

Todd

[cartman]

Also check out TotalGym (http://www.totalgym.com). They are in the price range you are looking at, and they can do a ton of different excercises. I almost picked one up before I was transferred to Italy. Once I get back, I plan on picking one up.

[JW]

I own a Total Gym and am very pleased with it, but I'm not trying to add a lot of muscle and look like the folks in the commercials. I use it for tone and flexibility, although some people did say after I had been using it for awhile that I must be lifting weights. I did size up my arms and shoulders a little. Right now I use it once or twice a week for about 30 minutes along with running two days a week. For tone and flexibility it is good imho; I can't tell you how it compares to other home gyms.

[Radii]

I own the bowflex motivator and I like it, but it is not without its faults. Note that I am specifically talking about the Motivator model, as the models are different.

a) There is no way to do a flat bench press. The angle you're pulling the pulleys from if you tried to do it would be very, very awkward and probably apt to cause injury. Instead, the main chest exercise is the incline bench press. I never had a problem with this but it is there.

b) I own the leg attachments and the lat bar attachment, but I cannot do squats on them. I am 6'4" and while there is a way for me to setup the machine for squats, I am simply too tall to stand up a reasonable amount w/ the bar on my shoulders.

I have a good friend that owns one of the newer models(I got mine 2-3 years ago...) and he does not have any problems w/ squats at all.

I absolutely love my bowflex, but I am not a serious weight lifter. I do it when i am dieting or in the a "get healthy" mode to get some weight resistance exercises in along w/ my cardio, but I do not do it seriously and I cannot bench large amounts or weight, or anything like that... I am not sure if I got very very serious about it and was all of a sudden benching 250 or whatever I could get to if I tried, if I would find the machine as helpful(I might, but again, another caveat)

It is a very reliable machine. I have had no problems with it in the 2-3 years I've owend it. I've moved it twice without incident, etc.

[MizzouRah]

Thanks for the replies. I'll check both of those out.

I'm one of those people who take awhile to make a big purchase like this .. ($1000+).

So, I'll let this post go for awhile. I really wish the Weider CB Plat. would have been out for sometime.


Todd

[HornedFrog Purple]

Weider makes good stuff, but I prefer free weights. Your body will get a lot more out of free weights.

I have a Weider free weight set and and adjustable incline bench. For legs, I just do squats and run in the morning.

That would save you about $700. Just a thought.

[MizzouRah]

Might try that as well, HFP.

Anyone get one of these for Christmas? (Weider CB Platinum)



Todd

[FBPro]

I have a "regular" CB and it is pretty good. Used fairly regularly and is a good value(I thought) compared to other options.

[MizzouRah]

Originally posted by FBPro
I have a "regular" CB and it is pretty good. Used fairly regularly and is a good value(I thought) compared to other options.

Yes, I saw that one at Wally world for $400. The platinum one just has automatic resistance settings, I think.

Does it give you a good workout?



Todd

[rkmsuf]

You should get the one that makes you look like a gazelle...

[FBPro]

Yeah, it's a pretty good machine IMO.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by MizzouRah
So, I've been nagging the wife about a home gym. She's not happy becuase years ago I had a Soloflex and used it for about 6 months before it became a jungle gym for the cats.

Don't let her get to you, cats need jungle gyms.

[Phoenix]

got the bowflex (mac-daddy model - all the weights, all the attachments) about two years ago - use it all the time and love it - and this from a guy who actually competed in bodybuilding shows about 8-9 years ago (although I was not as huge as Skydog and didn't wear such patriotic posing trunks)

[elwaywastheman]

I used free weights for a while until I tried maxing out on bench press without a spotter and nearly killed myself. If you're not doing barbell bench presses, then free weights are pretty safe, and very effective. You could buy a nice dumbell, barbell and bench set for $200 or less, especially if you got some used weights.

I purchased a Bowflex 2 years ago and have been very pleased. I added some upper body strength and size after using it 2-3 times a week for about 4-5 weeks. One of my dad's friends, who is about 50, got significantly more muscular after using his periodically for a couple of months. My biggest problem is that the cords do not extend long enough for some exercises that I like, but I can improvise and do some equivilant exercise without a problem. Also, I don't use it for rowing (and I used to row competitively) because it works my arms so much more than my legs that I can't row for more than 5 minutes.

[MizzouRah]

Thanks again for the posts.

I like the looks and rep of the Bowflex, but it's so darn expensive compared to the Crossbow. I really wish there was more information on the CB Platinum, all I read on the website is how much better it is than the Bowflex.... what do I expect them to say?


Todd