Whether you’re trying to get in shape, increase muscle strength and size, boost overall health, or simply looking for a new way to work out, a Bowflex home gym is an excellent addition to your fitness routine. Aside from all the time you’ll save commuting to the gym and waiting to use equipment, exercising at home also increases the likelihood you’ll actually stick to your workout plan.
A Bowflex home gym is an investment, but it’s also a versatile and incredibly worthwhile piece of equipment that targets all muscle groups with one machine. Bowflex has several home gym systems, but the Xtreme 2 SE and Revolution are the top two models
Wondering if the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE or Revolution is a better fit? The ACTIVE Reviews Team broke down everything you need to know in this Bowflex home gym review to help you decide which weight-training equipment is best for your exercise needs.
Why Trust Us?
The ACTIVE Reviews Team is made up of fitness experts that include athletes, coaches, and certified trainers who bring their years of knowledge and experience to each review. More importantly, each member of our team is a fitness enthusiast. Fitness may be our job, but it is also our passion. Therefore, we strive to bring you products that we trust and would personally use.
A Quick Look at the Bowflex Home Gyms
Bowflex is one of the most recognized names in fitness equipment. Starting in 1986, Bowflex has produced countless versions of resistance machines designed for total-body workouts you can do from home. Since its inception, Nautilus, the company that owns Bowflex, has added weights, stationary bikes, ellipticals, weight benches, and more to the Bowflex lineup.
The Xtreme 2 SE and the Revolution reflect the innovation, high-quality craftsmanship, and functionality that Bowflex is known for. At the high end, the Revolution is the best Bowflex home gym available. It’s designed with a revolutionary resistance system that provides continual resistance throughout the entire range of motion, making it an ideal machine for anyone wanting a gym-quality experience. However, it does come with a steep price, so it may not be the best system for people looking for a budget Bowflex home gym. Fortunately, the Xtreme 2 SE Bowflex home gym is more affordable and still provides excellent full-body results.
There are a few key differences between the Revolution and the Xtreme 2 SE, but the most notable is the resistance system. The Revolution uses SpiraFlex resistance plates, which provide full resistance throughout the entire range of motion. In contrast, the Xtreme 2 SE uses Power Rod technology that produces more tension at the end of the movement. The Power Rods feel more like free weights or dumbbells, whereas the SpiraFlex is more linear and feels similar to using a plate-loaded machine but without the bulk. Read on to learn more about these two home gym systems.
The Xtreme 2 SE Bowflex home gym has a slightly smaller footprint than other Bowflex equipment, making it a smart choice if you have limited space and need to keep the machine in one place. The recommended workout area is 96 inches long by 78 inches wide when in use. Additionally, you may want to place the unit in a room with higher ceilings to avoid limiting your range of motion during standing exercises.
Weight
The Xtreme 2 SE is one of Bowflex’s lighter systems. Fully assembled, this home gym only weighs 185 pounds. However, it’s still a good idea to have two people when moving the Xtreme 2 SE and you should get a machine mat to protect your floors.
Resistance
The Xtreme 2 SE standard configuration is 210 pounds, which includes one pair of 5-pound rods, two pairs of 10-pound rods, one pair of 30-pound rods, and one pair of 50-pound rods. This should be enough resistance for beginners and intermediate fitness levels, but more seasoned exercisers looking for heavier resistance may want to purchase additional Power Rods, which increase the resistance to 310 or 410 pounds. Each Power Rod upgrade costs $129. The Power Rods and cable system generate resistance when you pull against a rod with tension. The tension gradually increases as you progress through the move, challenging the muscles through the entire range of motion, similar to the amount of tension you experience when using a resistance band.
Number of Exercises
With the versatility to perform over 70 exercises, the Xtreme 2 SE system is designed with an easy-to-use multiple pulley system that allows you to move from the lower body to the upper body without changing cables. Included with the system are the squat bar and ab-crunch/shoulder harness attachment. You can purchase the preacher curl and gym-style ab crunch attachments separately. You also get a lat tower with an angled lat bar for back and shoulder exercises, a leg extension attachment, and a four-position lower pulley squat station to work your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
The five-way hand grip and ankle cuffs that come with the system allow you to customize the angle of resistance with each workout. The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE owner’s manual lists all possible exercises with detailed instructions and pictures, with the number of moves per body part.
Source: Active
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