Home Gym Equipment

Reviews

I have owned these dumbbells for about a month now and so far I am very happy. They seem sturdy, and when I say sturdy I mean built well and they don't feel flimsy. However, these dumbbells CANNOT be treated like regular dumbbells which means no dropping on the floor or banging together. I also bought the stand (well it came for free, bowflex had a promotion going on) and the incline/decline bench. Both items were easy to set up and seem to be built very well. I recommend both of them. I guess time will tell on how they hold up, although I plan to take good care of them and not smash them around. On paper they might look expensive but in reality they are cheap compared to how much it would cost if you bought the same weights in individual dumbbells.

I recently started the P90X program which allows you to workout in the comfort of your own home. Due to the durability and accessibility of being able to store them in a closet was a must for me. Instead of being forced to buy individual weights that take up quite a bit of room, you have all your weights in two dumbbells. You're getting what you pay for in the craftsmanship of these weights. They are very sturdy and do not feel cheap at all. The only con that I found with these weights were that they are a bit on the large side. This does limit your range of motion ever so slightly while doing certain exercises. Overall, great product and highly recommended!

This product is acceptable. Its usefulness must be weighted against its flaws and in my opinion (so far) this a moderately well-designed product for its purpose: the home gym. As others have noted the individual weight-components shift around slightly while in use--nothing extreme--but noticeable. Over time this may become a problem due to wear. This is why I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who will have more two people using these on a regular basis. This means not for any commercial uses or in therapy clinics (see some of the other comments...) Because they shift, occasionally the weights get stuck in the holder. There is a technique to removing them involving standing on either side of the base and forcibly pulling on the weight. Happens about once a week, although nothing seems damaged, so I have been dealing with it so far. Overall, a decent product for someone in cramped quarters (ie a dorm room or studio apartment) who doesn't mind dealing with a few minor flaws in design.

Plus: Space saving, easy to adjust weight, high quality materials. Cons: Not very cheap, a few moves can be awkward due to the size of the dumbbells. I think it's a fantastic product - if you purchase individual hand weights of the similar material it would run up a much larger bill and take up more space. When you order be sure to arrange for proper pick up or delivery - the package is 150 pounds!

I have owned a pair of these for about 7 months. The weights stay on really secure so I didnt have to worry about them dropping on my feet. They are a bit more expensive than some but you get what you pay for. If you dont always have time to go to the gym like me, or you just want a decent upper body work out then these are the ones to buy

Reviews

If you can afford these dumbbells then buy them, if you cant and want to get into shape then save up and buy them. They are just what I need on days I am too lazy to get to the gym. They almost force you to work out and they are so simple to use. What a great product

I've owned the SelecTech 552's for several years and I love them, but I was starting to outgrow them and wanted a bit more weight. I purchased a set of the 1090's and they're great. My only gripe about them is that the handles aren't as comfortable as the 552's, but I just wear workout gloves now and that has mostly remedied the issue. I would highly recommend either the 552's or the 1090's for anyone who wants a well made and versatile adjustable dumbbell set. Be sure to get the stand!

These Dumbbells are awesome. The grip on the 1090 is rough, so gloves would probably be a good idea. Make sure you order a pair too :) Some companies sell them individually, others as a pair...same price bottom line.

I'll keep it short and sweet, you cannot go wrong with these dumbbells. Unless you are a bodybuilder the bowflex 1090s will do everything you need and then some. A very high quality product.

I bought one to give it a try, I figured that if I didn't like it it would be easy to justify the loss. I like it for the most part, compact is nice for my place and it is much nicer then dealing with the big weight "trees". Based on my experience I am going to buy the other one. The one thing that I noticed as I was using this is I am glad I didn't buy the Selecttech 552 (or any other system that only goes to 50 lbs.). Although there are many exercises that I don't need 90 lbs. there are some that 50 lbs. would get really light really fast (back exercises). These seem to be very popular and compared to other similar systems this seems durable (though I wouldn't drop it). I do agree the handles aren't that comfortable. The length is a little annoying. But either can be fixed with a little imagination. I did also buy the stand which is nice... though not needed. You can easily pick up from the ground (with your legs not your back).

Reviews

I love this! It takes a while to figure out how to hold everything just right to make it work with regularity. At first, I could only get the heart rate monitor to work 30% of the time, but now, I get a reading 90%+ of the time. I'd recommend it!

the product works everytime but it is cricial to moisten the finger tips to get a heart rate, it is great not having to wear a chest strap

I've been using this monitor/watch for about 3 weeks now while I train for a marathon. When I first got it and was running outside in the cold, it never seemed to want to get a reading, and I assumed it had to do with blood circulation in the cold being less than great. The first couple of days, I tried to use it while I was at work, and was warm and it would only occasionally get a reading. After those first few days, I discovered that I was placing the tips of my fingers on the monitor when I should have been using the pads of my fingers. It shows the correct placement in the instructions, but doesn't mention that if you're not getting a reading you may be using the wrong placement. For the last 2 and a half weeks, it has given me a reading every time. That includes while I'm running, while I'm lifting, and while I'm just walking around at work or home. I've even checked it against the heart rate monitor built into the treadmills at the gym. While they both have faults, I find that they are usually in the same range give or take 5 BPM. If you really want extreme accuracy, you should probably consider a chest strap model since blood flow to extremities is variable anyway. In closing, if you want a monitor that is accurate, if not exact, and don't want to have to wear a chest strap (they are usually uncomfortable) this could be the heart rate monitor for you. Pay close attention to the instructions. Other than figuring out the finger placement, which is really about as comfortable as you could expect, the rest of the features are extremely easy to figure out. I wouldn't traide it for a more expensive model.

I first bought a Mio watch but only 2 weeks later a button fell off. Ive read comments about some having it for 2 years without even changing the battery. Either I bought a bad sample or they lowered their quality but I decided to return the Mio to the store and then came back to check other reviews on Amazon. I chose the Bowflex and don't regret it. Very precise, simple, sturdy, easy to get your pulse, calculates your calories burned in a determined period of time, has different timers, etc. You can't go wrong with this watch. Not a watch I'd necessarily wear around all day, but for training it's perfect and it's just great not to feel a strap around your chest when doing some cardio.

I am pretty pleased with my choice of the Bowflex Fit Trainer. It works exactly as advertised. The functions are easy to understand and use. I have had it for about one month now and evrything is operating as I would expect. Only negative, I would mention is that about 20% of the time I try I don't get a heart rate reading. I believe this is because my skin is fairly dry at my wrist or fingers. Typically, when this happens wetting my fingers does the trick. It seems fairly accurate given the fact that you don't wear a chest strap. Overall, I'm pleased with my purchase. As usual, the purchasing experience through Amazon was excellent; decent price, arrived on-time, and well packaged!

Reviews

First of all, you really need some type of stand to set your SelectTech weights on, and this is probably the one you want since it's made specially for them. The construction is good and solid. It comes with solid feet and with casters. You can attach either, depending on whether you plan to leave it in place or need move the stand about. The stationary feet are fine, but the casters that came with mine were very flimsy and too lightweight. They deformed under the load when the weights were put onto the stand (552's). The walls of the casings holding the wheels flattened some, making it hard to roll the stand. I ended up throwing these casters away and buying a set of heavy duty casters that were designed to take the weight. I can roll the stand easily and smoothly now, but higher quality ones should have come with the unit. If you don't think you will be moving the stand around, this won't be an issue for you, as the solid feet work well. My other complaint is that I would like to see the stand just a little bit higher, as some other reviewers have mentioned. I am 5'10" and have to stoop just a little when picking the weights up. It's not a big deal because I don't have to bend much at all, but it's something I have to be aware of and careful about because of lower back weakness. Another couple of inches in height would have been perfect. But overall, I can recommend the stand.

This is just what my husband needed! no more bending over to heft the weights up off of the floor. The stand was easy to put together, unlike some of the reviews I had read prior to purchasing. I'll have to guess that bowflex heard enough bad reviews of the instructions to re-write them. That being said, my husband simply looked at the diagrams and didn't read any of the instructions, anyway. He's not a super handy man, so this is saying a lot. He loves it, I love that he's safer. Two thumbs up!

I purchased the SelectTech Dumbbell stand at the same time I purchased my Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells and I'm glad I did. With the number of times I change the weight on the dumbbells the stand makes this a breeze. Well worth the investment. I've seen some reviews that said the assembly instructions were difficult to understand and follow, but mine included an easy to follow booklet that contained an exploded diagram plus several details pages with easy to follow steps. It took about 30 minutes to set up mostly due to the number of bolts required to put it together. The construction is solid and sturdy. I only gave it a 4 out of 5 since the wheels (optional) are basically useless if you are trying to move the stand and the weights on carpet. For the most part I just keep them in one place so it's not much of an issue.

After reading some of the reviews, I was concerned that putting this together would be a pain, but I entered cautiously, making sure to keep the 2.5 inch bolts separated from the 2.75 inch bolts and the 3 inch bolts, then just followed the directions making sure to use the correct pieces. Construction really took only about 45 minutes. I am one who usually does not follow directions during assembly, or at least uses them as a last resort, but after reading the reviews, I decided to follow them this time and construction was a breeze. Don't let the other reviews scare you away. Now for the stands...Very solid, perfect height. You don't want to have to pick 50 pounds off the floor, so these stands are essential to save your back. I am tall (6'3"), and the height is perfect. I have no worries that the stand will last forever. The weights are awesome too! If you are serious about working out, invest in this and you will not regret it.

I recently purchased a set of Bowflex 552 Dumbbells during Black Friday and immediately realized the need for a stand to place my weights on. Unfortunately, I could only find one stand that was compatible with this dumbbell set (I like having options to compare between). One comment I have read on other reviews was that the stand was hard to install and the instructions were not adequate - I had no issues with the either the installation or instructions. It took me about an hour to setup. Pro: -Will save your body from bending over to pick up weights -Sleek look Con: -Cost Conclusion You have to have something to place your weights on, and other than making a shelf or putting them on some type of table/stand, this is the best thing out there. Recommended if you can afford it. FYI - If you don't care about the look of your gym, you can simply place these weights on top of the styrofoam that the dumbbells are packed in. Doesn't look good and not as sturdy, but it did the trick for the first month before I caved and bought this stand.

Reviews

More information on the Bowflex then you get with unit . If you are getting new unit or a used one this is the book to have .

This is a great guide for the best exercises to do on a Bowflex. Dr. Darden knows Bowflex and which exercises are most effective for building muscle and burning fat. If you have a Bowflex, you need this book so you don't waste time on less effective routines.

I just skipped around and found the parts I was interested in...Layout of the book could be better, but very informative and will change the way you look at your weights regimine. Do only one set of each, increase pounds if you can do 12 reps, sdrink 4 - 32 oz bottles of ice cold water a day and do not exceed 1200 GOOD calories if your a woman and 1400 for men. Low fat protien at every meal...fibrous carbs(veggies) and no refined sugars or flours..DRINK DRINK DRINK....There, I just summarized the book for you.

This book is very helpful to me in learning how to use my Bowflex Power Pro XTL. I bought the equipment used without an instruction booklet, so I had no clue how to do the exercises or how to use the equipment. This book has it all, I use it every time I exercise and there are great plans to follow for your exercise regimen and even instruction on how to eat right. I would highly recommend it for anyone with a Bowflex!

I love this book. I know that some people have stated that this book is just like the manual that comes with the Bowflex. That is only true if you just skim this book. This book gives better pictures of the 23 exercises that he recommends. The exercises are for the Bowflex Ultimate. However, you can use these on the Power Pro with the right attachments. He provides multiple routines plus an awesome chapter on breakdowns, double pre-exhaustion, and negatives. When you really look at this chapter you realize that there are more than 23 exercises because of the way you perform these routines. The only negative about this book is the extra fluff. I believe it is there in order to convert you to the HIT philosophy. Since HIT goes against the grain of what most people have been told about weight lifting I get the feeling DR. Darden feels that he needs to convince you with all the extra pages that it works. Once you are sold on HIT those extra pages just get in the way of the meat of this book. If you follow the leanness program in the Bowflex manual to the letter and you have no intentions to work on sculpting your body then this book is probably not for you. However, if you want to sculpt your body, work on strength training, and target your problem areas (arms,chest,abs) then this book is a must.