Customer Reviews

Bowflex Revolution FT Home Gym

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

*I am writing this 'review' not from the standpoint of purchaser, but rather from the standpoint of informer. I hope this can save someone from maybe buying the wrong Revolution.*
There are 3 different Bowflex Revolutions. There is the 'regular' model (the Revolution) (footprint of app. 3'X 8'), then the [space-saving] Rev. XP, and also the [space-saving] Rev. FT (footprint(s) of app. 4'X5').
It seems as though the FT does NOT come with a seat/chair/bench (unless "added on"). Some [other] places offer the 3.1 bench included in the price of the FT. Purchaser should be aware that unless added, no bench will come with FT (again, this is from my research..please correct me if I am wrong).
I am needing a bench that is able to be 'attached' to the unit, so the bench is stable...not wobble-like, or shaky ; therefore, I am opting for the XP. The "FT" is the retail version of the Revolution. Also, I personally see no provision(s) for a [true] preacher curl.
I love the design and footprint of the [space-saving] Revolution(s), just wanted to clear up a potentially confusing situation.

I have been working out on my new FT for just a few days. So far I am incredibly impressed with the workouts and the level of flexibility of the FT. I opted for the FT because I think that not having the bench attached to the actually unit gives me a little bit more flexibility in my work outs..the bench in my opinion would get in the way. I bought an after market bench from Target. It works perfectly and is an added plus when I move to my selecttech dumbbells. First lets talk about the setup.
Setup was pretty simple. The directions are straight forward and well put together. I ran into a snag at the end when I noticed that one of the chords was off track inside the actual housing of the FT. Customer service was closed for the weekend so I had to wait until Monday. Bowflex should either place these instructions online or include them in a troubleshooting guide. All in all there wasn't much to it. Customer service is great. On to the workouts.
To get the most out of the FT or any Bowflex with the spiralflex tech remember these words.."Form Is EVERYTHING" 4 seconds out and 4 seconds in, is the rhythm needed to get the max out of your workout. You will have to experiment with the spiraflex plates to figure out what works for you but once you find that sweet spot you will be rewarded. The workouts are intense and give you a great amount of "burn" and feedback. I group my exercises so that I can work a couple of different muscles in a given arm and grip position.
Here is my only negative...The chords loose their tension after a few sessions. Bowflex has a knob that you turn that is suppose to tighten the slack when this happens. Every time I touch that knob to adjust the tension the chord becomes tangled and I have to open the whole thing up to straighten it out again. I hope it's something I'm doing wrong, and very well maybe..but it is annoying.
Conclusion...Buy it! The FT is a couple of hundred bucks cheaper than the XP and works just as well as the others. It really doesn't take up that much space I think it would fit perfect in an apartment or loft. My motivation for buying it was to spend more time at home with the family and less time on the road to and from the gym. To that end the Bowflex is just right for me!

I bought this item as a combination with the 1090 dumbells and the 3.1 bench. Ok back to the FT itself. Putting it together was fairly easy, the nuts and bolts are all seperately marked (an excellent touch I thought). When it was just about done and ready today....comes the bombshell.....There IS NOTHING in the assembly or user manual to explain what happens if the inner cable on the pully wheels inside, and the straps for the weight "wheels" go out of sync, ir the inner cables get all tangled. 3 HOURS it took and lots of internet research to discover how to rectify this problem. Which included me taking off the sides (note also, you will need a VERY long thin philips head screwdriver to get one of the screws out as its a really deep hole in the side) and top. Having to remove the 5lb plates for the spiraflex weights, pull out the tension knob, move the inner wheel clockwise and also make sure the "bands" were straight down (not angled) and tight. AND making sure the "counter weights" were rested on the springs inside (not the red plastic) Then replacing the plates and sides.....FINALLY got it all working.
BUT CMON over 1,400 for a fitness machine that is OBVIOUSLY great once working, but has no information AT ALL on this problem????? which is a VERY common issue. Which could have been explained both on the video, or a few sentances in the assembly/user manual

Having said that, now its all working, the system is INCREDIBLY smooth (albiet a little bit of flappy noise from the plastic that protects the bands on the wheel, but doesnt deter from the workout)
It is important to follow the 4 second in 4 second out to get the most out of the system, but it really is incredibly space concious and versatile.
Would have been a definate 5 but for the problem I had during assembly and setup

I purchased this on clearance at Sam's for $200. At that price, I couldn't pass it up. I'll just give a few pros and cons.

PROS:
1. Easy to use
2. Much smoother and consistant than older models
3. Huge variety of exercises that are easy to switch between (simply adjust the swing arms)
4. Smaller footprint so it's not a monstrosity.
5. Manual actually has some decent workouts with varying levels of difficulty and they are well rounded.

CONS:
1. No bench....right now, that's not a big deal, but when you up the weight for chest, stability in standing becomes an issue.
2. 200lbs of resistance....again, right now, no big deal, but squats and bench will eventually surpass this. The additional 80 lbs of weight is roughly $150 on its own.
3. Other reviewers mention the bands coming undone...I've yet to experience this but I could see why this would be a con.

In the end, a great product that I would have no problem spending $500 on. I'm not sure about $1500, but I got it on clearance. BTW, some Sam's still have it clearanced for $200 or $300, just check the website and enter your local store to check.

I had a lot of hope for this product, and generally felt it was a good deal considering the price from Amazon. It looked easy to assemble, and relatively sturdy, and for the first 1.5 hours after opening the box I was optimistic. The problem arose when I tried to attach the front base to the upright component. Much to my frustration, considering this was well into the assembly, two of the threaded holes that attach the base did not line up. You would think "there had to be some way to get them in", which is exactly what I thought; after 2 hours of trying, including completely disassembling the device, and starting over, I realized there was no way to do it short of re-machining the holes.

Considering how much I liked the product to this point, I actually finished the assembly without those bolts in, with the hopes it was over-engineered. Unfortunately the base and upright component had enough wobble for me to realize it would be a long term problem. Thank goodness for Amazon, and their return policy. They took care of arranging it to be shipped back to them at no expense to me due to the problem I had.

I recently bought, installed and used this machine for a workout. First of all, the smoothness of the Amazon (free) delivery was praiseworthy. It arrived in 4 boxes, one of which was enormous. The entire package was intimidating to even look at, so it took me a day or two to muster up the patience and will to set the machine up. The setup took only about 3 hours from start to finish and the manual was detailed, bringing one up to the finished product in about 20 steps. Many of the steps sounded like they had remedied problems faced by other customers in the past. (Such as the tangling of the internal cables, as the machine I got came with plastic straps to prevent tangling.) When I was done with the setup (and cleanup: what a mess of paper and styloform), I did my first workout, focusing on the chest. What is impressive is that the resistance is very even and you are less able to use momentum to finish the rep. To give you some background, I have been working out at least thrice a week for the past 11 years, so I don't consider myself a beginner. (I am 150 lb and can bench up to just under 200 lb.) But the movement surprised me enough that I was unable to do the 25 lb a side (50 lb total) chest fly, even though I can easily manage that (and more) with free weights. I have read many reviews about how this machine is not for serious bodybuilders. Perhaps. And I am certainly not a bodybuilder. But if you are a fitness buff or gym rat who enjoys daily workouts (5 times a week), then this machine might surprise you. If you apply very strict form (at least 2 seconds concentric and 4 to 5 seconds eccentric), I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.

I have enjoyed using the bowflex revolution. One complaint, the left side came in off track and tangled. It was a pain to take that whole side apart to fix it, but it has worked great since.

I just received my Bowflex Revolution FT and it is a good product. Well made and easy to assemble. Footprint in reasonably small so it can be used in smaller areas. It is very quiet during use and quick to change weights and positions. My only concern is that this equipment is made in China. I wish U.S. companies would make their products in the USA since so many Americans are out of work and need jobs.