[ranked] The 6 Best Bowflex Accessories You Need NOW
If you’re shopping for Bowflex accessories and attachments to get the most out of your home gym, you have come to the right place.
I’ve put together this list of 6 Bowflex accessories to help you do that!
These must-have Bowflex attachments probably didn’t come with your gym, so adding these to your inventory will increase the value and quality of your Bowflex workouts.
What Kind Of Bowflex Accessories Do We Need For a Complete Gym?
I specialize in providing tips and advice for those using a Bowflex machine to get the most out of their workout. While the standard attachments with a Bowflex product are useful, they may not be enough to achieve a complete and well-rounded workout.
To make the most of your Bowflex machine, it’s important to consider purchasing additional attachments like ropes, bars, and straps. These attachments are designed to enhance your workout experience by offering more angles and variations, resulting in greater muscle and strength-building opportunities.
In other words, by incorporating these Bowflex attachments into your routine, you can transform your machine into a fully-equipped gym capable of accommodating all your typical fitness exercises.
Let’s look at the Bowflex attachments list that can get that done for you.
The Best Bowflex Accessories For Your Bowflex Gym
The resistance bar is a must-have accessory for those looking to enhance their Bowflex workouts. This bar attaches to the lower cables on your machine, allowing you to perform a squat motion with the bar resting across your back.
Note that each Bowflex model is designed differently, so finding the right location for the lower cable pulleys might require some creative problem-solving to attach the carabiner hooks from your machine to the bar. However, once you’ve figured it out, you’ll be able to take advantage of the bar’s impressive weight load capacity of 800 pounds, making it an excellent tool for a powerful squat workout.
This bar is great for squats and versatile enough to be used for various other exercises, such as bench press and shoulder shrugs. If you’re looking for a Bowflex squat attachment that’s both effective and versatile, this resistance bar is a perfect choice.
At the gym, the tricep pull-down is one of the most popular tricep exercises, so getting a good tricep rope is vital. The Yes4All is a no-frills rope that gets the job done, typically for less than a twenty-dollar bill.
The nylon-braided rope has plastic ends to make for a comfortable grip. It comes in 2 sizes, 27″ and 36″, and a few different color variations.
These accessories are also great for bicep curls, as they add a slightly different arm and hand angle to the movement, which is great for additional muscle targeting. You can’t do a proper arm workout without targeting the triceps, and a pull-down rope is an excellent Bowflex accessory.
With any Bowflex exercise using two arms or two legs, both appendages share the duty of moving the resistance. It’s a great workout, but both are sharing the load.
A single tricep pull-down rope allows you to isolate one arm simultaneously, concentrating on muscle contraction and strength.
THEFITGUY makes a unique single pull-down rope with an ergonomic handle for better grip, which decreases slippage and hand soreness.
There are cheaper single rope pull-downs you can get on Amazon, but the unique design of this specific rope is also worth consideration.
And as a bonus, these single and dual ropes are great for various back, lat, trap, and shoulder workouts, making these accessories very valuable.
Increasing resistance with low-quality handles causes issues with slipping and blisters. Wrong handles can limit the amount of weight you can move, limiting the quality of your Bowflex workout.
These upgraded allbingo handles are heavy-duty handles with tactile silicone hand wraps and heavy-duty D-rings to ensure extra safety.
So, ensure you address the situation and upgrade your standard handles to equipment that can handle more resistance and is more comfortable.
5. BowFlex Home Gym 310 lb Power Rod Upgrade
However, there may come a time when you need more weight.
Accessories make it easy to increase the resistance on your machine (check your product specs to determine which units can be upgraded and how much.
There are two upgrade types.
For units with 210 lb resistance, most models have two empty rod openings that can accommodate 2 50 lb resistance rods.
If your Bowflex machine is upgradeable to 410 lbs, there is most likely a place for an adapter box that allows you to add two more empty slots, each for a 50 lb rod.
You can pick up both of these options on Amazon (and of course, with free shipping thanks to Amazon Prime). If upgrading to the 310 lb, you don’t need an adapter; these will drop directly into the two open slots.
If upgrading to 410, the adapter comes with the two upgrade rods, so there is no need to purchase another.
But not just any ankle strap will do. An ankle cuff must be high-quality equipment to endure the weight resistance you will put it through.
The FIGHTECH Ankle straps are a great example of this.
These heavy-duty ankle cuffs are broader and thicker than most ankle cuffs, making for a much more comfortable and safe Bowflex workout experience.
These also have three attachment points to offer even more angle options when doing your leg and lower body workouts.
Why Do I Need More Accessories?
While the Bowflex comes with a few accessories, it doesn’t have everything you need to replicate a real gym workout.
And the attachments that come with the machines are often basic and can use for an upgrade.
These details of these accessories will not only upgrade the few that came with your gym but will add in some new ones to maximize the quality and number of workouts you can do on your new machine.
A Few More Accessory Ideas For Your Home Gym
Several other accessories can help to enhance your workouts. Some examples include:
- Resistance bands: Resistance bands can add variety and intensity to your workouts. They can be attached to provide additional resistance, allowing you to target specific muscle groups and increase the challenge of your chosen exercise.
- A mat: Using a mat can give cushioning and support for your body while working out. This can be especially helpful if you use your machine on a hard surface, such as a concrete floor.
- A workout guide or DVD: A workout guide or DVD can provide step-by-step instructions and guidance for using your Bowflex to its full potential. This can be especially helpful for beginners who are just getting started with their workouts.
Which Bowflex Add-Ons Are The Right Ones?
When deciding which Bowflex attachments you should consider, the recommendation is to consider the types of exercises you do at the gym and look to replicate those same movements.
In other words, if you do a lot of bicep curls at the gym, you would want to consider upgraded grip handles.
If you do squats and leg work at the gym, a bar for squatting and ankle cuffs for various leg exercises would be a good idea.
If you are new to working out, then perhaps consider what parts of the body the Bowflex attachments and accessories will work well with them.
What Is The Bowflex Gym For Me?
The Bowflex home gym is the one that has the options, attachments, and features that you need to get a great Bowflex workout and the results you want.
However, I recently wrote an article where I ranked my favorite Bowflex home gyms along with several reviews, which you can read here.