New To Bowflex? Bowflex Tips And Tricks For Beginners
If you recently acquired a Bowflex or are considering investing in one for your home gym, you might wonder how to get the most out of your workouts.
It can be overwhelming at first to see all the different bars, pulleys, and setups available on the machine.
In this post, we’ll share some tips and tricks for Bowflex beginners and how to effectively use the Bowflex to get the most out of your workouts.
Why The Bowflex Is Great For Beginners
The Bowflex home gym is a great workout option for beginners for a few reasons.
First, it’s convenient. A home gym allows you to work out on your schedule without worrying about traveling to a gym or finding a babysitter.
This can be especially appealing for those new to exercise who might feel intimidated by working out in a crowded gym.
The Bowflex is very user-friendly.
We compiled a list of our favorite Bowflex machines of 2023, ranked and reviewed. Click HERE to check out our rankings.
It has many exercises available, which can be modified for different fitness levels. This makes it easy for beginners to find challenging but still manageable workouts.
Additionally, the Bowflex comes with a user manual and instructional videos, which can help those new to exercise learn proper form and technique.
The Bowflex can be used for various workouts, including strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and more. This means beginners can mix and match different workouts to find what works best for them and their goals.
Getting Started On The Bowflex
When you first get your machine, it can be a bit overwhelming at first.
These home gyms have a lot of bells and whistles, which can sometimes lead to confusion or aimless working out, meaning that you don’t know how to focus on your goals due to all the options in front of you (similar to having too many TV channels to choose from).
I will share my top Bowflex tips and tricks to help you start getting more from your machine on day 1.
6 Tips And Tricks For Bowflex Beginners
Focus on Specific Body Parts or Groups
One of the keys to getting a solid workout on your Bowflex is to focus on specific body parts or groups rather than trying to do too many different exercises at once.
Like at the gym, where people often pick a body part to work on for a given day (such as arms or chest), you can do the same with your Bowflex.
For example, if you’re focusing on arms, you can do curls or tricep press downs. If you’re focusing on the chest, you can do bench presses or flies.
And if you’re focusing on legs, you can do squats or leg presses. By breaking your workout down in this way, you’ll be able to concentrate on specific muscle groups and get a more targeted workout.
Bowflex Weight Isn’t True Weight
It’s important to note that the weight on a Bowflex is not the same as the true weight as you might find at a traditional gym.
A Bowflex weight of 310 pounds, 210 pounds, or 410 pounds doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lifting that much weight in the traditional sense.
This is due to the different systems used by Bowflex, so it’s important to keep this in mind when selecting your weights.
However, this doesn’t mean Bowflex is less effective at building strength – it just requires a different approach.
Utilize the Full Range of Motion
Another key to getting the most out of your Bowflex workouts is to utilize the full range of motion for
each exercise.
This means using the full range of motion for the given muscle group you’re working on rather than just doing partial reps or focusing on a specific part of the movement.
By using the full range of motion, you’ll be able to target all of the muscles in that group and get a complete workout.
Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Incorporating high intensity interval training (HIIT) into your Bowflex workouts can effectively boost your fitness level and get the most out of your workouts.
HIIT involves short bursts of high intensity exercise followed by brief rest periods or lower intensity activity. This workout can be especially effective for burning calories and improving cardiovascular endurance.
Be careful of your speed when doing HIIT on the Bowflex. The machine cables and resistance bands were not meant for fast movement, so stick with a moderate pace.
To incorporate HIIT into your Bowflex routine, you can try short bursts of high intensity exercises, such as jump squats or mountain climbers, followed by a lower intensity exercise like a bicep curl.
Use Resistance Bands for a Full Body Workout
While the Bowflex is a great machine for targeting specific muscle groups, it can also be used for a full body workout with the help of additional resistance bands.
These elastic bands come in various resistance levels and can add an extra challenge to your workouts. You can use resistance bands to do exercises like squats, lunges, chest presses, and more.
I use resistance bands on my Bowflex by using the machine’s structure to wrap additional bands around and pull them as desired.
By incorporating resistance bands into your Bowflex routine, you can work on multiple muscle groups and get a full body workout.
Incorporate Bodyweight Exercise
In addition to using the Bowflex and resistance bands, you can incorporate bodyweight exercises into your routine for a well-rounded workout.
This can be done by using the Bowflex structure as a bench or seat for various exercises.
Bodyweight exercises, such as push-ups, squats, and planks, use your body weight as resistance. These exercises can be done anywhere and are a great way to build strength and improve overall fitness.
You can work on multiple muscle groups and get a comprehensive workout by including bodyweight exercises in your Bowflex routine.
Final Thoughts On Bowflex For Beginners
By following these tips and tricks, you can get the most out of your Bowflex workouts and effectively target specific muscle groups in your home gym. Don’t be afraid to mix and match exercises and play around with different setups to find what works best for you. Happy lifting!