When it comes to home gyms, Bowflex is perhaps the most well-known company. They are certainly one of the best companies out there.
Their adjustable weights are revolutionary, their treadmills are setting a new bar for excellence, and now they have expanded into the multi-gym market.
The Bowflex PR1000 is a multi-gym that relies on a pulley system to provide a workout.
In this article we will be taking an in-depth look at the Bowflex PR1000, assessing it for its strengths and weaknesses, and helping you to decide whether the Bowflex PR1000 is worth purchasing or not.
What We Like About the Bowflex PR1000
As with all Bowflex equipment, the Bowflex PR1000 looks ridiculously cool. Like something out of the not to distant future.
It has a really good bench, which can be adjusted forwards and backwards as well as up and down.
The pulleys work really well for certain exercises such as cable chest flyes, reverse flyes, lateral raises, and certain rowing movements.
The amount of resistance that the Bowflex PR1000 offers is surprisingly good, it doesn’t look like it, but it can actually create 200lbs of resistance.
More than enough for most of the exercises you’d want to perform. There is also a leg extension, which helps you to train the whole body rather than just the upper body.
There is a really good media rack, designed to hold your tablet or phone securely while you train.
The pulley positions can be changed easily, and the materials used are of the highest quality.
What We Don’t Like About the Bowflex PR1000
Okay, there are a couple of issues with the Bowflex PR1000, but luckily we know what the solution is.
Bowflex are trying to say that the Bowflex PR1000 allows you to perform incline bench press and seated or standing bicep curls.
But there is no way that the angles required for these exercises are going to be properly matched.
Bicep curls are notoriously difficult to recreate without dumbbells or barbells, same thing goes with bench pressing.
You also can’t squat with the Bowflex PR1000. Just use the leg extension. How would you work your hamstrings?
The solution is blindingly obvious when you think about it. You also need to purchase the Bowflex adjustable dumbbells.
Then you’d have the best of both worlds. An excellent pulley system for chest flyes, reverse flyes, some rows, lateral raises etc … but proper dumbbells for exercises such as bench presses, goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts etc …
Final Verdict
As a standalone fitness machine, the Bowflex PR1000 feels a little incomplete. On the other hand, when you combine it with a set of dumbbells (particularly the adjustable ones from Bowflex) you’ve got yourself an excellent home gym set up.
Add to that the high quality materials that Bowflex uses for all of their equipment, and the stunning aesthetic design, and you’ll have got yourself a really good deal.
Check out the Bowflex treadmill if you really want to complete the set!