I recently decided to purchase a Bowflex Revolution home gym and after 12 weeks of strength training I made several observations. Before I elaborate, I am not a Bowflex employee, just a fitness enthusiast who wants to share my experience so you can make an informed decision before you buy. Below you will find my own review of the Bowflex Revolution. Initially, I was reluctant to buy a machine that I couldn’t test beforehand. I had a bad experience with an elliptical machine that didn’t work as expected, but I’ll save that story for another day. As a general rule, I like to familiarize myself with any exercise equipment before making a purchase.

Unfortunately, this is not possible with Bowflex. On the other hand, they offer a six week trial period where at any time you can return it for a refund. This sounds great, but actually taking it apart and repackaging it into 5 boxes is a huge pain in the butt. Before you make any major investments, I suggest you read several unbiased Bowflex reviews like this one. Look for professional opinions and user reviews to make an informed decision.

In my opinion, The Bowflex Revolution would be a good investment if:

o If you have a home office or enjoy the convenience of exercising at home

o If you don’t like fighting the crowd at your local gym.

o If you have extra space in your home.

o If you are a beginner or intermediate user.

o If you are already strong or don’t plan on moving the machine: Tip the scale at 337 lbs.

The following are some of the benefits of the Bowflex Revolution:

o Smooth and controlled exercise movements comparable to professional gym equipment. Very effective to isolate different muscle groups for greater definition and muscle mass.

o More than 100 exercises can be performed with up to 400 variations. I haven’t tried them all, but it should keep me busy for a while.

o It is very convenient and accessible unlike the gym at peak hours. However, I prefer the social environment of my local club.

o The Revolution hardly makes noise. He can exercise at any time without disturbing his family members.

o Good customer care and service.

o Lightweight plates that are compact.

The following are some areas in which the Revolution could improve:

o The machine is bulky, heavy and not easy to move.

o There is a learning curve with some of the exercises, so you may need a bit of patience when you start. It took me about a week before I figured things out.

o Numbers on license plates could be larger and easier to read.

o It would be nice if there was a display on the front of the machine so I don’t have to keep checking how much weight I have.

o Bowflex takes time to ship outside of the order. Mine took 2 weeks to arrive.

o Assembly takes approximately 2 hours. If you’re not good at following directions, find someone who is.

o The bench has only two locked positions (flat and incline). It would be nice to hit the angles in between.

The verdict Is the Bowflex better than the machines at your local gym? No. However, while the Bowflex is heavy and a bit bulky, it doesn’t require 2,500 square feet to house it. Overall, the Revolution is probably the best home exercise gym in its price range. Knowing what I know now, I still would have bought it. Although it’s a pain to assemble and move, it’s a high-quality machine that offers good value at under $3,000. It is more suitable for beginner and intermediate fitness enthusiasts.