Quote:
|
Originally Posted by HighOnAcid
I'm actually already a member of Gold's Gym and have been for 6 years. However, the older I get the more busy I get and don't really have much time for the "Gym Ritual" every day or even 5 days a week. After all is said and done I have spent a total of 3 hours getting ready, driving to the gym, working out, coming home, etc.
I am a strong self motivator and if I have the gym in my house then I can cut my workout time in half if not more.
My other option was a Smith Machine. Get one of those with some dumbells and I could do a complete workout in 45 minutes a day.
 |
Both the Bowflex and Smith Machine cannot replace an entire gym. If you're looking to just keep in shape and can motivate yourself to use them as much as your workout routine requires without being at the gym, then go for it. However, if you've been lifting at a gym for 6 years already and now want to switch to one of these machines, you will probably lose some of the gains you have worked hard for. Workout routines should not be confined to one of these machines, simply because not every exercise that can be done with them will suit you and you will only find yourself finding a few beneficial. Then you keep doing that routine and you can't switch it up every 4-6 weeks like you should. This would be possible at the gym because you're flexible in what machines to use, if you want to do free weights, etc. I would say the factor of you trying to save time is an important one. I would suggest, if you really can't bare to spend the needed time at the gym as much as you need to, that you keep your gym membership and purchase the Bowflex and maybe a stationary bike. This way you can do your cardio at home as well as one lifting routine for flexibility with the Bowflex per week. It seems the Bowflex would be good for that in how it's set up, but it can't replace free weights. So I would still hit the gym once or twice a week to lift with free weights.
I don't know what kind of a routine you're doing but I'm only at the gym 3 times a week to lift, because I'm not on roids so anything else would simply be overtraining with the cardio I have incorporated into my workout. If you're actually lifting 5 times a week, then the Bowflex or Smith Machine are obviously not even options you should consider. You can forget getting the workout you desire out of these machines if you're doing bodybuilder routines with shitloads of supplements. That's just my opinion on the matter.