The Sport is an excellent machine. Hubby and I have both used it three times since putting it together. That’s every other day. We have both noticed significant gains in strength. Hubby used to be a body builder and says it is an excellent piece of equipment. It came with an interactive workout CD that helps you develop your workout, shows you how to properly perform each exercise and keeps track of your gains. As for strength, I used to literally slog up the stairs. The day after the second workout, there was no resistance in my quadriceps as I climbed to the second floor. The difference was astonishing, as I was not expecting to notice anything for six weeks, if ever.

Caveat: We did not follow Bowflex’s suggestions in developing our workouts. Historically, at the gym I’ve lifted far too little weight and done far too many repetitions and thusly noticed no real changes in my body. Now, my husband has directed me to workout with enough weight so that at the 9th repetition of the first of my two sets for any given exercise, my muscles should be trembling/begging for relief. I take a brief rest (under 1.5 minutes) and then I do my second set.

If women are concerned about gaining so much muscle that it makes them “bulk up,” they have no need to. In order for this to happen, they need to either be a) genetically rare or b) they have to take anabolic steriods (synthetic analogs of the male hormone testosterone). Without one or both of these factors at play, it is physiologically impossible to develop the bulky physique of a man. It was based upon this fear that I used to lift lower weight amounts while doing excessive repitions. Be responsible and confirm this information on your own on the web or with any physical trainer at your local gym.

Get this machine. If only for the fact that it will give you amazing gains in strength. As for weight loss, that’s the cherry on the Sunday. I haven’t noticed any, but I think it’s too soon to. Just keep in mind that muscle is metabolically active, meaning it burns fat even while it is at rest while fat is metabolically inactive at all times. I hope this review was helpful for you.

Had I known that it would take about 3 weeks to actually get my gym I would have shopped elsewhere. You can get the same price with free shipping elsewhere if you look around the internet. I really suggest that you do.

After coming back from a recent 1 year trip overseas, I’ve decided to look into home gyms to save both money and time. After extensive research, I ended up purchase the Conquest here on Amazon. Some other machines I looked at were the Platinum Crossbow, Total Gym, Bandflex. After comparing all the machines and going to the local sporting store to try out the Bowflex, I had no doubt that Bowflex is well worth the money.

Other machines might be cheaper, smaller and easier to assemble. But I found that the Bowflex quality is difficult to match.

Setup:

I put together the machine in about 2 hours. All you need is a couple of screw drivers, the everything else needed is in the package. The instructions were easy to follow and makes logical sense. However, my Bowflex, like many others, arrived missing a few parts. In my case it was just a few washers and a couple of screws, nothing critical, but such problems seemed common from what I’ve read.

Operation:

If you have not used a Bowflex yet, you are in for a treat. The Power Rods provide very smooth resistance and wonderful range of motion. The resistance builds as you flex the power rods, very easy on the joints at the beginning of the motion, yet still provides enough to break down your muscles toward the end of the motion. The DVD provides instruction for basic exercises (about 15), and the manual covers over 60 different exercises. A lot of them are simply variations of another exercise, but I found myself creating new ways to exercise that is not covered in the included material. The weight and type of exercises were easy to change, and will not interfere with your workout. I found this to be a very good time saver vs waiting for machines at the gym.

Size:

No matter how many times you have seen the Bowflex on TV, you won’t realize how big the machine truly is until you have put it together. The conquest is easily 7ft tall, and takes a huge amount of space in my living room. It has wheels, but you will not be able to fit it through most doors, so think long and hard before you decide which room you will place it.

Value:

I ordered here on Amazon because of the awesome discounted price they had, evident by the fact the machine sold out 2 days after I placed my order. But after using the machine for a week, I can honestly say I would gladly pay full price for the machine. Like any other piece of exercise equipment, if you make good use of it, and it is worth every penny. I noticed that this machine is nearly identical to the more expensive Sport model.

Summary:

This is the best item I have purchased in 2006, over the years I always ignored the Bowflex TV ads and considered it a fad. But the Conquest proved its worth a dozen times over the last week; for once a machine that works better than advertised.

Pros: solid construction, long warranty, exercise variety, smooth motion, easy operation, great long term value.

Cons: Setup time, size, missing parts

Neutral: Decent resale value.