The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE: The Ultimate Home Gym Experience Review

The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE Review

Going to the gym can be a fun activity to engage in but also a hassle. You have a gym membership to get, an equipment queue to beat for every workout session, a bathroom to share, I mean it can be exhausting. But luckily, all that trouble gets solved by taking the step to establish your own gym! – and by that, I mean, a personal home gym. Amazing right!

There are so many advantages associated with having a home gym, one of them being the fact that the machines are readily available at any time of the day. This is also why you should settle for the best ones in the market. Additionally, for each machine you settle for, the one thing that should remain constant is durability.  And to be honest, there are a dozen of great companies like Bowflex, manufacturing them. So, narrow your search by reading this article.

The Bowflex company is well known for designing versatile equipment to suit multiple levels of fitness. With each piece of equipment, they ensured they include an advancement. For example, in the Bowflex revolution, they used a resistance system (SpiraFlex®) that was used by people in space, making it extra unique.

What about the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE  ? What is unique about it?

The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE home gym is a machine designed for a hassle-free workout. And in this post, we’ve taken an in-depth look at each of the specifications, cons, versatility and everything associated with this model. So, read on…

Quick summary

The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE home gym comes with quite nice features that make it stand out from its competitors and older models such as the Bowflex xceed and Bowflex PR1000.  Under its versatility, the machine offers a descriptive exercise manual for newbies and to top up offers over 70 different exercises. Well, they do not just state that their machines offer these exercises, but go to the extent of providing an owner’s manual that has at least 73 examples of different workouts. These exercises are made possible by the fact that this model offers several attachments that are built-in and included separately (i.e., Gym Style Ab Crunch and Preacher Curl) for an additional fee.  

Specification

Dimensions

• Length: 53”
• Width: 49”
• Height: 83.25”

Features

• Over 70 exercises.
• The revolutionary no-change cable pulley system permits you to move from lats to squats to leg workouts without ever changing cables.
• 210 lbs of resistance are upgradeable to 310 lbs or 410 lbs.
• Power Rod® units give you resistance that feels better than free weights but without the risk of joint pain.
• Shoulder muscles and Build back quickly with the angled lat bar and lat tower.
• 4-position lower pulley/squat station builds glutes, calves and hamstrings.
• Leg extension that will help you develop strong and muscular legs.
• Ab pulley bar and abdominal crunch and shoulder harness will help you build strong and defined abs.

Warranty

• Machine: 7 years
• Rods: Lifetime

Pros

• Comes with a descriptive exercise manual
• Has a very generous warranty for its price range (7-year machine warrant and lifetime power rods)
• Had the Patent Power Rod resistance
• The machine has 210 lbs. of resistance which is upgradable to 410 lbs.
• Supports more variations including the 70 plus exercises

Cons

• 20 lbs resistance system is not ideal for an experienced strength athlete
• It May require more assembly hours if you aren’t handy

Everything you need to know

Power rod resistance

The most unique feature about this machine is the Bowflex patented Power Rod technology which is the standard Bowflex Power Rod units. How do you differentiate a Bowflex product from others in the market? Well, the power rod resistance system isn’t used by any other brand. And to differentiate the machine from others, you will find the stretchy rods at the back of the machine.

This enables the machine to deliver 210 pounds of resistance which come in the form of:

• 2 x 50 lb rods
• 2 x 30 lb rods
• 4 x 10 lb rods
• 2 x 5 lb rods

And for people who are looking for a more intense workout session, the resistance can be upgradable up to 410 pounds. Additionally, the model has a lat tower that has an angled lat bar, a shoulder harness made for ab crunches, a squat bar, a leg developer, and a 4-position lower pulley station made for squats.

How safe is it? The machine doesn’t use free weights—which are mostly associated with risks of joint pain and injuries. Instead, it has a Bowflex rod and a pulley system which are completely safe and at the same time offers the right resistance to maintain a fit build. In addition, the machine is solid (185 lbs) meaning it will stay on the ground while you are pulling and pushing.

Space

One thing that this machine lacks is the fold-down bench. This is kind of an advantage to people with limited space. This means that the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE home gym is a compact model. The model itself is 49” wide, 53” long and 83.25” tall while its full workout dimensions come in at 6’5” wide, and 8’long.

Stability

Most smith style machine or ones that use weight stacks may stop while working out or even produce some jerky movements. However, in the Bowflex 2 SE home gym, the resistance rods ensure that you have a smooth and nice resistance while pulling and pushing. additionally, the same resistance force doubles your exercises with every movement you make. This means that if you are anticipating getting faster results, then this machine will not disappoint you.

Quick change system

The no-change cable pulley system is another is an improved feature in this model. This system enables you to have a smooth and continuous workout. Initially, you had to stop working out in order to change the cables. This however was solved by the introduction of the no-change cable pulley system and now you can enjoy a steamed workout session that doesn’t allow your heart rate to drop.

Assembly

The Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE home gym comes with a written assembly manual that is quite straight forward. The steps are in order with each page consisting of a large illustration. They go to the extent of including additional notes which will help you have a smooth assembling period which may take at least 3-5hours. The only tools they include for assembling are the Allen wrenches.

Exercises

As mentioned before, the machine is versatile and for this, it offers exercise for major muscle groups. The machine offers a full body workout that includes:

• A leg extension, kickback and curl for the Legs
• A decline, flat and incline press for the Chest
• Shrugs, press and delt raise for the Shoulders
• Lat pulldown, lower back extension, row all for the Back
• Oblique crunch, trunk rotation and Ab crunch for the Core
• Pushdown triceps and Biceps curls for the Arms

Who is it for?

• The machine is made for people looking for intense workouts because of its high resistance force. It supports a full body workout hence perfect for someone looking for a way to tone each muscle of their body. The fact that this machine is compact makes it a perfect match for someone with limited space. And for people with injuries this machine would be a great fit.

Who is it not for?

• If you are looking for a machine for a simple workout session, this would not serve the purpose. This is because the 210 lbs are plenty for a new lifter. Also for a weathered gym goer looking for more weight to achieve their goals, the machine lacks that kind of resistance.

Bowflex® Xtreme 2 SE Product Overview video:

Video Credit: Bowflex – Click Here to watch directly on YouTube

Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE alternatives

It's time for a reality check. Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE is an awesome machine, but it costs $2,579. and if you're not willing to shell out that much, then what are your options? Read on as we explore the best alternatives to the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE!