Are you looking for a beginner-friendly home gym machine? One that will take up only a small space in your home gym and has a decent price tag? One that lets you target your entire body?
If yes, consider the Bowflex PR1000 home gym machine. It is easy to assemble and use equipment. It has a small footprint compared to traditional home gym systems. In addition, it is foldable, so you can get the machine out of your way when not in use.
- 25plus exercises that cover the entire body
- Over 200 lb. Power Rod resistance
- Bench converts to a rolling seat for aerobic rowing
- New integrated device holder to support your smart device
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One of its best features is its comprehensive home gym solution. You can perform 25+ full-body exercises. The power rod technology goes easy on your joints as well.
It offers 210 lbs of resistance, which can be good for beginners but unsuitable for advanced users.
So does this piece of equipment by Bowflex deserve a place in your home gym? Let’s find out.
| Product Overview | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Bowflex |
| Model | Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym |
| Machine Weight | 131 lbs |
| Dimension | 103 x 80 x 82 inches |
| Folded Dimension | 82 x 82 inches |
| Workout Area Dimension | 79.92 x 103.15 inches |
| Maximum Weight Capacity | 210 lbs |
| Box Weight | 145 lbs |
| Box Dimension | 54 x 33 x 8 inches |
| Exercise Options | 25+ |
| Warranty | In US/Canada:Frame - 1-yearParts - 60 daysRods - 5 years |
| Amazon Rating | 4.6 out of 5 (2560 global ratings) |
About Bowflex
Bowflex has over 30 years of experience in the fitness space. Instead of building traditional and expensive gym equipment, they focused on creating effective home gym machines.
Their product range includes exercise bikes, trainers, treadmills, home gym machines, and other accessories.
They also offer an adaptive fitness membership with their app JRNY. Here you can stream trainer-led workouts and get personalized recommendations and motion-tracking services.
Bowflex provides detailed documentation for all products in the form of assembly and owner’s manual, and quick start guides.
Who is The Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym For?
Regularly going to a gym may be challenging if you have a busy or erratic schedule. Or you may not want to spend time traveling and waiting for your turn to use a machine. The best option is a home gym machine that lets you do an entire body workout.
The Bowflex PR1000 is one such machine. It has a comparatively small footprint. It can be folded when not in use. Thus it can work with home gyms that have space constraints.
The machine offers a resistance of 210 lbs. It can work best for beginners and users looking to stay fit from home.
It works with Bowflex’s power rod technology. It combines the cable and pulley system. The exercises are easy on your joints. So the machine can be used by older people as well.
Overall, I recommend the machine to beginner and intermediate-level fitness users wanting to reach their fitness goals from home.
5 Important Factors We Tested The Product On
So now we know what the PR1000 is suited for and what benefits it offers. But how does the home gym machine perform? Is it worth your investment? Let us understand.
Build Quality
The home gym machine by Bowflex has a sturdy construction. It weighs about 131 lbs. So it is lightweight enough to be moved around if the need arises.
The build is not at par with machines designed with steel, but it does the job for the weight capacity and price point offered.
The power rods are manufactured with nylon composite material. They are further covered with a black protective coating.
One important factor in its favor is that these power rods offer decreased resistance with extensive use over time. They can also start to bend if you leave them as is.
To delay the process, you should always bind the rods using the binding strap that comes with the machine.
Assembly
Start assembling in the space where you intend to keep and use the machine. You will need to buy adjustable wrenches and a Phillips head screwdriver separately.
The machine has around 39 parts with multiple nuts, bolts, clips, and ends. It will take you anywhere from 1 to 4 hours for assembly. And it would be best to get help from a friend.
The assembly manual was descriptive. For example, the parts are numbered, and sequenced instructions are available along with diagrams.
If you are not a mechanically-inclined user, it would be best to employ professional help.
Usability
The machine is different from your conventional free weights powered home gym systems. It uses power rod technology for resistance. It has a cable and pulley system and a gliding seat. I found the machine easy to use, but it has a learning curve as the design is different.
As mentioned above, there is plenty of documentation and video tutorials available. Therefore, you should be able to get the machine working quickly.
You can adjust the resistance by attaching the cable hook to the power rods. These 210 lbs of resistance are divided into five pairs of rods – one pair of 50 lbs, one pair of 30 lbs, two pairs of 10 lbs, and one pair of 5 lbs.
You can use one or multiple pairs of power rods. Hook the cable to the closest rod and then attach it according to your resistance needs.
The machine includes a workout bench. Combined with the pulley system, it allows for incline decline and flat angle adjustments.
Another feature that improves the usability of the home gym machine is the built-in media rack. You can place your phone or tablet in the space and stream workout videos.
Versatility
The home gym includes an upper and lower lat tower, a pulley bar, and a leg extension. It includes two hand grips and a leg press belt as attachments.
You can perform 25+ exercises and target various muscle groups. The exercises can help you meet fitness goals like improved muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance.
Here are some exercises you can perform with the home gym machine.
Upper Body
- Bench presses
- Shoulder presses
- Shoulder raises
- Scapular retraction
- Seated lat rows
- Seated low back extension
- Bicep curls
- Tricep extensions
- Trunk rotation
Lower Body
- Leg extensions
- Calf raises
- Seated hip abductions
- Leg presses
You can refer to the owner’s manual to understand how to perform these exercises with proper form. You can also visit the Bowflex website to explore videos for the PR1000 model.
Weight Capacity
The home gym offers a maximum resistance of up to 210 lbs. The machine does not use free weights. Instead, it uses innovative power rod technology that progressively increases resistance while exercising.
210 lbs are good enough resistance for beginners and most users wanting to work out from home. You can perform several strength training exercises and build muscle.
But if you are an advanced fitness user or aim to get into bodybuilding, you may need more than the resistance. It would be better to work with power racks and free weights.
What Sets The Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym Apart From its Competitors?
One of the unique features of the Bowflex home gym machine is its power rod resistance technology. When you begin the exercise, it creates less resistance as your strength is the weakest at that point.
The rods gradually offer increased resistance once you gain control and rhythm with the reps. The cable-pulley system and the gliding seat make for smoother exercise moves.
It’s why the machine is easy on your joints. But at the same time, it pushes users to their limits and is effective in getting results.
Another distinguishing feature is the trainer-designed workouts offered. As a beginner, you may need help knowing where to begin, what exercises to do, or how to form a workout routine. These pre-designed workouts take the guesswork out.
You can start with seven workout routines: strength, bodybuilding, circuit, and advanced general conditioning.
Should You Purchase The Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym?
Are you starting on your fitness journey? Do you want the convenience of exercising from home? Do you want a home gym machine that takes up less floor space? Are you looking for a single machine that lets you perform full-body workouts?
If your answer to all these questions is yes, consider exploring the Bowflex PR1000. I have compiled a list of pros and cons to help you make an informed purchase decision.
Pros
- You can perform over 25 full-body exercises.
- It is a beginner-friendly home gym machine.
- The machine can be folded when not in use.
- It includes seven trainer-designed workouts.
- Bowflex offers detailed assembly and user guides.
- The workouts are easier on the joints.
Cons
- The maximum weight limit of 210 lbs can be limiting for advanced lifters.
- The rods must be bound when not in use, or they can lose their tension.
- Several users have reported issues with customer support.
Price
You can buy the Bowflex PR1000 home gym machine around the $500 to $655 price range.
You can buy the equipment from authorized retailers. Or you can shop from third-party platforms like Amazon or Best Buy.
To validate warranty support, keep the original purchase receipt safe. Also, ensure you register the product on the Bowflex website.
Our Rating
FAQ’s
The home gym machine has a built-in rowing station. So, yes, with rowing, you can get a good cardiovascular workout.
No. The home gym machine does not support a resistance upgrade. If you want a machine that offers upgradeable resistance, consider the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE or Blaze.
If you are a beginner or intermediate fitness user, you can use the home gym machine for strength training. The quick start manual includes a trainer-designed strength training program you can start with. 210 lbs should be good enough resistance.
Summary
The Bowflex PR1000 is a good choice of equipment for a home gym. It has a small footprint for a machine that lets you perform full-body workouts. In addition, you can fold the machine when not in use and reduce its footprint by almost 50%.
The machine uses the unique power rod technology by Bowflex. It offers a resistance of 210 lbs. You can perform over 25 full-body exercises. These are ideal home gym features for a beginner. However, the resistance provided can be limiting for advanced fitness users.
If you want to stay fit with home workouts, the Bowflex PR1000 is a good quality and budget-friendly option.