Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym Review

Quick Summary

The Bowflex PR1000 home gym remains a popular go-to for those building out a home gym. Utilizing Bowflex’s Power Rod technology, the Bowflex PR1000 home gym provides a plethora of weight resistance options from 5 pounds up through 210 pounds.

And while a 210-pound max might not sound like much to advanced lifters, keep in mind that leverage is everything when it comes to machines. Instead of the clanging and banging of free weights, the machine uses the Power Rods in conjunct with cables and pulleys to generate resistance. This is welcome thought for those concerned about stress on joints and tendons, balancing barbells, or simply space. With four different Power Rod units and a number of attachments available, the system can provide well over 30 different exercises without much struggle.

Priced at $599 online, the Bowflex PR1000 has been around for years, and great used models are easy to find. Certainly an older unit, the Bowflex PR1000 still stands up well relative to the Best Home Gyms on the market, with a few less bells and whistles, but certainly at a lower cost.

There’s no question it’s the right unit for the right person, but just who that right person is depends on a lot of variables for sure. Learn more about the Bowflex PR1000 home gym, rated 67.8, below…

Specifications

Model	Bowflex PR1000
Rating Our custom rating considers all of the Home Gym's features, specs, warranties, and 100's of user & expert reviews, to save you time!	68.7%
List Price Suggested retail price, typically higher than the price you'll pay with our recommended retailers.	$799
Best Price Since prices change daily, this link goes to our preferred retailer for the current best price. Note: MSRP stands for Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price.	$599
Type There are a few different types of Home Gyms. There are weight stack, power rod and body weight.	Power Rods
Max. Weight Home Gym Max Weight is the maximum amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that can be lifted on the machine.	210 lbs
Exercises Home Gym exercises is the number of exercises you can do on the machine.	30+
Seat The seat on a Home Gym can be adjustable, padded, or detached.	Adjustable/foldable bench (horizontal press) The Blaze, PR1000 and Revolution benches fold and are for horizontal bench presses, all others are vertical
User Weight Home Gym User Weight is the amount of weight, in pounds (lbs), that it can safely support, which can represent durability.	300 lbs
Dimensions Dimensions are included to help you figure out if this Home Gym will fit properly (Length x Width x Height and Height x Depth).	Length: 84" Width: 38" Height: 81"
Workout Area Home Gym Workout Area is the amount of space needed to use the Home Gym (Length x Width)	At least 127" x 82" for safety reasons Machine's footprint is 100" x 78" when bench is folded up
Legs This field lets you know if this Home Gym has the option to do leg workouts or not.
Abs This field lets you know if this Home Gym has abdominal workouts or not.
Curls This field lets you know if this Home Gym has the option to do arm curls or not.
Pulldown This field lets you know if this Home Gym has the option to do pulldown workouts or not.
Rows This field lets you know if this Home Gym has the option to do rows or not.
Accessories Many Home Gyms have optional accessories you can purchase separately.	- 310 lb Rod - Bowflex Body Plan Book - Media Rack - Hand/Foot Grips
Warranty The warranty is a very important part of your investment. The longer the warranty, the longer you can get free/discounted repairs by the manufacturer.	Power Rods: 5 Years Frame: 1 Year Parts: 60 Days

Our Rating

Rating: 68.7/100. Strengthen your muscles and add a bit of cardio training to the mix with over 30 strength exercises and a built-in rowing station. Power Rod resistance resembles style of traditional weight training, but without the inertia or risk of joint pain.

Pros:

Features patented Power Rod resistance
Folding option makes trainer very compact
Versatile home gym also features aerobic exercises
30+ exercises available for your workout
Bowflex Body Plan helps you get the most out of your workout
Easy to move about the home
Free scheduled delivery by way of Amazon.com

Cons:

Only one year coverage on frame
Cannot upgrade to 310-pound of resistance
The 210-pound resistance might be too light for advanced users
A couple customer complaints about misleading weight readings

Introduction

The Bowflex PR1000 home gym not only strengthens muscles in your arms, chest, back shoulders and lower body; it also includes a rowing machine rail that helps you get your heart rate up to your target level during cardiovascular workouts.

Many home gyms totally rely on strength building while ignoring the aerobic side of fitness, but the Bowflex PR1000 home gym has you covered on both accounts. Using a patented Power Rod system in place of weights, the machine is much simpler to store, and even move about the gym. Fully assembled, the system measures 84 inches x 38 inches x 82 inches, and sports a maximum user weight of 300 pounds. The machine itself weighs 131 pounds (59.5 kg), and while it might take a couple people to wrangle it about, it’s not that difficult to move about a garage gym.

The Bowflex PR1000 comes with lat pull-down bar as well as a bench, with leg attachments, and cables to boot. With up to 210 pounds of resistance generated by the cables, it’s important to remember that free weights are different than cable systems, and that number might feel a lot heavier than folks think at first. If advanced lifters are concerned about that not being sufficient, remember that in terms of hypertrophy and strength training, higher reps work well too.

Workouts

Bowflex’s PR1000 home gym comes with over 30 strength building exercises toning and sculpting upper body, lower body and abdominal muscles.

Variety is the “spice of life” and many of these exercises can be combined together or problem areas worked on specifically each day.

Whether you are working on your upper body, using stiff-arm pulldowns and tricep extensions, or using calf raises and leg presses to build muscular legs for your next race — the Bowflex PR1000 home gym programs has it all.

Basic patterns of exercise possibilities would include:

Lower Body: Leg extensions, curls, donkey kickbacks
Upper Body: Flat, incline, decline press and flyes
Back: Lat pulldown, rows, lower back extension
Shoulders: Shoulder press, delt raises from all angles, shrugs
Arms: Curls, triceps pushdowns, forearm flexion
Core: Crunches, rotations, obliques

Bowflex PR1000 Features

The best feature of the Bowflex PR1000 home gym is the folding option that allows for equipment storage in a small space, particularly if there isn’t much room in the house or apartment.

A great buy at $599, the Bowflex PR1000 home gym also provides a lot of flexibility for routines with multi-use hand-grip/ankle cuffs, 4-inch upholstered roller cushions and horizontal bench press. Purchase comes with seven free trainer-built workouts provided by way of the user manual.

The PR1000 utilizes Bowflex’s patented Power Rods, which provide resistance, or weight, that feels as good as or better than free weights — but without the inertia or risk of joint pain usually associated with free weights.

The Power Rod technology is precisely manufactured from a high-tech composite material under the highest quality control measures, then sheathed and tested four separate times to ensure quality and durability.

Bowflex likes to demonstrate their confidence in the trainer by backing the Power Rods for five years (more warranty info, below).

From a comfort standpoint, the machine is equipped with a built-in media rack which fits most tablets or phones. This is a great addition for users who want to stream fitness programming or use apps while working out. The whole apparatus can be folded up easily into a 100″ x 78″ piece. Meanwhile, the sliding seat rail allows for aerobic rowing, leg presses, and other cardiovascular activities. With multiple seat and bench positions, the unit can provide a 45-degree incline bench or no bench at all. The free-sliding seat can be locked into place with a knob twist.

Question & Answers

Is the Bowflex PR1000 worth it? For most people, yes.
It would be tough to compete with the $599 price so long as users like the Power Rod resistance style of exercise. For those seeking barbell movements, obviously this isn’t for them.
How much does the Bowflex PR1000 weigh?
The machine itself weighs 131 lbs.
What is the Bowflex PR1000’s footprint when folded up?
When closed up, the unit is 100″ x 78″.
What exercises can you do with the Bowflex PR1000?
More than 30 different exercises as well as floorwork.
Can you upgrade the rod resistance of the Bowflex PR1000?
No, the PR1000 does not have the capacity to upgrade resistance like other Bowflex models such as the PR3000.
Is it difficult to assemble the Bowflex PR1000?
Assembly is much easier with at least two people, but generally speaking the unit is not hard to put together in under two hours.

Warranty & Guarantee

The Bowflex PR1000 home gym warranty and guarantee includes:

– Power Rods: 5 Years
– Frame: 1 Year
– Parts: 60 Days

Get all the details at Bowflex.com. Or dial (800) 667-1689.

Conclusion

The Bowflex PR1000 home gym is a moderately priced trainer that provides you with all of the tools needed to recover from injury, burn calories, build muscle for competition or simply keep you in shape.

Still not sure? Compare the Bowflex PR1000 to other Bowflex home gyms.