Working out at home saves time and money. And for many people, it also increases the likelihood that they will stick to a routine. But finding a home gym that meets your fitness needs and budget is not always the easiest. The good news? Brands like Bowflex understand how to design and manufacture user-friendly exercise equipment for all fitness levels and budgets. For this reason, the Bowflex Blaze is frequently a top pick for home gym systems.
The Bowflex Blaze comes loaded with several features, including its ability to double as a resistance and cardio machine. The Blaze offers over 60 performable exercises, allowing you to complete multiple workouts that target every muscle in your body. Plus, the resistance from Bowflex's patented Power Rod system can be a lot easier on the joints than other strength-training equipment like barbells and dumbbells.
Are you still wondering if the Bowflex Blaze will work for you? The ACTIVE Reviews Team broke down everything you need to know in this Bowflex Blaze review to help you decide if it is the best weight training equipment for your exercise needs.
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A Quick Look at the Bowflex Blaze
Bowflex has been a leading brand in resistance-based home exercise equipment since its first home gym hit the market in 1986. Since then, Nautilus, the company that owns Bowflex, has added treadmills, stationary bikes, ellipticals, weights, benches, and more to the Bowflex lineup.
The Bowflex Blaze home gym offers over 60 resistance-based exercises that target various muscles. Unlike many strength training machines you see at the gym, the Blaze relies on its Power Rod system to produce manual resistance. This machine comes equipped with a maximum resistance of 210 pounds, but you can purchase extra Rods to increase the resistance to 410 pounds, making it a great home gym for all fitness levels and those looking to advance over time.
As for specific exercises, the lat tower and angled lat bar allow you to build stronger back and shoulder muscles, while the lower pulley squat station helps strengthen and tone your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Since the bench can tilt in several directions, you can perform incline, decline, and flat chest exercises. And finally, the sliding seat allows for rowing movement, giving you a low-impact cardio workout option. Here are some key specifications of the Bowflex Blaze home gym.
Bowflex Blaze
Specs
- Footprint: 83"H x 90"L x 38"W, workout area 100"L x 78"W
- Weight: 195 lbs. assembled machine weight; max user weight is 300 lbs.
- Resistance: 210 lbs. of Power Rod resistance, upgradable to 310 lbs. or 410 lbs.
- Number of exercises: 60+ resistance exercises
- Storage: Foldable to 83"H x 52"L x 38"W
- Weight bench style: Horizontal bench that can adjust to 45° incline bench, also has a sliding seat
- Warranty: 5-year manufacturer limited warranty, no time limit warranty on individual Power Rod resistance rods
Footprint
The Bowflex Blaze is not a minimal piece of equipment. Based on its larger footprint (see specs above), it requires a decent-sized floor space and ceiling height to perform all exercises. More specifically, the specs that come with the Blaze recommend a workout area of 100 inches by 78 inches when using this machine. Depending on your height, you may need to place the Blaze in a room with higher ceilings to perform all standing exercises with a full range of motion. Additionally, the bench folds, making it easier to store, and the machine is on wheels, so it's easy to transport if you need to move it to another room.
Weight
Whether you're having the Bowflex Blaze delivered or picking it up, plan on at least two people to help move it to the right location for assembly. That's because the Blaze weighs in at 215 pounds. However, once assembled, the weight drops to 195 pounds.
Resistance
The Bowflex Blaze standard configuration is 210 pounds. This package includes one pair of five-pound rods, two pairs of 10-pound rods, one pair of 30-pound rods, and one pair of 50-pound rods. Most beginners and intermediate fitness levels will find this resistance level sufficient, but you can also upgrade the resistance to 310 pounds or 410 pounds by adding Power Rods. So, you will need to purchase an upgrade kit to add more resistance. The Power Rods and cable system generate resistance when you pull against a rod with tension. The tension gradually increases as you progress through the move, challenging the muscles through the entire range of motion, like the amount of tension you experience when using a resistance band.
Number of Exercises
The Bowflex Blaze is ideal for working your core, legs, glutes, back, chest, shoulders, and arms. It also doubles as a rowing machine, so you can easily add a low-impact cardiovascular workout to your routine. With over 60 exercises to choose from, you can train your entire body with this one machine. The Blaze comes with different attachments like the triple function handgrips and ankle cuffs, providing complete flexibility with any workout. These extras make the exercise possibilities limitless.
The Bowflex Blaze owner's manual lists the performable exercises with detailed instructions and pictures, along with the number of moves per body part, including:
- Chest: 8
- Shoulders: 14
- Back: 9
- Arms (biceps and triceps): 16
- Abdominals: 5
- Lower body (quads, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors): 13
- Aerobic: 1
Storage
Storing the Bowflex Blaze is easy because it is a foldable unit. All you need to do is lock the seat and bench into a flat position, remove all Power Rod resistance, and then bind the unit with the rod binding strap that is included with the machine in order to safely store it away.
Weight Bench Style
The Bowflex Blaze weight bench is horizontal and foldable for easy storage. Additionally, it has a sliding seat for performing rowing exercises.
Warranty
The Bowflex Blaze has a five-year warranty on the machine and a no time-limit warranty on the individual Power Rod resistance rods, but this does not include normal wear and tear. In addition, the warranty does not cover damage due to use by a person who weighs more than 300 pounds or damage due to abuse, accident, or failure to follow instructions or warnings in the owner's manual.
Bowflex Blaze Review
There are a variety of things to consider before purchasing a Bowflex Blaze. Review some of our favorite things about the system below, as well as our hesitations.
What We Like
- Reasonably priced compared to similar equipment from the competitors
- Versatile home gym with 60+ exercise configurations
- Beginner-friendly workouts with easy-to-use instructions
- Ability to perform aerobic rowing workouts
What We Don't Like
- No longer available through Bowflex, so support might be limited
- Need to purchase additional Power Rods to increase resistance from 210 lbs. to 310 and 410 lbs.
- May be too large for small spaces when in full operating position
Final Thoughts on Bowflex Blaze
The Bowflex Blaze is a versatile machine offering over 60 resistance-style exercises and a slidable seat that allows you to perform low-impact rowing workouts. It also comes with a fair sticker price of $899, making it an excellent purchase for people wanting a high-quality home gym at a reasonable cost.
Although the pros outweigh the cons, there are a few things to consider before purchasing the Bowflex Blaze. Over time, the Power Rod system may lose tension. If you notice a significant loss of resistance, you may need to buy new rods. Also, if you're an advanced lifter, you may find the 210 pounds of resistance is not enough and need to purchase additional Power Rods when buying the machine. In addition, the Blaze is no longer available through the official Bowflex website, so it may be difficult to get customer support if something goes wrong. We recommend calling the company to ask about user support if you purchase the Blaze through another retailer like Amazon.
Overall, the Bowflex Blaze is a versatile home gym that should provide more than enough variety, adjustability, and challenge for any full-body workout.
FAQs About Bowflex Blaze
Can you build muscle with Bowflex Blaze?
Per the National Strength and Training Association, the muscle must experience an anabolic stimulus such as resistance to increase size. The Bowflex Blaze can challenge your muscles with various resistance levels through its Power Rod system, which features a maximum resistance level of 210 pounds. You also can add extra rods to increase the machine's resistance up to 410 pounds for an even more challenging full-body workout as you build strength. If you hit a plateau and need to readjust, consider adding other muscle-building equipment like barbells and dumbbells to your training routine.
What exercises can you perform with the Bowflex Blaze?
The versatility of the Bowflex Blaze is one of the reasons this machine comes so highly recommended, the machine comes with a workout placard you can snap directly onto the lat tower that displays workout descriptions for easy reference while you're exercising. Not only can you perform over 60 unique resistance exercises, but you can also boost heart health with an aerobic rowing workout. It's one of the few home gyms that doubles as a cardio machine. The innovative Power Rod resistance system is unique to the Bowflex brand. It ensures that every single movement is smooth and fluid for ultra-efficient workouts. Plus, the mid-level pulleys allow you to perform chest and leg exercises with ease, while the leg extension works the hamstrings and quads, giving you a full-body workout. Lastly, the sliding seat rail comes in handy when you want to perform aerobic rowing exercises and leg presses.
Has the Bowflex Blaze been discontinued?
The Bowflex Blaze is no longer available through the Bowflex company or website. However, you can purchase it through other online retailers like Amazon, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Walmart. Bowflex currently advertises the Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym as a newer model of the Blaze.