I'm sure that no one HERE would have one of these, right? [img]tongue.gif[/img]
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hundreds of thousands of popular Bowflex fitness machines are being recalled because of safety problems that have resulted in more than 70 injuries, the government said Thursday.
The voluntary recall affects about 420,000 Bowflex Power Pro XL, XTL, and XTLU systems distributed by Nautilus Direct of Vancouver, Washington.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the machine's backboard bench can unexpectedly collapse when being used in the incline position.
There also are problems with the "Lat Tower," which attaches to the back of the bench and has a metal bar that the user can pull down to strengthen the upper body.
Nautilus Direct says the frame of the tower can weaken over time, twist forward and fall -- hitting the user in the back, head or shoulder.
Of the reports received, 59 people suffered injuries when the backboard collapsed. Another 14 were injured by the "Lat Tower."
The machines in question were sold nationwide from 1995 to 2003 for about $1,200 to $1,600, depending on the model. Consumers are advised to stop using the backboard bench in the incline position, and immediately cease use of the "Lat Tower."
"Most consumers are familiar with the Bowflex exercise machine," CPSC chairman Hal Stratton said in a statement. "If you have purchased a Bowflex, check to see whether it has been recalled. No one should take a chance and suffer a serious back or head injury while using a recalled product."
The head of Nautilus, Gregg Hammann, says free repair kits will be sent to consumers with the recalled home gyms. The kits consist of a steel bar that will reinforce the bench and a steel bracket that will give more support to the "Lat Tower."
Consumers can call Nautilus Direct at 1-888-424-3020 to receive the repair kit. Nautilus is also contacting owners of the machines by mail.
Hey, just for fun and entertainment at the retreat I am going to ship in a bowflex owner so we can all point at him and laugh! Bill H will lead us all in a mocking chant... "Just like freeweights! Just like freeweights! Just like freeweights!" Then we will send them away, humiliated!
My PT assistant is a Bow-flex distributor. He "trains" a racecar (he races the trucks actually) driver on it.
It's very much like training with bands only. Increasing strength curve. Greater load at end range where leverage is at it's best for multi-joint exercises and where force production is at it's worst for many single joint ex.
It certainly falls into the better than nothing category.
By the way, the guy in the infomercial with Tom Purvis trains with weights.
I had a chance to demo a Bowflex for our On-line training programs for work. I actually, thought it gave a pretty decent work-out. I think all in all its to get people to move there bodies. Is it to get the results that they show in the infomercials may but, most likely you won't. But, it is a good place to start. Although, the 2 negative things about Bowflex I have is its too expensive. And it complicated to adjust certin parts.
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In Health,
Silas S Chen Exercise Specialist @ MorganStanely Fitness Center Mid-town NYC
Originally posted by Bill Hartman: My PT assistant is a Bow-flex distributor. He "trains" a racecar (he races the trucks actually) driver on it.
It's very much like training with bands only. Increasing strength curve. Greater load at end range where leverage is at it's best for multi-joint exercises and where force production is at it's worst for many single joint ex.
It certainly falls into the better than nothing category.
By the way, the guy in the infomercial with Tom Purvis trains with weights.
Originally posted by Jean-Paul: Hey, just for fun and entertainment at the retreat I am going to ship in a bowflex owner so we can all point at him and laugh! Bill H will lead us all in a mocking chant... "Just like freeweights! Just like freeweights! Just like freeweights!" Then we will send them away, humiliated!
You can use me.
I sold my free weights some time back and bought a BowFlex because the wife was intimidated by the weights at the time. Since we were only going to allot so much floor space with whatever, we replaced the weights with the BowFlex. It's not so bad to have around. I don't have the lat pull attachment so I guess we won't be getting the recall notice. I do have a squat attachment but mine is homemade and probably stouter than what you'd buy for 4x to 5x what it cost me to build. It is a lot like what I would imagine the bands would be like.
I do wonder how the resistance compares. If you have a "50 lb" rod hooked up, is that really equivilent to 50 lbs and, if so, is it 50 lbs throughout the entire movement?
Confessions of a BowFlex owner... but I work out with free weights at the gym most of the time!
Linear Mode
