I went to look at some equipment today. At first I was looking for a rowing machine but it seems people don't make these much anymore. The salesmen started showing my some "home gym" machines and I think I may spend the cash. I've narrowed it down to the Crossbow (for its compatibility) and a Magnum system, the ones you have to assemble but are much cheaper than the Crossbow (Magnum - 325, Crossbow - 500). Does anyone know if the Crossbow can work most muscle groups? It looks quite gimmicky (lack of actual weights probably) but I really don't know. Anyone?

I went to look at some equipment today. At first I was looking for a rowing machine but it seems people don't make these much anymore. The salesmen started showing my some "home gym" machines and I think I may spend the cash. I've narrowed it down to the Crossbow (for its compatibility) and a Magnum system, the ones you have to assemble but are much cheaper than the Crossbow (Magnum - 325, Crossbow - 500). Does anyone know if the Crossbow can work most muscle groups? It looks quite gimmicky (lack of actual weights probably) but I really don't know. Anyone?

IMO the best resistance equipment is free weights. All you need are the weights and a bench. Add a power rack or spotter and you've got all you need to gain size and strength in the most efficient way. If you don't believe this go down to your local university's strength training facility for their athletes. You find any Crossbows there but you will find plenty of free weights. :tucool:

IMO the best resistance equipment is free weights. All you need are the weights and a bench. Add a power rack or spotter and you've got all you need to gain size and strength in the most efficient way. If you don't believe this go down to your local university's strength training facility for their athletes. You find any Crossbows there but you will find plenty of free weights. :tucool:

I see, so its a gimmick basically? Why do you think free weights are so much better?

I see, so its a gimmick basically? Why do you think free weights are so much better?

I don't know that it is a gimmick but free weights are generally better because there is no restriction to their movement other than what you can apply with your own muscles. IOW, machines guide you through a fixed range of motion which doesn't involve using many of the stabilizer muscles that you'll need when using free weights. The conventional wisdom is that you can make gains with machines but not as much or as quickly as with free weights.

I think the crossbow has an advantage over a lot of machines because it uses single handles attached to cables instead of a fixed path lever. That means you will be using stabilization muscles during an exercise. The main advantage the crossbow has over free weights is safety. The disadvantage of the crossbow is it uses power rods and they have some variation in their resistance depending on how far they are bent (less resistance on the beginning and end of the stroke). I prefer free weights myself, but I could see one of these machines being a useful tool for a year or two. I would compare the cost of the machine with a gym membership or the free weight route.

I think i'm going to get a Crossbow. Mainly for its compactness. I really hope i'll be able achieve the same results as I would be able to with free weights. Has anyone here used a Weider product or know someone who has opposed to free weighs? Any info would be appreciated.

I think i'm going to get a Crossbow. Mainly for its compactness. I really hope i'll be able achieve the same results as I would be able to with free weights. Has anyone here used a Weider product or know someone who has opposed to free weighs? Any info would be appreciated.

I also agree free weights are the way to go.

what does the crossbow cost? I bet you could set up a great free weight home gym for less.
although, the space is an issue - you'll need more space for free weights...

I also agree free weights are the way to go.

what does the crossbow cost? I bet you could set up a great free weight home gym for less.
although, the space is an issue - you'll need more space for free weights...


$500 plus an extra set of the tube-weight things. The thing is, a free-weight home gym is such a pain to set up with all the pulleys and parts. And then, its huge. I doubt it would fit in my gym. Also, I am moving in a year and it would be impossible to move probably. Thats why I have been researching the Crossbow. It seems legit from all the reviews i'm reading. I'm sure its not as good as free weighs, but if I work my ass off on it i'm sure i'll get similar results. What do you think?

Given your situation, perhaps you could buy one, use it for a year, move, sell the crossbow, and get free weights? You seem to realize that free weights are better than Crossbow, but Crossbow is better than nothing. You might even look at buying a used bowflex-type system.
Are there any Gym membership options until you move?

hey,

I got a Olympic bench set for 229 http://www.modells.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1262682&cp=710956.1170115.693996&fCat=693996&fpricesort=priceDescending&filter=yes&parentPage=family

and a set of 300 lbs weights for 130

http://www.modells.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1125026&cp=710956.1085818.693997&parentPage=family

it's still cheaper and will provide you with tons more fun than any cross bow....

at 360, it's still cheaper than the 500 for the crossbow. and it's not as big either!

Given your situation, perhaps you could buy one, use it for a year, move, sell the crossbow, and get free weights? You seem to realize that free weights are better than Crossbow, but Crossbow is better than nothing. You might even look at buying a used bowflex-type system.
Are there any Gym membership options until you move?


Yeah, there is a gym but I don't work nearly as hard in a gym as I do at home. But, maybe i'll just have to get over that. I think i'll go with your former suggestion actually. I mean, how much different can a Crossbow be from free-weights really? Its the same basic principal, right? I can build muscle and get ripped either way.

hey,

I got a Olympic bench set for 229 http://www.modells.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1262682&cp=710956.1170115.693996&fCat=693996&fpricesort=priceDescending&filter=yes&parentPage=family

and a set of 300 lbs weights for 130

http://www.modells.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1125026&cp=710956.1085818.693997&parentPage=family

it's still cheaper and will provide you with tons more fun than any cross bow....

at 360, it's still cheaper than the 500 for the crossbow. and it's not as big either!

I'm liking this. And you can work out any muscle group you want on this? Is it as versatile as the Crossbow in that respect?

Yeah, there is a gym but I don't work nearly as hard in a gym as I do at home. But, maybe i'll just have to get over that. I think i'll go with your former suggestion actually. I mean, how much different can a Crossbow be from free-weights really? Its the same basic principal, right? I can build muscle and get ripped either way.
Well, you can build muscle and get ripped either way, but in my way of thinking, if I'm going to work this hard, I want to do it in the way that maximizes that work - and I'm convinced that free weights is the way to do it. I was on the fence for awhile with Bowflex, but when I learned about the variance in resistence issue (also referred to here in --D--'s post), I decided to go with free weights.
However, my situation is not like yours - I'm not planning to move soon - and Crossbow is a lot better than nothing!
Also, if you're going to work harder at home with a Crossbow than you would at the gym (I can relate to that), IMO you should go for the Crossbow.

Well, you can build muscle and get ripped either way, but in my way of thinking, if I'm going to work this hard, I want to do it in the way that maximizes that work - and I'm convinced that free weights is the way to do it. I was on the fence for awhile with Bowflex, but when I learned about the variance in resistence issue (also referred to here in --D--'s post), I decided to go with free weights.
However, my situation is not like yours - I'm not planning to move soon - and Crossbow is a lot better than nothing!
Also, if you're going to work harder at home with a Crossbow than you would at the gym (I can relate to that), IMO you should go for the Crossbow.


You're right. If i'm going to do it, I might as well do it the right way and get a piece of equipment based on a free-weight system. It would just be ignorant to do it any other way.

Are these types of equipment as effective as free-weights? The resistance is the same.

http://www.magnumfitness.com/graphics/machines/elite/1012.jpg

I'm not talking the actual machine but that system of weights. The stacks. One of the things I was looking like that was a huge home gym type thing based on that kind of system and you could do a bajillion different types of exercises.

Are these types of equipment as effective as free-weights? The resistance is the same.

http://www.magnumfitness.com/graphics/machines/elite/1012.jpg

I'm not talking the actual machine but that system of weights. The stacks. One of the things I was looking like that was a huge home gym type thing based on that kind of system and you could do a bajillion different types of exercises.

Hmm, I don't want to steer you the wrong way. For that system of weights, you'd have to attach it to a pulley system, correct? It looks like you'd get consistent resistence, but now we're back to the stabilizer muscle issue.
DarkBlue's suggestion is intriguing, what I can't tell from the picture on his link is if there is a safety measure for bench presses. Sorry to add confusion to an already confusing decision.

I thought the Crossbow was cheesy when I first saw it, but I did try one and I have to say it's really pretty good. The resistence feels very different from free weights (which I use at home) but it's different in a good way. You do have to use a lot of stabilizing muscles for most of the excercises on the Crossbow, so that's good.

To me, I think the biggest plusses of the Crossbow are...
1) What you said about the compactness.
2) Because it does not use traditional weights, the system as a whole is very light. Try moving a whole free weight gym to another room (or house) and you'll know what I mean.
3) It allows you to do a ton of excercises. You can really work your whole body out with that thing. And it comes all together, you don't have to buy 10 different products (do I sound like a commercial yet?)

The other posts are correct in that in the long run, if you're going to be lifting for a very long time, free weights are the way to go. But if you're looking for something that will get you up and running for a year or two, comes in a single box and is moveable, Crossbow is a really good buy. Just my 2 cents.

And you cant look awesome squatting a million pounds with a crossbow or bowflex. :p

I own a Crossbow, and have been using it since last January. I loved it a first, but I now have a few complaints after a year. One is that the resistance isn't the same through the movement. It starts out too easy at the beginning , and ends up too heavy at the peak of the movement. I would prefer even resistance throughout for nice smooth reps. Mine has the 240lbs. resistance. I end up doing one legged movements as the weight is too light for 2 legged presses. There really isn't a good way I have found to replicate squats. I also feel it is tough to do incline presses properly on it.
The things I like: It is space compact. I do not need a spotter when working to failure. You can change excercises quickly for supersets. And the price was right.

I have started adding dumbells to my workouts for shoulder presses, incline presses, lunges, and squats.

There's my $.02...good luck. :cool:

That machine the Dark posted, can you work all the muscles on it that could be worked with a Crossbow? I'm really ignorant to weight-lifting and thought that a bench was actually quite limited. Anyone have a page with pictures of different things you can do with free-weights or a weight-bench?

With dumbells alone, you can do a lot of exercises. Combine that with an adjustable bench and you will be able to do even more. Here is a link to dumbell exercises. I didn't go through every single one, but I would guess you will be able to almost all 94 of them with a sturdy, adjustable bench.

http://bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=&Equip=Dumbbell&Isolation=

.....would I benifit from the "CrossBow Platinum"? It costs 899.99. I pay $35/monthly for my gym membership. I plan on lifting for a long time or at least till I get to where I'm happy. I like going to the gm as much as the next guy and it's only a few blocks away but waiting for machines, having to go across the gym to get the a machine and so forth can be time consuming sometimes. I will be moving in a bout a 1 1/2-2 yrs. And I think the machine would be good for the rest of the family since only I workout. Any opinions? Should I got for it or keep my membership? Also If I start wrking FT I don't know how I will workout since I also go to college.

Does your school have a weight room? If they have a decent weight room, that would be a great option since the cost of using it should be included in your tuition.

Does your school have a weight room? If they have a decent weight room, that would be a great option since the cost of using it should be included in your tuition.
very true but unfortunantly, no. i hope the Univ. i'll be going to has one. That would save me lots. :rolleyes: