Bowflex: Where to Buy
Bowflex is a home gym brand that built its reputation through late-night infomercials and as-seen-on-TV spots promising a full-body workout without a gym membership. The brand launched in 1986, and millions of units have shipped to garages and spare bedrooms across the United States. Its 2024 bankruptcy filing and acquisition by Johnson Health Tech left buyers asking what’s still for sale and whether the equipment is worth it. Here’s where the brand stands and where to actually buy Bowflex gear today.
What Is Bowflex?
Bowflex is a line of home exercise equipment originally built around a patented power rod resistance system. Instead of traditional weight plates or free weights, early models used flexible composite rods attached to a pulley system to create smooth, progressive resistance. That design kept the equipment compact enough for a living room while still delivering a strength training workout that could challenge experienced lifters.
BowFlex, Inc., the manufacturer, operated under the Nautilus umbrella for years before the parent company rebranded to BowFlex in 2022. The lineup grew well beyond the original home gym to include treadmills, exercise bikes, elliptical trainers, the Max Trainer series, and the SelectTech adjustable dumbbell line. The company also launched JRNY, a subscription app with adaptive workouts, trainer-led sessions, and integration with compatible equipment.
Bowflex Home Gym Models and Equipment
The Bowflex range covers nearly every category of home exercise equipment. Knowing what each line does helps you pick the right machine for your space and goals. Here’s how the three most popular models compare.
| Model | Resistance or weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym | 210 lb power rods (up to 410 lb) | 70+ strength exercises in one station |
| SelectTech 552 Dumbbells | 5 to 52.5 lb per hand | Small-space strength training |
| Max Trainer | Body-weight plus magnetic resistance | 14-minute HIIT cardio |
Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym
The Xtreme 2 SE is the flagship cable-based machine. It uses 210 pounds of power rod resistance, upgradable to 310 or 410 pounds, and covers over 70 exercises through a lat tower, squat station, and multiple pulley positions. The footprint runs about 4.5 by 6.5 feet, which fits most dedicated workout rooms. No separate weight bench is required, since the seat and backrest handle most pressing and curl movements. Range of motion on the cable paths feels different from free weights, though. The resistance curve is lighter at the start and heavier at the end, which some lifters prefer for joint protection and others find limiting for explosive movements.
SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbells
The 552 model adjusts from 5 to 52.5 pounds per dumbbell using a dial mechanism. One pair replaces 30 individual dumbbells, which saves serious floor space, and the 1090 version goes up to 90 pounds for heavier lifters. In our testing, swapping the dial between sets was faster than loading plates, but the plastic cradle can crack if you drop them, so controlled reps matter. These rank among the best adjustable dumbbells on the market for home workouts, and they’ve held that position for over a decade.
Treadmills, Bikes, and Ellipticals
The treadmills feature motorized incline and decline settings. The VeloCore bike series tilts side to side to simulate outdoor riding, and the IC Bike SE connects to cycling apps for structured training. On the cardio side, the elliptical models target full-body engagement with moving handlebars and adjustable stride length. The Max Trainer, a hybrid between a stepper and an elliptical trainer, built a following for short, high-intensity sessions that challenge your muscles in 14 minutes.
Where to Buy Bowflex Equipment
Bowflex products sell through several channels, and pricing varies more than you’d expect between them. Buying direct usually wins on bundles, while retail wins on the chance to test a machine first.
Official Store
The official Bowflex website carries the full product catalog, including bundles and accessories that third-party retailers don’t always stock. Financing runs through the site, and seasonal sales, especially around Black Friday and New Year, can knock 20 to 40 percent off retail prices. A JRNY membership is often bundled free for the first year with qualifying purchases.
Amazon
Amazon stocks the 552 dumbbells, the Xtreme 2 SE, and select treadmill and bike models. Prime shipping makes it convenient, but verify the seller. Third-party listings sometimes ship older inventory or charge inflated prices during stock shortages, so the official storefront on Amazon is the safest bet.
Retail Stores
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, and Johnson Fitness retail locations carry the machines in stores where you can test them before buying. Costco occasionally stocks the adjustable dumbbells at a discount. If you’re comparing this brand against competitors like NordicTrack or Peloton Interactive equipment, seeing them side by side in a showroom helps more than reading specs online. For a lower-tech classic in the same as-seen-on-TV lineage, the Total Gym uses your body weight instead of rods.
The JRNY Digital Fitness App
JRNY is the brand’s subscription platform, available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. It offers adaptive workouts that raise the load and difficulty as your conditioning improves. Trainer-led video sessions play directly on the screen of compatible machines, or you can use the mobile app with non-connected equipment.
The all-access membership streams workouts alongside entertainment during cardio sessions. A mobile-only subscription costs less but drops the machine integration features. One detail worth knowing: you can use most of the hardware without a JRNY membership. The subscription adds guided programming and tracking, but the equipment works independently for manual workouts.
Does Bowflex Actually Build Muscle?
Yes, with caveats. The power rod system and cable-based exercises provide enough load for beginner and intermediate lifters to see real strength gains. Progressive overload is possible by upgrading rod packs or adding weight to the adjustable dumbbells over time.
Experienced weight lifters who train heavy, above 300 pounds on compound lifts, will hit the ceiling on most models. The resistance curve on power rods also differs from free weights and traditional weight plates. You’re working against a flexible rod, not gravity, which changes how your muscles engage at different points in the movement. For general fitness, fat loss, and moderate strength training, Bowflex delivers. For competitive powerlifting or bodybuilding, dedicated free weight setups or a program like P90X paired with heavier gear works better.
How long until you see results? Most users notice improved muscle tone and endurance within four to six weeks of consistent training three to four times per week. That timeline matches what you’d expect from any resistance-based exercise program.
What Happened to Bowflex?
BowFlex, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2024. The filing didn’t mean the company disappeared. Chapter 11, the section of U.S. bankruptcy law that lets a business restructure its debts while continuing operations, kept the lights on. Johnson Health Tech, a Taiwan-based fitness equipment conglomerate that also owns Schwinn Fitness and Matrix, acquired the Bowflex brand and assets through the bankruptcy process.
Under Johnson Health Tech’s ownership, products remain available and warranties are being honored. The JRNY app still runs. Replacement parts and power rods are still shipping. The bankruptcy was driven by declining post-pandemic demand for home workout machines, a problem that hit Peloton Interactive and NordicTrack just as hard, combined with high inventory costs. It wasn’t a product quality issue.
If you’re buying Bowflex equipment on sale right now, the discounts are genuine. Clearance pricing on pre-bankruptcy inventory puts machines and adjustable dumbbells well below their original retail prices, and the risk is minimal since Johnson Health Tech has the infrastructure to support the line long term. For fans of as-seen-on-TV products like the Flex Shot, Bowflex is one of the few brands that crossed over from infomercial fame into a lasting market presence. If you’re curious whether as-seen-on-TV products actually work, Bowflex is a solid case study in one that did.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bowflex still in business?
Bowflex is still operating. Johnson Health Tech acquired the brand after BowFlex, Inc. filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024. Products continue to ship, warranties are honored, and the JRNY app remains active.
Can you build muscle with a Bowflex?
The home gyms provide enough resistance for beginner and intermediate lifters to build muscle and improve strength. The power rod system tops out around 310 to 410 pounds depending on the model, which limits advanced lifters who need heavier loads for compound exercises.
Are the SelectTech dumbbells worth the price?
The 552 model replaces 30 individual dumbbells in a single pair. For home workouts where floor space matters, the cost per pound of adjustable weight is lower than buying a full dumbbell rack. They’ve held up well in long-term reviews spanning 10 or more years.
Do you need a JRNY subscription to use the equipment?
No. All machines work without a subscription for manual workouts. The JRNY membership adds guided programs, adaptive difficulty, and workout tracking but is not required to operate the equipment.
Where is the cheapest place to buy Bowflex?
Check the official website during seasonal sales, Amazon Prime deals, and Costco for the dumbbells. Post-bankruptcy clearance pricing has created the lowest prices on this equipment in years.