Soloflex: A Simple Machine That Works!
Written: Jun 23 '08 (Updated Aug 27 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Simple to use; Well built; Safe; Easy to Move; Compact
Cons: Weight Straps are expensive to replace.
The Bottom Line: I like the way the Soloflex looks and its simplicity.Most of all,it helped me achieve the results I wanted.Buying one used is a great bargain. Highly recommended.
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| tennisteacher's Full Review: Soloflex |
I bought my first Soloflex in 1984 after using a friend's unit a few times. I sold it a few years later to join a gym but bought another one as I missed working out at home and I missed the simplicity of the Soloflex.
I'm 5'11' tall and my weight went from 160lbs.to 172lbs in a short amount of time using the Soloflex. My waist size stayed the same,my shoulders broadened and I became much more "defined",the look that I wanted and I gained strength as well. Being a tennis player,I had no desire to see if I could bulk up more. The Soloflex worked for me and continues to be an integral part of my workout and I still enjoy it.
THE MACHINE:
I like my clock radio and stereo equipment to be simple. Knobs that I can turn with few bells and whistles. And I like Soloflex because it is a very simple machine. No pulleys or cables or rods or heavy weights to deal with.
It's an exercise machine that performs conventional weight lifting exercises using unconventional resistance.
The Soloflex consists of a 6'tall curved,very solid 170lb.
mainframe with round holes numbered 1-26(top to bottom)on the side of the mainframe.You connect a floating barbell
arm and a load-pin to the mainframe into two of the holes. The load-pin goes either 3 holes above or below the barbell arm depending on what exercise you are doing. The holes you use also depends on which exercise you are performing and the user's height.
The resistance that Soloflex uses are weight straps of various sizes and thickness that range from 2.5lbs. to 100lbs.The straps are put onto the barbell arm and the load-pin and they stretch to provide resistance as you perform any given exercise.
The Soloflex also comes with a bench that you lay across the mainframe to perform certain exercises(squats;tricep push-downs;standing bicep curls;etc.)or you connect the bench to the mainframe to perform other exercises,such as bench presses, military presses and many others. SIMPLE.
It also has a dip bar that lays across the lever arm.
Also available for the last 15 years or so are a Butterfly attachment and a Leg Attachment. Both are very well built and works well. The leg attachment which allows you to do leg curls and extensions is somewhat bulky and more difficult to take on and off than the butterfly attachment.
Soloflexs can also accept conventional weight plates but I have never used anything but the weight straps so look at other reviews for that information.
And as others have stated, the Soloflex is very compact. I have mine in a well-lit,exercise friendly room sitting on a 8'x 10' area rug. This is my workout area. You can actually get by with less space but I like a little walking around room. There are approximately 20 exercises that I use on the Soloflex.(more can be done) Changing from one exercise to another takes me 30 seconds or less.
THE WEIGHT STRAPS:
So much has been written about the weight straps that Soloflex uses for resistance,that I feel that I need to address that subject separately.
*As others have pointed out, the human body does not KNOW or CARE what you use for resistance. The key is to make the body work hard to make the muscles respond. The real issue is not IF the weight straps work but how well they work compared to other types of resistance.I honestly don't know how efficient they are compared to other types of resistance but I know that they work for me.Work hard, use proper technique and you will see results.
*Some people knock the weight straps saying they do not feel like free weights. That is true but for me, the weight straps is one of the reasons I bought the Soloflex. I like the feel and safety of the weight straps. I judge them for their own merit and not in comparison to free weights.
*The weight straps can and do wear out over a period of time.This is especially true of the smaller ones.(2.5-10lbs.)They may either develop cracks or can even break as with 2.5 lb. straps I originally had.
Also,and again especially for the smaller weight straps; they will begin to lose some of their "tension" or resistance after using them for a while.
Since I am a tennis instructor, I will use a tennis analogy. When you first string (or restring) a tennis racquet, it is at its tightest tension. As you play and over time, the strings begin to lose their tension(resistance) until they either break or you do not have the same "feel" or control of the ball. At this point, you need to restring the racquet.
With the weight straps,you will be able to tell by "feel" if you are losing resistance while doing a rep and especially toward the completion of a rep. This is when you should buy new weight straps.
NOTE: The original Soloflex machine used bungee cords for its resistance.The weight straps were an improvement.
OTHER POSITIVE COMMENTS:
The Soloflex also uses a "floating" barbell arm. This means that when it is attached to the mainframe, it is not rigid. It wobbles a little(floats). This helps keep the wrists and hands in a natural position. And it helps to prevent your strongest side of your body from taking over when performing reps.It really works and is one of the best features of the Soloflex.
The weight straps,if dropped will not put a dent into your foot or your floor. Also,there is just very little that can go wrong with a Soloflex other than replacing weight straps.
MOVING:I have moved 4 times in last 20 years and moving the Soloflex is easy overall for a home gym. No heavy weight plates or stacks to pack up. Put the straps and other small items in a box. Disconnect the bench and barbell arms and leg and butterfly attachments. The mainframe can also come apart as it is attached together with one bolt.
NEGATIVE COMMENTS:
My main complaint is the price of the weight straps. They seem high to me. But fortunately, they really shouldn't be replaced too often and is really the only extra expense you should have over the years.
BUYING A SOLOFLEX:
Soloflex stopped doing costly infomercials years ago but still raised their prices whereas a new unit would cost you $1950.(even though it has a few extras)This makes Soloflex a difficult sell for a machine that is so simple looking in a world of bells & whistles. And because of the saying "out of sight,out of mind", Soloflex appears to be out of favor with new home gym buyers.
The good news is that there are many used Soloflex units being practically given away by buyers. If you buy a used Soloflex, do yourself a favor and do the following:
*check the weight straps and if worn or loose feeling, invest in some new ones.
*buy yourself a wall chart and workout book from soloflex.
*take time to find proper pin setting for anyone using the soloflex and write them directly on the wall chart or workout book.
*take time to learn to change the barbell arm and pin to different exercises.
*the original Soloflex had a natural wood looking bench with a black seat but with no padding. For the majority of last 30 years,the bench is all black with ample padding.The wood-looking bench looks good(I think)but is definitely harder on the backside.
UPDATE: 8/28/08: Soloflex has officially announced on their website that the Soloflex Classic gym is no longer in production after 30 years and nearly One Million sold(according to Soloflex). They give the reasons as that because the machine is so well built, they don't wear out. This is true for main machine(not weight straps). They also state that finding a used one should not be a problem and they will be in business to support all of the ones still being used with weight straps, guides and the like.
I suspect that with Total Gym being less expensive and Bowflex being more high-tech looking and with both of them having informercials on television regularly, Soloflex couldn't compete in attracting new customers. And they kept raising their price even without having expensive informercials, which couldn't help.
But, this doesn't change my recommendation. Still a simple machine that works.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tennisteacher
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Reviews written: 1
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