The Beauty of Bowflex
Each of us have to wrestle with our own concepts of exercise. Like most people, I have tried to stay in some type of shape using the common ways. And I haven’t done a good job. So I’ve recently come to the conclusion that a gym membership is not a realistic idea for me to maintain even though I’ve had one for about a year now. (By the time you get into workout clothes, drive there, workout on the machines you want and wait patiently while others are using them, drive back home, change and shower…you’ve used up a whole evening – yes, you could do this in the morning time but I don’t like mornings). So I’ve done some soul searching and tried to figure out what I could actually maintain realistically with my schedule. In case you haven’t heard, ministry isn’t exactly a 9 to 5 job.
I started looking into home gyms and noticed that the Bowflex systems aren’t quite the eye-sore that other units are. And you don’t have to carry around and store a bunch of heavy weights. I began to realize that their 20 minute workout routines are actually doable with my schedule. The only problem is that they are ridiculously expensive!
And then it dawned on me, I could take advantage of how we all are when it comes to exercise and buy a used system from someone who came to the same realization about their Bowflex that I came to about my gym membership. So I got Michelle hunting on Craigslist.
We were able to find a couple that practically has stock in Bowflex. The one we found was bought about a year ago and hardly used at all. The guy told me that his wife had a previous model and then wanted to upgrade so they bought this one, then she “didn’t like the way it felt” so they were selling it to buy another one (brand new). So if you’re doing the math, that is like 3 brand new systems in about 3 years. These are the type of people I was looking for.
Kudos to Jared for signing up for the adventure with me to go get it. We found ourselves in one of the most awkward situations of my life as a result, but that is a story I will save for a sermon illustration. All in all, we were able to buy a Bowflex for a fraction of the price it was a year ago and now I’m on a journey to make it a part of my lifestyle. So feel free to ask me how I’m doing with it so that I get some extra accountability!
This is the personal blog of Jeremy Jernigan. Husband, father, teaching pastor, and student of truth.
Craigslist=one of the greatest websites of all time. I’m with you on the shape thing, I’ve been trying to walk/run, but the motivation thing is the hardest part
Yikes! Those bowflex systems ARE steep, but congrats on finding a very sweeet deal!! It sounds like a great solution to your exercise dilemma. May it serve you and Michelle well and never end up as a clothes rack!! ; ) And Craig’s list is the king when it comes to great finds!!
I have to admit I use to wrestle with the same exercise dilemma…buy a home gym or keep schlepping to the gym. I weighed all the practical pros and cons from time to cost factors, and of course, based on the data, all things pointed to getting a home gym. Problem solved! Well, not really because I failed to factor in the “me” variable. After doing a lot of soul searching, I realized I’m just a gym rat at heart. Or rather I need the discipline and destination of a gym. For me, there are just one too many distractions at home (1 spouse, 2 kids, and 2 dogs, phone calls, dust bunnies, etc.) to stay focused on my workouts. When it comes to exercise, I’m incredibly intense and focused (I get into a zone and I’m gone for the next 4 hours…) It’s become a regular discipline for the last 5 years or so. I think the appeal of a gym is partly because it’s actually one of the few times when I CAN’T multi-task and do 5 or 6 things at once! All I need to do is just focus on the workout and let my mind go….simple and pretty darn cathartic! There’s just something beautifully liberating about that. It also serves as good, uninterrupted time to pray and focus on God. I know this wouldn’t happen if I was working out at home. Nor would I have met the many gym friends I’ve made (talk about a mission field!) I’d say those are pay offs well worth schlepping to the gym for me (beside the obvious health benefits and endorphin highs! ; )
I guess all that to say, more power to whatever will motivate and get you to exercise!! Happy Bowflexing!!! : )
Soooo…how’s the boxflexing going??