
Bowflex is known for its innovations by expanding beyond the home gym. Designing cardio and strength products to fit every fitness individual’s needs.
For over 30 years, Bowflex has been able to design smarter, faster, and effective ways for you to get results in the comfort of your home. Now they are known for the gold standard, reliability, and dependability in the home fitness industry.
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[amazon fields=”B07YLLVBZP” value=”button”]The Boxflex BXE116 is a powerful front drive elliptical machine with its long stride. It is supported with its smooth functionality, cushioned pedals, 30- pound resistance system, and Bluetooth support for fitness data management.
It allows multiple workout positions allowing you to strengthen and sculpt your whole body.
It is highly results-oriented and has a variable stride. With three different handle grips, 10 degrees incline, chargeable outlet, and other innovative features, this is one of the best complete ellipticals on the market for home use.
As a collegiate athlete who has trained in several small to world-class gyms, I’ve been able to test out The Bowflex Elliptical and will be revealing my findings, pros and cons, and thoughts throughout this article.
Pros
- Smooth resistance systems (Up to 30 pounds)
- 20 different resistance settings
- Incline settings up to 10 percent
- 11 different built-in workout apps
- 22 inch elliptical stride path
- Bluetooth functionality allowing wireless stat sharing
- Wireless heart rate monitor with a chest strap included
Cons
- The stride length is fixed and not adjustable. Maybe an issue for shorter individuals
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[amazon fields=”B07YLLVBZP” value=”button”]Things to consider before buying a Bowflex BXE116 Elliptical Machine
An elliptical trainer or a cross trainer is a stationary exercise machine that can be used to walk, run, or climb, without causing any excessive pressure to your joints, reducing the risk of impact injuries.
This allows individuals to stay fit while recovering from injuries. These trainers offer a way for a non-impact cardio workout that can vary from light to high intensity based on the speed, incline, and resistance set by the user.
They are a great addition to your workout as it strengthens your lungs, heart, and muscles while boosting your stamina, burning calories, and your overall balance.
Bowflex BXE116 Appearance and Design

The Bowflex E116 Elliptical provides superior data feedback and more workout programming than competing brands on the market. With a superior for higher durability and performance mixed with an impressive warranty package, makes the Bowflex a great choice for an elliptical machine.
It can store up to four user profiles of different workouts and data. With chest straps for heart rate, a variety of resistance settings and intensity, and incline, the Bowflex BXE116 is perfectly designed and functioned to help you reached your fitness goals.
It is quick and easy to assemble with the user manual the comes with it. Bowflex offers services where experts can build the machine at an extra cost.
Bowflex BXE116 Stride Length

Stride length refers to the distance between the very front of the front pedal to the very back of the rear pedal. Most standard elliptical trainers have a stride length of around 18” to 20” which is perfect for most individuals.
The Bowflex BXE116’s stride length is fixed at 22 inches. This means average height users and taller users will find a comfortable fit and enjoy all the features that the elliptical offers. However, if you are shorter, you may find trouble in using this elliptical trainer.
Bowflex BXE116 Control Module

The control module controls all of the features that the elliptical has. The more features the elliptical has, the more controls you will get to use. This includes LED screens that provide you feedback and statistics of your workout. From calories burned, heart rate data, speed, distance walked, and overall time of the workout.
The Bowflex E116 comes with a 7.5” LCD showing all your workout stats in multiple colors and design as you work out. There are nine pre-programmed workouts that you can begin immediately.
These programs include weight loss, endurance, cardio, and strength. The one feature in the console that stands out from other competitors is their calorie burnout information. This shows how many calories they are burning each workout session, allowing users to stay focused as they achieve their calorie goals.
This information can be seen through their RunSocial App that offers all the details with the other 4 user profiles on the platform via Bluetooth.
It also includes a USB charging port along with its integrated handrails, making the user console efficient and user friendly for long term use.
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[amazon fields=”B07YLLVBZP” value=”button”]Bowflex BXE116 Resistance Levels
Resistance changes the difficulty of the workout. More elliptical machines use magnetic resistance which provides a quieter and smoother resistance.
The Bowflex BXE116 has over 25 different resistance settings with an additional 30 lbs of motor resistance strength giving you precision on the intensity that you want for your workout. Users can optimize by also taking advantage of the incline.
Bowflex BXE116 Incline

Incline adds an additional dimension to your elliptical workout. It changes the gradient of the machine, forcing you to use different muscles, shorten your stride, and use more energy.
This also means you will be walking up, meaning you’re closer to the ceiling.
The Bowflex BXE116 has a maximum of 10 percent of incline. This allows you to target different muscle groups such as your calves and quads for toning depending on the height of the incline.
Bowflex BXE116 Step-Up Height
When you use the elliptical, you will notice you move up and down as the pedals move. This is a more prevalent issue when your roof is low or you’re very tall.
That’s why knowing the lengths between your head and the roof is crucial when you purchase an elliptical.
If you have a low ceiling, find ellipticals with a lower step up height.
The Bowflex has a 30 pound flywheel that provides a smooth and durable ride. Combined with multi-gripped and ergonomic pedals and handlebars allowing your feet to stay comfortable during long workout sessions.
This means they support different hand positions so you can target your upper body muscles in natural hand positions.
As The Bowflex BXE116 is 77″ x 31″ x 70″ inches so make sure you have enough space from your roof before you purchase this elliptical. Also, watch out for ceiling fans as well.
Why You Should Consider The Bowflex BXE116 Elliptical
Full Body Workout
An elliptical machine is one of the only few cardio machines that provide you both an upper body and lower body workout.
These machines help simulate the pumping or running motion of your arms and distribute the weight and resistance evenly.
This targets your hamstrings, quads, glutes, back, chest, triceps, biceps, and core muscles just by changing the resistance and incline of the foot pedals.
By adjusting the foot level, your quads take most of the load. By increasing the incline, you will feel it more on your hamstring and lower back.
Increases Your Cardio and Stamina
When performing aerobic exercises, your lungs and hearts work hard to provide your muscles the blood and oxygen it needs to perform.
The elliptical machine simulates this, resulting in your body building more stamina and endurance.
Depending on the intensity and speed, you can perform high-intensity interval training that provides fat burning results or steady cardio workouts for muscle toning.
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[amazon fields=”B07YLLVBZP” value=”button”]Great for Recovering From An Injury
If you have an injury or can’t workout, using an elliptical can be a great way to maintain your fitness. As it is a low impact exercise, it puts less stress on your joints.
It also improves your balance as your core has a large influence on the stability of your body and muscles.
When you stand up straight and run without holding on to your elliptical handles, you can target the core muscles and work on staying balanced.
These machines are perfect for strengthening your muscles, core, and joints as you do rehab.
Reduce the Strain and Stress On Your Joints
When you’re running or performing any other high impact cardio exercises, your ankles, hips, kness, and other joints can take a beating.
For ellipticals, your feet never leave the pedal, offering a low impact alternative for cardio workouts, resulting in reduced stress on your joints and body.
Burns A Lot Of Calories and Body Fat
Using an elliptical machine can help you burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time.
Depending on your weight and intensity, you can burn around 270 to 400 calories within 30 minutes using an elliptical machine. As you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight easily.
As the elliptical burns a lot of calories, the longer and more intensive you use the elliptical, the more you maximize the fat burning process.
You can add in interval training such as 1 minute of high-intensity movement and 30 seconds of recovery to increase your heart rate while working on your endurance.
The FAQs
Is Bowflex Fitness A Good Brand
Bowflex is known for its innovations by expanding beyond the home gym. Designing cardio and strength products to fit every fitness individual’s needs.
For over 30 years, Bowflex has been able to design smarter, faster, and effective ways for you to get results in the comfort of your home. Now they are known for the gold standard, reliability, and dependability in the home fitness industry.
How Much Space Does The Bowflex BXE116 Elliptical Take
The Bowflex BXE116 Elliptical Trainer is not foldable and is heavy weighing 300 lbs. However it has a transport wheel and a lifting handle for you to move it around.
The dimensions are 77″ x 31″ x 70″ meaning you will need to dedicate a large amount of space in your room.
Watch out for ceiling fans and low ceilings when you take into consideration when purchasing the Bowflex BXE116 Elliptical.
How Do You Use An Elliptical?
Before you work out, always begin with a warm up.
For an elliptical, you may do a few minutes on a slow paced walking and work up the intensity as you feel warm.
When you first use the elliptical you may find that you’re uncomfortable and may feel unbalanced. However, the more you do it, you will find yourself naturally having a good cardio workout.
Here are steps to get started:
1. Begin stepping onto the elliptical and face the conBowflex. Nothing will happen until you begin pedaling.
2. Next, turn on the model or start pedaling to turn it on. This is done by pushing the pedal with a forward motion with your feet. If there are handles, push and pull the handles at an even pace.
3. You can increase or decrease the pedal resistance as you workout. Usually, there are up and down arrows that show the current resistance.
4. As you near the end of your workout, do not just stop. Make sure you gradually slow down and let momentum slowly slow you down.
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[amazon fields=”B07YLLVBZP” value=”button”]Our Final Thoughts on The Bowflex Elliptical
Bowflex is known for its innovations by expanding beyond the home gym. Designing cardio and strength products to fit every fitness individual’s needs.
For over 30 years, Bowflex has been able to design smarter, faster, and effective ways for you to get results in the comfort of your home. Now they are known for the gold standard, reliability, and dependability in the home fitness industry.
The Boxflex BXE116 is a powerful front drive elliptical machine with its long stride.
It is supported with its smooth functionality, cushioned pedals, 30- pound resistance system, and Bluetooth support for fitness data management. It allows multiple workout positions allowing you to strengthen and sculpt your whole body.
It is highly results-oriented and has a variable stride. With three different handle grips, 10 degrees incline, chargeable outlet, and other innovative features, this is one of the best complete ellipticals on the market for home use.
If you’re looking for an affordable Elliptical that has all the features, accessibilities, and usability for a home gym, then we recommend you checking out The Bowflex Elliptical.