im not saying you cant build muscle with a bowflex, but free weights are much better and thats proven. you cant bounce with DBs either you know. thats what i usually use for bench. the bow flex offers very limited exercises and weight limits too. i could easily rack that thing on bench, so itd be useless to me. i also dont see the point in spending hundreds on a bowflex when you can get a gym membership, have insurance pay for some of it, and end up going there for 1-2 years with the money you spent on the bowflex.