The Bowflex Extreme 2 is a home gym that gives you the ability to perform more than 70 types of exercises while also being compact enough to fit in the corner of most rooms. A good workout routine features three main exercises (squat, chest press and lat pull-down) as well as supplemental exercises that train smaller muscle groups. All these workouts should be performed in slow, controlled motions to avoid injury as well as wear and tear on the machine.

Main Exercises

For the squat, attach the bar and lay it across your shoulders while standing on the platform. Your feet should face forward, slightly wider than shoulder width. Bend at the knees and lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the the floor, then push back up. Be careful not to let your knees go over your toes to avoid pressure on your lower back. Perform the chest press with the individual handles and the seat laid back. Keeping your feet firmly on the floor, press the weights up, keeping your elbows at 45-degree angles to ease the pressure on your shoulders and rotator joints. Perform the lat pull-down with the bar on the tower overhead. With a grip that is wider than shoulder width, pull the bar down while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Do not lean back excessively while you do this, as it will work your chest more than your back and shoulders.

Supplemental Exercises

Aside from the three main exercises, incorporate at least one other exercise for each of these muscle groups: chest and triceps, biceps and back, shoulders, legs, and abdominals. The workout chart that the Bowflex Extreme 2 comes with will include these exercises, divided by category. Change these supplemental exercises every two weeks to initiate muscle confusion and enhance gains. Muscle confusion works by providing different stimulation for muscles, which in turn will continue to trigger results. Muscles that go through the same workout all the time become accustomed to it, which can hamper your gains.

Overall Workout

Since this workout involves all the major muscles of the body, you should do it three times a week with at least a day of rest in between. Once you become advanced in your fitness level, you can increase the intensity level and the amount of days you lift. For each exercise, the target as far as sets are concerned should be three or four. Repetition-wise, eight to 12 should be reasonable for a typical workout. When you lift heavier to add size, lower the range to four to eight repetitions. When lifting lighter weight to add shape and tone, 12 to 20 is a good target. Always have a light warm-up and cool-down that involves stretching with each workout.

Source:

Bowflex: Positions for exercises on Bowflex

Men's Health: Boost Your Bench

"NASM Essentials for Personal Fitness Training"; Michael A. Clark, Ed., Scott C. Lucett, Ed., Rodney J. Corn, Ed.; 2008.