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BY BOWFLEX INSIDER TEAM
In our #TransformationTuesday series, we chat with real Bowflex owners who have not only experienced major successes in their fitness journey, but have overcome major hurdles. This week we interviewed Jerry, a 74-year-old Green Beret and Vietnam veteran who turned his life around by working out six times per week with his Bowflex strength machines.
“I have followed this routine with my Bowflex machines for just over a year now. I weigh 180 lbs. and am in the best shape of my life – at 74 years old!”
Jerry: Well, my story is a long one. When I was 25, I spent about four years as a bodyguard for a Las Vegas casino owner. Afterward, I came back home to California and like a lot of young men, I started drinking and not watching the food I ate.
Fast-way-forward to 2003. I was a little overweight for my size (6’3”) – 195 lbs. – and was still quite the drinker. One day, I was not feeling well and went to the doctor. After some tests, the doctor told me that two of the four valves in my heart were not working, and they never would be.
My doctor also said that I had to quit drinking or else I would probably die. I went home that day and threw away every last bottle of liquor. That was the last time I drank. I am happy to say that I have not had a drop for 16 years.
After that experience, I wanted to be as big and healthy of a man as I could. My mother always spoke to the important of being the best you can be; your second best isn’t good enough. So I started looking into an exercise routine. In years past, I had purchased a Bowflex Power Pro home gym. It was compact, easy to use, the construction of the machine was top quality, and I got great results out of it. I used my Power Pro home gym off and on until about 2016, when I had to take a couple years off to deal with Nam issues. At that time, I was still not doing everything I needed to and had congestive heart failure.
By January 2018, I looked at myself in the mirror and could not believe what I saw. I was up to 218 lbs., and I looked like the Pillsbury Doughboy. Oddly enough, that night I dreamt about my mom and my former karate instructor. They gave me a good intervention, and it really inspired me. The next morning, I woke up, looked in the mirror again, and thought, “time to wake up and change my life.”
I hated going to the gym, so I turned my spare bedroom into a home gym in order to have the freedom of working out whenever I want. I dusted off my Bowflex Power Pro and purchased a Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE that would allow me to change weights and pulleys faster. At first, I wasn’t sure what kind of routine to do. I just wanted things to stick this time. So I went to bodybuilding.com to help with my supplements and workout programs. Then, I put together a 6X per week workout routine.
I do arms (Monday), arms again (Tuesday), Chest (Wednesday), Shoulders (Thursday), Back (Friday), and Triceps (Saturday or Sunday) for 1-1.5 hours per workout.
I have followed this routine with my Bowflex machines for just over a year now. Today, I weigh 180 lbs. and am in the best shape of my life – at 74 years old! Plus, over the past year I have only missed two days of my workout. I feel good, and I look pretty good too.
I just had a doctor’s appointment a month ago and the heart doctor said I did an amazing thing – I now have three heart valves and almost my fourth valve working again! I still have an irregular heart beat and that won’t change, but at least I am getting better.
A few weeks ago, I purchased a pair of SelectTech dumbbells which I now use for my Saturday/Sunday routine. The SelectTechs are top-quality construction, and changing weights is super-fast. I’ll also be adding a Bowflex SelectTech 4.1 Bench soon, and will donate my old bench and old free weights to the Wounded Warrior Project.
It’s never too late to restart your life or reshape your body, and I am proof. I owe it all to Bowflex, bodybuilding.com, hard work, and fun – because you’ve got to enjoy yourself while lifting weights. Good luck and if I can do this, anyone can – just work at it!
