Bowflex PR3000 vs Blaze [2023 In depth Comparison]

Bowflex home gyms are a great option for anyone that is looking to exercise from home, and they are perfect for building up your strength and fitness. 

Home gyms like the Bowflex PR3000 and the Bowflex Blaze allow you to take part in a great range of exercises in a limited space so that you can have a full body workout and work on all your different muscle groups. They are also very affordable pieces of kit and should form an important part of your home gym set up.

Check out this quote to see why we love these Bowflex machines so much

At first glance these two multi gyms look very similar, after all, they are made by the same manufacturer (ok, so one is red and black and the other is grey, but you get the idea!). 

To help you decide which one is the best for you, we have pulled together this Bowflex PR3000 vs Blaze comparative review. We will break down the differences and similarities of the Bowflex Blaze vs PR3000 so that you can be confident that you are buying the right one for you.

Bowflex Blaze vs Bowflex PR3000 – Quick Comparison

The Bowflex Power Rod Resistance System

Before we go compare where the PR3000 and Bowflex Blaze differ, it is worth looking at the resistance system that they both use. 

Bowflex home gyms use characteristic bows at the back to provide resistance. The system is unique to machines made by Bowflex. 

It is the bows that create resistance and provide strengthening exercises for your muscles. 

The Bowflex system works a lot like a bow and arrow. When you first pull, it is fairly easy, but as the tension increases the resistance builds and the further you go, the harder it gets.

This design creates a smooth and fluid movement which puts less strain on joints and tendons. This, in turn, reduces the chance of your home exercise causing any connective tissue injury. 

The power rods themselves do not move (other than to flex). To provide resistance to the range of exercises, you have to connect a different series of cables to the power rods. By using the pulleys you are able to perform dozens of different upper body, lower body, and core exercises.

As the resistance is greatest when the bow is fully flexed, it means that you do not get constant strain throughout the pull in the same way that you would with a dumbbell or free weights system. 

One of the benefits of the Bowflex power rod system is that it is much safer to use when you are on your own. The lack of heavy weights means that there is no need to have a spotter with you, and this makes it ideal for use at home. 

As there are no weights,  it is easier to move the machine around. This means you can put it away in the corner when you aren’t using it. When it is time to exercise you can easily pull it out to where you workout. This makes it an ideal home gym for anyone in a small house or apartment.

Bowflex PR3000 vs Blaze – What are the key features and differences?

Bowflex PR3000

The Bowflex PR3000 is a nice compact piece of equipment, perfect for anyone that lacks a huge space for their home gym. The main compromise for this small size is that it doesn’t come with a horizontal bench.

The PR3000 allows you to start with a base rod resistance of 5 pounds and work your way all the way up to 210 pounds. For most users, this 210 lbs resistance is plenty, but if you want a more challenging workout it is possible to upgrade to 310lbs.

There are over 50 exercises that you can do with the Bowflex PR3000 so you will find plenty of ways to maintain and build your fitness. When you buy this machine, you get access to Bowflex’s Full Body Plan which gives you loads of great online workout resources. 

One of the stand-out features of the PR3000 is the no-change pulley system. This means that you do not have to interrupt your workout moving cables and pulleys about as you do with the Blaze (or PR1000/Xceed).

This is a really important feature and one of the main reasons for the higher price. It is particularly useful if you like to do cross-training workouts with set rest intervals. There is no need to worry about lengthy gaps in your routine whilst you fiddle about with the settings on you machine.

Bowflex Blaze

The Bowflex Blaze does come with a fold down bench, and this is probably the key difference between the two pieces of equipment along with the fact that the blaze also benefits from having a squat bar. It means that the Blaze is a good choice for anyone keen to perform supine movements, bench press or do cardio rowing exercises.

The Bowflex Blaze allows you to perform over 60 exercises, so it has a slightly bigger range than the PR3000, but there isn’t a huge difference between the two when it comes to the variety of exercises. The Bowflex Blaze comes with plenty of workout content, including a book of exercises and a DVD. 

The rods on the Bowflex Blaze provide up to 210 pounds of inertia-free and smooth resistance. This is enough for most but if you are keen to push yourself, you can upgrade to 310 lbs or even 410lbs which is 100lbs more than the PR3000. These resistance factors are the same as the PR3000.

So, when it comes to comparing the key features of the two machines, there isn’t a huge amount to choose between them.

When comparing features and deciding between the Bowflex Blaze or PR3000 it really comes down to whether you want a pull-down bench, in which case, the Blaze is the one to go for.

Or, if you place more value on being able to quickly switch between different exercise groups, the no-change pulley system of the PR3000 is invaluable. 

Some users may also be swayed by the fact that the Blaze can go up to 410 lbs of resistance with the purchase of additional power rods. 

Bowflex Blaze vs PR3000 – Which is the most Versatile?

Bowflex PR3000

The Bowflex PR3000 has a great amount of versatility with 50 exercises that you can perform, from full-body workouts to training specific body parts. As mentioned there is no fold down bench for supine movements, and this is the primary limitation of the machine and restricts the versatility of the PR3000 somewhat. 

Having said this, there are loads of exercises to keep you busy, including the following:

• Legs: Leg extension, curl, and kickback 
• Arms: Bicep curls and tricep pushdown
• Shoulders: Press, delt raise, shrugs 
• Chest: Flat, incline, and decline press
• Back: Lat pull-down with cables, row, lower back extension 
• Core: Ab crunch, trunk rotation, and oblique crunch 

Bowflex Blaze

The Boxflex Blaze pips the PR3000 by offering 60 different exercise options, and a fold-down bench. This is plenty of different options and will suit anyone that is just getting into working out or the seasoned gym-goer who is looking to maintain their fitness from the comfort of their own home or garage. 

As we said, there are 60 different exercises that you can do on the Blaze. We love that the sliding seat rail allows you to perform aerobic rowing and leg presses. Some other exercise that you can do to work up a sweat include:  

• Legs: Leg extension, curl, and kickback 
• Arms: Bicep curls and tricep pushdown
• Shoulders: Press, delt raise, shrugs 
• Chest: Flat, incline, and decline press
• Back: Lat pulldown, row, lower back extension 
• Core: Ab crunch, trunk rotation, and oblique crunch 

So, as you may be starting to realise, there are a lot of similarities between these two machines, and deciding which is best out of the Bowflex Blaze and PR3000 proves tricky. It is worth noting that the Blaze comes with a Lat bar and squat bar included. 

Both machines are suitable for a user weight of up to 300 pounds. However, when it comes to the versatility of exercises, the Blaze has to win by virtue of having the fold-down bench and an extra 10 exercises.  

Bowflex Blaze vs Bowflex PR3000 – Which is the biggest?

One of the key factors when buying a big piece of kit like either of these multi gyms is being sure that you have the space to keep it and use it effectively. Both of these machines are a fairly typical size for a home gym, even if you compare them to those made by other manufacturers.

The horizontal bench makes the Blaze a bit longer, otherwise, they are pretty much the same size. Don’t forget that you will need some space around your machine for you to stand and exercise and for the bows to flex out. 

Here are the measurements of the PR3000 vs Boxflex Blaze.

• Bowflex PR3000 dimensions are 64 x 41 x 83 inches (length, width, height)
• Bowflex Blaze dimensions are 90 x 38 x 83 inches (length, width, height)

Bowflex PR3000 vs Bowflex Blaze – What is the price difference?

At the time of writing there is very little difference in price between the Bowflex Blaze vs PR3000. It is about $20 dollars or less than 3%. When you are making a big purchase like this we think that such a similar price point shouldn’t be considered as an important factor when comparing the Bowflex Blaze home gym and the Bowflex PR3000 home gym.

We think that both machines offer good value. They are very sturdily built and from a manufacturer with a great reputation. They may not be the cheapest on the market but we think that they are both amongst the best value machines for anyone looking to increase their options for exercising at home.  

You can see that Bowflex has confidence in its products as they offer a really good warranty of the Blaze and PR3000. It is clear from our review that the machines are built to last using quality materials but it is nice to know that you are covered should anything go wrong. 

The PR3000 is covered by a 1 year warranty on the frame, 7 year warranty on the power rods and 60 day warranty for parts. The Blaze has a slightly shorter 5 year warranty on the power rods but matches the guarantee of the PR3000 for frame and parts. 

Bowflex Blaze vs PR3000 – The Verdict

Although we have said that these are both great Bowflex machines and that there are many similarities, there are a couple of key differences that could sway your decision. 

You should consider which exercises do you most want to do, and how you do them. 

One of the big differences is the horizontal bench on the Blaze. This allows you to do lots of exercises parallel to the floor, like a bench press lying on your back. On the PR3000 you can only bench press in a seated position.

The bench also doubles as a rowing machine allowing you to add some cardio workout to your exercise routines.  The Blaze can be upgraded to 410 lbs so is a better choice for anyone looking for more resistance.

On the other hand, the 3000 is better for squats as you can remove the seat and leg extension completely, whereas on the Blaze you have to straddle the bar which is a bit awkward. You can still bench press from the vertical seat, which is actually a better workout for your muscles. 

The other big difference is the quick change over pulley system that only the PR3000 has. If you want to be able to get on with your routine without interrupting your flow moving cables and pulleys about, you should go with the PR3000. 

The prices are pretty similar but do fluctuate so we recommend comparing prices before making your decision.