The Bowflex Ultimate® Home Gym offers the leg attachment, the lat tower attachment, the aerobic rowing feature, the squat station, and a 2-position adjustable main pulley system. In comparison, the Bowflex Ultimate® 2 Home Gym offers all of the above with the following exceptions: the Ultimate 2 offers an optional integrated abdominal crunch accessory, the Preacher curl attachment, and it has a 5-position adjustable (“no cable change“) main pulley system.

The Bowflex Ultimate® Home Gym offers 90 potential exercises, while the Ultimate 2 offers 95+ possible exercises. In the area of standard weight resistance, both machines offer 310 pounds. The Bowflex Ultimate® 2 offers a 410-pound weight resistance feature for an added cost. Both Bowflex® home gyms come with the patented Power Rod® no-time-limit warranty. In the event that you actually wear out these rods (which is highly unlikely considering the manner in which they are manufactured), the company will replace them free of charge.

A limited warranty on the machine itself is 10 years for the Bowflex Ultimate® Home Gym and 12 years for the Ultimate 2 machine.

The dimensions on these machines don’t differ by much, however, if storage space is a concern, then the Bowflex Ultimate® is slightly smaller in size. The folded footprint for the Bowflex Ultimate® is slightly smaller than the other machine.

Both Bowflex home gyms come with a workout DVD, an instructional manual and a motivational poster to place in your exercise area.

A non-skid mat is offered with both systems, at an extra cost. Place this mat under your home gym - it is essential for protecting your carpet or your flooring.

The price difference between the two is only about $400, depending on where you purchase your home gym. If an abdominal workout is extremely important to you, or you prefer not to change out the cables in between exercises, the Bowflex Ultimate® 2 might be the better choice for your home gym.

Overall, both home gyms are excellent products, whether you are a dedicated athlete or just beginning to get into fitness. Both systems will enable you to become stronger and leaner and help you to meet your personal physical fitness goals.