Bowflex LateralX LX3 Review

This lateral modification increases your options for a good lower body, low impact workout—squat comfortably (as comfortable as a squat can feel), step up, down and side to side working your glutes, quads and calves. The Bowflex LateralX LX3 also allows you to work your chest, shoulders and arms with the movable handles.

On the 7.5” (good size) backlit LCD display you can easily view your stats and progress once you’ve selected from your seven workout programs and eight resistance levels.

The LateralX LX3 is also Bluetooth compatible and syncs with the free Bowflex LateralX app, which offers a 12-week workout program consisting of 30 full-length workout videos to motivate you and increase your fitness level, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced. Or, if all you want to do is listen to some music to pump you up and keep you focused, Bowflex Radio offers selections from a variety of crowd-pleasing genres.

The heart rate monitor is on the handgrip sensors located on the static handles, making it easy to follow your stats as you workout. It also comes with two user profiles that allow you to track and store your individual statistics.

The media tablet shelf is convenient for placing your personal devices or accessories. With the charging port, you don’t have to worry about your devices dying, so you can’t use the excuse that your tablet died to finish your workout prematurely!

The LateralX LX3 can accommodate a user weight of up to 300lbs, which us in the middle of what ellipticals can typically tolerate (between 275 and 350 lbs, depending on the make and model).

Check out our highlights and lowlights.

Our Favorite Features

• Whole Body Workout: The design of the Bowflex LateralX LX3 allows for toning and cardio while having a lower impact on your joints.
• Lateral Pedal Movement: Works different muscle groups and burns more calories moving side-to-side, up and down and back and forth.
• Eight levels of resistance: Challenge yourself at different levels of resistance. People at more advanced fitness levels may want to focus on HIIT workouts to maximize what they can get from the limited number of resistance levels.
• 30 full-length instructor-led videos available with the Bowflex LateralX App: The variety will keep you motivated and challenged. You will feel as if you are in a class with the instructor guiding and encouraging you while you are actually in the privacy of your own home. There are even off-the-machine workouts like yoga and weight training.
• Seven on-board workout programs: A good place to start for beginners.
• Big 7.5” backlit LCD display: Easy to view and read. Bigger is always better as you won’t be distracted while struggling to read your stats as you work out.
• User weight capacity up to 300 lbs: Most users will be able to use LateralX LX3 comfortably and securely.
• Bluetooth compatible: Connect your devices and access your own music, videos or other workouts as well as the LateralX App.
• 2 sets of hand grips (static and movable): Makes it simple to change up your workout while in motion.
• Bowflex Radio: Choose from a variety of music genres to pump yourself up.
• Heart Rate Monitor: Contact sensors for easy reading without interruption or use a wireless chest strap (sold separately).
• Media/Tablet Shelf: Designed with a charging port for your devices. You’ll never be distracted by the possibility of your smartphone or other device losing power.

Bowflex LateralX LX3 - Notable Specs:

Our Least Favorite Features

• Warranty: At this price point, the warranty is short at one year for frame, electronics and parts and 90 days for labor.
• Fixed Lateral Range: The lateral movement of the pedals really engages your hips, so if you have tight hips that don’t comfortably move as far as the pedals force them to, you’ll struggle with this machine.

The Bottom Line

The Bowflex LateralX LX3 is a very good beginner-to-intermediate elliptical trainer. The lateral pedal movement is what really helps it stand out and allows you to work more muscle groups than you would on a typical elliptical—great for a more comprehensive, but still low-impact, workout. The workout programs that come both on the machine and with the LateralX app are a really useful inclusion in terms of keeping you motivated and shaking up your workouts, so you won’t get bored. The resistance levels will provide a challenge for most users, though more advanced exercisers may find the LX3 lacking in terms of providing a serious challenge. All in all, in spite of a lackluster warranty, this LX3 is definitely recommended.