What Is BowFlex
BowFlex makes home workout equipment, from dumbbells with weight-selection dials to machines with a seat, cables, and resistance rods. You can build a strength routine around a single pair of weights or fit several exercises into one home gym.
The current Results Series 552 SelectTech dumbbells adjust from 5 to 52.5 pounds per hand and cost about $479 a pair at regular price. BowFlex also sells the Xtreme 2 SE and Revolution home gyms, treadmills, exercise bikes, kettlebells, and benches. Its Max Trainer combines stepping with an elliptical-style workout.
For your HSA or FSA, what matters is why you use the equipment. A strength or cardio routine that helps manage a health condition has a medical purpose your provider can document. Our workout equipment guide applies the same rule to other brands.
Why BowFlex Qualifies for HSA/FSA
BowFlex equipment qualifies when a licensed provider connects its use to your health condition in a Letter of Medical Necessity. That letter explains why the weights or machine belong in your care, making the purchase HSA/FSA eligible.
IRS Publication 502 includes expenses for the “diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease.” General fitness alone isn't a medical expense; exercise equipment used primarily for a documented health condition is. Some common conditions a provider can document include:
- Chronic low back pain. A systematic review in the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation found that progressive resistance and aerobic exercise reduced pain. BowFlex weights or a home gym can supply the resistance for a provider-directed program.
- Type 2 diabetes. A JAMA systematic review linked structured aerobic and resistance exercise to lower HbA1c, a measure of blood sugar over time. BowFlex cardio machines and strength equipment both fit that plan.
- Hypertension (high blood pressure). A British Journal of Sports Medicine review of 270 trials found lower resting blood pressure with aerobic and resistance training. Treadmill walking, cycling, or strength work can form part of that plan.
- Knee or hip osteoarthritis. The American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation guideline strongly recommends exercise for osteoarthritis and says that, for knees and hips, it could include walking and strengthening. A treadmill or a home gym can carry that program.
- Osteoporosis. NIAMS says the best physical activities for bone health include strength training or resistance training, and it lists free weights and weight machines among the ways to do it. BowFlex dumbbells and home gyms fit that plan; NIAMS also advises people with osteoporosis to avoid high-impact exercise.
Another health condition counts too when your provider documents how the equipment helps prevent or manage it.
How to Get BowFlex Covered With a Letter of Medical Necessity
You have two ways to get a letter for your BowFlex equipment:
- Through Crates, typically in under 24 hours. Complete a 2 to 3 minute online health assessment. A licensed provider reviews your answers and, if you qualify, issues your equipment letter. It stays valid for 12 months and renews each year.
- Through your own doctor, a few days to a few weeks. Book a visit and explain that you want to buy home exercise equipment with HSA/FSA funds. Ask your doctor to document how resistance or aerobic exercise helps prevent, manage, or reverse your condition. Make sure the letter is signed and dated. You may owe a copay.
How to Buy BowFlex With HSA/FSA Funds
Choose where you want to buy your BowFlex equipment, then get your money back from your HSA or FSA:
- Get your Letter of Medical Necessity first. Use Crates or your own doctor, as explained above.
- Buy your BowFlex equipment anywhere. Pay with your personal card, online or in store, and keep the itemized receipt showing the equipment and amount paid.
- Get your money back. Crates one-click reimbursement files the claim for you, or upload the letter and receipt yourself. For an HSA, keep both with your tax records.
Our HSA vs. FSA guide explains how the accounts differ, including what happens to unused funds.
Which BowFlex Products Qualify
Each BowFlex equipment model qualifies the same way: with an LMN connecting it to a health condition. That holds from a pair of adjustable weights to a complete home gym.
| BowFlex product | What it is | Regular U.S. price | HSA/FSA eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Results Series 552 or 52 SelectTech Dumbbells | Adjustable dumbbell pair | $479 | Yes, with an LMN |
| Results Series 1090 or 90 SelectTech Dumbbells | Heavier adjustable dumbbell pair | $799 | Yes, with an LMN |
| SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell | Adjustable kettlebell | $149 | Yes, with an LMN |
| 5.1S Adjustable Weight Bench | Adjustable strength-training bench | $499 | Yes, with an LMN |
| Xtreme 2 SE Home Gym | Power Rod resistance machine | $1,499 | Yes, with an LMN |
| Revolution Home Gym | SpiraFlex resistance machine | $2,999 | Yes, with an LMN |
| T6 / T9 / T16 Treadmill | Motorized treadmills | $1,299 / $1,799 / $2,299 | Yes, with an LMN |
| Max Trainer M6 / Max Total 16 | Elliptical-stepper machines | $1,299 / $2,499 | Yes, with an LMN |
| C6 Bike / VeloCore Bike - 22" | Stationary exercise bikes | $999 / $2,199 | Yes, with an LMN |
These are BowFlex's regular list prices, checked October 22, 2026, before tax and shipping. For free weights beyond BowFlex, see our weights and dumbbells guide.
Paying with pre-tax HSA/FSA money can save you up to 30%. At a combined 30% federal, state, and payroll tax rate, the $479 Results Series 552 pair saves you $143.70, so it really costs you $335.30. Publication 969 explains the tax advantages. Your actual savings depend on your tax rates and how you fund the account.
