The Bowflex grew out of a now expired patent first conceived by an Ethiopian engineering student in San Francisco, Tessema Dosho Shifferaw. Bowflex of America, Inc. began marketing the first product, The Bowflex 2000X in 1986. Bowflex of America changed its name to Bowflex, Inc, and became a public company on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Bowflex is a cable-based home gym system using ‘Power Rod Resistance.’ ‘Power Rod Resistance’ refers to the strong rubber bands that supply the resistance to the machine. The resistance cables, coupled with the added resistance of human muscles working off each other, create the muscle-building capabilities of the Bowflex.