[Alpha Hunter Zero]

I was flipping through the channels on TV yesterday when I came across an infomercial for the Total Gym. I stopped flipping channels and watched. Now I've been seeing informercials for the Total Gym for years and it's basically repeating the same marketing tactics each time. I know 99% of of hyped fitness equipment out there is nothing more than a gimmick so I'll be brief. Has anyone used or owned this machine with any success? If so, is the Total Gym more practical for slimming down and cutting up or can it be used to put on some mass as well? Tell me your experiences. My apologies if this has been addressed on the forum already.

[JohnGalt]

Chuck Norris endorses it, so it's gotta be badass right?

You know what ends up happening? The shit turns into landmines to smash your toe on while getting up to go to the bathroom in the dark. That stuff is just going to take up space in your house, and become a justifiable excuse not to hit the gym fro reals. That being said, I don't see this contraption helping you build mass, the most effective way to build your muscles is by lifting as heavy as possible free-weights.

Where you choose to work out is your business, but as someone who purportedly wants to pick up more girls, why the hell would you choose to stay at home on your "Total Gym" than go to the real gym and give yourself the opportunity to work on your game?

I thought this thread was on-point, take the convenience out of your life and meet more women : El Mech's Daygame Hack

[Hannibal]

I'd rather lift in my basement/rape dungeon than go to a shitty Planet Fitness to hit on women. The gym is where I go to escape all that shit for a while.

Also, if you travel and you don't feel like getting gym memberships every where you go, portable equipment becomes a lot more attractive and convenient.

I'd just make a T handle, get some weight for it, and do swings and sidepresses.

The total gym is probably garbage. You'd be better off getting a kettlebell and getting a copy of Enter the Kettlebell. Not the most optimal solution, but it is portable.

[Alpha Hunter Zero]

@John Galt- Calm down. First off, I never stated anywhere in my post that Im interested in buying or obtaining the machine. I was just curious as to how other guys here may have fared with the Total Gym, nothing more. Second, I am fully aware that it may just be shit. Like I stated, 99% of machines are hyped up garbage. Finally, the gym isnt some sort of pussy mecca, there are no shortages of places a man can practice and hone his game. Some may be better and some may be worse. For me personally when I go to the gym Im there for myself and myself only. Women there are just sidepieces and amusements to me.

[JohnGalt]

I knew as soon as I hit reply what I said would be taken as personal criticism. Maybe I read a little too much into the initial question....

No worries, just trying to be helpful and add my experience and perspective. I've found the gym to be a great place to not only work on approaches, but a good place to get workout and form tips and a spotter for sketchy lifts I wouldn't want to do home alone.

[Alpha Hunter Zero]

Lol it's all good bro, dont sweat it. I get where you're coming from regarding the gym. It's practically a place where you can kill 2 or more birds with 1 stone depending on the size of the gym and what other services they offer (boxing, sauna, other fight training etc.). You just have to learn to take advantage of everything at your disposal.

[nando]

"The shit turns into landmines to smash your toe on while getting up to go to the bathroom in the dark."

lol'd

[Hades]

I have never tried Total Gym but I am skeptical. The thing with fitness fads and fitness machines is that they're new, and not really proven, and even if they work they might not work as well as the mainstays of strength fitness - which would be barbells or some kind of bodyweight training.

Even so I think that it's a lot easier to make gains on barbells than with bodyweight, unless your programming is very good and/or you have a smart coach who doesn't dick around.

[presidentcarter]

I think the only thing you should buy and keep in your house is the Iron Gym. It's like $50 (spend a little more and get the ab straps).

[Teedub]

(02-25-2013 02:29 AM)presidentcarter Wrote:  

I think the only thing you should buy and keep in your house is the Iron Gym. It's like $50 (spend a little more and get the ab straps).

I've got that, it's great. Without the ab straps though.

[Ironsun]

According to Dan John (A strength and condition coach) everything works for 6 weeks.

So I bet the Total Gym would work for you and maybe longer then 6 weeks if you were disciplined in using it. My opinion would be if you are just looking for something to keep you at a basic fitness level the TG would probably work. You are basically doing body weight workouts so you may add some mass but you are limited with how much. And maybe that is enough for you.

If you want to add some serious mass you will need to move some iron. Preferably heavy iron.

For $900 for the low end model you can get a gym membership for what, 3 or 4 years, a lot longer if you do Chuze or the Planet Fitness deal. If you are a beginner and/or do not want to drop the cash then a couple of pieces of equipment can work well and take you pretty far. Not as far as lifting heavy iron, but further then the TG will take you.

These 2 pieces of equipment will allow you to do a lot of different combos of workouts:
A pull up bar or rings, I just picked up a set of wood ones from Ring Training (http://www.ringtraining.com/), my plastic ones are shot. If you do not go the ring route get a 'station' so you can do pullups and dips.

Make a T-handle for swings and Goblet squats
http://www.davedraper.com/pmwiki/pmwiki....i.T-Handle
Hit up a Play it Again Sports for some used standard weight plates.
Yeah kettlebells are nice but a T-handle is more versatile for a beginner allowing your to start off with a lighter weight and add on as you get stronger.

Find a program that you can use:
100 pushups
25 pullups
SimpleFit
Walking
Sprinting

Hit up the Dan John board on Dave Drapers site for swing/pushup combos. Lots of ideas and programs out there to use and customize for your needs.

Good luck which ever way you go.

[Virtus]

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[Alpha Hunter Zero]

Some great information and resources above. This thread was created mostly based out of curiousity since Ive been seeing that thing on tv for years. As for the Iron Gym I already have that. It's a great piece of equipment for the upper body. Unfortunately you need look elsewhere for training your lower body. Another thing with the Iron Gym is that you need some pretty strong door frames otherwise you're just going to end up woth a broken door frame. Found that out the hard way

[Timoteo]

I think any fitness equipment is helpful if you actually use it consistently. Total Gym is all about using your own body weight to exercise. It's something to use to keep you tight and break a little sweat. It depends on what your goal is, and why you're working out. Total Gym is something that would be nice to use on those days between heavier workouts. It's worth it if you can envision yourself using it alot. If not, your money is better spent on something else.

[TheCaptainPower]

It doesn't work, you need weights, and heavy weights. It's definately better than nothing, but it won't make you into a bodybuilder. The best work out is a couple days of week of heavy free weights, and a couple days of OUTDOOR cardio. Combine that with a proper diet and you can become a superstar. I am oversimplifying of course...

[Galee]

Hi AHZ,
Like to say gyms are the ideal places to increase your health as gyms helps in building muscles and toning body. In gym, staff and other members will provide you tips regarding routine workout and suggest you nutritive diet meal plans.

[Off The Reservation]

I am bumping this to see if there are any experiences or tips with the Total Gym.

[eatthishomie]

I used to see those infomercials on TV after getting home from work when I worked the night shift.

It looks to me like something most serious weightlifters would outgrow pretty quickly.

As a sidenote, Christie Brinkley (who is in all those infomercials) is like 62 and is legit 8/10 WB.

[MiscBrah]

I've never used the Total gym but I have the Ironmaster Dumbbell Set that goes up to 75 pounds. It worked great when I first started lifting and still does. You can get the add on which will take you 120 pounds per DB which is something I need to do. The DBs are incredibly well made much more so than the Bowflex DBs and other cheap knockoffs.

[duedue]

So it seems nobody is in favor of Total Gym. I'm thinking of buying a "home gym" and this is one of the options. For various reasons I don't feel like going to the gym (I guess they all boil down to being lazy). I've done so a couple of times in the past and in those times the gym was very close to where I lived or where I worked.
I bought a spin bike for $260 several months ago and it was well worth it. It took me a while to start to use it regularly but now I find it very useful. (For comparison a 3 month membership at a nearby 24 hour gym costs $200). Have a 40lb dumbbell as well but don't use it as much I should (I guess because I don't have a good program in mind).

Not just that, machines make things simple and routine compared to free weights. There is this Total Gym, there is a similar but cheaper Weider Ultimate, Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym and then Marcy 150 lbs. Stack Gym. I'll go to Dick's and maybe I can try them out. My goal is not to build big muscles but to increase my testosterone level and get a toned and flexible body.

[icyT]

I don't know if this would provide enough resistance fr compound movements like presses or pulls.

Probably fine for isolation moves though. They use less resistance. I tend to go higher rep with them anyway.

You would still need a chin bar and to do pushups but total gym seems a safer and more fun option for doing a reverse fly move to hit rear delts to balance out your rotor cuff compared to bent over dumbbell flies. Probably a nice way to do resisted hamstring stretches too. Ankle cuffs are a nice option to supplement undeadlifts and badmornings.

[duedue]

I talked to my boss (who is an alpha male) and he suggested I get a bench and free weights. Now I realize one reason that working with my dumbbell wasn't fun was that I didn't have a bench! I'm asking in this thread advice for buying.