Total Gym?

[Aramus]

OK, I was home a lot due to surgery and saw a lot of infomercials on "Total Gym" It looked interesting. Chuck Norris was saying it was great, etc. etc. There was one model at my physical therapy place. They hated it b/c it was hard for some of their patients to use it (could fall over, not very stable to do all the exercises, back patients...forget about it). I used it to work on my hamstrings with it and it was tough.

Anyone had any experience with it? Liked it? Didn't like it? Thought it was good? Didn't think it was good, etc..
Oh, and I found it really cheap at ebay.com That's gotta mean something.

[TaoBoy]

I have used it. It's not bad. I prefer going to a gym to workout though. The total gym is more of a tone-up tool. It won't make you big (not that I want big). Basically it just uses you own body weight as resistance. It's a good workout. And it doesn't take up much room.

[Serpent]

I really like them. It's one of the few machines that really does replace a lot of exercises and works you out well. Like TB said, it won't make you big, but it's great for toning and it's a good machine as it doesn't isolate too much like other machines do.

I think it's a good thing to have at home for those days when you can't get out to train at the gym or your school.

I don't have one, but I've used one often (at a friend's place) and I'd really like to have one.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Serpent
Like TB said, it won't make you big, but it's great for toning


I'm sorry, how is it good for "toning?"

I think diet and cardio are the best things for toning.

Having never used one, I would have to say BOOOOOOOO. Unless for some reason you cannot use freeweights (if you say "I can't use freeweights because I don't want to get big" I'm going to smack you), there is no reason to use some machine that probably costs more than the freeweights anyway.

In conclusion, is it better than nothing? Yes. Is it better than freeweights? No.

IronFist

[PLCrane]

IronFist,

Two questions:

Can you do everything with freeweigths that you can with the Total Gym? I don't watch tv, so I've never seen it.

Wouldn't rubberbands be even cheaper than freeweights? Are there some limitations to using rubberbands that I'm not thinking of right now? (other than having to find a place to tie it)


PLC

[IronFist]

Can you do everything with freeweigths that you can with the Total Gym? I don't watch tv, so I've never seen it.

Can you do the exact motions? No. Can you work the same muscles more effectively? Yes.

Wouldn't rubberbands be even cheaper than freeweights? Are there some limitations to using rubberbands that I'm not thinking of right now? (other than having to find a place to tie it)

Rubber bands probably cost less, but you gotta charge a huge price for infomercial stuff. How else can an infomercial sell one of those $8 ab roller wheels for $40?

A 315lb Olympic weight set costs about $150. I have no idea how much Total Gym is, but I know Bow Flex or something is like $999. Geez.

You cannot beat old fashioned iron (freeweights) when it comes to resistance exercise.

IronFist

[Crimson Phoenix]

Chuck Norris would probably say that it's good to take it up the butt provided you gave him enough $$$$ heheheheheh
OMG, what's wrong with me?? LOL

[Aramus]

The total gym is suppose to give you an aerobic/cardio work out b/c you can change from exercise to excercise with just a change in the way you're moving your arms or legs. I think that is why they said tone rather than bulk. Ebay is by far cheaper than the actual website, but you have to be careful of the "evil" folks out there.

So I guess this is the summary time: Not bad, free weights are better. It will work everything it says it will work. Ebay is cheaper than the $1500+ you'd have to spend from the totalgym website. Some people like it that have tried it. Physical therapist will not always like it especially for some patients. It isn't bad to use to work the upper body if you had surgery on your legs.

Peace and happiness
Aramus: The happy guy?

[TaoBoy]

I stand by my earlier comment about the Total Gym providing a good workout. However, I do agree with IronFist - free weights are better (and cheaper).