total gym or weider total body works

[sfunkular]

has anyone ever owned one. i was wandering what your thoughts were on this equipment. im pretty strong but not huge 6 foot 170lbs and wanted to know how much i could gain from this or if ill outgrow it after a few workouts. i can do 10 pullups already and i dont want to just lie down and do 50. how hard is the machine and can you make it harder? thanks

[MrHolman]

first, def total gym, i had the weider first, the squat attachment at the bottom broke within the first week, took it back and got the total gym 2000 used from a friend that was moving (im a big dude so i wanted something really heavy duty), had it for years, still use it to this day, finishes off my free weight workouts nicely

second, you can read up on the total gym models on their site and see the max percentage of your body weight it uses, the newer total gyms are at 50% or 60% at the top level, all the way down to the bottom level which feels like about 4% of your body weight if im not mistaken

meaning if you could do 10 pull ups now, you could do 10 - 1 arm pull ups on the total gym, give or take, which is what i resorted to at first, then lots of the new total gyms have the weight bar accessory to add weights, mine didnt, i just got a camping backpack and through 50 pounds in it, then i put ankle weights on, then a weight vest

eventually i started using it to finish my workouts off, love it plain and simple, id say get a used 2,000, by far the most bang for your buck, you can get them for as much as the much lower quality entry level machines are brand new, you will just get so much more out of them, check ebay and craigslist

the 3000/xls isnt much better and is way overpriced, try to find a 2000 with a bunch of accessories

also folds up really small and compact like the commercials say they do, even the biggest ones will fit in any closet easily and under most beds if need be

this is an excellent complementary piece of equipment for any gym, if you have the money and the space, go with free weights for resistance training, if its the space or the money, this would be my next option, how much you can grow is all about what you do with what you got

hope that helped

[rickprice]

I've used a number of home gyms in the past with varying results. Understand that at 58, I'm not looking to get into competition shape. At 6' 5" it just isn't realistic, I'd be ripped at around 450 and 600 in the off season. But I'm on my way back to a good fighting weight of 200 from a top of 305 - half way there on mostly diet but stalled.

For several months I debated between LA Fitness (I have a membership but run my own business = no time for gym), Bowflex up to and including the $3000 monster, TotalGym and several others including a bench and free weights.

I decided on the TotalGym XLS, paid my money and it arrived. I was able to actually carry the box it came it. Daughter and I got it upstairs to my office and we went down and had dinner and watched a movie. She headed home around 9:30 and I figured I could at least get started setting it up before I turned in around midnight. It was ready to go at 9:45 - really. Its put together and only 1 cable and pulley assembly to deal with. Played on it a bit, watched the videos and went to bed.

The next morning I got up and went upstairs to do the beginners workout. Did the squats at lvl 5. Got the heartrate up a bit with the single leg ones but easily doable. I was worried that the machine was going to just be something for my wife. Set it to 3 as I continued - ended up on 2 and getting my butt kicked. The workout is kind of a cross between circuit and interval training. Being mostly a traditional gym and weight guy, the way it hits multiple muscle groups was an eye opener and the fast switch was a welcome change from most home gyms. You either have the pulley hooked up or not and then its mostly positioning on the sled for the exercise. By the end of it I was shaking and sweating like a pig. I'm admittedly out of shape but the workout with a trainer at LA Fitness a couple of weeks ago wasn't this comprehensive or tough.

Bottom line is that I can hit this workout first thing every morning, shower off and be ready to go. I have learned that several Fire Departments around the country have these in the firehouse to workout on as well as some pro sports teams that carry them on the road. Once I get used to the basic workout I'll move to the Body Makeover program and get to that 200 lb goal I've got.

Want to get huge? Go to Golds or LA Fitness. If you want to get fit and cut, this is a convenient and cost effective way.

[jtyler30]

i want to get huge? Go to golds or la fitness.

lol.

[rickprice]

lol.

or you could go to your place.

[jtyler30]

or you could go to your place.

My doors are open, cheaper than LA or Gold's and LEGIT. Im not sure if that was sarcastic or not.

[rickprice]

My doors are open, cheaper than LA or Gold's and LEGIT. Im not sure if that was sarcastic or not.

No sarcasm - you have a killer gym. Better than some gyms I've worked out in.

Nice job on the wooden rack BTW - you do that one yourself?

[jtyler30]

No sarcasm - you have a killer gym. Better than some gyms I've worked out in.

Nice job on the wooden rack BTW - you do that one yourself?

Yea. It might not be pretty but it does the job.