I have a similar model and was wondering if anyone else does too? I rarely ever use it but I want to start incorporating it into my new routine. Any suggestions (besides getting rid of it!) would be helpful.

I've got one of the first ones.. Big and heavy duty compared to some I've seen... I don't use it :(

That is a great idea, but.....

I am going to give it a shot. When I figure out my workout, I'll keep you guys posted on how well it works. I watched the entire "Total Gym" commercial yesterday and found out that thing goes for about $1000! I own the "Total Trainer 4000XL" which I bought for $250 ON ebay. It seems sturdy but we will find out! :gl:

I also have an Ebay 'Total Trainer' - one of the cheaper ones, as I think it was around $175. I got it for my husband, who refuses to "waste time" :lol: on free weights. The only thing I use it for is practicing pseudo pull-ups, but it seems sturdy enough -- you can add weights to it as well. My husband loves the thing, so I suppose it was worth it for the brownie points. :D

does your husband follow any kind of program or routine? If so, I am interested. :D

Nah, he just does a random routine when he feels like it. I'm working on him to use it - will let you know if we come up with anything that works. The book that comes with it has a pretty good set of exercises as I recall. I only use it for pull up practice as there's nowhere to put up a bar in our house at the moment -- for everything else I have a barbell and dumbells.

I have used this site for Total Gym workout routines. I paid for 3 months of service one time. The tour shows the service pretty well.

www.totalgymworkout.com

Although you will be seeing a lot of cable time, you can create a calender that will hammer a normal person into a small hole after a few weeks! :nod:

I wouldn't use one as the backbone of my workout. However, the one time I did get to try one I found that it did have some uses. In terms of lat pullovers it seemed like a very comfortable machine, for instance.

I've tried the things, and they are comfortable, but you would easily adapt. They can use up to 60% of your body weight as resistance at the hardest setting. I always thought they should add the ability to put weight on it, and they did! But, its only 75 lbs max, and that's pretty weak (45 lbs added weight at 60%). If it could support something like 300 to 500 lbs, it wouldn't be too bad. You could use it as an effective light workout + cardio machine.

The other addition would be to be able to use like 75% of your weight somehow.

I think the 75# limit is more of a suggestion. I have had 100# on it before and I was about 250# at the time. I'm sure it could take more but that is all I had. So if I could get 400# total (inc. my bodyweight) then it would feel like 240# at 60%.

I think the 75# limit is more of a suggestion. I have had 100# on it before and I was about 250# at the time. I'm sure it could take more but that is all I had. So if I could get 400# total (inc. my bodyweight) then it would feel like 240# at 60%.

That's the rumor (the 60% part). I guess it also depends on the entire pulley system, too. Just like lat pulldown machines don't equate 1:1 for their true weight.

That's the rumor (the 60% part). I guess it also depends on the entire pulley system, too. Just like lat pulldown machines don't equate 1:1 for their true weight.

Why not? Are you talking about multi-pulley type machines? If there is only fixed pulleys, then the weight would be true. If you are using a system where there are multiple pulleys, and they move toward each other during the exercise, then the overall weight would be decreased.

There are no moving pulleys so I would think the same. I somewhat remember this lesson from college physics but that class wasn't my favorite!

I think there are fixed pulleys at the top and the bottom of it. But, since you put it together yourself, the weight could vary based on how tight the pulleys are.

Still, for $420 bucks for one, I bought a half-rack w/ cable system, adjustable bench, and 300 lb weight set. No, that was $350. I had more left over to spend on other extras. There are better ways to spend your money than the total gym.

The cheap ebay version doesn't require you to put together any of the pulleys - it came in one fold-up piece, not counting the thing you sit on. They are fixed at the top, none at the bottom. And for pullups, you don't use a pulley at all, so I am guessing the 60% is pretty close for that.

okay, so I am a girl and probably this isn't quite the routine you had in mind. I do an aerobic routine on it. I use it just like christie does in the commercial, I also use it for abs. It has a very good incline to hit every ab muscle you have, the cardio part is good since it also involves lifting partial bodyweight it gives a decent workout. Mine came with a video and I think it is great for doing upperbody workouts for women. So if you have a wife tell her to get busy on it. Most women don't require great amounts of lifting to see results. This machine is very good for men for some upperbody routines too. But as someone above said, I wouldn't use this as my regular routine. I use it when I need to break away from the treadmill and free weights. just IMO

I got to use a total gym last night... i LOVED IT it was fun, and i got a good workout.... i love it.... i wanna get 1, however im intrigued about this "Total Trainer" as the total gym cant add weights (at least i dont think)

The "total trainers" are everywhere on Ebay - I don't know if they all can have added weights, but mine is the lowest end model and it can. Manual says up to 100lbs, I believe. The only place you can add them is via a bar through the bottom of the 'seat/pad'.

I like the look of this http://www.beyondmoseying.com/total-trainer-dlxIII-chrome.html

That model is $417 on Ebay. Just search on "Total Trainer DLX-III".

back when i was "obese" i wasnt to get one so i could lose weight.... but thats back when i thought sit-ups would make my gut smaller :lol:

anyway, for the same price you could probly get a barbell and some plates, as well as a few other things, you can do so much with just a barbell
add some dumbbells and a bench, and you can basically do a full body workout!

I agree -- I have the $200ish model and never use it except for pullups.

Does anyone have a user name and password to totalgymworkouts.com They say the sites down right now but that if you have already registered you can still log in. Can anyone let me borrow there's so I can see what the exercises and workouts are like. Thanks,

Danielle

Don't waste your time. I tried it out and it is horrible. They basically give you a strength workout, a flexibility workout, and a cardio type workout. The workouts are then recyclyed until you make your own. Other than that, you can keep track of the sets, reps, and levels. I had a membership but it ran out over Thanksgiving. If I can find the workouts I'll post them. I felt as if I wasted that money within an hour of using the website. I asked for a refund that day but never got a response. The Total Gym itself is alright but the website is a waste. I like to use it to do lateral raises, cardio and other light cable type exercises.

http://www.totalgym.com/learn/exercises.html (http://)

This link will show you all the exercises and what body part they work. This was the best part of the whole website.