I have one! I used to use it a lot and loved it. I've recently purchased a regular home gym, though, I just wanted something different, but more traditional, and like it better. Jennifer also has a Total Gym, but she never really used hers, and also just bought a regular home gym.
There are a lot of models to choose from. I had the Total Gym 2000, and Jennifer had the Total Gym Platinum, which was the smaller unit available from QVC. I didn't notice a huge difference between them.
Here's what Consumer Reports had to say about the total gym:
Quote:
5 TOTAL GYM XL, $1,598 • 800-220-6481
The product: You adjust the incline of a sliding bench to change resistance, which ranges from about 10 to 50 percent of your body weight. Use a cable-and-pulley system to hoist yourself up the incline. Four videos and diet included, plus a helpful flip chart showing exercises. Sixty-day free trial. Warranty: Lifetime on frame, 2 years on other parts.
The claims: Replace a gym’s worth of equipment with just one piece of equipment that does it all.
The reality: You get various exercises, but it doesn’t duplicate all other devices, especially weight-bearing aerobic ones. Very good body position and range of motion. Very fit people may need to add more resistance; an optional weight bar costs $20 plus the cost of weights. Folds compactly for storage.
The bottom line: Easy to use, versatile. A viable strength-training alternative, especially for users with low to moderate fitness. But pricey.
I noticed on the
www.totalgymdirect.com website that they now offer an "electra" model. By reading the description, I"m not sure it's worth the massive increase in price.
If you want the bigger total gym that is not the infomercial type, go to
http://www.totalgym.com/ They are pretty expensive, though. If you want something inexpensive, QVC has their own models on their website.
Nirvanagurrly , 10-05-2004 02:48 PM
Suzanne 3FC , 10-05-2004 03:16 PM
