Total Gym Indoor Home Fitness Incline Weight Trainer - Workout Machine Equipment for Abs, Legs, Shoulder, Arms and Back

You won’t see this Total Gym on their website, but it’s made by the same company and seems to be very high quality. I’ve only had it five days now, but I will update this review if anything changes. Quality: Very high. Stated weight limit is 375 and I believe it. I’m 225, and this feels very sturdy to me while using. Tubular steel and attachments all feel very sturdy and high quality. Cables do too. Heavy duty pulleys as well. The pad on the glide board is not super-thick, but I don’t think it is on any of the Total Gyms. It’s not Trying to be a bed or couch. Experience: So far a big thumbs up. Glides very smoothly and the included exercise book and cards show you some creative and challenging ways to use the machine - a wide variety of exercises. The attachments fit perfectly, and I have total confidence they will support the weight as needed. It is pretty easy to switch the machine’s configuration to perform various exercises, and I like that it’s so quick, as it does not introduce an unintended cool-down time. I haven’t come across any configuration changes yet that take more than 15-20 seconds. The exercises are all super-smooth and non-jarring if you do them correctly. Great full range of motion. Setup: comes fully assembled. Several boxes to open that contain the attachments. Read the directions for how to “unfold” it if it’s not clear to you. Storage: no wheels, so if you plan to store it away a lot, you might not like that, but I just leave mine out unless I have company over. Opening and closing takes a minute to sort out, but it’s easy once you understand it. In the box: I went with this model over some others like the XLS mainly due to cost and the fact that it includes the leg rope, the wing attachments, the squat stand and the dip bars. Other stuff: Although it’s not included, this model does have the holes if you want to add the weight bar, so that was a nice plus to discover. That said, this is a tone machine more than a hulk-out machine. At the highest setting, you’re using 60% of your own body weight and I think if you add the weight bar it supports up to another 180 pounds (not positive on that though). So if you need more weight than that for your workout, this won’t really work for you. It’s also a long machine when open. Plan on having a good 10 feet available length-wise and, depending on the types of exercises you do, and how long your arms are, at least 5or 6 feet of width clearance. Overall, I am very happy and even impressed with this machine so far. Update 6 months in: Still love it. No complaints. Update one year: I added the optional weight bar. It is great for tweaking the “feel” of the resistance to get it just right. It’s still a great machine. I use it four times a week for about 30 minutes and over the year have dropped 30 pounds and greatly increased my strength. I’m surprising myself how easy it is to lift things I used to struggle with. The absolute best thing about this machine is how easy it is to change the difficulty. At one point, I had hurt my back working in the yard. I was able to set the resistance way back - all the way back to #2 - and still do some really light work while my back healed. No idea how I would have done that with most other equipment. And, if I had completely taken off the four weeks it took for my back to get right, I might have stopped exercising entirely. Instead, over those four weeks, I slowly moved from 2 back up to 8 as I could handle it. That’s a really great thing about this equipment that isn’t obvious at first.

I was looking for a weight machine to accompany my recumbent bike for a home gym. Most were just too big for the room. I really wanted something that folded away when not in use, as this room doubles as my home office. I remember seeing the Total Gym a few years back and began looking at them, reading the reviews, and watching some videos on You Tube. Total Gym does not use weights in its main function, its based on resistance. I ordered the Total Gym Apex G5 at a price below what the weight machine I was considering would have cost. My decision was an easy one to make. I looked at all the exercises I wanted to incorporate in a workout routine, and every one of them I could do on a weight machine, could also be done on the Total Gym AND achieve a nearly identical result. If I were to max out the ten resistance levels The Apex G5 gives me, there were other ways to increase the amount of resistance in the future. It can be done by adding a weight bar and weights to the sliding bench or using resistance bands. My intent was not to use the Total Gym to replace free weights or as a tool for "power lifting". Its about getting toned and develop some muscle definition with out getting involved in the whole "join a gym" thing. It folds up out of the way when not in use, easy to set up and allows me to work out to my schedule with out going to a gym and pay the fees that come with it. There are videos on you tube by "Sliding bench trainer" that's like having your own personal trainer. Amazon shipped it with 2 hours of ordering it and I had it the following day! It weighed about 80 pounds, I took it down stairs, opened up the box and had it set up in about ten minutes. It's a very sturdy, stable unit and excellent quality. Give the Total Gym some consideration. They have 3 different Apex models. I chose the Apex G5 so I would have enough resistance levels to move up to in the future. Well worth the price.... very satisfied!

Update: Bought this 2 years ago and still use it 4 days a week. Tremendously improved my health; I wish I’d have bought this 20 years sooner. I’m in my mid 40s and in average shape (can run 3 miles without stop, lift 20 lbs weights 2-3 times a week). I bought the Apex G5. Assembly is easy. It is hard to jump in and work out the first time because they don’t really have a good “do this first” handout or app. However, once you follow a set of upper and a set of lower workout cards from their workouts, you get the hang of it. The machine is like lifting medium/light weights and simultaneously doing cardio. Fantastic workout. I lost 7 lbs in the first 3 weeks using it because it is so easy you literally work out chest, bis, tris, and back in 20 minutes 3 angles each, all with 3x sets, 15 reps. Crazy. Then you feel so pumped, you want to add 10 more minutes. I’m a huge fan. Had it 2 months and love it. The 5 is nice because it has 10 levels of resistance, so you can tweak. My only complaint is there is no good way to track your workout (no apps, no good workout sheets), so you will probably just get into a groove over time and do the same workout.

Overall, I like the Total Gym. It's relatively easy to get a good workout from it. Coming from working out at an actual gym, there are things to get used to: obviously you can't just hop on and do all the exercises you want. Switching between exercises isn't always fast or easy: one thing might get unhooked, another out in its place, and other things attached with hitch pins, which aren't the easiest to install (in general terms). It's certainly clever to use your body weight for all the exercises (and the bench raises when things get too easy). However, getting on and off the Total Gym can be its own workout: the bench's willingness to slide makes it difficult to get in and off if there's any incline to the bench. Also, I'm on the short side for a guy (5'6"). There are only three holes for the arm/leg supports (wing something or others in Total Gym lingo) so I have to try to slide the bench up to reach them with my legs while I'm upside down. That's my last criticism: some exercises you have no choice but to do upside down; it's unavoidable because of the machine's design. I know that sounds like a lot of negative for only 1 star being taken off, but it's positives make up for its shortcomings. For starters, having a complete gym in my basement for $500 is impressive. I'm not gym but, but I so far can't think for a weight-focused exercise you can't do with the Total Gym. We had been paying about $100/month for my wife and I to go to a gym, the closest of which is like 30+ minutes away. So now it's 30 seconds to the basement, and we can work out. Next, while I did mention a negative about the bench, it is still overall great that it slides so readily, making it easier to work out. And yes, it's annoying to have to switch out parts so often, but the more I do it the more it becomes second nature. I don't think there's a better solution than what Total Gym uses. The workouts are on individual cards that make it relatively easy to find and very easy to understand. I wish the cards were bound, but I understand the decision not to do that. In the end, if you want a home gym that's inexpensive and can fit in a relatively small space (it's about 10 feet long with the bench flat, then you'll need about 4 feet on each side to safely work out), this total gym is for you.

Excellent product, fits my needs and folds up nicely and very convenient!

Great piece of equipment. Easy to set up and transition from one exercise to another. Started out at 25 minutes 5 days per week and dropped weight and clothes loose at two weeks. The intro video was very helpful and there are more than 75 cards to create your own workout. It is nearly silent during use.Love mine.

I went for the Total Gym Apex. I wanted options but not such a large piece of equipment. Some by Total gym are too big and too bulky to move around. It took more time to get it out of the box (excellent packaging) than to assemble it. Assembly was easy. For some reason one of the main chords was crimped and had frayed. It had to have happened at assembly, since the packing of the product was so good. I contacted the Seller. They responded right away (weekend evening). They sent a replacement part, but it was the wrong part. I called the second time and spoke with someone. A few days later I got a message that the correct part was on the way. It arrived 4 days later, with the part needed and the handles. They did a great job with follow up and really making an effort to make sure I was taken care of. I appreciate the effort and follow through and would definitely buy from this seller again. The product itself is sturdy and easy to use. Several attachments came with this and I will be using them. I had surgery and have to do non load bearing exercises for a while. This is the right fit for me. I can also store it upright easily. It says it can be put under a bed too, but I keep stored in my exercise area. Nice looking product, good quality, works well. Very happy.

Bought this as an alternative to going to the gym. Much easier being in the house. although I could fold it up, I don't, and leave it in the exercise area we have in the basement. It is very easy to setup - comes almost all setup already. Documentation is great, exercise cards are good, and the unit is simple and very effective. It may not be the same as doing a 400lb leg press, but if used regularly, it provides upper, back, and lower strength building. In less than a month, my arms are stronger (and show it), my back feels good, and I don't mind the exercise. Can modify the angles to make it more or less difficult. I bought the weight bar direct from Total-gym and then 80 lb of weights to attach from a third party. Helps provide the resistance for leg exercises and additional tension at any level. I also bought the Total Gym ABS crunch, but if you use the APEX G5, order direct from Total Gym, as Amazon does NOT carry the version for the APEX series online. I ordered from Amazon and had to return it and then buy from Total Gym direct. The AB crunch does a great job though. All in all, a great little gym to really exercise your whole body, without going to the gym, and ongoing costs. Great price too.