I am a female age 61. After 4 years I have nearly maxed out my upper body on the TG for chest and back exercises. The weight bar is essential for almost any lower body work. I use bands not weight plates. Basically no limit to the number or thickness of bands. I bought the Pinnacle TG model because of its slots at the bottom to slide the weight bar. I wore out the resistance bands in a few months on my 2019 Gr8 flex , again doing lower body work. I now use inexpensive bungee cords with carabiners. They don't last forever if you do heavy lower body work. Nothing wrong with 50 squats but I like to feel burning by rep 8.
I love that you are always showing different sliding benches 👍🏻, not only TG and sharing your experiences ❤️ - and love you sharing different „attachments“ that can be used on the different sliding benches 👍🏻. And love that you are making interviews with other channels 👍🏻 like Skyler King and have already reached out to David 👍🏻. Thank you! I would love seeing you interviewing Sandy Leo as well. She‘s not an American, she’s from NZ, a „Elite Master Trainer“ and is using the TG for Pilates and especially for rehab for clients and has some good advice and a different approach that might be interesting for everyone interested in sliding benches as well. I’m 56, and do know the TG only because I got prescribed PT „on a machine“ over here in Germany years ago, where I used the commercial models in a PT clinic. And began loving these machines. Unfortunately not a lot of consumer models are available over here right now, but at least you now can get the XLS also on Amazon from the local distributors for the first times. Not yet from the German one 😬. It seems also due to your infos sth. seems to change here and the availability for TG consumer models and their attachments is getting better 👍🏻. It’s a different situation outside the U.S. because there TGs are not sold directly but from the so called local distributors, that are authorized „resellers“. And for every fitness equipment that will be sold in Europe you need the CE certification, that probably is a bit expensive. So not many TG consumer models available over here. I think they concentrated on the XLS and the achiever so far, but hopefully more to be available with the increasing interest in that machines that you and your channel helps to produce 👍🏻. QVC UK and QVC Germany also has sold some consumer models, but it seems not very successful because they aren‘t available any more. If someone from Germany or the UK or every country where QVC is represented and is interested in TG consumer models, I would highly recommend to reach out to QVC and ask for a TG consumer models. I have a weight bar, because it was part of my bought package, did not use it often so far, but now have started to use it, not with weight which I don‘t have so far, but with some weights that can be fixed on your arms/legs which I got for free and I like it 👍🏻
@@hybridresistance It looked stable. You're also much more athletic than the average person impulse buying a TG on QVC. In those cases, the additional resistance probably wouldn't be needed anyway.
I bought the bar, then got a longer piece of 1" diameter steel tubing to be able to add more weight and have room for grip (with straps) when doing hack squats. Currently doing 170 lbs of added weight, along with a heavy band, wrapped around the large squat stand and around the bar, for hack squats. I also have the high end of the TG FIT elevated an extra 18". You have been my inspiration for "pushing the limits" on the TG 😁So far so good. Disclaimer: do this at your own risk, I'm not endorsing this!!
Yeah, it seems like you have other equipment. Using bands, cables or barbells, and dumbells for a pre-exhaustion set(s) and then jumping on the total gym and superset/ giant set as a finisher or vice-versa is the way to go. Ty
This is exactly why I opted for the FIT to have the weight bar attachment. I know slow and controlled works from X3 program. I applied the same slow and controlled concept to TG works nicely without using the weight bar most of the time. There are still times going to want to go heavy for a cycle on TG and throw heavier bands and some weight on there. Legs I def need that weight bar even slow. Agree with everything you said covered these points well at same conclusion as you
I have been using my TG 11 months, and, not knowing I bought a model that does not take the weight bar... so I understood that some day I would hit the top of the machine and max out. Well I already do all my leg exercises at the top, and I am slowly but surely climbing the bar with my upper body too. I have toyed with giving my current unit to my son, and getting a weight bar capable uint, now that I see "the problem". I never watched you before I purchased, so I did not know that the models were different, other than weight capacity. I have watched you use cinder blocks and thought that looked OK, but a small bit risky. I have seen some umbrella cinder block stands that have a pyramid shape and cross grooves in the top... and I liked that a bit better for holding the TG in place... I mentally used wood to think about building a wooden version... WAIT... THAT'S IT! Your new wooden risers are modest size/weight, and can easily be stacked.... I WANT A SET! I have seen videos where a gentleman lifts his TG on top of a dresser pressed up against the wall, and that seems to workweek too. Probably ads about 8 levels to the TG. I have seen you put the base in a windowsill, I think... so some imagination may be necessary... but the wooden set seems like the least risky, best design I have seen yet. Are you making the wooden set available to members? Keep up the great work!
After watching this video a second time you make a very good point that a weight bar isn’t necessary for a sliding bench trainer. I own the ProForm Ultimate Bodyworks and have added additional resistance by using external flat bands. The placement of the bands are placed on the top side of the glide board where the rollers are bolted to. It’s the curved piece next to the glide rails the bands are looped on. For more resistance I would use 12 inch flat bands and loop those on the lower part of the roller housing piece that curves along the glide rails. And If more resistance is needed I will use the bungee cords from the bottom of the glide board and a weighted vest if necessary. The only bummer of the ProForm offering is the small squat stand. To remedy that I ended up facing the lower end of the ProForm toward the wall and drilled a 10 inch wide, 24 inch long board into the studs of my wall that now serves as my squat stand to do leg presses. The board sits 25 inches high from the ground which allows me to place my knees at a 90 degree angle. Good stuff as usual.
Love hearing all of that Jose. As I mentioned in this vide, I really regret not doing more with this when it first came out. How are your wheels holding up?
@@hybridresistance The wheels are holding up fine. I will, in the near future order replacement wheels made by Huck Products as I plan on using the ProFrom for a good while.
Great content once again Mike. I have a gr8flex and I feel it gives me enough resistance, with the levels and bands. Like you said, you can always mix things up to challenge yourself.
@@hybridresistance I haven't yet. But I'm looking into getting the jbryant bar, you got me interested in using my under sun bands, I never really liked using them with just my hands. Maybe I will throw those gr8flex bands in the cart as well. I will let you know if they are better than the ones that came with it. Keep up the good videos, I always look forward to them. 👍
I saw a TG video where the guy put the weight bar in the upper hole (XLS version), then wrapped the cables under it and did a proper bench press while laying down. Skyler King did something similar but with pulleys attached to the bar. Just another possible use for the bar attachment.
I did see that and have had it forwarded to me. I think I remember Skyler but I know there was an older gentleman who made a video as well using a cable. I've tried something similar with my xls, but I feel like it needed more weight/resistance.
I’m thinking when I get my Fit Ultimate that I am going to put the weight bar at the top of the bench. This seems like a good solution to also use resistant band loops around this bar and then around the shoulder press bar at the base. Keeps the band away from rubbing on things as well as wrapping around a tube also helping the band from getting damaged. Anyone drilled holes in the rails and does this idea sound like it would work?thanks. Love this channel!
I don’t use the weight bar, only because I own the GTS and don’t like that the bar is at the top of the bench. For me, it’s much easier to use bands or my Gorilla Bow.
I don't sell the macblock any more, but their warranty / recommendations are pretty slim from what I remember, but as I always (even with using a total gym) try everything at your own risk!
I could probably ask Mac if he'd be up for a special order. They were just too time consuming for the original price we were selling them for. Then the cost just just got too high for most to justify purchasing. Send me an email if you're interested.
Hi James, sorry for the delayed reply. Really for chest, I don't do the same pump as I do for say biceps, but I certainly do work them. What I do is chase various angles and compound set different exercises together to increase stress. I also find in general finding a good position is key on this machine.
Do you have a recommendation for carabiners.. the TGF has these screw up or down ones that are kind of a pain if changing out the handles for ankle straps
I have a thin resistance band and it wraps around my xls pretty well from the leg stand to the top of the glide board. I feel like im getting used to it on some exercises, and would like to get another band. I saw the bands you recommonded on your amazon store, but im not sure if those bands are to thick or wide to wrap around the xls. Can you recommend me one
Sorry for the late reply. Can you tell me how you're wrapping the bands? Regardless, the rubberbanditz bands from the store are some of the best bands in my opinion.
@@hybridresistance ok, I will probably order those. I wrap from around the top of the slide bench to around the bottom of the inserts for the legs of the leg stands.
I am a female age 61. After 4 years I have nearly maxed out my upper body on the TG for chest and back exercises. The weight bar is essential for almost any lower body work. I use bands not weight plates. Basically no limit to the number or thickness of bands. I bought the Pinnacle TG model because of its slots at the bottom to slide the weight bar. I wore out the resistance bands in a few months on my 2019 Gr8 flex , again doing lower body work. I now use inexpensive bungee cords with carabiners. They don't last forever if you do heavy lower body work. Nothing wrong with 50 squats but I like to feel burning by rep 8.
The weight bar attachment with added weights is an essential piece of equipment for your Total Gym.
Great alternatives, Mike!
Thanks Jay, appreciate it as always.
I love that you are always showing different sliding benches 👍🏻, not only TG and sharing your experiences ❤️ - and love you sharing different „attachments“ that can be used on the different sliding benches 👍🏻. And love that you are making interviews with other channels 👍🏻 like Skyler King and have already reached out to David 👍🏻. Thank you! I would love seeing you interviewing Sandy Leo as well. She‘s not an American, she’s from NZ, a „Elite Master Trainer“ and is using the TG for Pilates and especially for rehab for clients and has some good advice and a different approach that might be interesting for everyone interested in sliding benches as well.
I’m 56, and do know the TG only because I got prescribed PT „on a machine“ over here in Germany years ago, where I used the commercial models in a PT clinic. And began loving these machines. Unfortunately not a lot of consumer models are available over here right now, but at least you now can get the XLS also on Amazon from the local distributors for the first times. Not yet from the German one 😬. It seems also due to your infos sth. seems to change here and the availability for TG consumer models and their attachments is getting better 👍🏻. It’s a different situation outside the U.S. because there TGs are not sold directly but from the so called local distributors, that are authorized „resellers“. And for every fitness equipment that will be sold in Europe you need the CE certification, that probably is a bit expensive. So not many TG consumer models available over here. I think they concentrated on the XLS and the achiever so far, but hopefully more to be available with the increasing interest in that machines that you and your channel helps to produce 👍🏻. QVC UK and QVC Germany also has sold some consumer models, but it seems not very successful because they aren‘t available any more. If someone from Germany or the UK or every country where QVC is represented and is interested in TG consumer models, I would highly recommend to reach out to QVC and ask for a TG consumer models.
I have a weight bar, because it was part of my bought package, did not use it often so far, but now have started to use it, not with weight which I don‘t have so far, but with some weights that can be fixed on your arms/legs which I got for free and I like it 👍🏻
Thanks so much Karin for all those comments and feedback! I will look into those things you said.
That block looks great...and much safer than the time you used the window sill.
haha. I actually felt the window sill was safe from a tipping standpoint, but on if the machine could handle it in the center.
@@hybridresistance It looked stable. You're also much more athletic than the average person impulse buying a TG on QVC. In those cases, the additional resistance probably wouldn't be needed anyway.
Form is everything! & mind muscle connection 💪 love all your content ✊️
Thanks Bill, getting that connection to this machine is key.
I bought the bar, then got a longer piece of 1" diameter steel tubing to be able to add more weight and have room for grip (with straps) when doing hack squats. Currently doing 170 lbs of added weight, along with a heavy band, wrapped around the large squat stand and around the bar, for hack squats. I also have the high end of the TG FIT elevated an extra 18". You have been my inspiration for "pushing the limits" on the TG 😁So far so good. Disclaimer: do this at your own risk, I'm not endorsing this!!
Thanks brother. Always got to have that disclaimer. We are doing the field testing!
Hi, what did you use to elevate your TG? Looking for suggestions, thanks
Yeah, it seems like you have other equipment. Using bands, cables or barbells, and dumbells for a pre-exhaustion set(s) and then jumping on the total gym and superset/ giant set as a finisher or vice-versa is the way to go.
Ty
This is exactly why I opted for the FIT to have the weight bar attachment. I know slow and controlled works from X3 program. I applied the same slow and controlled concept to TG works nicely without using the weight bar most of the time. There are still times going to want to go heavy for a cycle on TG and throw heavier bands and some weight on there. Legs I def need that weight bar even slow. Agree with everything you said covered these points well at same conclusion as you
You can’t argue with the versatility of having a weight bar for sure. Thanks for those comments and for watching.
I love the weight bar as you easily attach resistance bands to it.
A man true to his word. I see you brought the ProForm Ultimate Bodywork and it looks great being featured on your channel. 👍
You know it Jose. Ultimate Body Works 4 life.
And I agree.
I have been using my TG 11 months, and, not knowing I bought a model that does not take the weight bar... so I understood that some day I would hit the top of the machine and max out. Well I already do all my leg exercises at the top, and I am slowly but surely climbing the bar with my upper body too. I have toyed with giving my current unit to my son, and getting a weight bar capable uint, now that I see "the problem". I never watched you before I purchased, so I did not know that the models were different, other than weight capacity. I have watched you use cinder blocks and thought that looked OK, but a small bit risky. I have seen some umbrella cinder block stands that have a pyramid shape and cross grooves in the top... and I liked that a bit better for holding the TG in place... I mentally used wood to think about building a wooden version... WAIT... THAT'S IT! Your new wooden risers are modest size/weight, and can easily be stacked.... I WANT A SET!
I have seen videos where a gentleman lifts his TG on top of a dresser pressed up against the wall, and that seems to workweek too. Probably ads about 8 levels to the TG. I have seen you put the base in a windowsill, I think... so some imagination may be necessary... but the wooden set seems like the least risky, best design I have seen yet. Are you making the wooden set available to members? Keep up the great work!
Thank you for all those comments my friend. Yes, we're looking at selling some of the blocks not likely for another week.
After watching this video a second time you make a very good point that a weight bar isn’t necessary for a sliding bench trainer. I own the ProForm Ultimate Bodyworks and have added additional resistance by using external flat bands. The placement of the bands are placed on the top side of the glide board where the rollers are bolted to. It’s the curved piece next to the glide rails the bands are looped on. For more resistance I would use 12 inch flat bands and loop those on the lower part of the roller housing piece that curves along the glide rails.
And If more resistance is needed I will use the bungee cords from the bottom of the glide board and a weighted vest if necessary. The only bummer of the ProForm offering is the small squat stand. To remedy that I ended up facing the lower end of the ProForm toward the wall and drilled a 10 inch wide, 24 inch long board into the studs of my wall that now serves as my squat stand to do leg presses. The board sits 25 inches high from the ground which allows me to place my knees at a 90 degree angle.
Good stuff as usual.
Love hearing all of that Jose. As I mentioned in this vide, I really regret not doing more with this when it first came out. How are your wheels holding up?
@@hybridresistance The wheels are holding up fine. I will, in the near future order replacement wheels made by Huck Products as I plan on using the ProFrom for a good while.
Great content once again Mike. I have a gr8flex and I feel it gives me enough resistance, with the levels and bands. Like you said, you can always mix things up to challenge yourself.
Have you tried the upgraded bands? I'm curious how they feel, but I've heard good things.
@@hybridresistance I haven't yet. But I'm looking into getting the jbryant bar, you got me interested in using my under sun bands, I never really liked using them with just my hands. Maybe I will throw those gr8flex bands in the cart as well. I will let you know if they are better than the ones that came with it. Keep up the good videos, I always look forward to them. 👍
I saw a TG video where the guy put the weight bar in the upper hole (XLS version), then wrapped the cables under it and did a proper bench press while laying down. Skyler King did something similar but with pulleys attached to the bar. Just another possible use for the bar attachment.
I did see that and have had it forwarded to me. I think I remember Skyler but I know there was an older gentleman who made a video as well using a cable. I've tried something similar with my xls, but I feel like it needed more weight/resistance.
And I‘m looking forward to these wooden Mac Blocks 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Seems to be an awesome possibility to increase the levels for any sliding bench ❤️👍🏻🤗
Thanks Karin!
I’m thinking when I get my Fit Ultimate that I am going to put the weight bar at the top of the bench. This seems like a good solution to also use resistant band loops around this bar and then around the shoulder press bar at the base. Keeps the band away from rubbing on things as well as wrapping around a tube also helping the band from getting damaged. Anyone drilled holes in the rails and does this idea sound like it would work?thanks. Love this channel!
Can't wait for the Mac Block video. I sent you an email to be on the mailing list.
Thanks Robert I got you down
Anyway you would add weight to the inverted press without using resistance bands.
I'd do weight vest draped over the glideboard and or jack up the machine (both at your own risk).
I don’t use the weight bar, only because I own the GTS and don’t like that the bar is at the top of the bench. For me, it’s much easier to use bands or my Gorilla Bow.
Got to try that Gorilla Bow
Does MacBlock or similar devices void a warranty or violate Total Gym’s recommendations?
I don't sell the macblock any more, but their warranty / recommendations are pretty slim from what I remember, but as I always (even with using a total gym) try everything at your own risk!
Did you guys make the “Mac Block” ? If so, where can I go to buy it?
I could probably ask Mac if he'd be up for a special order. They were just too time consuming for the original price we were selling them for. Then the cost just just got too high for most to justify purchasing. Send me an email if you're interested.
Hey mike how do you feel it really in your chest whats the secrets that u do to get that chest pump on the total gym??
Hi James, sorry for the delayed reply. Really for chest, I don't do the same pump as I do for say biceps, but I certainly do work them. What I do is chase various angles and compound set different exercises together to increase stress. I also find in general finding a good position is key on this machine.
@@hybridresistance thankyou appreciate that
Do you have a recommendation for carabiners.. the TGF has these screw up or down ones that are kind of a pain if changing out the handles for ankle straps
Here you go, I've purchased these before amzn.to/3N6Fwo1
@@hybridresistance Is it the 2.35inch or the 4inch??
I have a thin resistance band and it wraps around my xls pretty well from the leg stand to the top of the glide board. I feel like im getting used to it on some exercises, and would like to get another band. I saw the bands you recommonded on your amazon store, but im not sure if those bands are to thick or wide to wrap around the xls. Can you recommend me one
Sorry for the late reply. Can you tell me how you're wrapping the bands? Regardless, the rubberbanditz bands from the store are some of the best bands in my opinion.
@@hybridresistance ok, I will probably order those. I wrap from around the top of the slide bench to around the bottom of the inserts for the legs of the leg stands.
@@cacaloca5434 I’m looking to do a review of the 32 inch bands in case you want to hold up and check those out as well.
@@hybridresistance awesome, will do. I'll check that out