To be honest, when I look at a Total Gym, the first thoughts that come to mind is yoga, Pilates, soccer moms, and infomercials. Those were my impressions of the Total Gym for years and years. But you have managed to change my mind. Seeing your results and the way you go about your routines, has completely changed my mind
Nailed it with the Hawkeye/Jeremy Renner result😂😂. After almost a year working out at home I’ll say I’m approaching that. I don’t have the genetics/size for say Thor, but staying consistent has kept my 45-year-old self in decent shape.
It keeps you from being bored. I was so bored going to the gym. I would do Chest and triceps, Back and Biceps, Legs and Shoulders and repeat. Just using free weights. It became monotonous like working at a job. Now I switch things up. I workout at home so that keeps it interesting. I have minimal equipment with minimal space and I am no a minimal budget. So I have to workout with Under Sun resistance bands, core sliders, body weight, and a 15lbs slam ball. We have the total gym and a bowflex. We need to make room for the total gym. The room we had it in is cluttered. The bowflex the bows are starting to wear.
Since using my Total Gym Fit, I've actually also got back into going to the gym and working out. I work two jobs, so when I can't make it to the gym, I bring out my Total Gym Fit and work out. I like using the Total Gym Fit for working at my pullups, body weight shoulder presses, triceps and biceps. I like going to the gym to work out legs and chest. I guess I get the best of both worlds. I don't have the body of a Thor or Captain America, but I do the best I can. Great video! - Mike
Also to reach those extreme muscle goals using steroids is a must,from experience anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. Total gym will give you as much natural muscle as you can get without destroying your joints which is another subject entirely but worth looking into.
Im a female in late 40s. I've been working out on total gym for 2 months. I'm happy with the results I'm seeing. Diet plays a huge part for sure! Thanks for your channel. Would love to see more workouts from your wife.
I find the total gym good for functional fitness and leaning the body out. As a female that is what I'm looking for. I'm in my menopausal years so I can come down with very low energy days and for that the total gym can accommodate me as I'm sitting or laying down which gives my body support on those days. I know most men like to add size and get a more muscular look as for women we usually do not want that I'm speaking for myself and most women I know just want to look lean, trim and toned and the total gym can accomplish that. Thanks for the video. Really great examples of what can be achieved
mike is the key to success to not only promoting this machine but other things thats useful for the tg.of course he make things look easy but fun.his knowledge is threw the roof lol.thats how im learning from the tg teacher himself😊
Nothing compares to a fully equipped gym for best results. But for those that don't have time or don't like gyms or folks of advanced age, the Total Gym will do the job. I used it for years when working, for one year during Covid19, and now post surgery. It works gor me but looking at getting back to my gym routine.
if u slowed it down a lot and let the muscles do the work and pause for a sec at the max height of each rep but its key to slow it down even if u can do 5 reps each set better results with roller bench
I mean, you can really get any physic you want. If it's possible just doing Calisthenics (which it is), then it's also possible on the Total Gym. Personally I wouldn't work out as you do though, using a machine like the Total Gym & for building more strength, I'd focus a lot more on the full movement, really focusing on concentric, eccentric & isometrics. That makes a HUGE difference. Also, you can put weights on the weight bar, you can use resistance bands in multiple ways (also around the weight bars), you can use a weighted vest etc. etc.
@@Jettatura-yn8ss Well, it's been a year since I wrote that, but in any case.. if you want to build more strength, you shouldn't do the exercises as fast & "uncontrolled" as he does. Doing exercises fast (but still controlled) can be good for your joints & general ability to move, but for building strength you really want to do it slow & controlled.. e.g. if you are on the board, on your knees... doing bicep curls with this machine, doing the concentric phase (that being, shortening your bicep.. so doing the curl), I'd do that decently fast (but controlled) and then for the eccentric phase (lengthening your bicep, going down to start position) I'd do about 3-4 seconds for that. All in all, there is no directly right or wrong, but such things build muscle better (in general) and gives you a lot more time under tension.
You can build muscle and strength using total gym but you do t just follow the program....you need to find that correct angle to do the exercises that suit you that maximise mind and muscle connection so that you are working the muscle you want to work. You find the right angle and the tension and feel you get is great. Ideally do legs in a gym or use weighted squats they are that string your legs will require greater resistance quickly.
The one legged squats with resistance bands or cords (I have one with 4 resistance cords built into it) added, can definitely be challenging. You can also hold dumbbells and/or wear a weighted front backpack while doing the squats, which adds some extra challenge. Besides, most of the studies on the subject, indicate that volume vs weight/heaviness can be equated to reach similar levels of hypertrophy (especially) and strength (though to a slightly lesser extent) through different means. Meaning, you could do say 4 sets of 20 reps of say 300lb squats, which would be roughly equivalent to doing say 3 sets of 8 or so reps of say 400 to 450 lbs. The body registers and reacts more to the overall tension and strain, rather than specific weight (minus bone density stuff). There is a small subset of studies which indicate that higher volume might be slightly more efficient for hypertrophy vs low volume/heavy, because it prolongs protein synthesis. Whatever the case for the nuanced specifics, generally speaking, they have roughly similar effects.
I'm wanting to get bigger as well as stronger. I can load 180lbs on there. I don't need that much now with my weight as well but it definitely is enough for most everything but legs.
Should be pointed out that most of the big actors in Hollywood that have to be swole for a role, use gear of some kind, and yeah, that really helps out, especially in cutting down the time to get to the point where they are at. This is not to say that they don't work/train hard--course they do. But you can train just as hard, and unless you are a genetic outlier with naturally, but unusually, high active/usable Test past your 20's, and into your 30's and 40's, you're either not going to look like them or it will take you much longer, simply because you're not taking that gear.
My thing is, I'd say to people , challenge yourself to get to 100 reps on 5 or more exercises on this on the top level with all the bands. Prove to yourself you can commit to that , THEN go from there. See what happens. I'm 3 years on this machine. Long story but I used to be fit , I got seriously injured all over my body and needed to be able to TIP TOE my way back to fitness through essentially self-directed physical rehabilitation... Head to toe ... This is your machine if that's you. Maybe you used to be fit but fell off a roof, got hit by a car , had a stroke , etc. This is absolutely for you. Life changing. I have the weider version but it's the same idea.
That’s for sure a solid plan. I recently tried to give legs a solid go again just using a sliding bench trainer, but have fallen in love with the X3 for squats and deadlifts.
As far as what kind of body you can build? I think it depends on your body if you're natural build is narrow shoulders and small waist you're not going to hop on a total gym and think you're going to look like The incredible Hulk in 12 months. I think the Total gym will help you improve or even add to whatever your natural body type is.
I personally gain muscle pretty easy ..I use my total gym every other day 15-20 and I feel good. Lose and stretched compared to lifting weights I felt sore and stuff a lot of the time. And the muscle pumps are still there fore sure.
There are plenty of ways to work out on your chest. You should start doing different workouts. So u can show how the machine targets different parts of the body
Im very skinny. 6ft about 150-155lbs. Can I put on some decent size with this? I’m not looking for a bodybuilder type of thickness. I’m talking like adding maybe 20-25lbs and a fairly shredded physique. Also, do you have workout routines and diet plans for someone like me on your channel?
Here's a link to the most recommend template I give people for a SBT ruclips.net/video/PVIopw8Hpzc/видео.html as for size, it's really a matter more of diet and of course genetics as well. I also forgot I made this video as well with regards to size with a TG ruclips.net/video/fx3m3b5FJE0/видео.html
Can I ask this question: at the gym it's typical to keep track (more or less) each exercise and the amount of weight you're lifting; and then the number of repetitions, and then sets. Most guys have their base routines they follow consistently while changing it up from time to time. When I'm watching your most excellent videos, it seems you're going from one exercise to another and not tracking the number of repetitions and sets, or moving the bench higher or lower. And you don't pause very long, if at all, from one exercise to another. So the question is how does someone who understands sets and reps of the weight room think about what a daily workout with the Total Gym would look like?
I hear what you're saying and I wouldn't discourage tracking with a Total Gym, but personally I find I have the best results when I focus on muscle tension / stress in a desired body part. So I generally will have a theme like "upper body " and then just rotate from some key exercises that work for me in that muscle group in a circuit like fashion.
Yes I think that would be good. Personally though, I don't like fixing on set numbers (reps/sets) but just do as much as I feel that day to stress the muscle for that day.
Yes I would consider it resistant training and strength training. More specific “strength training” would be considered low reps heavy weight training, but the total gym can make you stronger.
Anything that strains and fatigues your muscles and puts you/your body into an anabolic state (glycogen vs oxygen burning) is resistance and strength training. There are some finer nuances and minor differences though, like say using heavy dumbbells tends to work the stabilizer muscles more, which is ultimately better for functional strength. Also, so far, the majority of studies indicates that you can get similar hypertrophy and strength in different ways. Meaning, high volume/high reps/sets can equate similarly to lower volume/higher weight in the long term. Actually, I would argue, the best/most efficient approach is to occasionally switch between these different modalities, because the body is pretty good at adapting to the same kind of movements, volume, weight, over time. So if you switch it up every few weeks or month or so, it forces the body to re-adapt. Then importantly, long breaks, believe it or not, are very helpful and important to get past both hypertrophy and strength plateaus. So far the research seems to suggest that about 10 days of a rest (of ALL non anabolic type activity) is the sweet spot between resetting/re-sensitizing m-Tor while not losing an appreciable about of muscle or strength. We've all heard of "newbie gains". What this does, is sort of resparks that whole process, though not quite to the degree of true, beginner newbie gains.
That kind of leanness can really mess with your testosterone levels. The body needs some dietary fat and some body fat to maintain best levels of testosterone. But there is a sweet spot. Too much body, visceral fat will also lower your Test. Depending on age, around 8 to 15% or so body fat seems to work best for the majority of males. The younger you are, it can be a bit lower and the older, the bit higher it needs to be. For women, it needs to be considerably higher.
Just like piece of equipment it really depends on how you use it in conjunction with your diet and overall lifestyle factors. But I have people every week sharing across my channel how they've lost weight using these machines.
@@ASDdoesgames Definitely check around my channel a bit if you haven't. I have some workout playlists, and "programs" playlists that you might find helpful.
I have the Pro Form version, and if I put it at the very top level, I've noticed that I have readjust the slider a bit if I want to go back down. To do that, I have to lift it up past that top level (but not too high that it comes completely off the bar), wiggle it a bit to straighten it out, and then pull the push pin, and then I can get it back down to the lower levels. It's a little annoying that I have to do this almost every time I put on that highest setting BUT I just count it into my rest cycles.
To be honest, when I look at a Total Gym, the first thoughts that come to mind is yoga, Pilates, soccer moms, and infomercials. Those were my impressions of the Total Gym for years and years. But you have managed to change my mind. Seeing your results and the way you go about your routines, has completely changed my mind
Awesome to hear. That's pretty close to what I viewed it as well.
Nailed it with the Hawkeye/Jeremy Renner result😂😂. After almost a year working out at home I’ll say I’m approaching that. I don’t have the genetics/size for say Thor, but staying consistent has kept my 45-year-old self in decent shape.
Awesome. I did think Hawkeye eye was the stereotypical total gym physique (definitely not a bad thing).
👍 72 years old, very active, a lifetime of injuries, lifetime exerciser, I really like and use the Total Gym.
Love hearing it brother.
It is fun and you get results. Those 2 things are important.
It keeps you from being bored. I was so bored going to the gym. I would do Chest and triceps, Back and Biceps, Legs and Shoulders and repeat. Just using free weights. It became monotonous like working at a job. Now I switch things up. I workout at home so that keeps it interesting. I have minimal equipment with minimal space and I am no a minimal budget. So I have to workout with Under Sun resistance bands, core sliders, body weight, and a 15lbs slam ball. We have the total gym and a bowflex. We need to make room for the total gym. The room we had it in is cluttered. The bowflex the bows are starting to wear.
Since using my Total Gym Fit, I've actually also got back into going to the gym and working out. I work two jobs, so when I can't make it to the gym, I bring out my Total Gym Fit and work out. I like using the Total Gym Fit for working at my pullups, body weight shoulder presses, triceps and biceps. I like going to the gym to work out legs and chest. I guess I get the best of both worlds. I don't have the body of a Thor or Captain America, but I do the best I can. Great video! - Mike
Sounds perfect. Can’t argue with using both.
Also to reach those extreme muscle goals using steroids is a must,from experience anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. Total gym will give you as much natural muscle as you can get without destroying your joints which is another subject entirely but worth looking into.
Im a female in late 40s. I've been working out on total gym for 2 months. I'm happy with the results I'm seeing. Diet plays a huge part for sure! Thanks for your channel. Would love to see more workouts from your wife.
Awesome to hear. Yes my wife is planning on making more videos in the near future. Thanks for watching.
I find the total gym good for functional fitness and leaning the body out. As a female that is what I'm looking for. I'm in my menopausal years so I can come down with very low energy days and for that the total gym can accommodate me as I'm sitting or laying down which gives my body support on those days. I know most men like to add size and get a more muscular look as for women we usually do not want that I'm speaking for myself and most women I know just want to look lean, trim and toned and the total gym can accomplish that. Thanks for the video. Really great examples of what can be achieved
mike is the key to success to not only promoting this machine but other things thats useful for the tg.of course he make things look easy but fun.his knowledge is threw the roof lol.thats how im learning from the tg teacher himself😊
Thanks Elad!
My results are amazing for my first week. I'm all in. But I have also been doing cardio and dieting. The pumps are awesome.
Great to hear! I'm convinced that if you don't want anything else, this is all you need.
Great video on what type of body you can get from this setup and variables as you mentioned.
Awesome video, definatly inspires me to keep pushing!!!!!!!!
Glad it was helpful for you. Thank you for watching.
Nothing compares to a fully equipped gym for best results.
But for those that don't have time or don't like gyms or folks of advanced age, the Total Gym will do the job.
I used it for years when working, for one year during Covid19, and now post surgery.
It works gor me but looking at getting back to my gym routine.
Can't argue against results that are possible from using a Gym. Good to hear you bounced back after your surgery.
if u slowed it down a lot and let the muscles do the work and pause for a sec at the max height of each rep but its key to slow it down even if u can do 5 reps each set better results with roller bench
I paid a gym membership for 15 years and only went a few times a year.. now that I have the Total Gym and Speediance Gym, I work out almost every day.
Great to hear.
I mean, you can really get any physic you want. If it's possible just doing Calisthenics (which it is), then it's also possible on the Total Gym.
Personally I wouldn't work out as you do though, using a machine like the Total Gym & for building more strength, I'd focus a lot more on the full movement, really focusing on concentric, eccentric & isometrics. That makes a HUGE difference.
Also, you can put weights on the weight bar, you can use resistance bands in multiple ways (also around the weight bars), you can use a weighted vest etc. etc.
Can you please elaborate on how you would use the machine and why?
@@Jettatura-yn8ss Well, it's been a year since I wrote that, but in any case.. if you want to build more strength, you shouldn't do the exercises as fast & "uncontrolled" as he does.
Doing exercises fast (but still controlled) can be good for your joints & general ability to move, but for building strength you really want to do it slow & controlled..
e.g. if you are on the board, on your knees... doing bicep curls with this machine, doing the concentric phase (that being, shortening your bicep.. so doing the curl), I'd do that decently fast (but controlled) and then for the eccentric phase (lengthening your bicep, going down to start position) I'd do about 3-4 seconds for that.
All in all, there is no directly right or wrong, but such things build muscle better (in general) and gives you a lot more time under tension.
@@Somtric I appreciate you, thank you for the detailed response.
You can build muscle and strength using total gym but you do t just follow the program....you need to find that correct angle to do the exercises that suit you that maximise mind and muscle connection so that you are working the muscle you want to work. You find the right angle and the tension and feel you get is great. Ideally do legs in a gym or use weighted squats they are that string your legs will require greater resistance quickly.
The one legged squats with resistance bands or cords (I have one with 4 resistance cords built into it) added, can definitely be challenging. You can also hold dumbbells and/or wear a weighted front backpack while doing the squats, which adds some extra challenge.
Besides, most of the studies on the subject, indicate that volume vs weight/heaviness can be equated to reach similar levels of hypertrophy (especially) and strength (though to a slightly lesser extent) through different means. Meaning, you could do say 4 sets of 20 reps of say 300lb squats, which would be roughly equivalent to doing say 3 sets of 8 or so reps of say 400 to 450 lbs. The body registers and reacts more to the overall tension and strain, rather than specific weight (minus bone density stuff). There is a small subset of studies which indicate that higher volume might be slightly more efficient for hypertrophy vs low volume/heavy, because it prolongs protein synthesis. Whatever the case for the nuanced specifics, generally speaking, they have roughly similar effects.
This says it perfectly, I just want nice mass and definition I don't need to be huge and in fact at my age I couldn't even if I wanted too.
Same here Terry.
I'm wanting to get bigger as well as stronger. I can load 180lbs on there. I don't need that much now with my weight as well but it definitely is enough for most everything but legs.
Good enogh for Chuck, good enough for me.
Should be pointed out that most of the big actors in Hollywood that have to be swole for a role, use gear of some kind, and yeah, that really helps out, especially in cutting down the time to get to the point where they are at. This is not to say that they don't work/train hard--course they do. But you can train just as hard, and unless you are a genetic outlier with naturally, but unusually, high active/usable Test past your 20's, and into your 30's and 40's, you're either not going to look like them or it will take you much longer, simply because you're not taking that gear.
My thing is, I'd say to people , challenge yourself to get to 100 reps on 5 or more exercises on this on the top level with all the bands. Prove to yourself you can commit to that , THEN go from there. See what happens. I'm 3 years on this machine. Long story but I used to be fit , I got seriously injured all over my body and needed to be able to TIP TOE my way back to fitness through essentially self-directed physical rehabilitation... Head to toe ... This is your machine if that's you. Maybe you used to be fit but fell off a roof, got hit by a car , had a stroke , etc. This is absolutely for you.
Life changing.
I have the weider version but it's the same idea.
Thanks for sharing that.
Can the total gym be considered strength training?
I do total gym for my upper body but i dont do legs on there i do regular squats with barbell but total gym is so awesome
That’s for sure a solid plan. I recently tried to give legs a solid go again just using a sliding bench trainer, but have fallen in love with the X3 for squats and deadlifts.
As far as what kind of body you can build? I think it depends on your body if you're natural build is narrow shoulders and small waist you're not going to hop on a total gym and think you're going to look like The incredible Hulk in 12 months. I think the Total gym will help you improve or even add to whatever your natural body type is.
I personally gain muscle pretty easy ..I use my total gym every other day 15-20 and I feel good. Lose and stretched compared to lifting weights I felt sore and stuff a lot of the time. And the muscle pumps are still there fore sure.
Great vid. Sold me on it
Nice. Thanks for watching. They are great and very underrated.
Thanks for video it helped me out
Happy it was helpful!
There are plenty of ways to work out on your chest. You should start doing different workouts. So u can show how the machine targets different parts of the body
Great info thank u
Thank you for watching.
Im very skinny. 6ft about 150-155lbs. Can I put on some decent size with this? I’m not looking for a bodybuilder type of thickness. I’m talking like adding maybe 20-25lbs and a fairly shredded physique. Also, do you have workout routines and diet plans for someone like me on your channel?
Here's a link to the most recommend template I give people for a SBT ruclips.net/video/PVIopw8Hpzc/видео.html as for size, it's really a matter more of diet and of course genetics as well. I also forgot I made this video as well with regards to size with a TG ruclips.net/video/fx3m3b5FJE0/видео.html
Thanks for the video. What model are you using?
That's a Total Gym FIT.
I need a total body workout routine for a woman !
Don't know if you saw this one ruclips.net/video/KGcYXLnHQ2s/видео.html
I just bought a Gr8Flex home gym
Can I ask this question: at the gym it's typical to keep track (more or less) each exercise and the amount of weight you're lifting; and then the number of repetitions, and then sets. Most guys have their base routines they follow consistently while changing it up from time to time. When I'm watching your most excellent videos, it seems you're going from one exercise to another and not tracking the number of repetitions and sets, or moving the bench higher or lower. And you don't pause very long, if at all, from one exercise to another. So the question is how does someone who understands sets and reps of the weight room think about what a daily workout with the Total Gym would look like?
I hear what you're saying and I wouldn't discourage tracking with a Total Gym, but personally I find I have the best results when I focus on muscle tension / stress in a desired body part. So I generally will have a theme like "upper body " and then just rotate from some key exercises that work for me in that muscle group in a circuit like fashion.
I do full body variations 1at 2 sets for 10.... Last set to failure... Do you think this is efficient...
Yes I think that would be good. Personally though, I don't like fixing on set numbers (reps/sets) but just do as much as I feel that day to stress the muscle for that day.
Do you consider the total gym resistant training? And is that the same as strength training?
Yes I would consider it resistant training and strength training. More specific “strength training” would be considered low reps heavy weight training, but the total gym can make you stronger.
Anything that strains and fatigues your muscles and puts you/your body into an anabolic state (glycogen vs oxygen burning) is resistance and strength training. There are some finer nuances and minor differences though, like say using heavy dumbbells tends to work the stabilizer muscles more, which is ultimately better for functional strength.
Also, so far, the majority of studies indicates that you can get similar hypertrophy and strength in different ways. Meaning, high volume/high reps/sets can equate similarly to lower volume/higher weight in the long term.
Actually, I would argue, the best/most efficient approach is to occasionally switch between these different modalities, because the body is pretty good at adapting to the same kind of movements, volume, weight, over time. So if you switch it up every few weeks or month or so, it forces the body to re-adapt.
Then importantly, long breaks, believe it or not, are very helpful and important to get past both hypertrophy and strength plateaus. So far the research seems to suggest that about 10 days of a rest (of ALL non anabolic type activity) is the sweet spot between resetting/re-sensitizing m-Tor while not losing an appreciable about of muscle or strength. We've all heard of "newbie gains". What this does, is sort of resparks that whole process, though not quite to the degree of true, beginner newbie gains.
My ideal built would be Bruce Lee. I know I’ll never achieve it, but would it be possible with the total gym.
I believe it certainly is possible, but considering how lean he was, some people might not actually feel that good on such low bf.
That kind of leanness can really mess with your testosterone levels. The body needs some dietary fat and some body fat to maintain best levels of testosterone. But there is a sweet spot. Too much body, visceral fat will also lower your Test. Depending on age, around 8 to 15% or so body fat seems to work best for the majority of males. The younger you are, it can be a bit lower and the older, the bit higher it needs to be.
For women, it needs to be considerably higher.
total gym beats Gym , weight sets when -Just starting out . u don't have extra expenses , extra commuting . U don't have Distractions of a Gym .
Which model Total Gym do you use in this video?
Thx
That is a Total Gym Fit. I have linked below and also did a review on the machine if you're interested.
@@hybridresistance thx man.
What about using the weight bar on the total bar for your leg excises
I do and have use it, more in recent months I just prefer my vertical leg press for my legs.
Nice, but why don't you work out your lower body?
I still workout my lower body, not sure what part you're referring to.
my main question is can i lose weight using this machine
Just like piece of equipment it really depends on how you use it in conjunction with your diet and overall lifestyle factors. But I have people every week sharing across my channel how they've lost weight using these machines.
@@hybridresistance i just got a total gym apex g5 and i am trying to put together a workout for it
@@ASDdoesgames Definitely check around my channel a bit if you haven't. I have some workout playlists, and "programs" playlists that you might find helpful.
I had such a time trying to put the push up thing on the gym. I have had it so long that I think I need to put wd40 on it.
I have the Pro Form version, and if I put it at the very top level, I've noticed that I have readjust the slider a bit if I want to go back down. To do that, I have to lift it up past that top level (but not too high that it comes completely off the bar), wiggle it a bit to straighten it out, and then pull the push pin, and then I can get it back down to the lower levels. It's a little annoying that I have to do this almost every time I put on that highest setting BUT I just count it into my rest cycles.
damn, disappointed to hear it doesn't help with size below the waste
It's definitely doable. I'm going to do more leg videos in the near future as I've been slacking on working them recently.
@@hybridresistance plz do
Do bodyweight squats
No amount of working out will help a small willie...