I am a 54 yo bodybuilder that has been using the total gym for 2 years and made better gains using TG than going to the actual gym. anyone who thinks it's a gimmick needs to spend an hour on it and see the results for themselves this is from someone who has been training since the early 80s Great video
Good video 1. Time under tension 2. Proper form 3. Muscle isolation 4. Compound exercises 5. Proper programming 6. Proper rest 7. Proper protein supports for muscle building and longevity Good coaching helps. Learn the skeletal muscle system and know what you don't know. Results are incremental and require consistent activity to maintain. It's a lifestyle.
I just scored a TG for free 3 days ago. I've only done 2 work outs so far and I really feel the benefits already. As an older guy I needed something with relatively low impact to avoid injury. This machine is the real deal. I'm also learning a lot from your videos.
I agree, you have to do it right and do it long enough to see results! Your channel is a great resource for innovative uses so I don’t get bored, I am definitely seeing results, slowly but surely! Thanks for all you do!
Important to progressively increase resistance using inclination level, bands and weights. Also proper nutrition is very important too. Really enjoy these videos. Thank you
Good vid mate. I have heard the same shit about not being able to put muscle on with them. Over the past 2 years thats all i have used and my gain are the best yet and im 41. Same will go with total gym. If used right u will get it. Muscles dont know the difference in what equipment u use they just know the stress they under. Btw i admire the use of using all different types of equipment u use man. Makes things more interesting and fun. I might get out my trx just for fun.
I'd recommend you check out some of my newer videos with my "bodylastics" bands as that also opened up more options on how to use bands on the machine. Thanks for watching.
I still get great strength in my body after using total gym. I have noticed that my reaction at catching something falling with my arms has became much better after using the gym. It feels like a bonus next to the increased body strength.
I had to learn how to focus on the muscle I was wanting to work on. For instance doing the row, I had to "teach" myself to start the pull with my elbows first, then my arms the squeeze the muscles in the back. That worked with each muscle group, for me. You have to find out what works for you. But the TG has been a game changer for me.
You’re not gonna be a body builder using total gym. I use total gym and resistance bands. I’m 66 years old and my body looks forty. I’m cut and toned packing the right amount of muscle for my height 6’2 , 205 and weight. Diet and nutrition is 65-70 percent of any kind of training. So without free weights, I achieved my goals with the combo of bands and total gym. That piece of equipment is great for a home gym. PS. I add weights to the machine since the sliding board only gives you about 75 percent of your body weight at max level. Great video. Thanks.
Hi, I just read your comment and I was just wondering where you get the additional bands that you add to the total gym. Also how do you know how much resistance you are adding when you add the bands? Thank you!
If you don't want to go to a gym for whatever reason, buy a Total Gym. If used properly it works. But need from 30 minutes to one hour 3 days a week to get results. No free ride here.
You make some valid points. Anyone claiming the 'Total Gym' doesn't work and/or that it's a gimmick is obviously NOT applying themselves and working hard enough. Consistent focused workouts and proper diet WILL produce results. I remember commenting on the tremendous muscle gains a Vegan RU-vidr made in a short time and asked what his secret was. He said you have to go really hard and work out the muscles until you just don't think you can do another rep. And do it consistently, not one day then five days off and then another day. The 'Total Gym' is safe and very effective if one applies themselves. And I think it is fun to workout out on my 'Total Gym'!
I almost sold my Total Gym XLS in a yard sale for 100.00. Glad I didn't. I had an old roommate leave it behind. I'm going to order some of the attachments. I'm not a fan of the Gym. Usually do some walking or hiking. Thanks for the Easy to Understand videos!
Great stuff. I might add diet. Not just the garbage in garbage out aspect, but if you're not fueled up for the workout your body might actually burn muscle to fuel the movements. Try to eat something every 3 hours even if it's just an energy bar or a banana. As one IFBB pro put it, you'll never outwork bad eating.
Couple suggestions: -instead of throwing out your calf raises, take them seriously (measurably load them) instead of that jumping around under light weight you were doing -ditch the assortment of unloaded ab stuff you do and look at ATG’s reverse squat move; you can apply it here with the ankle straps I think you’ve mentioned elsewhere. Again, measurably scalable.
Sounds good. I watched a video where someone mentioned you will get more protein absorption with just eggs versus creatine. I'm taking a wild guess but a guy called Dr. Berg, maybe? Not sure how to spell it
These videos make me believe the total gym is the right choice for me, it all depends on how and if you use it, and use it correctly. I'm 47 and my goal is to get into the best shape of my life these videos are giving me the motivation I need. He does so many exercises I never would have thought of. Total gym it is. eBay here I come 😳
I have the same goal as you at 41 years old. Started using a TG 3 weeks ago and the progress is amazing. I would highly recommend. The cool part about it is even when you are doing isolation exercises you are still working your core and back as well VS. free weights where it really is more isolated and easier to have bad form.
You can buy the weight bar from the TG company, go to the sporting goods store, and buy disk weights to increase the weight doing the same type of exercises on the machine. The Fit is the best home gym because it allows you to be very versatile because your muscles will get used to the same amount of reps (with no increased resistance) and the weights can allow you to stay on the same level, if you don't want to raise the height depending on what you're comfortable doing.
hey man great video just got this for christmas and its great thank you for the tips ill be checking out more of your videos. thanks so much lookin big bro :)
Volume and reps, more like just do each rep so it lasts 6 seconds, 3 in and 3 out. You need 60 seconds of tension for atrophy if i remember correctly. Take your time, slow reps, dont blow through them
I have 8 upper body isolation workouts I do 3 sets of each then work legs and a total body workout with mine daily. The results are huge combined with a high protein diet I get really great results.
Great video. I do a single calf raise with about 250-300 lbs added with resistance bands each leg. Calf raise with no extra resistance would be a waste of time. Have I built muscle in 4 years? Apparently yes. I am in my 60;s. My waist shrunk by 7 inches but any man could beat me in an arm wrestling contest. However I can do things I could not do before. With the TG I can do at home in 30 minutes what would take more than an hour at a gym, including the drive
"Can't put on muscle on the total gym"? I packed on 12 pounds of muscle in 18 months, and that's with taking 1-2 months off three times in that time period, while losing bodyfat (so the amount of muscle gained is actually more)! Mike gives great tips, and I agree with everything he said. Another tip I would add (that's true for free weights, cable machines, bands, etc), and it's a crucial one, is remembering the all-important concept of progressive overload. You have to give your body a reason to build muscle, by putting it under enough stress/stimulus to serve as a catalyst for adaption. In other words, you have to work hard enough where the stress on the muscle forces them to grow/adapt. And that in turn translates to workout intensity. Are you going to failure in each set, or getting very close to failure? If not, then you're not going to get good results, period, using any piece of workout equipment. Studies show that if you're not going close to failure or failure, you're leaving as much as 50-75% of your gains on the table (super slow growth perceived as zero muscle gain/progress). The key is to track and write down how many reps you are able to do in each set. If you find yourself being able to do more reps in subsequent workouts, that means you are getting stronger, and that's literally the KEY (progressive overload). Initially, for as many as 6 weeks, the muscles adapt to the stimulus by re-wiring the neural networks to more efficiently recruit muscle fibres. But not long after that comes the GAINZ, which is what most guys are looking for. Well..... People quit before getting to that point, which Mike addressed as point #4. People need to understand that the body tries NOT to build muscle, if it can help it. Why? Because muscle requires energy and eats up calories even when it's just sitting there doing nothing. So if your body can handle a load/stress/stimulus efficiently and effectively in its current state, it won't grow the muscle. And that leads back to, you guessed it, progressive overload. Each time you workout, you need to push to failure, or close to it, which then forces the muscle to get stronger. As you do get stronger and do more reps, it continues to put the continued stress on the muscles. And initially it will be neurological changes, so you don't see any muscle growth YET. But keep at it long enough, keep giving your muscles a REASON to grow....and it will grow. As the muscles get stronger, keep providing them a reason to adapt and grow, by maintaining the needed intensity during the workouts. If one is doing that correctly, he will be lifting heavier, doing more reps, etc. And that's what needs to happen to stimulate further muscle growth. There are gazillions of other factors in play too, like how heavy to lift, when to start lifting heavier, how many reps and sets, how long to pause in between sets (it makes a difference), and of course....nutrition/diet. But that's way too much to discuss in one video, post or comment. It's also important to remember, that even 2 pounds of muscle put on in 1 month....is A LOT. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it is. If a person works out consistently packing on 2 pounds every month, that's 24 pounds of muscle in one year! Of course, well-trained, already well-muscled individuals won't see anywhere nearly close to that, it'll be more like 5 pounds a year, at the most (for guys like Mike). But for those new to training, who pack on "newbie gains", 2 pounds of muscle a month is fantastic. And if you're consistent with it, you will guarantee see awesome results. Progressive overload, progressive overload, progressive overload, can't emphasise it enough. The body parts that I have personally seen the most explosive growth are my shoulders, back and arms. I *KNOW* the TG is working, because the results are very visible. I still remember the first time I noticed my lats, was when I had my shirt off, and I was hunched over slightly in front of the bathroom mirror washing my hands, and I had my arms flared out at about 30 degrees or so. That gave me a view of my lats, and I looked in the mirror and noticed they were significantly wider. That gave me a HUGE boost of motivation to keep going. My arms benefited greatly by the TG, too. I packed on an inch of muscle on each arm. My delts are bigger too, rounder and fuller. Front and side delts are easier to train, and I'll admit working the rear delts is a pain, it burns, it really sucks....so I don't train that area as often as I should. So overall, the TG is an incredible piece of workout equipment, and I can't be any happier with it. You just have to know what you're doing, do the exercises with good form and mind-muscle connection, stick with it and be consistent, and maintain proper nutrition. No gym membership for me ever again =]
So I have a total gym fit and love it. I also use a heavy bag and speed bag. Also I have a resistance band platform. Cant remember name brand right now but it has loops that you guide the bands through to get more resistance. I use total gym 6x a week will use resistance bands while on vacation💪 thanks for the video
I really like my TG. Have been using it now for about ten years. At first off and on. Later getting in to some of the routines that came with my machine. I used it for mainly staying toned up. Now I still want to keep myself toned at 63 but now I push myself a little more than i used to. Raising the level, doing more reps or sets. I have also started to eat better. I work out three times a week on the TG and try to fit in some cardio here and there. Works for me.
In this video I'm using these UndersunFitness Bands. You can SAVE 10% OFF your order of using Code "PHFitness" at Undersunfitness.com or find them on Amazon here amzn.to/3bU4cxK Thanks for watching and the comment.
My buddy is a sport scientist and even he says that these Total Gyms are a great concept. He just personally prefers free weights. I bought a used TG mainly to train pullups. I don't like training pullups with resistance bands. And I could feel that the TG works. All you have to do is to use it regularly and to do the exercises the right way. Clean reps. You forgot to mention that in order to build muscle you have to eat. And you have to eat a lot! I've been a skinny guy (skinny fat with age) for all my life. Than I bought a cheap multi gym (350 dollars new) and I trained every second day. AND I read a lot about nutrition. Within 1 and a half years I lost almost all my belly fat while still gaining bodyweight. I trained, I ate and I farted a lot. First visibly noticable results after 4 months. One and a half years later I was almost 10Kgs heavier but looking athletic for the first time in my life. Finally I felt confident enough to wear t-shirts in the summer. Tight sleeves because my arms became almost too big for my old shirts. A nice vein on my biceps and a chest way bigger than my belly...awesome. I read in every bodybuilding forum that these cheap multi stations are crap. But that's not true in general. It depends on your work ethic (and the right amount of weights). My buddy told me that all I have to do is to train regularly, with clean reps and to eat the right (amount) of food. And it worked. I started when I was 36 years old. I never looked and I never felt better. Not even as a teen. Same with the TG. Use it the right way and it will help you to look and feel better.
Can i ask...do you go to the point of failure on each exercise. I read Jim Carnases " cardio free workout " that this is the most important thing in building strength, how do you feel? Good video!
Funny story I've actually worked with him in the past...great guy. But I personally do not go to failure on each exercise, mostly I try to focus on stressing the muscle as much as possible that set. It might go to failure but if I go absolute failure each set I could start to feel it in my joints and less in the direct muscle I'm trying to work.
I remember when I was playing football in highschool are head coach as well as the head wrestling coach used to have us do three sets of bench press three times per week with 50% of our one rep max performing 12 reps per set using a five second cadence on the lowering and negative part of the lift in a 2-second drive on the positive we also did the same thing with box squats and it seemed like it took forever to go through the sets and they we're tough to get through can I use this same concept with my total gym and it works well
I don't do too much sole resistance band training. Just some exercises/sets in conjunction with my Total Gym workouts. Also up until recently, I took a long few months not using bands. So I do attribute the TG to a lot of my arm development.
Those are Undersun Fitness bands. They are the best bands in the game. They are not made for the TG, but he's incorporating them into TG workouts extremely well. Undersun has a ton of their own videos on workouts with just the bands. I love swititching up band only days, with Total Gym days. I do use the bands with the TG as shown in so many of Primitive Fitness YT videos. Primitive is the single best user of a Total Gym, I've ever seen.
I think the only flaw of the total gym is the limited resistence. The commercial grade machine is best for body building. Because you can add more weight to its weight bar. I think future models should have more ways to add extra resistence. Support more weight and be able to add alot more weight to the machine. Other than that all my muscle i have has been because of this single machine. I have the total gym xls and love it. I started on the total gym 1500 i bought for 250 bucks at a sports authority. Used that machine for over 10 years. It came with a pull up bar and foot pad. Really had everything i needed to really workout alot. I used that machine alot and lost alot of weight on it. Also had more muscle than i ever had before. Its a great machine for weight loss and just getting into shape. If your more hardcore and want to build large muscles you will need the commercial grade model and add weights. But for just building lean muscle and getting into shape this machine is fantastic for that. You can get a very good workout in just 30 minutes or so.
Hi, I was wondering if I could do a Zoom meeting with you to talk about more total gym exercise and a way to make it easier for people who have prostatic.
It appears to me that you need to move in a slow controlled manner so that you're not relieving pressure on your muscles by bouncing and moving too fast.
I definitely think they have their place, but I wouldn't look at it as slow vs faster is superior. Personally, I'm seeking trying to feel tension in the muscle so sometimes I'll go faster or slower (even in mid-set).
Listen … let’s not worry about the naysayers… im 38 and i enjoy my total gym. If your a hater , just move on dude … its ok , we dont all have the same goals Im a grown as man and i know what im doing , im not worried about competing in body building competition… All I’m worried about is reinforcing my joints, and I am seeing improvement in my physique and that’s all that matters Plus look at the dude whose using the total gym in these videos , it’s obvious that it works just do it a lot
Is their a good how to install the attachments, mine is being used as a clothing rack but want to start using it. I think this a great machine but need resources
Thanks for your video. I've owned a similar device for a few years. But I haven't used it for a long time. I feel just like you write. I do my exercises without feeling any strain on my muscles. The chest is a good example. I don't feel anything in my chest when I bench press. But the shoulders hurt. Do I then have to reduce the exposure? At the moment I'm doing chest presses with the dumbbell as an alternative. I feel that more in my chest.
I'd check out this video if you haven't ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-W63zPz1vD3c.html I also go over some positional points for "pressing" in my latest video as ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0yJ4CtQQMKI.html Many people have described what you are (including my wife) and in the end it was a minor form thing that made a difference.
I have put on some muscle. But now I am just trying to lose weight and get better toned. That's more diet for me. I never get bored on TG. So many vids and workouts to choose from
I have a question, so when ever I do a chest fly, I feel like the board stops sliding before my hands come together for the fly. The cable hits my wrists and just bends at the top of the rep and it feels like the tension on the muscle is no more. When I watch you do it here, you don’t seem to have that issue. How can I adjust and fix this issue? Thx
It could be either you're not sitting back far enough, having longer arms, or are on another machine where the cable is shorter. You could always lengthen the cables like I just featured in this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LMWDuXtZ34s.html
@@hybridresistance it’s the total gym fit. and I’m sitting as far up the board as possible. Maybe my arms are to long, I’m not running out of cable though. Love the videos, keep it up
Everyone accepts that in orser to gain muscle with traditional weightlifting, you have to do your research, learn how to do it, and follow a targeted plan. So why would they not apply that same thinking to the total gym. Sounds to me like people who didnt want it to work in the first place. Or people who are just looking for some kind of inatant results shortcut.
Total gym Isn’t to body build. It’s for body weight strength which is what you want. If you can throw your body weight around efficiently you are gonna be in good shape
Safe answer would be to check with your doctor. But it was me, these machines shine in allowing a lot of versatility for working around injuries. Also a great machine for stretching. I plan on getting a video out on that soon as well.
@@hybridresistance yes same model it is a commercial one $1,300 in 1997. It says total gym (of course) and exercise....by efi medical system on the bench. It has all the accessories you can name including pilates.Pilates is after market I bought 2 years ago.
I hear you, but there some people that get don't like to hear "building muscle" and think I'm referring to purely building mass, so I use "toning" to get them on the same page
@@hybridresistance You are right. I follow many of your workouts. I'm 58, and I also love the Bullworker Classic. I'm definitely not building muscle "mass". But my muscles are definitely getting harder, and are starting to appear different. Yes, some people have used the term, and told me - I look more "toned". Either way, I'm feeling a difference, and your channel is the best Total gym guide I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing.
Just like all fitness products it depends on how you incorporate it into your lifestyle / diet. No better or worse compared to any other form of exercise as far as effectiveness in my opinion. I did make a program video on this topic if you're interested here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dXFQYY-XTLQ.html
I have been using mike.mentzers approach. 1 set of each exercise to failure at the highest resistence i can handle. Then only workout once every 3 to 4 days. So muscles have plenty of rest and growing time. I am going to try this for a few months and see if it works well. Before i would just workout on the machine for hours and do every exercise i could think of. I did lose alot of weight and built some decent muscle that way too. But I am going to try this different approach. Before i would count a set amount of reps. But now i try to work muscles to failure on each exercise.
