The Total Gym line of exercise equipment pits your muscles against gravity and your own body weight. You sit or lie on a glide board, then push or pull on pulley handles to roll the glide board up a pair of inclined rails. The steeper you set the rail incline, the more of your body weight you're lifting, up to a maximum of 50 percent of your body weight.
Exercises
According to Trainer Secrets, the Total Gym 1500 facilitates 120 different exercises.
Unit and User Weight
The Total Gym 1500 weighs 72 lbs. and has a maximum user weight limit of 275 lbs. If you weigh more than 275 lbs., you may need to purchase a higher-end Total Gym model; the Total Gym XLS, for example, has a maximum user weight of 400 lbs.
Dimensions
The TG 1500 glide board measures 13 inches across by 40 inches long. The Total Gym measures 18 inches wide by 48 inches long by 90 inches tall when free standing; 18 inches wide by 8 inches tall by 48 inches long when folded.
Maximum Resistance
The Total Gym 1500 has six different resistance settings, ranging from 6 percent to 50 percent of your body weight, up to a maximum 250 lbs. of resistance. Some Total Gym models have an optional accessory bar that allows you to add extra weight to the glide board, but that is not an option for the TG 1500.
Construction
The Total Gym frame is made of 3/4-inch-by-1 1/4-inch steel tubing. The cables are 1000 lbs. vinyl-coated cables.
Cost
As of May 2010, the Total Gym 1500, available through Fitness Quest, is priced between $200 and $300. Total Gyms are also frequently available used, via local ads, for as little as $50.
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