The Total Trainer home gym line are a series of glide board exercise equipment billed as an alternative to working out with free weights. As with any exercise regime, the Total Trainer has advantages and disadvantages as compared to other techniques. The Total Trainer works on a similar system as the Total Gym line, and both share common pros and cons.
Identification
The Total Trainer is a glide board unit, reports resource website Exercise Equipment Expert. A glide board consists of a padded board with a seat on tracked wheels. You use a system of ropes, handles and pulleys to move your body along the tracked wheels. The exercises use your body weight at the lowest difficulty levels, and allow you to add weight plates as you grow stronger.
Free Weights
Free weights are heavy objects you hold in your hands as you move your body through the specific range of motion of an exercise. Unlike glide boards, they rely entirely on the weight of the object for your workout. Dumbbells and barbells are the most common examples of free weights.
Advantages of Total Trainer
Like other workout machines, Total Trainer is safer to use than free weights, says personal trainer Ben Cohn. Muscle failure on a glide board results at worst in an experience similar to your friend jumping off the see-saw at the wrong moment. The pulleys and ropes remove you from the "danger zone." Cost is a second advantage of a Total Trainer. Although it's more expensive than a single dumbbell, it's less expensive than a full set of free weights, collars and bars.
Advantages of Free Weights
Flexibility is the chief advantage of free weights, reports Cohn. With a set of dumbbells and instruction, you can work out in many more ranges of motion than allowed by a Total Trainer or similar model. Another factor is stabilizing muscles. According to Dr. Miriam Nelson in "Strong Women Stay Young," free weights work out peripheral muscles and help keep joints flexible and strong. Glide board equipment stabilizes them for you, leaving those muscles less well exercised.
Considerations
Which choice is better depends on your goals and situation. If safety and price value are your biggest concerns, the Total Trainer may be your best option. If you prefer flexibility and a more universal workout, free weights may be your best option. According to Cohn, you can get good exercise results from either method so long as you use the equipment regularly.
References
- "Brawn"; Stuart McRobert; 2007
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, OR
- Exercise Equipment Expert: Total Trainer Gym
- "Strong Women Stay Young"; Miriam Nelson; 2001
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