The Total Gym Pro is a discontinued model of the Total Gym home gym series. You can workout on this machine to work your upper body, legs or core. Setting the incline of the bench to a high angle makes each repetition hard to do and therefore you will increase muscle size and strength. Setting the incline at a low angle allows you to do many repetitions, and therefore challenges your endurance if you keep going until you feel the burn.
Sit-up with Cables
The sit-up with cables works the core muscles. The exercise lets you hold onto the handles of the machine's cables so that when you sit up, you must use your ab muscles to make the bench slide upward on the incline tracks but you can also use your arms to assist you. You can adjust the incline as you go if it feels to easy or too hard. Sit on the bench facing the cables to perform the exercise. Bend your knees and place your feet at the head of the bench. Hold the handles, one in each hand, with your arms straight and your palms facing inwards. Your arms are positioned on the outside of your legs. Next, lie down flat on your back. Your arms will stay straight and pointing toward the upright. Then, sit back up straight.
Low Back Extension
The low back extension is a back exercise you can perform on the Total Gym Pro. You will feel this exercise in your lower back although the muscle group known as the erector spinae that contracts to extend your spine runs all the way up to your neck. To perform this exercise, set the incline high or low depending on your goal and kneel on the bench facing the pulleys. Hold the handles to your chest with your arms bent and your palms facing your shoulders. Bend forward to lie onto your thighs. This is the starting position. Next, sit up to extend your spine. Keep your back straight and your arms on your chest. Lie back onto your thighs to complete one rep.
Lateral Arm Pull
The lateral arm pull is an upper body exercise that hits all rest of the muscle groups that the low back extension misses. You should feel this in your biceps, triceps, chest and shoulders. To perform the lateral arm pull, sit sideways on the bench with your left shoulder closer to the floor and your right shoulder closer to the upright. Cross your left arm diagonally down in front of you to the right and grab the handle of the cable closest to you. Position your palm face down. Then, bend your elbow as you pull your arm to the left until your elbow is in line with the side of your left shoulder. Perform the desired number of reps at the angle you choose, and then turn around and work the other side.
Plyometric Split Squat
The plyometric split squat lets you work your legs and burn calories because it is a quick-tempo exercise. You can do a certain number of reps or aim for a particular length of time. To perform this exercise, lie face up on the bench and place your feet on the foot rest with your legs straight. Your arm can hold the bottom and sides of the bench near your buttocks. Extend your right leg straight in the air. Then, bend your left knee into a squat and push off quickly to "jump" as the bench slides upward. Switch leg positions so that your left leg is then straight in the air and your right leg goes into a squat. Alternate legs.
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