The Total Gym was developed in 1974 and it has become a popular piece of exercise equipment during the past few decades. The Total Gym's design allows you to use gravity and your own body weight to get a good workout. According to efi Sports Medicine, you can do more than 250 exercises with this piece of exercise equipment. Some of the best workouts on the Total Gym include seated biceps curls, abdominal crunches and squats.
Stretching
Before doing any strength training on the Total Gym, you can do stretches on it. For example, you can perform a hurdle stretch on this exercise equipment. To execute this stretch, sit on the bottom end of the glide board while facing the support column. Extend your legs and then pull one leg in so that the bottom of your foot is touching your inner thigh. Allow yourself to glide backward as you stretch your hands to your toes. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds and repeat it with the opposite leg.
Seated Biceps Curls
The Total Gym offers several options for working out your arm muscles. A simple exercise you can do is the seated biceps curl. To perform this exercise, sit on the top of the glide board with your legs straddling it. Face the support column and grab the cable handles with your palms up. While keeping your back straight, bend your elbows and pull the handles to your shoulders. Try to do at least two sets of eight repetitions of this exercise. You can also exercise your biceps by pulling the handles into your ribs.
Abdominal Crunches
The incline of the Total Gym makes it an ideal piece of exercise equipment for abdominal workouts. Hook your feet into the Total Gym's foot holder and lie back on the glide board to perform abdominal crunches. Begin with your legs straight. Bend your knees and use your legs to pull the glide board close to your heels. Lift your head and shoulders off the glide board as you bend your knees. Try to perform at least two set of eight repetitions of this crunch. This exercise also works your calves and hamstrings. Increase the intensity of the workout by increasing the incline of the Total Gym.
Squats
Squats are a classic workout for the legs. You can perform a variety of different types of squats on the Total Gym. Attach the foot platform to the bottom of the Total Gym to perform squats. Lie on your back on the glide board with your feet on the platform. Bend your knees and glide into a squatted position so that your thighs are approximately parallel with the foot platform. Push back up and try to complete at least eight squats. To increase the difficulty, try using only one leg to perform the squats. You can also practice plyometric squats by forcefully pushing up and entirely off the platform after each squat.
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