The Total Gym 1500 is one of the Total Gym home gyms. It consists of a movable glideboard that is attached to a metal frame. The frame can be adjusted to variable inclines. The higher the incline, the more different the exercises are. You get your workout by kneeling, sitting, or lying on the glideboard and then pulling your body with cables attached to pulleys at the top of the assembly that the glideboard attaches to. Your body weight will provide the resistance so you get stronger muscles. There are a couple of exercises like squats or the leg pull that do not use the cables, but your body will still serve as the weight to train your muscles with. The Total Gym manual recommends that you start with what they call the starter program, which consists of two basic exercises including the leg pull and the arm pullover.
Leg Pull
Step 1
Set the glideboard at the lowest angle. Pull out the pin on the side of the top of the rails that the glideboard moves on. Line the rails up with the lowest hole and replace the pin.
Step 2
Sit on the glideboard facing the pulley assembly. Hook your feet under the wing accessory and point your toes. Place your buttocks at the top of the board and lie back. Straighten your legs as far as comfortable. Relax your back and head against the glideboard. Place your hands on your stomach.
Step 3
Pull yourself up toward the wing accessory so the glideboard slides upward by bending your knees. Keep your back flat on the board. You should feel this in your legs. Exhale through your mouth as you make this upward movement.
Step 4
Straighten your legs and take a breath in through your nose. Slide the board back down. Do 12 to 25 reps before going to the next exercise.
Step 5
Make this exercise more challenging by raising the incline. Keep trying a higher incline until you are unable to do additional repetitions beyond 25. You may also do this exercise with one leg at a time to increase the challenge and equal out the strength of your legs. Start with your weaker leg hooked under the wing accessory and hold the other leg in the air as you do the exercise. Do the exercise with the opposite leg at the same incline and with the same number of reps.
Arm Pullover
Step 1
Sit on the glideboard facing away from the pulleys. Grab a handle in each hand. Lie back and extend your arms straight over your head so that the board slides down toward the floor.
Step 2
Pull both your arms straight up until they are perpendicular to the floor and then continue bringing them forward until your arms are next to your stomach. Breathe out as you do the pullover move. Keep your arms straight. Do not lift your back off the glideboard.
Step 3
Raise your arms back to the starting position above your head and inhale through your nose.
Step 4
Do 12 to 25 reps until your arms are too tired to do another rep without a rest. Increase the incline if your arms are not tired by the last rep. Repeat both exercises for a second set if you feel you are able too safely. Otherwise, end your workout with one set and try another set when you are ready.
Step 5
Make this exercise more difficult by doing alternating arm pullovers. Repeat the exercise following the same instructions, except only pull your right arm down and over on the first rep. Raise your right arm back over head and then pull down only with your left arm on the second rep. Continue until you have done 12 to 25 reps per arm.
Things You'll Need
- Total Gym 1500
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