There are about a dozen ab exercises that you can do on the Total Gym machine in the privacy of your own home. The Total Gym is an ideal ab toner because it offers something that many other machines do not--instability. The muscles of the abs and core stabilize your body during all movement. Functional training promotes exercising in ways that require your muscles to stabilize your spine, not a backrest or bench. You can use the Total Gym for functional training by sitting or kneeling on the glideboard so your core muscles support your spine.
Sit-up with Cables
The sit-up with cable exercises on the Total Gym is done with your back in the air the entire time, requiring your abs not only to stabilize your spine but also to flex your spine. Spinal flexion is the job of the rectus abdominis, which you may know of as the "six-pack muscle." Sit on the glideboard facing the upright with your knees bent, your feet on the top of the board and your arms extended in front of you to hold the handles. Straighten your spine. Then, lean back until your lower back is an inch or two from the glideboard. Sit back up to complete the exercise.
Oblique Twister
The oblique twister is the Total Gym's version of the seated cable rotation exercise that is typically done with a resistance band. To do the exercise on the Total Gym, sit sideways on the glideboard with your legs held straight in front of you with your ankles crossed. Sit up tall to put the spine in a neutral position. Twist your shoulders toward the upright, and grab both handles with your palms together. Bend your elbows at right angles and hug them to your sides. Then, twist your upper body away from the upright all the way to the opposite side. Do not allow the hips or legs to move. Turn around to do the other side.
Kneeling Torso Twist
The kneeling torso twist places even more strain on the abs to perform than the oblique twister because kneeling on the moving glideboard is an even more unstable position than sitting down. Begin by kneeling sideways on the glideboard while holding the handles with your arms straight and your palms together. Point your arms toward the pulley on the upright, which will be to your side and slightly downward. Straighten your spine. Then, twist your shoulders away from the upright to the other side of your body. Keep your arms straight and raise them to shoulder level as you twist. Lower your arms back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
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