Contents
The Total Gym XLS is Total Gym’s flagship product and it is promoted by celebrities Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley.
Most likely you have seen the commercials
And you might be thinking:
Is it really effective?
What makes the Total Gym XLS special is the ability to strengthen and tone every major muscle group in the upper and lower body as well as the abdominal area. You can use it regardless of age, weight of your physical shape, which makes it unique as fitness equipment.
I highly recommend the Total Gym XLS for anybody looking to get in shape, or lose weight, regardless of age or strength. A great home gym for beginners, intermediates and experts. This unit has a reasonable price, and offers tons of exercise possibilities.
Check Price on Amazon!
How Does the Total Gym XLS Work?
This is a compact machine, and it comes with a glide board and several pulleys and similar attachments to create smooth, fluid resistance and give you a workout using your own body weight.
As you improve strength and conditioning, you can increase resistance levels by boosting the incline of the side board, which in turn, causes more body weight to be lifted during each exercise.
It is a great way to reduce the proportion of body fat and increase lean muscle mass, getting stronger and more fit.
How is the Total Gym Different?
A number of similar home gyms compete for the same market as the Total Gym XLS, including the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE, Yukon, Bodycraft and Body-Solid, all of which lets you perform multiple exercises with a single compact home gym.
The current model of the Total Gym XLS incorporates a number of upgrades from previous models.
The latest version has a new squat stand additional padding on the glide board and a sturdier pulley and cable system.
Accessories that add extra intensity to workouts include a leg pulley that works quads and hamstrings, flexible nylon straps, an attachment for back and arm exercises.
The Total Gym has a capacity to support 400 pounds and you can do up to 80 different exercises.
The latest version of the Total Gym XLS also comes with five workout DVDs that help you get started and continue to improve your workouts. These include
- Start It Up introductory workout
- 6- 8-Minute Workout with 12 routines for users with minimal time
- The Smart Training Workut featuring slow, controlled exercises that target specific muscles
- Body Makeover: a high-energy, high-powered workout
Other perks included in the Total Gym XLS package are:
- Easy-to-read exercise wall chart with 30 exercises
- Training deck
- Nutritional program and meal planning guide by Dan Isaacson
Total Gym XLS Pros
Many people believe that products touted on infomercials are gimmicks, but the Total Gym XLS is the real deal, and can radically improve your fitness if you let it.
There are 80 different possible exercises, so you will not easily get bored with this home gym.
When you use the different exercise plans you can strengthen and tone the same muscle groups in different ways, this really helps you in increasing muscle strength.
The big PRO of the Total Gym XLS is that you can use it for every member of the family since you exercise with your own body weight. And by easily adjusting the incline, the exercises can be made easier or more difficult.
Because of the way you can change resistance and incline this home gym is great for physical therapy. The original version of the Total Gym initially made its mark in rehabilitation centers before it migrated to the general fitness market.
The smooth, gliding motion along with the ability to change resistance makes it a useful tool for those overcoming physical injuries and other health obstacles, allowing people to safely regain their strength. The amply padded glide board also provides good support to the back.
The sheer number of exercises, and the way you exercise with the Total Gym give you a great start when you cant to change your body composition.
If you are starting to exercise after a long absence from working out, the Total Gym will provide you with enough resistance to give you a solid basis for a sound fitness program.
Total Gym XLS Cons
If you are someone who wants heavy strength, high intensity interval or power training, the Total Gym XLS is not your best choice. Experienced bodybuilders and power lifters are not the market for this home gym. While you can make the exercises more heavy, you will not get big and bulky.
Total Gym is also not designed for sheer cardio workouts. You can get a cardio exercise on the Total Gym, but not as heavy as you can get while running, using a treadmill or a rowing machine. If you want a heavy cardio workout you need to add at least 30 minutes of running, biking or similar activity three times per week.
I highly recommend the Total Gym XLS for anybody looking to get in shape, or lose weight, regardless of age or strength. A great home gym for beginners, intermediates and experts. This unit has a reasonable price, and offers tons of exercise possibilities.
Check Price on Amazon!
Conclusion
When it comes to the Total Gym XLS, you can believe the hype! I would not expect less from Chuck Norris. It is a great tool for shaping your body, and working out with your own bodyweight is always a great way to train, as it minimized the risk of injury while still getting you very fit.
Everybody can use this gym, children and the elderly as well. And it does particularly well as a rehabilitation tool.
It is not for building serious body mass though, or for very serious cardio workouts. But if you are looking for a tool that can keep you fit for a long time, this might be the tool for you.
Jesse Young
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Total Gym XLS
Pros
- Anybody can use it
- Uses your own body weight
- Versatile
- Good for rehabilitation
Cons
- Will not build large muscle
- Not cheap
EFFICIENCY
0.00
EASE OF USE
8.50
VALUE FOR MONEY
8.00
I was recently given the Total Gym XLS because the guy who owned it, just doesn’t use it. It looks brand new-no scratches, dings, nothing! He had even bought extra attachments for it! I for one can tell you this TG XLS is a very good workout. As you stated, it’s not for body building, but it’s great for toning and endurance! And it’s a challenge! I love the fact it uses your own weight and you also have to use those stabilizer muscles! I set it at level 3 at first and quickly realized that was a BIG mistake. So, I swallowed my pride and started at level 1 and slowly built up to 3 reps of 15. Now, there are certain exercises I still do on level 1, some on level 3 and I am definitely feeling the effects. But my main goal, no matter what level, is to do 5 reps of 15 of each exercise. It’s not going to be any time soon that I can do my entire circuit on level 6! But I will make it (in time)!!! And just an added note, I am planning on buying a weight bar for it, so I can add extra weight on certain exercises that are quickly becoming very easy for me, like leg squats. I also like that I can change up the exercises with different variations and not really get that bored feeling. It also handles up to 400 pounds so it’s a very sturdy machine. I could never afford this machine on my own. However, if you want to save time and money going to the gym, ease of working out in the winter and a machine that will last a long time, this is cheap! Had I had that kind of money, I would have bought it and now I see I would not have regretted it. As a side note: it comes with DVD’s, even with certain attachments and there are even more exercises on YouTube to adopt into your personal routine..