What health and exercise professionals think of the Total Gym

Overall, exercise and health professionals see the Total Gym as a useful exercise device for their gyms and clinics and agree that for the value it provides home fitness with the benefits of safe, efficient and functional exercise.

Flexible
One physical therapist calls it similar to the popular pulley systems seen attached to many gym walls with the exception that body weight is used as the resistance, and each body area can be addressed without a great deal of changing positions, benches, and weights.

Research
Fitness and rehabilitation professionals note the ongoing research conducted on the Total Gym at the Medical College of Ohio at Indiana University and in private clinics across the country. This is important for demonstrating personal safety and valid, proven results in the healthcare industry.

Functional exercises

Current studies in physiotherapy and conditioning have shown that functional exercise promotes natural movement, creating the best environment for strengthening and conditioning. Functional exercises refer to movements used commonly in activities of daily living (ADLs). This feature allows people to do exercises that may be closely related to the type of movements required at work, in recreation and athletics, or normal day-to-day activities.

Functional exercises can also be sport-specific. For example, there are several programs helpful for the upper and lower extremities and torso for the golfer or the skier addressing both stretching and strengthening. Additional accessories broaden the scope of available exercises and enhance workout capabilities.

Who will benefit from the Total Gym?

The Total Gym will prove beneficial to those seeking to tone and build lean muscle, improve joint mobility, and enhance their overall endurance by improving cardiovascular fitness. Those who have been in rehabilitation under the supervision of a physical therapist and are now progressing to an independent home program will also find the Total Gym a good option for their home program.

Who may not benefit from the Total Gym?

Although this machine does offer limited joint compression, there are some people who may find the resisted range of motion from the Total Gym painful. For example, people with joint and soft tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and who are experiencing an acute episode or "flare up" of the disease are not candidates for aggressive strengthening. Those who have any form of cardiovascular disease may not be candidates for this machine and should always consult their physicians regarding the exertion level they should be avoiding.

Powerlifters who depend on high resistance and low repetitions for maximum lifts and increased muscle bulk may find the Total Gym unable to deliver the amount of resistance desired for their needs in the sport of powerlifting.

The Total View

Overall, the health and fitness industry is giving the Total Gym "a thumbs up." The Total Gym provides a good general fitness program for those wishing to optimize their "total" health.