Total Gym APEX Versatile Indoor Home Gym Workout Total Body Strength Training Fitness Equipment

JUST A PERFECT SOLUTION FOR EXERCISE
I was looking for a weight machine to accompany my recumbent bike for a home gym. Most were just too big for the room. I really wanted something that folded away when not in use, as this room doubles as my home office.I remember seeing the Total Gym a few years back and began looking at them, reading the reviews, and watching some videos on You Tube. Total Gym does not use weights in its main function, its based on resistance. I ordered the Total Gym Apex G5 at a price below what the weight machine I was considering would have cost.My decision was an easy one to make. I looked at all the exercises I wanted to incorporate in a workout routine, and every one of them I could do on a weight machine, could also be done on the Total Gym AND achieve a nearly identical result.If I were to max out the ten resistance levels The Apex G5 gives me, there were other ways to increase the amount of resistance in the future. It can be done by adding a weight bar and weights to the sliding bench or using resistance bands. My intent was not to use the Total Gym to replace free weights or as a tool for “power lifting”. Its about getting toned and develop some muscle definition with out getting involved in the whole “join a gym” thing.It folds up out of the way when not in use, easy to set up and allows me to work out to my schedule with out going to a gym and pay the fees that come with it. There are videos on you tube by “Sliding bench trainer” that’s like having your own personal trainer.Amazon shipped it with 2 hours of ordering it and I had it the following day! It weighed about 80 pounds, I took it down stairs, opened up the box and had it set up in about ten minutes. It’s a very sturdy, stable unit and excellent quality. Give the Total Gym some consideration. They have 3 different Apex models. I chose the Apex G5 so I would have enough resistance levels to move up to in the future. Well worth the price…. very satisfied!

Great home gym equipment
Overall, I like the Total Gym. It’s relatively easy to get a good workout from it. Coming from working out at an actual gym, there are things to get used to: obviously you can’t just hop on and do all the exercises you want. Switching between exercises isn’t always fast or easy: one thing might get unhooked, another out in its place, and other things attached with hitch pins, which aren’t the easiest to install (in general terms). It’s certainly clever to use your body weight for all the exercises (and the bench raises when things get too easy). However, getting on and off the Total Gym can be its own workout: the bench’s willingness to slide makes it difficult to get in and off if there’s any incline to the bench. Also, I’m on the short side for a guy (5’6″). There are only three holes for the arm/leg supports (wing something or others in Total Gym lingo) so I have to try to slide the bench up to reach them with my legs while I’m upside down. That’s my last criticism: some exercises you have no choice but to do upside down; it’s unavoidable because of the machine’s design.I know that sounds like a lot of negative for only 1 star being taken off, but it’s positives make up for its shortcomings. For starters, having a complete gym in my basement for $500 is impressive. I’m not gym but, but I so far can’t think for a weight-focused exercise you can’t do with the Total Gym. We had been paying about $100/month for my wife and I to go to a gym, the closest of which is like 30+ minutes away. So now it’s 30 seconds to the basement, and we can work out.Next, while I did mention a negative about the bench, it is still overall great that it slides so readily, making it easier to work out. And yes, it’s annoying to have to switch out parts so often, but the more I do it the more it becomes second nature. I don’t think there’s a better solution than what Total Gym uses.The workouts are on individual cards that make it relatively easy to find and very easy to understand. I wish the cards were bound, but I understand the decision not to do that.In the end, if you want a home gym that’s inexpensive and can fit in a relatively small space (it’s about 10 feet long with the bench flat, then you’ll need about 4 feet on each side to safely work out), this total gym is for you.

This exercise machine is beyond my expectations. It arrived fully assembled and ready to use. It’s simple to use and suitable for any fitness level. Start low and slow and eventually you’ll improve in your fitness level. I’ve already noticed my waistline slimmed down 1 inch after just one week on Total Gym. The machine is so well designed it makes exercising fun. The Total Gym is worth every penny.

Excellent value, takes up very little space and offers numerous exercise and strength training opportunities.