Total Gym XLS Plus AbCrunch Bench – Universal Home Gym for Total Body Workout

I've had my Total Gym for three weeks now and have been on it every single day; I was worried that it might arrive damaged due to all the complaints about that being an issue, but it was fine. It is heavy to schlepp up the staircase--get a friend or two if you can. That should be workout #1. It basically comes put together, but figuring out how to unfold it was a bit of a challenge. The accessories you take on and off as you do this exercise and that, which took a bit at first but I'm getting much faster with it. When I workout with the DVD I keep the control by me so I can pause and rewind if I get confused about changing the accessories or if it takes me longer than it takes the workout leader.As a 40something woman who does a lot of dog hiking and horse riding, I find that this works muscles that I do not use in my normal life. This is a good thing, of course, and why I got the TG in the first place. If you are someone who is in moderately fit to out of shape, this is a good piece of equipment to work out with; if you want to win body building contests I doubt this is your best choice. Even though I am fairly active when I started some of the shoulder and arm things I was really huffing puffing and cussing. The leg workouts I can set the TG at a higher intensity setting for a good workout; the arm stuff I set it at a lower incline since I am weak there at present. Squats and toe raises and whatnot I can do all the day long, but those straight arm pullovers and snow angels are EVIL. Which is the whole purpose of getting the thing in the first place.The set came with a DVD with 6 to 8 minute workouts and after three weeks of doing a single routine every day I am now bumping it up to two per session. For someone who is not ready to hang feet first and do inclined sit ups like nobody's business right out of the gate, this is a helpful start. It's enough to build without killing yourself and getting discouraged, and once it gets easy you can either double up workouts or else raise the incline (or both as you get fitter). There are also longer workouts on another two DVDs provided, but I am working up to that yet.My jeans are liking me better, for sure, and while I have not lost weight I have lost inches and can tell that the exercises are getting easier. I find that doing a short workout every day is much easier for me to keep on with rather than a bigger workout that leaves me sore every other day or three days a week. The TG XLS seems to be sturdy and is easy to use. The DVDs are clear and give good descriptions and advice while you workout. I have the wall poster up to check out and have done some workouts from the card deck provided as well, so even if you are not a follow the leader on the DVD type you can get a good workout plan put together.

I will admit, I was put off by the price tag and did some heavy comparison to the much lower cost version by Weider. But in the end I opted for the real deal, and I'm glad I did.But first, here's a bit of background. I've never been the athletic type so I've always been on the heavy side. I knew I had to do something when I was outgrowing my cloths "yet" again (I had refused to go from a 2x to a 3x kind of guy). Over the years I've done free weights, had a walking regiment, and even did some aerobic DVD's but nothing seemed fun...so I never stuck with it. I was initially looking at getting the bowflex, but the assembly and room needed were big downers; so I started looking at the Total Gym. I read many reviews and watched youtube videos to get an idea what the hype was all about. I saw a huge variety of excersize's that looked fun and challenging, so I went for it.I've owned this machine for three weeks and can already see results. As a matter of fact, the Total Gym is addicting. I LOVE working out on this machine. My workouts range from 20-30 mins and consist of basic chest, bicep, back, squat and ab excersize's. You really can get a total body workout in less than 30 mins. By the time I'm finished with my workout, I'm panting and feeling greate. After three weeks I have tons more energy and feel a lot stronger.The machine itself comes fully assembled, and if you watch the youtube videos on setting up the total gym before it arrives, you can be ready to work out when it arrives at your front door. They do include a video on setup/take down that's worth watching, but youtube was enough for me. Setup was very easy and I was impressed with the quality of the machine. The track/slide motion is very smooth and they pulley mechanism looks to be well made.I recommend starting at levels 1 or 2 when your first get it and start working out as your body will go into muscle shock. After my first workout, I was sore the next day, but not enough to stop me from working out. Take it slow for a few weeks. The people on the commercial make it look easy, but they have been using the Total Gym for years.My wife really loves the machine too. She's just as hooked on it, and has her own workout regiment that she does every day. The Total Gym XLS was WELL worth the money and I highly recommend it. Its easy to put up, take down and use.We also have the Ab attachment, and I highly recommend this too! I do 30 crunches a day (starting slow and building up takes time) and see a BIG difference in my abs. My belly has shrunk, and my love handles are almost gone. My wife has noticed my chest is getting hard and formed, along with my biceps and triceps. This is a big confidence booster for me!While the Weider version has good reviews and may be just as good...opt for the real deal, you wont be sorry.