The Total Gym XLS comes entirely with our total fitness system of workouts and workout tools to take all the guesswork out of getting into shape. The Total Gym XLS is the newest unit in the Total Gym family, sets the standard for fitness excellence.

Nine important Things you should know about Total Gym XLS

1. Delivery of the Product. It took about seven days from the time of order for the equipment to arrive. It comes in a well-made box and hardly ever will you find anything missing or not in perfect working order.

2. Instructions and Ease of Setup. The commercial advertisements declare that it is very simple and easy to set up. It an ideal act to watch the brief videos first (as hard as that is with something new and exciting) where they give details on how to set up the equipment in a very brief and simple style. The one thing that could have been better was if there was a large notice inside the box referring to the profits of watching the videos first. The Total Gym and the add-on gear are very easy to set up and begin using.

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3. Quality of the Product. The Total Gym XLS is very high class machine. You can utilize it 5 and 7 days per week, at times twice a day. You won’t see any signs of wearing and tearing at all. Some clients claim that even after a year of hard use by every member of the family, the equipment stands up to that kind of pressure. It is a system that will deliver years of quality service.

4. Assistance with the Exercises and Exercise Programs. The Total Gym comes with over 80 full color instruction cards (5 ¼” x 8 ½”) that explain each exercise. These are very helpful and very well done with full color pictures of the exercise plus additional explanations. There are also several workout programs that are detailed on the same size cards including:

• 6-8 Minute Workout for Men (7 days)
• 6-8 Minute Workout for Women (7 days)
• Starter Workout Program
• Workout for Young People
• Long and Lean
• Core Strength and Stability
• Total Body Circuit
• Upper Body Sculpt for Women
• Lower Body Strength for Women
• Upper Body Strength for Men
• Lower Body Power for Men
• There are more than a few Abs sessions and it is easy to develop your own Abs routine.

The programs usually consist of sets of six to ten exercises with the goal of doing 3 sets per session. Normally, 3 sets will take thirty to forty five minutes. Certainly, you do not need to follow their pre-designed customs if you do not want.

5. Quality Workout. The quality workout received from the Total Gym is outstanding. It can be used for muscle tone, cardiovascular, or endurance. The Upper Body Strength and Lower Body Power for Men routines are very good for muscle development. One more wonderful thing that the machine is that it is safe to use.

The only downside is that if you are exercising for absolute extreme power that may be hard to achieve with the Total Gym. Weight can be added to make routines more challenging but I don’t think it is possible to suggest a 400 pound press or bench press.

6. Flexibility. With as many workout as can be done on the Total Gym (over 80) the equipment is very flexible. There are exercises designed for the chest, back, shoulders, legs, arms and abs. There are also several stretches and compound exercises (designed to work more than one area of the body at once). The Total Gym is very supple; it is a single piece of equipment that can be used for the entire body.

7. Enjoyable. For many people, exercising is not fun. It is very tedious. With as many different exercises as the Total Gym provides it tends to make exercising a lot more interesting and exciting. Although, turning on a little music does help. Any exercise equipment can be labeled as unruly fun, but with the many various exercises available the Total Gym does have a benefit over most exercise machine.

8. Usability by all Sizes and Shapes. Every people are unique. There are people of every shape, size, and age and exercise objective. The system is just as helpful and usable by someone in their 80s as it is for the teenagers in your home. The equipment can be adjusted to give the perfect exercise to someone who is 6′5″ tall or to a youngster under 4′ tall. Even people who are quite overweight can get value from using the Total Gym system to start losing that weight where they are comfy at home.

9. Convenience. The fact that you do get a gym quality workout in your own home makes the convenience factor rate very high. You do not have to drive away from home to work out and you can work out on your free time like during night time or early morning before going to work.

Where to Acquire Total Gym XLS?

The company no longer sells them on Amazon but they do sell them directly. If you are looking to buy a used one you should really deal with the company directly for the best odds of a positive buying experience.

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• The Total Gym 1700 Club
• Total Gym 3000
• The Total Gym 2000
• Weider Total Body Works 5000
• Bowflex Ultimate 2 Home Gym

Home gyms can be enormous pieces of fitness equipment that take up an entire room. Or they can be a single piece of equipment that fits nicely into the corner. Some Bowflexes don’t require their own addresses in your home, and yet it’s one of the most powerful home gyms on the market.

People who use the Bowflex for twenty minutes a day, three days a week have claimed amazing results in the strength and tone of their bodies, as well as improved weight loss. The low impact Bowflex Power Rods reduce or eliminate the joint pain that often occurs when lifting free weights. And they provide even resistance for a consistent workout.

Bowflex offers an unconditional money back guarantee for people who are skeptical of the exclusive Power Rod system for weight training. You can use the Bowflex in their homes for up to six weeks, and if you’re not happy with it for any reason, return it for a full refund. (But you pay the shipping and handling on the return. It’s supposed to go back in the original box with EVERYTHING returned to get your refund)

The Machine

BowFlex Revolution

Current Price: US $1,200.00

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Current Price: US $23.95

The Bowflex Ultimate 2 is Bowflex’s best selling product. Bowflex and Nautilus Inc. have been manufacturing Bowflex home gyms for over 20 years now. The Ultimate 2 is a real improvement in comparison with it’s predecessor the Bowflex Ultimate.

The Bowflex Ultimate 2 is the “ultimate” home gym that Bowflex has to offer. With over 95 exercises and 310Ib of resistance so there is little chance of outgrowing it anytime soon (upgradable to 410Ib) it has everything a person could ever want. This is the most complete ‘Health Club Alternative Gym’ in the Bowflex lineup and the most decked out gym currently available in the Bowflex lineup and sits atop the Extreme 2, Revolution, and all other Bowflex models.

When you train on the Bowflex Ultimate 2 you’ll have 400 variations of exercises, an exercise training DVD, and everything you need to transform your body. When you train you’ll improve arms, back, chest, shoulders, legs, abdominals, and more.

It’s very easy to use. There is no other machine that gave results as fast and effectively as this machine. Unlike free weights, the Bowflex Ultimate 2 provides just as much resistance at the start of your exercises as it does at the top. Your muscles will experience intense stimulation and faster gains.

Does It Take Up A lot Of Space?

This is the ideal home gym for anyone that wants to workout in the privacy of their home while leaving a small footprint. You can fold if for easy storage. There is no reason you should have to fill your house up with big clunky weights to get a gym quality workout.

Key Specifications on the Bowflex Ultimate 2 Home Gym

• 310 pounds of Power Rod standard – upgradeable to 410 pounds
• Lat tower with angled lat bar
• Leg extension/leg curl station
• Preacher curl attachment
• Integrated, biomechanically correct squat station
• Built-in adjustable pulley system
• Cable Change Pulley System – go from one exercise to another without changing cables making your workout faster
• Ultra smooth built-in rowing machine for cardiovascular warm-up and cool-down

The Ultimate 2 gym is a good value when you consider how many machines this gym replaces. It’s easy to move from exercise to the next with the ‘no cable change’ feature, and you can adjust the bench to different angles or simply remove it when you want to do squats on the built-in station.

The Bowflex Ultimate 2 has about any type of exercise you’ll ever need to, or want to perform on a home gym.

It’s easy to move from exercise to the next with the ‘no cable change’ feature, and I like the fact that you can adjust the bench to different angles or simply remove it when you want to do squats on the built-in station.

The Ultimate 2 is a lot of gym (even for the higher price tag) and is relatively small considering all you can accomplish on it.

Like the Bowflex Revolution, the Ultimate 2 will certainly scare some people off with the price but you can get financing directly from Bowflex, or there are other options to consider like the Bowflex Extreme 2.

Pros

Movable – the horizontal bench folds up into the machine, which allows you to store it where ever you like.

Tip – the Ultimate 2 is a little heavy, so it will roll on a solid floor much more easily than it will on carpeting.

Leg Press – the horizontal bench allows you to do leg presses. This is a major benefit, especially for those who find squats difficult.

Rowing Machine – the horizontal bench machines can also be used as a rowing machine. This is very nice for warming up or cooling down after a workout.

Cons

Space Needed – the Bowflex Ultimate 2 is about 4 feet longer than the vertical bench machines.

Attachments – moving the Bowflex Ultimate 2 can be a chore due to all it’s attachments like the leg extension etc.

The Best Features of Bowflex Ultimate 2

1. Preacher curls attachment. Preacher curls enable you to isolate and develop the biceps. Because your arms are resting against the pad, other muscles can’t help your biceps “cheat” in the exercise (like letting the elbows come forward, instead of keeping them tight against your sides).

2. Squat station. Squats are the “Grand Pooba” of ALL exercises. They are the most taxing resistance exercise there is because they use so much of the body. The problem with squats is balance and flexibility. It’s hard to go down and come up while having good posture.

The Ultimate 2’s squat station solves this problem. It automatically puts your body in proper position which enables you to receive the utmost benefit from this “super” exercise.

3. No cable changes. This seems like a minor feature but after training for a couple of weeks you’ll definitely appreciate not having to change cables for different exercises.

4. Ab crunch attachment. This isolates and trains your abdominals

Related posts:

• The Bowflex Home Gym
• Bowflex Classic Home Gym
• Bowflex Xtreme SE Home Gym
• The Weider Max Home Gym
• Bowflex Revolution

The Bowflex Revolution is a home gym system that is designed to be the only piece of equipment that anyone will need to get a complete workout.  This system is designed for those who would prefer to work out in the comfort of their own home instead of waiting gym lines for prime machines and paying steep monthly fees for their use.  While the Bowflex does represent a large investment, the reputation of the company, the variety of exercises it supports and the generous warranty have made it a staple of home gyms for years.  Anyone who is considering starting a fitness regime at home or those who are just hoping to rid their current home gym of its clutter should consider purchasing a Bowflex Revolution.

One of the main goals for most workout regimes is a flat, well-defined stomach.  In addition to the aesthetic benefits, a strong core will improve posture and reduce back pain.  The Bowflex Revolution offers a number of different options for working out the core at different levels of resistance, giving users faster results than those seen with crunches alone.  The padded bench can be used by beginners for crunches, while those at higher fitness levels can use the SpiraFlex plates to add resistance and increase the intensity.  The trunk rotation set-up will help get rid of love handles, and work oblique muscles that are often overlooked.

Features of Bowflex Revolution

• The Spiraflex Resistance Technology; the Bowflex Revolution comes with a 220 lbs. (100 kg) standard resistance. It is upgradeable to 300 lbs. (136 kg) Extra costs $99. Upgradeable to 600 lbs. (272 kg) for lower body results.
• Over 100 exercises come with the Bowflex Revolution; with these 100 exercises you can make up to 400 variations.
• Preacher Curl Attachment for strong biceps.
• Freedom Arms; especially designed for the upper body workout, the freedom arms have a 170 angle and are adjustable.
• 5 Position Foot Harness; improvement in comparison with the XP.
• The usual hand grips for good and flexible training are included.
• Built-in rowing machine; for calorie-burning, cardiovascular warm-up and cool-down.
• Leg Press Plate; for a good lower body workout.
• Leg extension/curl; is included, you can get built some muscles but do not expect a lot of varieties in the exercises.
• Instructional Manual and a DVD workout video to perform all exercises on the right way.

The Bowflex Revolution does not have the ab back pad, squat harness and lat tower available on this home gym. Because of its design the Bowflex Revolution is folding to a 55″ by 38″ footprint what makes it ideal for people with an apartment or little space available to work out. The guarantee is 10 year on materials and workmanship and 10 years on weights. The maximum user weight is 300 lbs. (136 kg).

BowFlex Revolution

Current Price: US $1,200.00

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Current Price: US $23.95

The Bowflex Revolution would be a good fit for you:

• have a home office and or if you want convenience
• dislike fighting the primetime crowds at the gym, which begin to amass at about 5:00 PM and go until about 7:30 PM
• have ample room in your home
• are an intermediate or advanced user – or you have a professional trainer get you started; I’ve been lifting weights for years and it took me a little time to get used to it
• are either strong or don’t plan on moving the machine: this machine is heavy and it’s bulky. It does have a foldaway feature, but it does require a fair amount of strength. Moving and folding away the machine can be dangerous for most people, my suggestion to you is not to move it or fold it up unless necessary – even then, be careful.

Pros

• The overall range of motion was quite smooth, there was constant resistance throughout the exercise, for many of the exercises I found it to be comparable to professional gym equipment
• Versatility – if you are an experienced weight trainer, the amount of exercises and variations is only limited to your imagination
• Convenience – no, the Revolution can’t compete with going to the gym, but if this is what you’ve got to work with, it’s the next best thing
• The machine makes little noise
• Customer service was friendly and easy to reach
• The plates are compact and extremely lightweight

Cons

• Bulky, heavy machine, don’t move it or lift it unless it’s necessary
• Switching attachments and adding plates can be a little bit of a nuisance but you can get quicker with this over time. Don’t be fooled by the commercials and DVD, it’s not that easy to move from exercise to exercise – but you will get faster over time.
• There is a learning curve with the exercises, have some patience when you first get the machine. It took me about 2-3 work outs before I started to feel comfortable and efficient
• The markings on the plates should have been more obvious. The graphics look good on the plates but the numbers should have been larger so they are readable from a distance. Perhaps they might have color coded them.
• I often had to check to see how much weight I had on each side of the machine – too bad there wasn’t a display on the front of the machine that told you how much resistance there was on each arm
• Bowflex is slow in sending out the order, they indicated they would provide an email and a phone call when the unit shipped – they did neither in my case
• Putting the Revolution took about 1.5 – 2 hours to do. It does require some ingenuity and elbow grease to get everything assembled. When I was done I needed a shower and a long break.
• The bench has only 2 positions: incline and flat, no variations in between
• Attaching the footplate leg press accessory is a pain in the rear. It’s bulky and it’s heavy. For some people, attaching the footplate can be dangerous.

Related posts:

• Bowflex Revolution XP
• Bowflex Ultimate 2 Home Gym
• The Bowflex Home Gym
• Bowflex TreadClimber
• Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE