EmailGet info about new reports and updates
Solid, compact home gym
- Provides a variety of exercises
- Good for beginners
- No complex parts or electronics to break
- Little or no assembly required
- Not challenging enough for some
- Bulky and awkward to fold
- Must change setup for different exercises
- Hair can get caught in machine
- Accessories drive up the price
The pitch: "A total body workout in just 10 to 20 minutes a day."
April 2009. Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley pitch the Total Gym home exercise machine, a simple device that promises a variety of exercises for the entire body. You sit or lie on an incline board that glides on tracks, using pulleys and your own body weight to work legs, chest, abdominals, arms and more.
We reviews for many as-seen-on-TV fitness machines are pretty iffy, we found plenty of balanced reviews saying the Total Gym works well for beginner or intermediate exercisers, although it does have a few drawbacks (and it's expensive).
Owners like the fact that the Total Gym comes fully assembled. Beginning exercisers report that they are able to start working out right away, although some find the Total Gym tricky to get on and off. A few owners report that parts wear out quickly, but most say the build quality of Total Gym models is perfectly adequate.
The most common complaint is that the Total Gym doesn't fold up or store as easily as the ads make it seem. Several users note that the Total Gym is too long (one model is over 8.5 feet long) to set up in a small room, let alone slide under the bed. Some say the Total Gym is awkward and heavy to fold, and some report getting hurt trying to do it. A few reviewers say long hair gets caught in the sliders.
Some experienced users say although the Total Gym does allow a wide range of exercises, it's too easy and that owners could get bored with this simple machine. A few users complain that changing the position of the incline, handgrips, footgrips, etc. every time they want to do a new exercise gets old.
We found professional reviews of the Total Gym at Consumer Reports and ExerciseEquipmentExpert.com, but they are dated (although ExerciseEquipmentExpert.com does review one current model). User reviews at FitnessInfomercialReview.com, Epinions.com and InfomercialScams.com turned out to be the most helpful. We also found user reviews at Amazon.com and InformercialRatings.com, but it's hard to know whether to believe several of the overly positive and generalized reviews at these sites.
| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  177 store reviews | In Stock. Fantastic prices with ease & comfort of Amazon.com! | $1,195.00 | See It |
 |  0 store reviews | In Stock. | $1,194.99 | See It |
| See All Stores | ||||
Our Sources
1. FitnessInfomercial Review.com
This website has collected many reviews for the Total Gym. Reviews don't assign numeric ratings, but the comments give a good idea of the product's benefits and drawbacks. Opinions are all over the map: Some people find the Total Gym bulky and awkward, but others say it's convenient and works well.
Review: Total Gym Reviews and Product Ratings, Contributors to FitnessInfomercialReview.com
2. Epinions.com
Just a couple Total Gym models have reviews posted at Epinions.com. The cheaper Total Gym 1700 Club earns four stars (out of five), while the pricier Total Gym 14000 earns only three stars. Neither model has more than a half-dozen reviews, but the reviews do seem to be legitimate, and some are quite thorough.
Review: Total Gym, Contributors to Epinions.com
Despite its name, this website publishes not only complaints about infomercial products, but also "defenses" (ostensibly written by owners, not by the company). The Total Gym has collected plenty of each.
Review: Total Gym Complaints, Contributors to InfomercialScams.com
4. ConsumerReports.org
Consumer Reports doesn't include the Total Gym in its most recent 2009 test of infomercial exercise equipment. This test, from 2004, includes a model that is no longer current, although the basic design of the Total Gym is still the same. Editors compare the Total Gym to competitors like Bowflex.
Review: Ratings: Strength Trainers, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Jan. 2004
5. Exercise Equipment Expert.com
Spottke, a personal trainer, reviews dozens of home fitness devices including several Total Gym models (including some outdated ones). His reviews concentrate on the models' features; he doesn't mention testing the devices . Spottke always recommends a competing Bayou Fitness machine over the Total Gym.
Review: Home Gym Reviews, Bret Spottke
6. Amazon.com
Several Total Gym models -- including some older models -- are sold and reviewed at Amazon.com. All get high ratings, but some models have only one review posted. However, although criticism and negative reviews are included, many of the reviews are suspiciously gushy.
Review: Total Gym, Contributors to Amazon.com
The Total Gym averages four and a half stars (out of five) with 37 ratings posted, but -- as at Amazon.com -- many reviews seem phony. However, some of the reviews are balanced, and negative reviews are posted.
Review: Total Gym Reviews and Ratings, Contributors to InfomercialRatings.com
