One machine. Your body on an incline. No weights needed.
Three steps. That's all.
Get on the board
Sit, lie, or kneel on the padded sliding glideboard. The position depends on the exercise — every movement starts from one of these three setups.
Set your angle
Raise the incline for a harder workout. Lower it for an easier one. Resistance changes instantly, and progression is built into the geometry.
Move
Pull, push, squat, glide. Every major muscle group, all from one machine. Smooth, controlled, low-impact through every rep.
Watch the system in motion.
The angle does the work.
At the lowest incline, you lift around 4–8% of your body weight. At the highest, more than 75%. No plates to swap. No pin to move. Just gravity and geometry.
More Done in Less Time Work Your Whole Body in Every Move.
Most Total Gym exercises are compound movements — pulling more than one muscle group into each rep — so workouts are shorter and denser than typical machine circuits.
Upper Body
- Chest
- Back
- Shoulders
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Forearms
Lower Body
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Calves
- Hip flexors
- Adductors / abductors
Core
- Abs
- Obliques
- Transverse abdominis
- Lower back
- Stabilizers (always engaged)
Frequently asked.
Do I need to be fit to start?
No. Start at the lowest incline level — where you're only lifting around 4 to 8 percent of your body weight — and build up gradually as you get stronger. Total Gym is widely used by physical therapists for rehabilitation, which speaks to how forgiving the system is for beginners and anyone returning to exercise.
How much space does it need?
About 8 by 4 feet while in use. Most models fold flat and slide under a bed or against a wall when you're done, making them ideal for apartments, home offices, and any small space where a permanent gym setup isn't realistic.
Will it actually build muscle?
Yes. Raising the incline lifts a greater percentage of your body weight — the same progressive overload principle behind weight training. By increasing the incline level, slowing each rep, and progressing to harder exercise variations, you build meaningful strength and muscle over time.
How much body weight do you actually lift?
It depends on the incline level. At the lowest levels you may lift around 4 to 8 percent of your body weight; at the highest levels you can lift more than 75 percent. Every Total Gym model includes a resistance chart that shows the exact percentage at each level — useful for programming workouts and tracking progression.
Is Total Gym better than free weights?
It depends on your goal, but Total Gym has clear advantages for home training: smoother and more controlled movement, lower joint impact, no spotter required, and a much smaller footprint. Free weights demand more stabilization from supporting muscles; Total Gym provides built-in support, making it easier to learn proper form and safer for rehab.
How long does it take to see results?
Most users report noticeable changes in strength and stamina within four to six weeks of consistent use, training three to five sessions per week. Because Total Gym workouts are full-body and time-efficient, consistency is easier to maintain than with split routines that require longer sessions.