Bench press. Lat pulldown. Seated row. Squat. The strength exercises that shape and tone bodies — every one performed on Total Gym.
Press the handles up and together from a shoulder-width grip, driving through the chest as the glideboard supports your spine. Pec strength without dumbbells hovering over your face — and a grip width that keeps the shoulders safe.
More chest exercises
Anchor on the cable system while seated or kneeling on the glideboard. Keep elbows pinned and curl with control — same isolation, none of the spinal load of a barbell.
More arm exercises
Press upward while the glideboard stabilizes your spine. Core stays engaged, shoulders do the work — a safer pressing pattern for anyone wary of overhead loading.
More shoulder exercises
Plant your feet on the squat platform and drive through the heels. Knees track over the toes, glideboard supports the descent — squat depth without the spinal compression.
More leg exercises
Press out into the lunge on the glideboard, then draw the leg back with control. The incline sets your resistance, training one leg at a time for low-impact quad and glute strength without the knee strain of standing lunges.
More quadricep exercises
Cable resistance plus glideboard travel equals smooth, low-impact hamstring work. Ideal for anyone rehabbing knees or building posterior-chain strength carefully.
More hamstring exercises
Recline on the glideboard and curl up against the incline, letting your body weight set the resistance. Full range-of-motion ab work with your lower back fully supported — far easier on the spine than floor sit ups.
More ab exercises
Hold a straight-arm plank on the glideboard, bracing your core while the incline shifts how much bodyweight you support. Full-body tension with adjustable difficulty — scale it easier or harder just by changing the angle.
More ab exercises
Curl your shoulders toward your knees on the glideboard, letting the incline control each rep. Core engagement with full lower-back support — none of the neck strain of floor crunches.
More ab exercisesA side-by-side look at how bodyweight resistance on a glideboard compares to free weights and a traditional cable machine — across the dimensions that actually matter at home.
| Total Gym | Free Weights | Cable Machine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resistance Source | Body weight + incline | External plates / dumbbells | Weight stack |
| Joint Impact | Low — supported movement | Higher — depends on form | Low to moderate |
| Footprint | Folds for easy storage | Rack + plates required | Permanent installation |
| Exercises Possible | 200+ | Hundreds, with full kit | 40–60 |
| Beginner Friendly | Very — guided support built in | Steep learning curve | Moderate |
| Used in Rehab | Yes — widely | Rarely | Sometimes |
| Stabilization Demand | Built-in core engagement | High — you provide it | Low to moderate |
A Total Gym workout doesn’t replicate the gym — it improves on a few of its weaker points. The difference shows up most in the joints, the learning curve, and the consistency of resistance through each rep.
Free weights have sticking points — angles where the load drops off and the muscle gets a break. Glideboard resistance stays smooth and consistent through the entire range of motion.
Total Gym is one of the most approachable strength tools you can buy. Start at the lowest incline, learn the movement patterns with the glideboard supporting your form, and progress one notch at a time as you get stronger.
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