Should I buy a total gym??

I bought a bowflex and it has been worth every penny. Best fitness machine on the market!

Personally I tend to be skeptical of products sold by way of infomercials, claims tend to be grossly exaggerated.If the price is low enough it may be worthwhile but have you considered buying a used bench and some free weights?

I think the most important question to answer about any piece of fitness equipment is "Will I use it?"

If the answer is yes, then go for it. If the answer is no, then spend that money on something else fitness-related that you would use. Only you can answer that.

I have one. I got the XRT after all the upgrades and like it. It DOES show you results and it's a space saver when you aren't using it if you want to fold it up. Great for different ability levels too and has come in handy continuing physical therapy for my daughter after her knee replacement as the sliding lunge is what they do with her with a similar machine in therapy! My father in his 60s has used it and I use it - 3 totally different ability levels. It IS worth the money.

I definitely recommend the Total Gym. Of all the weight/resistance training "stuff" I have, my TG sees the most use. Very easy to use, very easy to adjust, wide variety of exercise, low impact, no spotter required, easy to mix in some cardio... It's like anything else -- you have to be willing to use it, regularly -- but there are a lot of selling points that make that commitment easier.

Not worth it. I'm trying to sell my bowflex currently. I got what I could out of it, it quickly gets old.

You'll get the same workout from a dumbell set, a pull up bar, and a bar bell. Just get some plates, two short bars and one long bar and you'll be good. Otherwise, hit the gym!

Only worth it if you use it. Check areas like craigslist and you'll find lots of stuff like that "New, still in box" or "only used once". People buy that stuff all the time and it doesn't get used or it becomes a place to hang your jacket.

Personally I tend to be skeptical of products sold by way of infomercials, claims tend to be grossly exaggerated.If the price is low enough it may be worthwhile but have you considered buying a used bench and some free weights?

agreed with this bench and free-weights

even if you don't want to be a bodybuilder - they are the extreme example to be following.

consider this line stolen

So, a lot of bias towards free weights here... My own perspective is that free weights are quite likely "the best" way to go, but that doesn't mean there aren't other ways.

I've got a weight bench in the basement. Plates, bars, bells, the works. I love my free weights. But I don't necessarily love switching out the plates. I don't love having to use a spotter, and I don't love having a row of dumbbells or, in general, the amount of space that it all takes up (1st world problem, I know).

The Total Gym (and other systems like the Bowflex) do let you increment the weight over time, they can provide a good variety of exercise, and they can save you from needing a spotter.

Really, there's nothing the TG will do that free weights won't. It's just a matter of convenience & preference if you're looking to get some basic resistance training into your life.

So, I still say the TG is worth it, and it does get more use than my other equipment. But, like folks have said, a good set of barbells and a pull-up rack of some sort will get you close to everything the TG can offer at a fraction of the price.

I've used one, and it can be good for your upper body. Kind of hard to really hit your legs as strong as they need to be.

There are some great back exercises you can do on them, especially for the lats.

Plates, bars, bells, the works. But I don't necessarily love switching out the plates. I don't love having to use a spotter, and I don't love having a row of dumbbells or, in general, the amount of space that it all takes up (1st world problem, I know).

I'll be looking for something in the New Year too. I can understand the inconvenience of switching plates etc so I'm not sure which way to go either.

Total Gym Pros - Don't need a lot of weights and or equipment. You can do a great number of exercises on the Total Gym.
Doesn't take up much space
You won't drop a weight on your foot or need a spotter while doing exercises on the total gym.

Total Gym Cons: You will not get ripped on this machine. It is good for basic muscle tone.
Unless you get the weight attachment for it there a limit on how much weight you can add. I believe on the highest incline setting I can only do 60% of my body weight. This if fine for many exercises but not leg ones.
As you lose weight the exercises become easier because you are lifting your own weight. You can always increase the incline or reps but there are limits. Ideally you want to increase the weight you lift as you lose weight and get more fit.

That said I have one and I like using it for some exercises but I use it in conjunction with dumbbells and barbells.

a good set of barbells and a pull-up rack of some sort will get you close to everything the TG can offer at a fraction of the price.

Just feel the need to amend this comment - they will not get you 'close to'. They will exceed what it can do. You will also get a more comprehensive workout.

This sort of toy really are for people who think there is an easy and convenient way to do this stuff when really it's about doing it the old fashioned way. Eat right and pick up and put down heavy weights in the time honoured manner.

Biased much? ;-)

My point -- which I've really stated a couple of times now, but once more for old time's sake -- is that there are some things that the TG and the like make convenient. For me, most of that boils down to not needing a spotter, not having to swap out plates or keep a bunch of barbells around, and not needing a separate pull-up bar.

Both of "easy and convenient" come down to what you're looking for and what you're looking to achieve.

So, a lot of bias towards free weights here... My own perspective is that free weights are quite likely "the best" way to go, but that doesn't mean there aren't other ways.

You are correct, there are many ways to exercise but consider this. Think of exercise as money and think of exercise as an investment opportunity, and exercise is a guaranteed return on investment right? If you had $100 to invest and you're guaranteed a return on wherever you invest it, would you invest it in something returning 25%, 50%, or 90%? The obvious answer is you would invest it in the 90% because there's no risk, it's a guranteed return. Same thing with exercise. Why invest your time that has some short-term and minimal long-term return or value? Why not invest in a good free-weight setup like others have mentioned and maximize your return on your time investment in exercise. You can spend 45-minutes on a Total Gym or you can spend 45-minutes cranking out some reps with a BB and maybe some DB's for better benefit.

Eat right and pick up and put down heavy weights in the time honoured manner.