( 8 reviews )
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Posted: Jan 7 2008
This gym works just as good as the Total Gym. My dad has one and I tried his out a few times but because of the good reviews here, at walmart, sports authority and dick's sporting good, I chose this gym instead. It works just as good and in my opinion, easier to change the settings. I purchased some ankle velcro cuffs online for it and between this, my treadmill and some free weights and bands, I feel like I have a complete gym set up in our small 4th bedroom. My husband who swore it would't work for him now uses it as much as me. The resistance is great! Highly recommend. I would check out other places online first as most are cheaper then here. I was able to purchase it for $114 including shipping at Dick's Sporting Goods with a 15% off coupon code. Hundreds less then the Total Gym!
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Posted: Dec 29 2007
First, I'll start by saying that I just got this home tonight, set it up, and used it for about a half hour. So, these are very preliminary thoughts. If anything changes, I'll edit it later. First of all, the assembly. All you need is a wrench, and it comes together very well. There are three bolts to screw in, and some L-pins to slide in to attach the handles and foot plate. For some reason, one of my L-pins didn't fit through one side of the holes, but I used a steel file and made the hole a little bigger. A tiny quality control issue, but it was easily fixed. Second, the operation. It does what it is supposed to do. I had no trouble switching from exercise to exercise, and they all provided a lot of resistance. Pull overs, bicep curls, a simulated bench press, and butterflies all work really well. I decided to test myself by putting it to the highest resistance level (without the added resistance bands), and it was a definite challenge. I could only do about 5 reps of pullovers, and about 10 curls. I think the fourth or fifth highest setting is about right for me (by the way, I'm 6'5", 225 lbs, and in pretty decent shape). The only con with the observation is that the seat doesn't quite slide as well as smoothly as I wish it would. Perhaps a drop or two of oil or WD-40 will fix that. Another issue that some people have mentioned is the instability of the unit. Since it is long and quite narrow, I can see how some people would have issues with that, but honestly, if you're careful and keep your weight balanced, there should be no problem. The unit as a whole is VERY heavy. I got a heck of a workout moving it from the store, into my car, and into my apartment. You might want to have at least two people moving it. A large vehicle is not necessary though. I brought it home in my Honda Civic after folding the back seat down. Storing it is not an issue for me... I'll just keep it set up the whole time... but if you want to store it, you'll have a problem. It's really heavy to move, and for it to slide under a bed, you'll have to take off the handle and foot plate each time. For the price, it can't be beat. I've never used a Total Gym, but I think this would be a great alternative anyway. I'll post an update in a month or so if anything changes. If I could, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5.
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( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Dec 2 2007
I just can't tell you how amazed I am that the price is so low. What a GREAT workout. A lot of construction on the way to my gym finally made me buy a home gym. It has already paid for itself. It took a few adjustments to give me the hard workout I desired. Directions weren't the best I recommend to any newbie or pro.
