Total Gym: How to Calculate Effective Resistance and Track Progress

How Do You Calculate Weight Lifted on Total Gym?

It's crucial to understand that the Total Gym primarily utilizes a percentage of your body weight as resistance, determined by the incline level of the glideboard. While not a direct "weight" calculation like free weights, effective resistance is calculated by multiplying your body weight by the percentage of resistance offered at a specific incline setting, often found in your Total Gym's user manual or online resources.

Understanding the Total Gym's Mechanism

The Total Gym operates on the principle of an inclined plane, a fundamental concept in physics. Unlike traditional free weights or selectorized machines that provide a fixed load, the Total Gym uses your own body weight and gravity as resistance. When you lie, sit, or stand on the glideboard, you are moving a portion of your body weight up and down an incline. The steeper the incline, the greater the percentage of your body weight you are effectively lifting against gravity.

The Core Principle: Percentage of Bodyweight

The key to understanding resistance on a Total Gym is recognizing that you are never lifting 100% of your body weight (unless you are standing vertically on the platform, which isn't a typical exercise position). Instead, you are lifting a percentage of your body weight. This percentage is directly correlated with the angle of the glideboard's incline.

• Lower Incline: A shallower angle means you are moving a smaller percentage of your body weight, resulting in less resistance.
• Higher Incline: A steeper angle means you are moving a larger percentage of your body weight, resulting in greater resistance.

Factors Influencing Effective Resistance

Several factors contribute to the total effective resistance you experience on a Total Gym:

• Body Weight: This is the primary variable. A heavier individual will experience greater resistance at the same incline level than a lighter individual.
• Incline Level: The most significant adjustable factor. Each "level" on your Total Gym corresponds to a specific angle of incline, which in turn dictates the percentage of body weight engaged.
• Body Position on the Glideboard: Subtle changes in your body's center of gravity relative to the pivot point can slightly alter the effective resistance. For example, performing a squat while positioned further down the glideboard might feel slightly different than being centered.
• Exercise Type: While the incline sets the base percentage, the biomechanics of specific exercises (e.g., lying vs. standing, pushing vs. pulling) can influence how that resistance is felt and distributed across muscle groups.
• Added Accessories:
  • Weight Bar: Many Total Gym models allow for the addition of free weights to a weight bar attachment. This adds a fixed, quantifiable amount of resistance on top of the bodyweight percentage.
  • Squat Stand: While not adding direct weight, the squat stand changes the leverage and allows for different movement patterns, which can alter the perceived effort.
• Friction: While generally minimal in well-maintained machines, friction in the rollers and cables can slightly reduce the effective load. For practical purposes, this is often negligible.

Calculating Effective Resistance

To calculate the approximate effective resistance, you need two pieces of information: your current body weight and the percentage of body weight lifted at your chosen incline level.

1. Determine Your Body Weight: Weigh yourself accurately.
2. Find the Incline Percentage Chart: Most Total Gym models provide a chart in their user manual or on the manufacturer's website. This chart lists each incline level (e.g., Level 1, Level 2, etc.) and the corresponding percentage of body weight that serves as resistance. These percentages typically range from around 3-6% at the lowest level to 45-60% at the highest, though this can vary by model.
   • Example (Hypothetical): If Level 1 = 5% of body weight, Level 6 = 30% of body weight, Level 12 = 55% of body weight.
3. Apply the Formula: Effective Resistance (lbs or kg) = Your Body Weight (lbs or kg) × (Incline Level Percentage / 100)

Example Calculation:

• Your Body Weight: 180 lbs
• Incline Level: Let's say you're on a level that corresponds to 40% of your body weight.
• Calculation: 180 lbs × (40 / 100) = 180 lbs × 0.40 = 72 lbs

In this scenario, the effective resistance you are working against is approximately 72 lbs.

Including Added Weight (if applicable): If you add a weight bar with plates, you simply add that fixed weight to your calculated effective resistance.

• Example (continued): If you add 20 lbs to the weight bar: Total Effective Resistance = 72 lbs (bodyweight resistance) + 20 lbs (added weight) = 92 lbs

Practical Application and Considerations

• Progressive Overload: Knowing your effective resistance allows you to track progress. As you get stronger, you can increase the incline level, add external weight, or increase repetitions and sets.
• Workout Planning: This calculation helps in structuring workouts, ensuring you are challenging yourself appropriately for your fitness goals (e.g., higher resistance for strength, lower for endurance).
• Comparing Workouts: While not directly comparable to free weights due to differing biomechanics and stabilization requirements, understanding the effective resistance helps in assessing the relative intensity of your Total Gym sessions.
• Model Variation: Be aware that percentage charts can vary slightly between different Total Gym models (e.g., Total Gym XLS vs. GTS). Always refer to the specific documentation for your machine.

Limitations and Nuances

It's important to acknowledge that this calculation provides an approximation of effective resistance. It doesn't account for:

• Leverage Changes: Slight shifts in body position on the glideboard, or the use of certain accessories, can subtly alter the mechanical advantage and perceived effort.
• Muscle Recruitment: The "feel" of resistance on a Total Gym is different from free weights. The constant tension and stabilization demands can recruit muscles differently.
• Dynamic vs. Static Resistance: The calculation represents the resistance during the movement, but the Total Gym's smooth, controlled motion can feel different from lifting a free weight.

Why Exact "Weight" Matters Less Than Progression

While understanding the calculation is valuable for an informed approach to training, it's crucial not to get overly fixated on an exact "weight" number. For most users, the most important metrics for progress on a Total Gym are:

• Consistent Progressive Overload: Are you able to increase the incline, add reps/sets, or add external weight over time?
• Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): How hard does the exercise feel on a scale of 1-10? Aim for challenging but sustainable effort.
• Time Under Tension: The duration your muscles are actively working during a set.
• Mastery of Movement: Improving form, control, and range of motion.

The Total Gym is an incredibly versatile and effective tool for building strength, endurance, and flexibility. By understanding how its resistance system works, you can train smarter, track your progress more effectively, and maximize your results.