Hi I am looking at VigorFit, Total Trainer and others and I am getting more confused each day. I was initally looking at the VigorFit as I saw it on Ebay and read the positive replies but then I happened to see some posts on a similar forum for Total Trainer.

Having called both of them on their toll free # I still am confused and although the sales persons at VigorFit do not compair with TT, those at TT are "knocking" the VigorFit.

I am looking for a unit that would totally replace a gym membership and the VigorFit has a Bike Attachment that seems to be good yet I do not like that there is no video showing how to put together the unit, use it, and fold it up and as a woman, I am not very mechanical and not sure that I can do this.

Another of my main concerns is the smoothness of action and the ability to easily go from one exercise to another without having to study a manual or get an engineering degree.

Since VigorFit does not compare itself to the Total Trainers and just the Total Gym it is hard to compare and I would like to get some opinions as to the above points and I would also like to have meaningful email or phone support with helping me tailor and modify programs for myself on these machines

I am looking for equipment that would look nice and also allow me to easily fold it up after use and that would take the smallest space in the closet.

tinaken

How much does it cost?

Both are about the same price...$400 or so.

A bit late in the day for a reply to this inital question but here goes.

I too had some questions about Total Gym/Total Trainer.

The costing issue was rather a big one for me, at first glance I had assumed that the Vigorfit was a knock off immatation of the T/G due the costing involved.

However when I got to both sites and discovered tha tthere is not one, but several models of T/Gym to choose from, in addition to those models sold in the stores here, I got a bit concerned. When I headed over to Chuck Norris' web page I was rather surprised to see that he offers yet another model of the T/Gym, that costs over 2K! And yet on the informercials he gives the impression that the Total Gym XL is his model of choice!

My decision to buy the Vigorfit has to do more with what it doesn't have rather than what it does have.

I'm rather impressed that I don't have to let my wallet decide what type of machine, how hard a workout I can get. According the Vigorfit, given the levels of resistance that I can add to it, along with 30 pound of weights I can add, if needed, it looks that I can have an "all-in-on" machine, rather than decide how much I want to pay Total Gym/Total Trainer etc.

Will this do everything for me?

Nope.

I need it for upper body strength, and weight loss, as well as some back strengthening.

I plan to augment this with some distance running to get my lungs stronger, my heart stronger, and my blood pressure down.

The down side to VigorFit in my opinon comes from a lack of DVD/Video instructions that come with the machine.

A few years ago they provided an instructional video, it appears to have been taken off the shelf.

They do have a rather good instructional manual, they offer it on PDF, and it does look complete.

I am considering going over to the Total Gym site and buying their instructional materials, DVD, charts etc., since both machines do the same things, albeit the Vigorfit giving me more options than the XLS.

I expect to get the machine by Monday and look forward to using it.

The unit arrived as scheduled.

It's a rather well built piece of gear and, surprise, surprise, does as claimed.

The resistance bands make up all the difference in terms of tension.

I've been on it for a few days, consentrating on my tummy, it's heading towards the "Santa" belly that a lot of middle aged guys get.

The incline is good, the tension better and when I do the crunch, using the cables, I can feel the "burn" a lot better than I do when I do regular crunches.

The instruction manual, for sets is easy to follow, and were one to do a full circuit training routine, it is very easy to follow.

The only down side to it is that, for the moment at least, I'm not able to put it away as fast as I'd like to, or as fast as the Total Gym appears to be.

However, given time, and experience I don't see this as a long term problem.

Truth to tell, even set up the thing doesn't take up that much room and I can always put it in the spare bedroom if need be.

Should YOU get it?

Well, if costing is a concern, then yes.

If not wanting to be confused with all the "upgrades" that can come, in addition to the "basic" unit, then yes.

It's not the be-all-and-end-all to my fitness concerns, but the Vigorfit does go a long way towards meeting and addressing these concerns.

The VF plus a bit of distance running should be more than enough for me to get back into shape.