One Total Trainer feature that catches my eye is the ability to do "bench press" while lying on the board:


However, I read in a review of the Total Trainer (Compare Prices and Read Reviews on Bayou Fitness Total-Trainer DLX TTDLX at Epinions.com) that the maximum resistance when the pulleys are engaged is 38% of body weight.

The review is older and I'm not sure if this is still the case. I sure don't think 38% of body weight is nearly enough resistance for bench press.

Any comments?

Why don't you call Bayou Fitness and ask them that question. Then post your answer as others might be interested.

I personally do not use that extra pulley on the illustration. It does reduce the resistance. 38% is nothing.


I prefer sitting while doing the press. I will alternate workouts with Powerblocks.

I emailed them. I had a feeling that they told me what I wanted to hear in order to make a sale.

Thanks. The thing about doing chest press while sitting is that you can't use as much resistance since you need to balance yourself (not that my TBW 5000 offers that much resistance anyway).

Did you ever get any resolution on this question? When this came up, it concerned me too because 38% of my body weight would not be sufficient for the type of exercise I want to do. And I see (after doing some research) how using the pulleys would reduce the weight moved by half.

HOWEVER, when I looked closer at the picture that you attached as well as the pictures on the Total Trainer website, it appears that for exercises using the 4 Point Pulley System on the glideboard only attach to the glideboard from the side and not back through the top of the glideboard.

On the pictures where the standard pulleys are engaged, you can see rope leading from the pulley to the top center of the glideboard. So any exercise is pulling the glideboard and going through the pulley and cuts the force required in half.

On the 4 Point Pulley exercises, such as the Bench Press, it appears that the ropes wrap around two points the top and run down directly to the pulleys on the glideboard. So any force should be equal to that moved -- the pulley on the glideboard just changes the direction. It should be similar to the BodyRail which advertises 1:1 force since when you push on a bench press, you're moving the glideboard. The same thing is happening here, except that it's run through the glideboard pulley to change the direction. As long as the ropes aren't run through a pulley on the frame and attached back to the top of the board, the resistance should be 1:1. That's my theory, anyway.

I may buy one regardless. The main exercise this would hurt me with if it isn't the case is the bench press. For the other exercises, I could probably get by with 190 lbs (38% of the 500 lb weight limit), assuming I can find a way to get it up to 500 lbs using my weight and some added weights.

You are correct. Using the other pulley mount on the Total Trainer simply changes the direction of the force, not the force required to move it. I have tried the Total Gym XL as well as owning the Total Trainer for a few years, and the Total Trainer is much better than the TG for about 1/3 of the cost.

I'd be interested in hearing some more updates from Total Trainer owners. Besides the bench press attachment at issue, how is the overall resistance for the other exercises, with or without the free weights?

I've never tried any of these kind of machines, but I'm thinking of taking a chance and buying one anyway.

(I realize they are not really made for building muscle mass)

The only exercise I need extra weight for is squats, and even then, if you don't want to buy a couple of weights to add, you can just to the squats with one leg at a time. If you get one of the Total Trainers with the Pilates attachments, you can use the 4 resistance bands to add extra weight, and they do make a big difference.

Its a great workout and the Total Trainer is built like a tank compared to the Total Gym.

Thanks, I'm close to pulling the trigger and buying one of these (the non-Pilates version) after doing some research, my main concern was that the resistance would be too easy.

All I can say is, compared to the $1500 Total Gym on the infomercial, the Total Trainer is way better. A friend of mine works out on free weights all the time at the gym, and he came over one day and I told him to give it a whirl. his attitude quickly changed, when he realized that this machine was kicking his butt......

Just noticed the thread.

I've owned a TT DLX III for a little over a year now and I've never regreted the purchase.

As for the resistance breakdown with the various pulley config's - here goes.

There are in fact five pulleys on the system, two at the tops of the rails, two on either side of the sled, and one under the sled at the top.

Config #1 Three pulleys - two at the tops of the rails and the one under the sled - use the chart that tops out at 69% 1:1

Config #2 Four pulleys - two at the tops of the rails and the two at the sides of the sled - use the chart that tops out at 69% 1:1

Config #3 Five pulleys - all five in use - - use the chart that tops out at 38% 1:2 (roughly)

No pulleys - for squats, supine mil. press, pullups and such - - use the chart that tops out at 69% 1:1

The power bar can take up to 200 lb on the DLX III and the monorail Pro model - just don't exceed the max - 400 and 500 lb respectfully. The ability to add weight shouldn't be reserved for when you reach the top incline position. It is very usefull in making micro additions to the resistance at any incline. This is recommended by many trainers to help prevent injuries and to avoid over training which can lead to plateaus.

As for Bench presses, you can use config #2 above, which at full incline with 400 lb total (user + bar weight) is 276 lb. actual. Plenty for me.

Hope this clears things up.

Pat

Thanks for this info Pat. I was wondering if you could clarify something though... I called Bayou Fitness before I luckily found this thread and asked them the capacity of the power weight bar on the Total Trainer Power Pro and they told me that the bar could only hold a max of 50 lbs on each side for a total of 100lbs or it might bend... Any truth to that, especially since the Total Trainer Power Pro is their top of the line and strongest model of all of the Total Trainers? Thanks again..