Most people buy a Total Gym because they saw Chuck Norris or Christie Brinkley looking impossibly fit on a late-night infomercial. It looks easy. You just slide up and down, right? Then the machine arrives. It’s sitting in your spare room, a silent hunk of steel and cables, and suddenly you’re staring at it wondering if you should do legs today or if "total" means you have to hit every single muscle until you collapse. Finding a total gym workout schedule that actually sticks is harder than the commercials make it look, mostly because the versatility of the machine is its biggest trap. You can do over 80 exercises. Doing all of them is a recipe for quitting by week two.
I've seen it happen.
The beauty of the incline trainer—which is what the Total Gym actually is—lies in the physics of bodyweight resistance. You aren't lifting plates; you're lifting a percentage of your own mass. It’s elegant. But without a plan, you’re just playing on a slide.
Why Gravity is Your Best Friend (And Your Worst Enemy)
Total Gyms work on a simple principle: the steeper the incline, the more of your body weight you're moving. At the highest setting, you might be pulling 50% to 60% of your weight. On the lowest, it’s basically physical therapy. This is why your total gym workout schedule needs to be fluid. You can't just say "I'll do 10 reps" and call it a day. You have to manipulate the tempo and the height.
Let's get real about the "Total" part. If you try to do a full-body blast every single day, your central nervous system will hate you. Even though it's low impact, the eccentric loading (that’s the stretching phase of the move) can be surprisingly intense. Professionals like Dan Isaacson, who helped develop some of the original programming, often emphasize that the machine allows for "functional" movement, but functional doesn't mean "easy." You need rest.
The Three-Day Split: The Sweet Spot for Most Humans
For a lot of folks, a Monday-Wednesday-Friday rhythm is the gold standard. It gives your tissues time to remodel. On Monday, you might focus on the "Push" mechanics. Think chest presses, shoulder presses, and those dreaded tricep extensions where you’re facing away from the tower. Wednesday? Pull day. Lat pulldowns, seated rows, and bicep curls. Friday is for the legs and core.
Wait. Why split it?
Because if you spend 45 minutes doing everything on a Tuesday, you’ll likely skim over the stuff you hate (usually lunges). By splitting the total gym workout schedule, you force yourself to give the same intensity to your calves that you give to your chest.
Actually, let’s talk about the squats. Total Gym squats are weirdly effective because your feet are higher than your hips. It changes the shear force on your knees. If you’ve got "crunchy" knees from years of running, this machine is a godsend. You can get deep range of motion without the spinal compression of a heavy barbell.
Mixing It Up: The Circuit Approach
Sometimes a split is boring. I get it. If you’re someone who gets distracted easily, a circuit-style total gym workout schedule is probably your best bet. You move from one exercise to the next with zero rest.
- Leg Pulls (for the hamstrings)
- Chest Press
- Seated Row
- Pull-ups (yes, using the attachment)
- Crunches on the glideboard
You do that four times. You'll be sweating. Your heart rate will stay in that "orange zone" people pay $150 a month for at boutique studios. The key here is the transition. Don't faff about with the pins. Keep the height at a medium setting for the whole circuit so you don't lose momentum.
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The Beginner Trap: Don't Go Too High Too Fast
Here is the biggest mistake I see: people crank the board to the highest setting on day one. They want to feel "the burn." Then they do three reps with terrible form, hurt their lower back, and the machine becomes a very expensive clothes rack.
Incline training is about time under tension.
If you’re starting out, keep the board at a 30-degree angle. Move slowly. Count to three on the way up and three on the way down. If you can't do 15 reps with perfect control, the board is too high. It’s okay to start low. Honestly, it's smarter. Your tendons need time to catch up to your muscles.
Advanced Tweaks: The Pull-Up Power Move
Once you’ve mastered the basic total gym workout schedule, you’ll realize the pull-up attachment is the hardest part of the machine. Most people can't do a floor-to-ceiling pull-up. But on the Total Gym, you can. You’re at an angle. It’s assisted.
To really level up, try "dropsets." Start at a high incline for 8 reps. Lower the pin two notches. Do 8 more. Lower it again. Do 8 more. By the end, your lats will feel like they’re vibrating. It’s a level of hypertrophy—muscle growth—that's hard to get with traditional dumbbells unless you have a spotter.
The Science of the Glideboard
There was a study—it's been a while, but the principles hold—looking at closed-chain vs. open-chain exercises. The Total Gym is largely closed-chain, meaning your hands or feet are fixed to a surface. This is generally safer for joints. When you're following your total gym workout schedule, you're engaging more stabilizer muscles than you would on a standard weight machine at the gym. This is why you might feel sore in places you didn't know existed, like the tiny muscles around your ribs or the deep stabilizers in your hips.
Consistency beats intensity every single time.
It’s better to do 15 minutes of "Pilates-style" moves on the board four times a week than to do one massive "bodybuilder" workout once a week. The machine is designed for frequent, fluid movement.
Logistics: Setting the Scene
Space matters. If you have to spend ten minutes unfolding the thing, you won't use it. If you can, leave it set up. Put a mat under it to catch the sweat and stop the sliding. Keep your attachments—the cables, the wing bar, the leg pulley—in a basket right next to it.
Also, check your rollers. If the glideboard feels "bumpy," there's probably dust on the rails. A quick wipe with a dry cloth makes a world of difference. A smooth glide means a smooth muscle contraction.
Sample Weekly Flow
Monday: Upper Body Push/Pull Mix
- 3 sets of Chest Press (12-15 reps)
- 3 sets of Seated Rows
- 3 sets of Lateral Raises (stay low on the board for these!)
- 3 sets of Bicep Curls into Tricep Extensions
Tuesday: Active Recovery
- Maybe some light stretching or just a walk. Don't touch the machine.
Wednesday: Legs and Core Focus
- 4 sets of Squats (varying foot positions: wide, narrow, toes out)
- 3 sets of Calf Raises
- 3 sets of Hamstring Curls (using the leg attachment)
- 4 sets of Leg Pullover Crunches
Thursday: Yoga or Mobility
Friday: The "Whole Body" Burner
- Circuit style: 10 exercises, 1 minute each, 3 rounds.
Saturday/Sunday: Rest or Play
Actionable Steps to Get Moving
Don't wait for "Monday." Start now.
First, go find the manual or look up the specific model you have (the XLS, the FIT, or the Supreme). Different models have different weight capacities and attachments.
Second, pick three moves. Just three. A squat, a row, and a press. Do them today.
Third, write down your total gym workout schedule on a physical piece of paper and tape it to the wall near the machine. Digital calendars are easy to ignore. A piece of paper staring at you is harder to dismiss.
The Total Gym isn't a miracle. It’s a tool. It works if you work, but it works better if you stop trying to be an infomercial star and start being a person who just shows up for 20 minutes a day. Focus on the tempo. Keep your spine neutral against the board. Breathe. You’ve got this. If the resistance feels too light, don't just speed up—slow down. The slower you go, the harder gravity has to work against you. That's where the change happens.
Check your cables for fraying every few months. Safety first, always. Now, go unfold that machine and get to work.