The Total Gym is a serious fitness investment. Depending on the model, it can cost anywhere from $1,295 to $4,895 at the time of publication. The Total Gym products are sold to physical therapy clinics, gyms, hospitals, athletic training facilities and many other large corporations. However, it is not necessarily the best investment for getting fit.
Workout DVDs
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If you are looking for a cost-effective way to work out at home, look into buying a workout DVD such as the P90X or Insanity. P90X costs from $120 to $330 depending on level, and the Insanity DVDs cost $120. Other fitness DVDs are variously priced from $10 on up. This is a much cheaper investment for a workout led by a trainer. These DVDs also require little to no gym equipment, thus saving space in your home.
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Gym Membership
A gym membership may cost $10 to $200 per month, which works out to $120 to $2,400 per year. At the gym, you can use a wide variety of exercise equipment, and possibly even a pool, group classes and access to personal trainers. For this reason, you are getting more for your dollar, and once again saving space in your home.
Other Home Gyms
While many home gyms are comparable in price to the Total Gym, other exercise equipment costs much less. For example, at the time of publication, Weider Fitness sells home gyms costing from $300 to $600. If you want to work out in your home, this is a much more cost-effective option.
Body-Weight Exercises
The least expensive option is to design your own routine of body-weight exercises, which require little more than a mat. These exercises require little to no equipment and are effective in strength building and muscle gain. You can perform pushups, crunches, squats, heel lifts, calisthenics, yoga and Pilates in your living room. Add simple equipment such as a pullup bar and a few dumbbells for basic weight training. Combined with a healthy cardio routine that incorporates the weekly minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic exercise recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a healthy diet, this method can effectively keep you fit.