What if your home workout could deliver the precision of a Pilates reformer and the versatility of a full studio in one compact, accessible system? That’s the power of the Total Gym.
As a Pilates instructor, I’ve always loved the precision and control a reformer offers. What I appreciate about the Total Gym is how nice it is to have something at home that recreates the same feeling on one integrated system.
From Reformer to Total Gym: The Perfect Transformation
What makes the Total Gym so unique for Pilates is how seamlessly it adapts to reformer-style movement without the need for springs. Using the adjustable incline, gravity, and your own bodyweight, it delivers customizable resistance that lets your body move freely through all ranges of motion.
Adjust the incline, add the proper attachments, and you’re all set to move with accuracy, control, and a level of challenge that meets every body where they are.
For those familiar with a reformer, here’s how the Total Gym translates:
- The glideboard acts as your moving carriage.
- The incline becomes your strength dial.
- Your bodyweight, combined with the incline, provides the resistance instead of springs.
Together, these elements create a reformer-inspired experience that supports precision, spinal articulation, and the controlled flow Pilates is known for.
Pilates Accessories That Make the Total Gym Shine
The Pilates attachments are what truly set the Total Gym apart. These accessories are thoughtfully designed with the Pilates principles in mind to perform reformer-style movements.
Padded Squat Stand / Toe Bar
The Padded Squat Stand is one of the most versatile Pilates accessory on your Total Gym. It functions like a jumpboard on a reformer, providing a non-slip, cushioned surface that absorbs impact and protects your joints during dynamic movements.
It also easily converts into a Toe Bar, giving you the ability to perform classic Pilates exercises safely and effectively. You can use it for:
- Footwork series
- Bridge variations
- Mermaid stretches
- Upper and lower body work
- Moves for mobility, flexibility, and restorative stretches
More advanced reformer-style exercises, such as Snake and Plank variations, are also possible by adjusting the incline and body positioning.
Leg Pulley System
The Leg Pulley System replicates the classic “legs in straps” experience of a reformer. It provides precise control over each movement and allows you to strengthen and lengthen your legs through a variety of angles. This system makes reformer-style exercises accessible for every body, from beginners to advanced movers.
Exercises you can perform include:
- Side-lying leg series
- Adductor and abductor
- Hip circles
- Leg Circles and Sweeps
- Single Leg Movements
- Frog
- Figure 4 Stretch
Adjustable Incline
The Adjustable Incline is the most pivotal feature on your Total Gym that adds versatility to your practice. By changing the incline, you can provide support for movements when you need it or increase resistance to challenge your strength and flexibility. This adaptability allows you to perform Pilates exercises safely at any level, while promoting gradual improvement.
As your strength and flexibility grow, the incline can be continually adjusted to maintain an appropriate challenge and keep progress moving forward. Key exercises include:
- Roll Up
- Teaser
- Runners Lunge
- Planks and Pike variations
The incline is what allows every Pilates exercise on the Total Gym to be progressive, safe, and effective, giving you a true reformer-inspired experience.
Cables
What makes Pilates on the Total Gym unique is how the Cables let you move with the same control and precision as a reformer. They create fluid resistance that responds to your body by engaging the core and muscle stabilizers. This connection between the glideboard, the cables, and the adjustable incline allows for seamless transitions through Pilates movements to build strength, control, and refine body awareness.
You can perform a wide range of Pilates-inspired movements, including:
- Abdominal series and assisted Roll Ups
- Pulling straps and Arm Circles
- Teaser variations
- Functional flows for upper and lower body
Why the Total Gym Feels So Good
By design, the Total Gym moves with you. The glideboard travels with your spine, helping you articulate each segment. The cables allow dynamic mobility, flowing naturally through all planes of motion. The incline adjusts instantly, making every exercise accessible, functional, and responsive to your strength and flexibility. For Pilates lovers, it feels intuitive, fluid, and reformer-like, yet far more versatile.
Pilates Plus More
The Total Gym supports every classical and contemporary Pilates pattern you love. It also lets you seamlessly expand into strength training, cardio circuits, HIIT, flexibility sessions, physical therapy–style mobility work, and yoga fusion flows. This makes the Total Gym the most comprehensive home studio solution. And when your workout is done, it folds easily for convenient storage.
Total Gym Pilates Workouts
You’ll never run out of ways to train. The Total Gym TV app offers full Pilates workouts, and my blogs provide additional guidance. Here are a few to check out:
Consider the Total Gym for Pilates Training
Should you consider the Total Gym for Pilates? Absolutely! And here’s why:
- It feels like Pilates.
- It functions like a reformer.
- It transforms your home into your very own Pilates studio!
If you’re exploring home Pilates equipment or want a system that adapts to your strength, flexibility, and goals, the Total Gym deserves a top spot on your list.
Check out the Pilates Kit and the Pilates Kit for FIT.
Discover the Total Gym and start your Pilates practice today!
