Total Gym

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The **Total Gym** is an exercise machine used for strength training and pilates training marketed and sold under the Total Gym brand by efi Sports Medicine, Inc. It is primarily sold through the use of infomercials for home use and is also sold to the commercial and rehabilitation market.

## Design and History

In 1974, Total Gym, Inc. and the first Total Gym was developed in San Diego, California. The Total Gym was a machine that, Tom Campanaro, then a competitive body builder, developed with partners Dale McMurray and Larry Westfall. The Total Gym encouraged "functional exercise", a technique that recreates the movements one performs everyday with and against gravity. The machine engages all muscle groups, allowing over 200 functional exercises on calibrated levels of incline resistance—full range of motion; heavy progressive resistive and light resistive exercises; upper and lower body stretching and strengthening exercises and comprehensive aerobics. The Total Gym was designed to be easy to use and facilitate the five key components of exercise: cardiovascular endurance (aerobics), muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. The machines typically take up much less space than a complete set of weights and machines.

In 1987 the company changed its name to Engineering Fitness International Corporation, d.b.a. efi Sports Medicine.

In 1996 Total Gym aired its first television infomercial featuring long-time user and friend Chuck Norris and co-host Christie Brinkley.

## 2003 GRAVITY Launched

In April 2003, efi Sports Medicine turned to the health club industry with the launch of the GRAVITYSystem.
The GRAVITYSystem's four programming disciplines (GRAVITYGroup Training, GRAVITYPilates, GRAVITYPersonalTraining and GRAVITYPost-Rehab) are all part of GRAVITY4Programming and each is conducted on the GTS machine. Like the Total Gym, the GTS is a gravity-training device that encourages functional resistance training by using an individual's body weight as resistance, utilizing a dynamic cable, pulley system and free-motion glideboard. Able to adjust to nine different levels of resistance, the machine engages all major muscle groups and facilitates more than 250 strength training, stretching and Pilates exercises.

In 2004, GRAVITYSystem was sold to dozens of gyms and clubs around the country and has since won awards such asg the "TUV Innovation Award" at FIBO, Germany, the One Body One World (OBOW) award from East Coast Alliance (ECA) and the Australian FILEX.

In 2005, GRAVITYSystem was launched in countries around the world including: Russia, Spain, Italy, Australia and more.

## 2006 New Model Launched

 File:TotalGymPowerTower.jpg
In 2006, efi Sports Medicine released the Total Gym PowerTower for wellness centers, clinical physical rehabilitation, athletic training and high performance functional sports training. This model includes wireless remote control handles allowing users to, at the press of a switch, increase or decrease of the resistance level during an exercise in progress.

## References

1. ↑ Making space for Gravity at the gym
2. ↑ FIBO's TUV Award

## External links

* efi Sports Medicine, Inc.
* TotalGym.com
* TotalGymWorkout.com