Resistance vs. Strength Training

Let’s Compare Resistance Training and Strength Training. Which One Should I Be Doing?

3 Objectives we’ll uncover in this article:

  1. Define Resistance Training and Strength Training to Compare and Contrast them.
  2. Uncover Which One is Best for You
  3. Explore the Methodology That Will Provide You with the Maximum Benefits!

By Definition: 

Resistance Training:

Any exercise where your muscles contract against an external force.

A fairly vague definition, as well as a pretty low bar for a description of an “exercise,” wouldn’t you say? When your mom swaddled you tightly in a blanket when you were a newborn, and you struggled against that “external force” to get your little arms and legs free, you were performing Resistance Training!

Ok, a little cheeky on my part. But what’s important to know regarding resistance training is all the different objects that qualify as “external force”, including your baby blanket. And in today’s fitness-crazed world, the list keeps growing.

Here are just a few:

Free Weights

            Dumbells

            Barbells

            Weight Plates

            Kettle Bells

            Medicine Balls

Machines

About 30 to 40 different machines for just about every muscle in your body.

Resistance Bands/Tubing/Cables

These are great as they are safe, easy to use, and cheap! They also take up very little room, so they are great for your home gym or to put on your suitcase if you travel a lot.

Wearable Resistance

            Weighted Vests

            Ankle Weights

            Wrist Weights

            Weighted Gloves

            Weight Belts

And My Favorite Category: Body-Weight Equipment

            Suspension Trainers like TRX and Gymnastic Rings

            Total Gym – Utilizing your body weight and good ole’ gravity

            Plyometric Jump Boxes

            Ab Wheel

            BOSU & Stability Balls

            Balance Boards

            Pull-Up Bar

            The Earth! For Push-Ups, Squats, Planks, and a ton more…

Why is Body-Weight Equipment my favorite? Because they are safe, on the cheaper side, and are all great for your own home gym.  Most importantly, they all encompass Functional Training. I’ll save this definition and discussion for another blog.

For now, use your visual imagination and picture the physiques of athletes who use their own body weight as resistance:

Gymnasts

Swimmers

Dancers

Rock climbers

Track and field peeps

Martial artists

Not too shabby of physiques to emulate, wouldn’t you agree?

Back to our Definitions:

Strength Training:

Resistance Training with a specific goal – gaining strength.

You are using any form of external force, including your own body weight, to get stronger. Just like money or love, who doesn’t want a little more strength in their life?

As you can see, all Strength Training is Resistance Training, but not all Resistance Training is Strength Training. If you’re going to take the time to do Resistance Exercises, let’s ensure you’re getting stronger in the process. Strength Training is what is best for you. Now let’s focus on how to make it happen!

The Rule of 10:

A huge part of helping my clients achieve the goal of getting stronger and reaping the maximum number of benefits is to keep things simple. The Rule of 10 does just that. Simplicity = Easy Adherence.

Here tis: any exercise that you are doing, add enough external force so the muscle you are targeting hits fatigue in 10 repetitions or a few less. Think around the 7,8, or 9 mark with good form. That’s it, team! Now you will forever know the answer to the question: “How much weight should I be using in this exercise?”

As I’ve told you, using your own body weight is my favorite flavor of Resistance Training. And my favorite machine for that is the Total Gym. The machine is brilliant in its simplicity. You are simply using gravity and a percentage of your body weight, which is determined by the incline you choose on the machine.

My Total Gym has 12 levels, with 12 being the hardest (the largest % of my body weight working against gravity). So let’s explore an example.

The Golden Rule of The Rule of 10: Every time you do an exercise, go until you hit fatigue. This simply means you can’t do any more repetitions with good form.

Let’s say I’m doing a Chest Press Exercise and I have no idea where I will achieve fatigue, so I just start on level seven. I focus on safe, sound form, and I actually do 17 repetitions until I hit fatigue. Well, I now know that I need quite a bit more external force, so I aggressively bump it to level 11 for the second set. This time, I barely get to six repetitions before I hit fatigue, so I’ve overshot the mark.

Finally, on the third set, I choose level nine, and I ironically hit fatigue and have to stop right at the ninth repetition. Voila! Level nine is my perfect level – today – to achieve the maximum benefits from my strength training program. I emphasize the word – today – because remember, correctly adhering to The Rule of 10 will make you stronger. Yeah! Hell Yeah! Next month, you’ll probably have to bump it up to level 10 so you keep progressing.

Now that you 1. Know the definitions and, 2. Know which one you should be doing and, 3. You know how to accomplish it, go to ChatGPT and ask it, “What are the benefits of strength training?” This should motivate you to keep crushing that Rule of 10, and reaping all the juicy, healthy benefits!

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2026 Prep: Build Your Strength Baseline

2026 Prep: Build Your Strength Baseline on the Total Gym

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Preparation is everything.  Before the New Year begins, lay a foundation of strength, control, and confidence with this Total Gym Prep workout. Each movement primes your muscles, builds stamina, and establishes a solid baseline of strength and stability that will give you the foundation to achieve your 2026 fitness goals.

Get ready to move intentionally with movements that challenge your body, and prepare your muscles to step into the New Year strong, capable, and prepared for whatever comes next!

Prep with Purpose

This Total Gym routine isn’t about exhausting yourself.  It’s about preparing intelligently. By conditioning your muscles through full ranges of motion and maintaining consistency in your training, you develop muscular stamina, control, and functional strength. This routine supports overall fitness, primes your muscles for more advanced movements, and keeps your body active through the busiest time leading up to the New Year!

The best part of this routine is that it’s adaptable to your schedule and your fitness level. Perform these moves as a standalone workout or integrated into an existing program.

You can also adjust the intensity to match your fitness level:

  • Incline adjustments based on the exercise
  • Tempo variations (slow for control, faster for endurance, or a tempo mix)
  • Range of motion tweaks (full range, pulses, or shorter movements)
  • Reps and sets modifications (based on your workout timing and how you feel)
  • Incorporate extra exercises to challenge specific areas (exercises you love)

No matter how you tailor it, the goal remains the same: smooth, intentional movement that feels as good as it works.

Directions:

  • Warm up before starting the workout to insure your muscles are prepared to move.
  • Aim to perform each exercise for 10-20 reps and 1-3 sets based on workout timing.
  • Option: time each exercise for 1 minute, then move on to the next exercise with minimal rest.
  • End with a set of stretches that help recover the muscles worked and prevent injury.
  • Check out the video to see a demonstration of these Total Gym Exercises.

Set Up: AB Crunch Accessory, low-medium incline level (adjust accordingly)

Key: GB = Glideboard

The Moves

This quick Total Gym workout is designed to do a lot in a little time. The sequence focuses primarily on strength and core movements, but performed in a non-stop cadence.  It challenges your stamina and muscular endurance… so much so that it might feel like a cardio session. In just a few intentional moves, your body will be conditioning strength, core, and cardiovascular endurance, all at once!  This builds a solid foundation for your New Year goals.

BODY WEIGHT + GLIDEBOARD (GB)

  1. Burpee Slide Out    
    A low-impact Total Gym take on the classic burpee. Stand at the bottom of the GB to perform each move in steps; (1) squat down, (2a) place hands on the GB and glide out to a plank, (2b) hold for a moment or option to push-up, (3) glide back to close the GB, and (4) stand up. Repeat!
  • Targets: muscle stamina, core, shoulders, and lower body
  • Tip: Focus on maintaining fluid movement.
  1. Saw (Forearm Plank)

From a forearm plank, open and close the glide board with your forearms (“sawing” motion), while maintaining the plank; straight line from head to heels.     

  • Targets: core, shoulders, lower body strength, and spinal stabilizers.
  • Tip: Keep movements deliberate. Precision matters more than speed.
  1. Lateral Lunge + Repeaters
    Stand at the bottom of the glide board facing one side. Place one foot on the GB (foot position will depend on individual leg length). Perform a lateral lunge (supporting leg on floor squats while leg on GB remains straight). Perform Repeaters to challenge stamina, balance and mobility while reinforcing lower-body strength. Perform on both sides!
  • Targets: glutes, quads, and adductors
  • Tip: Focus on executing proper lateral lunge form by keeping the nose, knee, and toes in the SAME line on the lunge.

AB CRUNCH ACCESSORY

4.  Knee Tucks
Keeping shoulders stacked on top of elbows, tuck the knees in and out toward your chest.

  • Targets: abdominals, hip flexors, shoulder stability, and muscular endurance.
  • Tip: Adjust the incline and explore different ranges of motion to match your fitness level.
  1.  Oblique Tucks (Right / Left)
    Using the same set up as Knee Tucks (#4), angle the knees to one side, perform the same tucking motion towards the chest to target the obliques. Repeat on both sides.
  • Targets: obliques, hip flexors, shoulder stability, and muscular endurance.
  • Tip: Maintain steady, controlled movement for maximum benefit. When changing sides, keep the knees tucked to chest and then change the knees to the other side or rest for a moment and rest completely.

Prep work is about setting standards, not just for how you train, but for how your body performs. This Total Gym routine builds strength, stamina, and control through purposeful movement, creating a solid baseline your future workouts can build upon.

Use this workout as a standalone session or layer it into your existing routine as you plan your daily movement and begin mapping out your 2026 fitness goals. A strong foundation now allows you to progress with confidence later.

If you give this workout a try, tag me on social media. I’d love to cheer you on as you move into the New Year feeling strong, prepared, and ready!

Wishing you a healthy, active holiday season,

Maria

@groovysweat

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A Total Gym Holiday Workout

Naughty or Nice? Slay Both.

A Total Gym Holiday Workout That Challenges and Restores

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Some workouts make you sweat. Some make you stretch. This one does both: Naughty moves that challenge, Nice stretches that recover. All in Total Gym style that “sleighs” the day.

We’re pairing four high-intensity strength exercises, “the Naughty”, with four targeted stretches “the Nice”. These moves are performed in a Tabata-style format.  Each round pushes the body, then restores it, so you leave stronger, more mobile, and energized. There’s no gimmicks, no fluff, just smart, effective training that respects your time during the Holiday “stretch”!

Why Naughty + Nice Works

Traditional workouts separate strength and recovery, forcing you to pick one or the other.  This Total Gym workout allows you to combine both, making this workout quick and effective!

The Naughty:
Each strength move earns its reputation. These moves are meant to make you work hard and make you “burn” through the exercise with high resistance. For the Total Gym, be sure to use the incline setting to balance the resistance you need without compromising good form. It won’t take long to learn that the muscles don’t get to hide, and fatigue can show up fast!

That’s the naughty part: focused, demanding strength work that challenges control, endurance, and form.

The Nice:
Right when the muscles are fired up, you give them what they need most, a targeted stretch that restores length, eases tension, and resets movement quality. No waiting until the end of the workout. No stiffness carried into the next round. Just intentional recovery, exactly when it’s most effective.

By adjusting your incline to match the movement, the Total Gym allows you to:

  • Increase challenge without adding impact
  • Flow seamlessly from strength into stretch
  • Scale intensity and recovery without breaking rhythm

That’s the strategy: work hard, recover immediately, and repeat!  Because training feels better when strength and flexibility are treated as teammates, not opposites.

The result: a workout that feels hard, smart, and balanced all at once.

The Naughty & Nice Total Gym Workout

Put these Naughty & Nice moves on your seasonal workout list.  They’re so bad, you’ll love them!

Tabata Format: 20 seconds strength (Naughty), 10 seconds stretch (Nice), repeat 6–8 rounds per pairing.

#1

Naughty: Single Arm Row (R/ L)

Pull, squeeze, repeat. One arm at a time challenges your back, shoulders, and core. The incline lets you dial resistance up without strain.

Nice: Standing Upper-Back + Shoulders + Lat Stretch

Open the chest, lengthen the lats, and release tension right where it builds during the row.

Tip: Slow and controlled beats fast and sloppy every time.

#2

Naughty: Static HiLo Chest Press
Alternate chest presses in a steady tempo moving in different angles from low to high. Change the tempo to feel the burn you need!  Repeat for the duration! Push strong from the chest in an alternating right/ left press and hold.

Nice: Cable Chest Opener
Stretch and open your chest and shoulders while allowing the cables to assist the stretch. Perfect recovery after a challenging press!

Tip: Keep the Glideboard steady and not moving during the presses.

#3

Naughty: Cable Lat Crunch
Hello core and shoulders on fire! Pull cables towards hips, contract your core, and maintain control through the coordinated motion.

Nice: Child’s Pose / Up-dog Stretch
Flow from lengthening the spine in Child’s Pose into a a heart opener in Up-dog. This flow will help release tension, reset the spine, and prepare for the next round!

#4

Naughty: Reverse Lunge Twist (R/L)
Glide into a Reverse Lunge and simutaniously twist over the front leg. Legs, glutes, and obliques will fire up as you stabilize through the twist.

Nice: Runner’s Lunge on Glideboard
Sink into the lunge to open your hips, and spine.  Use the Glideboard to increase your range of motion as you move into a deeper stretch.

Tip: Engage your core with keep your eyes focused on one spot to maintain balance. (Hold onto the Squat Stand for balance assistance).

Tip: Move with your breath: inhale to expand, exhale to deepen.

Why This Workout Works

  • Efficient: Maximizes effort in minimal time
  • Scalable: Adjust intensity without breaking flow
  • Balanced: Strength and mobility together, so you leave energized, not depleted

This is more than just “burning off” holiday indulgence. This is about training smarter, enjoying your effort, and maintaining your body through a busy season.

Slay Both

Naughty or Nice? Don’t choose — SLAY BOTH!

Train hard. Stretch with intention. Repeat.

This Total Gym strength and flexibility routine wraps both into one holiday-ready session, keeping your body strong, flexible, and moving well season after season.

Happy Holiday to you!

Maria

@groovysweat

(Let’s connect on social)

The post A Total Gym Holiday Workout appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Holiday Travel Workout Tips

Make Holiday Travel “Work-Out” Without the Total Gym

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Holiday travel reshapes schedules and surroundings, and training is often the first routine to slip. Between family visits, seasonal commitments, and end-of-year vacations, many people find themselves without access to a home gym.

Consistent training is not defined by equipment, but by intention and movement quality. When the Total Gym stays home, its principles still apply. With a yoga mat, a small area of floor, and purposeful exercise selection, you can maintain strength, mobility, and mental clarity throughout the holidays and into the New Year.

Travel Workout Ideas

These strategies are designed to keep you moving no matter where your travels take you. They are not a formal workout but a toolkit to maintain strength, mobility, and momentum when a home gym isn’t available.

  1. Living-Room Strength
    Bodyweight squats, push-ups, hinges, and pulls that mirror Total Gym mechanics through tempo, angles, and control.
  2. 10-Minute Full-Body Circuits
    Short, efficient circuits that build strength and elevate heart rate—perfect for busy holiday schedules.
  3. Core Without Crunches
    Standing and floor-based core work inspired by Total Gym stabilization principles for real-world strength.
  4. Mobility Between Moments
    Simple mobility flows to counter long drives, flights, and sitting helps keep joints healthy and mobile.
  5. Hotel-Room Stability Sessions
    Low-impact sequences that reinforce balance, posture, and control in small spaces.
  6. The Daily Movement Commitment
    One intentional session per day (5 to 20 minutes) to maintain consistency without pressure.
  7. The New-Year Bridge
    These workouts aren’t placeholders. They’re the connection that keeps momentum alive so January feels like a continuation, not a reset.

The Holiday Travel Workout Challenge

These exercises travel with you. Use them on travel days, between family plans, or while on vacation through the New Year. Whether you’re in a hotel room, a family living room, or a vacation rental, the structure takes the guesswork out of creating a workout while you’re away, allowing you to keep moving wherever you are. Consistency comes from showing up, not from having the perfect setup.

Direction Options:

  • Begin with a dynamic warm-up to prepare your muscles, and finish with light stretching to support recovery.
  • Perform the exercises for repetitions, timed intervals, or weave them into other routines.
  • Mix and match the movements in any combination that works for you best!
  • Add your own variations to keep the workout challenging and aligned with how your body feels that day.
  • To further challenge your muscles, additional movement ideas are available on my YouTube channel: @groovysweat 

Focus: Total Gym–Inspired | Bodyweight | Anywhere

Equipment: mat, timer APP (if timing exercises), space to move, good tunes!

Bodyweight Exercise List:

  1. Squats & Pulses (Option: Knee Up Twist)
  2. Quadruped Hip Circles (both directions & both sides)
  3. Forearm Plank – Superman
  4. Crab Dip Pulses (Advanced: single leg)
  5. Bicycle (bent knees or straight legs)

Check out the video to see a demonstration of these bodyweight exercises.

Strength is portable. With intention, a few simple tools, and the willingness to move, you can maintain motion wherever you are. Keep showing up, finish the year strong, and carry that momentum into the New Year.

Happy Holidays,

Maria

@groovysweat

The post Holiday Travel Workout Tips appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Stay Fit During the Holiday Rush

Stay Fit During the Holiday Rush: Quick Total Gym Workouts That Work

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

The holidays move fast. One minute your calendar is wide open, the next it is filled with travel, events, and to do lists that leave little room for workouts. No matter how much you plan, prepare, or try to stay ahead of it, the season has a way of getting busy… quickly!

That does not mean fitness disappears. It simply means it has to work differently.

Quick workouts are one of the most effective ways to stay strong, energized, and consistent, even when life is full, especially during the holidays. When done intentionally, they are one of the most effective ways to maintain strength, energy, and consistency, especially during the holidays.

Why Quick Workouts Work

When time is limited, familiarity becomes your advantage. Repeating the same group of movements allows your body to move more efficiently, with better control and confidence. Less time is spent deciding what to do, and more time is spent actually doing the work.

As the movements become familiar, your focus shifts. You move past learning and into execution. That is where short workouts become powerful. Quick workouts work not because they are short, but because they are intentional.

Same Moves, Different Focus

This holiday workout is built around the same exercises, performed in different ways. The exercises stay the same. The way you perform them adapts to your energy, schedule, and what your body needs that day.

  • Some days you may move slowly, focusing on control.
  • Other days you may add speed, range of motion, or intensity.
  • Some days you complete one round and move on.
  • Other days you repeat the circuit and let the workout build.

The more often you repeat the routine, the more natural it becomes. That familiarity creates flow, efficiency, and confidence… the exact combination you need when time is tight!

Your Total Gym Holiday HIIT Workout

This Total Gym routine is built to fit any holiday schedule, whether you have five minutes or thirty. Complete it as a full workout or break it into shorter movement sessions throughout the day. One round is effective; multiple rounds are optional.

Directions:

  • Warm up dynamically for a few minutes.
  • Perform each exercise for one minute, moving smoothly from one to the next. Rest when needed, but keep your body in motion.
  • Finish with light stretching to support recovery.

Time Options:

  • 5 minutes: Quick mobility and stretch session to reset the body when time is extremely tight.
  • 10 minutes: One focused round for full-body activation (perform 10 reps of each exercise rather than timing).
  • 20 minutes: Two rounds to build strength and stamina.
  • 30 minutes: Add light cardio between exercises and finish with a core and stretch sequence.
  • Mix and match moves to fit your mood, energy, and available time.

For a visual guide, refer to the video demonstration showing each exercise performed on the Total Gym.

Set-Up: Squat Stand Connected, medium incline recommended. Adjust as needed to challenge your muscles.

Legs + Core

  1. Forearm Plank Glides
  2. Squat Crunch + Plyo for intensity
  3. Jog Crunch
  4. Glute Press (30 seconds per leg)
    • Option 1: Prone (Hamtsring Glute Focus)
    • Option 2: Turn Out (Outer Thigh Focus)

Upper Body + Core (Connect Cables / Adjust Level)

  1. Surfer Row (back)
  2. Seated / Kneeling Curls (biceps)
  3. Seated Press (chest)
  4. Tricep Extensions + Bridge (triceps)
  5. Lat Crunch (shoulders)
  6. Torso Rotation (30 seconds per side, modified seated)

How to Use This Workout During the Holidays

Think of this workout as a flexible system, not a rigid plan.

  • Use it when you have five minutes, ten minutes, or thirty.
  • Use one or two exercises as movement breaks during the day.
  • The goal is not to do more. The goal is to keep moving consistently.

Holiday Momentum, Simplified

Staying active during the holidays is not about pushing harder or doing more. It’s about maintaining the momentum you create. When you keep a baseline of strength and movement now, January doesn’t feel like a restart. It feels like a continuation.

Quick workouts like this one let you move through the holidays feeling strong, capable, and connected to your body. That kind of consistency lasts far beyond the season.

Sending love, laughs, and holiday moments your way,

Maria

@groovysweat

The post Stay Fit During the Holiday Rush appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Trick-or-Treat Tabata: A High-Energy Halloween Burn

Trick-or-Treat Tabata: A High-Energy Halloween Burn

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Ready for a workout that surprises every muscle? This Trick-or-Treat Tabata is a high-intensity, 20-minute Total Gym circuit designed to thrill your body and keep your strength on its toes. Think of it like a bag of Halloween candy: some moves are “tricks” (unexpected challenges that push you), while the short “treat” recovery bursts give your body just enough time to catch its breath before the next scare.

Why Tabata Works
Tabata is a form of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) where exercises are performed in short, intense bursts: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, for multiple rounds.

This structure maximizes calorie burn, stimulates fast-twitch muscle fibers, and boosts cardiovascular endurance in a compact amount of time. By alternating push and pull movements, this workout keeps muscles constantly challenged while giving your heart a wickedly effective boost.

Trick-or-Treat Tabata Directions

  • Set Up: Cables, Timer APP to clock the exercise sets. (Download a free Tabata APP!)
  • Level: Low–medium; adjust the incline to challenge your strength level.
  • Structure: Push-Pull order to balance muscle engagement. In the video, pull movements are demonstrated in black and push movements in white, making it easy to learn and tell each exercise apart.
  • Timing: Exercises are performed in Tabata style: 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, 8 rounds per exercise (4 minutes per move).
  • Warm-up & Cool-down: Perform your own.
  • Challenge: Perform Static Equilibrium on the last 4 rounds to boost the burn.
  • Variety: Mix up the exercises to keep your muscles guessing all season long. Small changes make each round feel fresh and challenging.

Exercises (20 min total)

  1. Back: Rows

Options: seated, kneeling, high kneeling, static

  1. Chest: Press & Flies

Options: seated legs bent or extended, hi-lo press, static

  1. Torso: Chops (2 min right side, 2 min left side)

Options: seated, kneeling, kneeling squats

  1. Biceps: Curls

Options: seated, kneeling, high kneeling, static

  1. Triceps: Extensions

Options: bent knees, bridge, extend legs, static

Pro Tip: Focus on controlled form, especially during those “trick” moves to really haunt your muscles and maximize gains.

Give the Trick-or-Treat Tabata a try whenever your workout needs a little spark. Tag @groovysweat to share your spooky strength, and keep an eye out for more Total Gym seasonal workouts to keep your training fresh.

Keep pushing your limits and let this Halloween-inspired circuit leave you feeling wickedly powerful.

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT  

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post Trick-or-Treat Tabata: A High-Energy Halloween Burn appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Total Gym Yoga for Athletes

Total Gym Yoga for Athletes: Power, Presence & Performance

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Yoga isn’t just for rest days or flexibility fanatics. For athletes, it’s a secret training tool that sharpens movement, deepens control, and builds long-term strength.

This practice isn’t about nailing a handstand or folding into a pretzel.  It’s about moving better, feeling stronger, and staying in the game longer. Whether your “game” is on the field, in the gym, or navigating life with purpose, yoga delivers the edge to recover faster, stay resilient, and perform at your peak.

Why Total Gym Yoga Works

By pairing yoga-inspired movements with the incline of your Total Gym, you get a total-body workout that builds strength, flexibility, and mobility simultaneously. These sequences can fit anywhere in your routine as a warm-up, a cool-down, or a stand-alone flow.

This athlete-driven flow stretches what’s tight, strengthens what’s weak, and restores balance where your body needs it most. Plus, you’ll get all the recovery benefits of yoga, with the added bonus of breath-focused core activation.

Total Gym Athletic Yoga Flow

Set-Up: Low to medium incline
Format: 1–2 rounds, moving with your breath. Aim for control, not force and let your breath guide the transitions.
Mindset: Focus on how each move feels, allowing the glideboard to assist flexibility and challenge stability.

GB = Glideboard

Warm-Up: Sun Salutation Flow

Wake up your muscles and sync breath with movement using a Total Gym-friendly Sun Salutation.

  • Upward Facing Dog
  • Downward Facing Dog
  • Child’s Pose

(Need a visual? Check out the Sun Salutation tutorial here.)

Pose 1: Runner’s Lunge + Hamstring Rocks

Focus: Hips, hamstrings, core stability
Benefits: Opens hip flexors, lengthens hamstrings, activates deep core for stride power
Why It Levels You Up: Improves running mechanics and lower-body mobility while testing balance and mental grit.

On the Total Gym:

  • Face the vertical column in a runner’s lunge stance (one foot on the floor, the other lengthened on the glideboard.)
  • Rock into the runners lunge stretch, hitting different trigger points that may be tight.
  • Exhale and gently rock hips back to stretch the hamstring, then flow forward to hit tight trigger points.
  • Move slowly between positions for 6–8 controlled reps per side.

Pose 2: Forearm Plank Saws + Child’s Pose Reset

Focus: Shoulders, core, spinal decompression
Benefits: Builds rock-solid shoulders and abs while releasing tension through the back.
Why It Levels You Up: Combines high-tension core strength with calming recovery in one seamless sequence.

On the Total Gym:

  • Start in forearm plank facing the vertical column.
  • Open and close the GB in a saw-like motion while maintaining the plank stability 8–10 reps.
  • Then, sit hips back into Child’s Pose, reaching arms forward and to the sides to release lower back tension.

Pose 3: Bridge + Roll-Up Twist

Focus: Glutes, hamstrings, lats, spinal mobility
Benefits: Strengthens posterior chain, opens chest and hip flexors, enhances posture and breathing mechanics.
Why It Levels You Up: Fires up glutes and core while mobilizing the spine for rotational sports.

On the Total Gym:

  • Lie supine on the glideboard, head at top, feet flat.
  • Press through heels to lift hips into a bridge, pause, then roll the spine down.
  • Roll up to seated, rotate to each side, then return to supine with control.
  • Repeat for 10 slow reps.

Pose 4: Boat Pose (Navasana)

Focus: Core activation, hip flexor strength
Benefits: Strengthens deep abdominals, improves balance, sharpens focus, supports spinal alignment.
Why It Levels You Up: Builds powerhouse abs while challenging concentration and breath control.

On the Total Gym:

  • Sit tall on the glideboard facing away from the tower, knees bent, feet flat.
  • Hands can support behind knees or reach toward feet.
  • Roll up into a V-sit and lift feet to balance on sit bones.
  • To advance: extend legs straight and reach arms forward.
  • Hold for 20–30 seconds, breathing steadily.

Cool-Down Flow

Reset and restore with a static sequence to lengthen muscles and calm the nervous system:

  • Forward Fold + Rotation
  • Pigeon Pose
  • Child’s Pose
    Repeat on opposite side.

The Takeaway

Total Gym athletic yoga blends strength, mobility, and mindfulness into one powerful package, helping you perform at your best. Train with intention, breathe with purpose, and let every movement remind you that flexibility isn’t just physical — it’s a mindset.

Stay fluid. Stay strong. Stay in the game.

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT  

Let’s Connect on Social Media

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The Turkey Burner Total Gym Challenge

The Turkey Burner Total Gym Challenge

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Let’s carve out a moment for something we often overlook during the holiday season~ the simple joy of moving our bodies!

This season, I invite you to take a little space for yourself, reset your energy, and celebrate your strength with two special Thanksgiving workout challenges: one on your Total Gym and one completely equipment-free. Do one, do both, or sprinkle them into your week… whatever feels right for you and your schedule. Just show up, and be grateful for you.

These challenges are my way of saying thank you ~ to your body for showing up, to your effort for carrying you through, and to this amazing Total Gym community that we get to be part of together.

GIVE PLANKS CHALLENGE

This is a quick, fiery core flow that keeps you honest and connected from head to toe.

Directions:

  • Set a timer and move with steady, controlled form.
  • Take a quick rest between exercises and continue the Give Plank flow.
  • 30 seconds per exercise Repeat 2–3 rounds

Give Planks Exercises:

  1. Diagonal Mountain Climbers
  2. Straight-Arm Plank
  3. Side Plank (Right / Left)
  4. Forearm Plank
  5. Side Forearm Plank (Right / Left)
  6. Forearm Leg Taps

Plank Form Tips:
Think long spine, active core, and strong shoulders. Press the floor away, keep hips level, and breathe steadily. Focus on quality over speed!  To modify, drop to your knees while maintaining the same long line from shoulders to knees.

TURKEY BURNER TOTAL GYM CHALLENGE

A holiday-themed full-body burner that’s perfect for any schedule. Do a single round, or add more if you’re feeling ambitious! It’s all about showing up and moving your body.

Directions:

  • Perform 1 or more rounds, 20 reps per exercise
  • Set Up: Low–Medium Incline (adjust based on your strength), Timer App
  • Accessories: Squat Stand + Cables

Turkey Burner Exercises:

(Attach Squat Stand, low incline level)

  1. Gravy Burn Burpees
  2. Harvest Lunges – Right / Left
  3. Gobble Squat Crunch

(Attach Cables & adjust incline level to strength)

  1. Festive Flies
  2. Carved Curls & Extend (arms combo)
  3. Turkey Twist – Right / Left
  4. Pumpkin Pie Press
  5. Mashed Pullover (core + shoulder combo)

Move smoothly, stay aligned, breathe with intention, and let gratitude fuel your strength.

Stay Connected + Get the Workouts

Want to see the moves? I’ve got you covered.

  • Follow me on Instagram for the GIVE PLANKS breakdown: @groovysweat
  • Head to my YouTube channel for the full follow-along Turkey Burner Total Gym workout: @groovysweat

These workouts are my Thanksgiving gift to you, because taking care of your body is something to celebrate today and every day.

Wishing you a strong, grateful, and movement-filled holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving Total Gym family!

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT  

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post The Turkey Burner Total Gym Challenge appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

4 Pilates Moves for Your Total Gym

4 Awesome Pilates Moves for Your Total Gym

Hey, Total Gym Team! It’s Master Trainer JayDee back to help you get the most out of your Total Gym. This blog, and several blogs to follow, will show you how you can benefit from the wonderful discipline of Pilates.

Basically, your Total Gym is a Pilates reformer! Yes, you own the machine that millions of Pilates enthusiasts pay big bucks to use. The main difference is that the reformer uses springs for resistance, and our Total Gyms use gravity and our own body weight.  Both get the job done perfectly, and in a very Functional, Safe, and Versatile method.

Here is Joseph Pilates’ Philosophy in a nutshell:

            If you strengthen, stretch, and stabilize all the muscles that support your spine – the rest of your body, and all of its movements, will fall into place.

I find it hilarious that Joseph Pilates was a man; he developed his entire discipline working with men, but women tend to be the ones who are smart enough to benefit from it!

Getting certified in Pilates 21 years ago is actually the reason I bought my first Total Gym. My body had broken down from years of playing sports and teaching die-hard, high-impact fitness classes. My wife dragged me kicking and screaming into Pilates, and it eventually returned my body to its proper balance and took me out of pain. I was hooked!

By purchasing the Total Gym, I could train my personal training clients and my Pilates clients on the same piece of equipment. It was a no-brainer when opening my home studio. It saved me a ton of space, two tons of money, and all my clients love it!

Here are 4 Challenging Pilates exercises for your Total Gym that will give you the following juicy benefits:

  • Strengthen Your Core
  • Increase your Spine’s Flexibility and Stability
  • Increase your Body Awareness and Proprioception
  • Make you Richer & Better Looking (OK, this one I’m still working on!)
  1. Roll-Ups & Roll Downs – Traditionally, this is a very challenging Pilates mat exercise done on a flat floor. Most people will use momentum and their legs to get up and never truly experience, nor benefit from, this functional move. The Total Gym allows you to change the angle of the floor so you can do the exercise correctly and get stronger through your core.
  2. Bottom Lift – This is an incredible exercise to strengthen your legs, your lower back, your hamstrings, and your Bottom, as the name suggests. Your buns will feel this one Team! Also, the way I have you position your feet and toes will give you a bonus, great inner thigh workout.
  3. Semi-Circle-The best benefit of this move is Spinal Articulation – which simply means keeping your spine supple for life. It is also the “Yummiest” low back stretch I know!
  4. UpStretch– This is a toughy TG Team! But another awesome, multifaceted, compound movement. It starts with a great hamstring stretch and then truly challenges your core as well as your shoulder stability, shoulder strength, and it will pump up your triceps.

Enjoy TG Team! You own the perfect version of a Pilates reformer, so why not throw some Pilates repertoire in your fitness mix? I’d love to hear your feedback to let me know if you want more great exercises from the Pilates world.

The post 4 Pilates Moves for Your Total Gym appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

A Total Gym Restorative Pilates Flow

Thankful for Movement: A Total Gym Restorative Pilates Flow

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

The holidays arrive in a rush, full of plans, obligations, and endless to-dos. Amid the chaos, it’s easy to lose touch with your body, your breath, and the simple act of moving with intention. Taking a moment to pause isn’t indulgent ~ it’s essential.

Movement is a gift, one our bodies graciously allow us to experience every day. Pilates is a way to honor that gift.  It’s not about perfection or pushing harder; it’s about awareness, alignment, and presence. Moving with focus reminds us of what our bodies are capable of and how much they support us.

This awareness becomes even more tangible in a gentle, restorative Pilates session on the Total Gym. It’s a chance to slow down, reconnect with both mind and muscles, and build strength from within. At the same time, it creates space to reflect on gratitude in motion.

Gratitude in Motion

Gratitude often focuses outward, on the people, moments, or accomplishments we recognize each day.  But how often do you give yourself gratitude for the simple pleasure of movement?

Gratitude isn’t just a thought. It’s something you can feel through movement. When you move with focus and intentional breath, you notice the details that matter: how your core supports you, how your muscles coordinate, and how your body responds when effort meets ease. 

Once you’ve grounded yourself in breath and awareness, Pilates provides the perfect framework to explore that connection. The practice emphasizes control, precision, and alignment.  It invites you to notice how your body moves, responds, and supports you.  It draws attention to what’s working rather than what’s missing by teaching the art of being fully present both mentally and physically.

So take a moment to pause, give yourself gratitude for your ability to move, and take notice of how your body moves through a gentle, Restorative Pilates Flow on your Total Gym.

A Thankful Flow: Restorative Pilates Flow on the Total Gym

This short, restorative flow centers the body, calms the mind with gratitude, and promotes strength, mobility, and flexibility. It’s perfect for an energizing morning routine or a gentle evening reset.

Set Up: Medium Level, Toe Bar

Directions: Perform each movement slowly and mindfully, focusing on breath, alignment, and controlled motion. This flow isn’t about counting reps or sets.  It’s about feeling each movement, listening to your body, and moving with intention.

Be sure to check out the video for a clear demonstration of each exercise on your Total Gym.

  1. Footwork & Breathing (Connect Mind to Movement)

Perform three variations:

  • Parallel and turned-out feet
  • Single-leg kicks (right/left)
  • Running

 

  • Parallel & Turned-Out (heels together) Stance
    • Lie supine on the glideboard with feet on the Toe Bar in parallel or turned out feet.
    • Extend the legs straight, lower the heels, press to the toes, then bend the legs to repeat.
    • Focus on resisting the motion in both directions while maintaining proper alignment.
  • Single Leg Kicks Over & Under
    • Place one foot on the Toe Bar (leg is bent) and extend the opposite leg over it to start.
    • Extend the leg on the Toe Bar to open the glideboard while bending the opposite leg toward your chest, then close the glideboard as the leg threads under the Toe Bar.
    • Alternate this over-and-under motion on both sides.
  • Running
    • Place the balls of the feet parallel on the Toe Bar with legs extended.
    • Bend one knee while lengthening the opposite leg and drop the heel under the bar.
    • Repeat this motion by alternating the bending legs.
    • Maintain core engagement and coordinate the movement with intentional breath.
  1. Roll Down & Spine Twist (Mobility)
  • Sit tall on the Glideboard with the feet positioned on the Toe Bar rails.
  • Tuck the pelvis and slowly articulate the spine down and back up to seated.
  • Allow the glideboard to move with your spine to enhance articulation.
  • Add gentle thoracic twist pulses to each side to facilitate spinal mobility.
  • Explore these two motions in a seamless, spinal flow.
  1. Side-Lying Leg Lifts (Strength & Stability)
  • From a side-lying position, place the top foot on the Toe Bar in a turned-out stance; the bottom leg extends straight alongside the bar.
  • Press the glideboard up the rails to work the outer thigh; on the return, lift the bottom leg to engage the inner thigh.
  • Alternate these motions slowly and with control.
  • Focus on smooth, precise execution to strengthen the hips and develop core stability.
  • Repeat on both sides.
  1. Mermaid / Side Stretch (Restorative Stretch)
  • Sit to one side of the glideboard with legs in a Z-sit (90/90) position and place one or both hands on the Toe Bar.
  • Press into the bar to open the glideboard.
  • If using one arm, reach the opposite arm overhead into a side-bend stretch.
  • If using both arms, lengthen through the spine as the glideboard opens, then extend the spine as the glideboard closes.
  • Progress by adding your own variations.
  • Focus on opening the lateral body, stretching the obliques, and releasing the shoulders.
  • Repeat on both sides.
  1. Runners Lunge (Restorative Stretch)
  • Place one foot at the bottom base, kneel the opposite knee on the glideboard for a supported lunge, and hands are on the Toe Bar.
  • Use the Toe Bar to open the glideboard and deepen the lunge.
  • Stretch the hip flexors and quads while maintaining a long, lifted torso.
  • Breathe deeply to release tension through the hips and lower back.
  • Progress by adding rotation of the spine and side bends for variation.
  • Repeat on both sides.

Gratitude transforms movement. When you approach exercise with appreciation, every motion becomes a chance to honor your body. This mindset fuels strength, eases the mind, and turns effort into enjoyment.

This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to move with awareness and honor the gift of what your body can do.

In love & gratitude,

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT  

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post A Total Gym Restorative Pilates Flow appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.