The Total Gym fitness machine has been around for a long time. It's infomercials spokes person features Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley. There's no shortage of home gym machines on the market, so how do you know which is best, and what will best meet your needs? Within the Total Gym lineup of products, there are several different models with wide ranging prices. Which model should you choose?

Some factors you need to consider when buying a home gym include:

- Spacing requirements: do you have enough space to put the fitness equipment
- Cost: what is your budget for buying the exercise machine
- What are your goals? Do you want to improve your fitness, or do you plan on doing some hardcore bodybuilding?

The Total Gym has several models to choose from ranging from the entry level Total Gym 1000 ($200) all the way up to the Total Gym GTS ($3000). The higher up models will have some extra features and sturdier construction. For the average consumer, you really do not need to go anything higher than a Total Gym 3000, and the best price to performance for all the available models would be at the Total Gym 2000, and 3000 series. These mid range models should meet all your needs, and it's not necessary to spend more than $1,000 for the higher end models.

If your goal is to build muscles, muscles, and more muscles, then I would not suggest a total gym for that purpose - what you need is a lot of free weights, benches, and workout stations. On the other hand, if what you want is improved overall physical fitness and health, then Total Gym could be just what you need. If you have the motivation and persistence to stick to a regular workout schedule, you will find yourself in better health and fitness.

With the Total Gym, there are several levels of resistance levels, so that as you progress, you can continue to add more resistance to your workouts.