Total Gym XLS vs Vigorfit vs GR8Flex

Introduction

Home Gyms have several benefits over the commercial gymnasiums. especially in these times of pandemic where you should avoid contacts. The market of the Home Gyms has been dominated by the “Total Gym” family for over two decades. But recently Bowflex, GR8Flex and Vigorfit have emerged has strong alternatives to the Total Gym. In this comparison we will be comparing the most expensive of the Total Gym model, the XLS with the Vigorfit and GR8FLEX . Let’s admit it, “Total Gym is expensive“. There was a demand for a less expensive home gym models that could offer the same features and yet be affordable, thus the Vigorfit and the GR8FLEX were born.

Total Gym XLS

Vigorfit

GR8FLEX Gym

Compare Types of Exercises: Total Gym XLS vs Vigorfit vs GR8Flex

All the three home gyms [Total Gym XLS, GR8FLEX and the VigorFit] offer the same exercise routines, these include:

Strength Training – This is the most important of the exercises when you have to develop STRENGTH. Traditionally strength training is done through free weights. But these home gyms let you do strength training using your own body weight and resistance bands. Total Gym XLS uses your own body-weight while the GR8FLEX and VigorFit use combination of body weight and resistance bands.GR8FLEX and Vigorfit offer better strength training then Total Gym XLS, owing to their improved resistance.
Pilates Training – It is a low-impact exercising technique that improves flexibility and posture and also develops muscles. Pilates help you tone and strengthen your abdominal muscles, lower back and hips. Pilates also help you achieve better posture and spine stability. All the three gyms are at par in Pilates training.
Abdominal Training – Core training is one of the most important feature of any home gym. Core training strengthens the core muscles of your midsection that include six packs, internal/external obliques, traverse abdominis (TVA), lower lats and erector spinae. Total Gym XLS, Vigorfit and GR8FLEX come with the requisite attachments. Total GYM XLS comes with the “Ab Cruch” attachment, the GR8FLEX comes with the “Crunch AB” accessory and the Vigorfit comes with “AB & BUN Trainer”. The mechanism of these attachments is exactly the same.

Compare Price: Total Gym XLS vs Vigorfit vs GR8Flex

Total Gym XLS – $1300
Vigorfit – $399
GR8FLEX – $980

Priced at $1300 Total Gym XLS is the most expensive of the three home gyms. Vigorfit is priced at $399, 225% cheaper than the Total Gym XLS and 142% cheaper than the GR8FLEX. The GR8FLEX is priced at $980, 25% cheaper than the Total Gym XLS.

The PRICE is the focal point of this comparison and the main selling point of the Vigorfit and GR8FLEX home gyms. The Vigorfit is the clear winner here but then there are various other factors that can influence your buying decisions.

Compare Number of Exercises: Total Gym XLS vs Vigorfit vs GR8Flex

Total Gym XLS lets you do over 80 exercises.
Vigorfit claims to offer more than 107 exerciser
GR8FLEX Gym claims to offer over 100 exercises.

All the three home gyms offer a wide range of exercises to target all the major muscle groups allowing you to perform cardio, strength training, and stretching exercises at home. body-weight resistance while Vigorfit and GR8FLEX combine resistance bands training with body weight resistance.

Total Gym XLS – Offers 6 levels of resistance. As you increase the incline angle the resistance increases too. But the resistance offered by Total Gym XLS is not enough. Many user reviews have reported that they ran out of resistance with the Total Gym XLS, and this resistance issue is addressed by Vigorfit and GR8FLEX.

Vigorfit – Offers 15 levels of inclined resistance combined with 188 lbs. of resistance with power bands on pulleys. On top of this you can use 100 lbs. of free weights for independent exercises. You can add up to 5 resistance bands.

GR8FLEX – It too offers 15 levels of inclined body weight resistance plus 50 lbs. of extra resistance thanks to the bands. You can add up to 4 resistance bands.

Verdict – Resistance help build stronger muscles and this is one area where home gyms often lack when compared with commercial gyms. Both Vigorfit and GR8FLEX have resistance bands but Vigorfit offers more resistance compared to GR8FLEX. Compared to the other two, the Vigorfit offers the greatest resistance of all the three home gyms. This makes Vigorfit a truly versatile home gym that offers the requisite resistance for beginners as well as experts.

Compare Accessories: Total Gym XLS vs Vigorfit vs GR8FLEX

Compare Pilates Kits

Pilates exercise are great for strengthening and elongating muscles and promote weight loss too.

Total Gym XLS – Total Gym Pilates kit consists of Pilates Toe Bar, Leg Pull Accessory, 24” Leg extension rope and 2 Ankle cuffs and DVD.
Vigorfit – The Vigorfit Pilates kit consists of Dual Leg Rope System, Heavy duty comfortably cushioned shoulder pad lock and Toe bar.
GR8FLEX – Does come with Leg Harness/Pulley System that can be used for Pilates exercises.
Verdict – All the three home gyms come with this accessory. The Vigorfit manufacturers call it a “DUAL LEG ROPE SYSTEM” while GR8FLEX and Total Gym XLS promoters call it simply “Leg Pull” accessory. Total Gym XLS and Vigorfit gyms have the complete Pilates kits. But Toal Gym XLS has a slight edge over the Vigorfit. GR8FLEX has no Pilates kit.

Compare Abdominal Training Accessories

Total Gym XLS – Its called the “Ab Crunch” attachment. It consists of two cushioned supports that attaches to the rails of the Total Gym XLS. The XLS.
Vigorfit – Comes with the AB & BUN TRAINER a.k.a “ABT” attachment. It is a square padded board and works pretty much the same as the Ab Crunch works on the Total Gym XLS.
GR8FLEX – It is called the “Crunch Ab Accessory”. It consists of a racing bike handle that you hold to get a firm grip. The arm resits are padded.
Verdict – All the gyms have the abdominal exercise attachment that pretty much works on the same principles. But the one that comes with the GR8FLEX is much helpful as you can hold the handles while exercising.

Compare Squat Stand

Inclined squats are a great way to tone and strengthen your leg and thigh muscles. All the three home gyms in question let you do the inclined squats – thanks to the squat stand/board attachment that you can attach at the lower end of the glide board. The difference is – Total Gym XLS has an oval squat board while the GR8FLEX and Vigorfit have square boards. Also GR8FLEX has the biggest squat board of the three gyms. The problem though is that these squats are not as effective as the standing ones.

Compare Wing Attachments: Total Gym XLS vs Vigorfit vs GR8Flex

The Total Gym XLS and GR8FLEX come with the “Wing” attachment. The wing attachment is basically a padded bar that runs across the frame of the gym and is to be attached at the top end or lower end of the glide-rail.

The Vigorfit on the other hand comes with a Pull up bar at the top end and a push-up bar at the lower end. Both these bars are removable and serve the same purpose as the Wing attachments. The Pull-up bar can be used to do sit-ups. The down side of the absence of padded armrest in Vigorfit is that you cannot do the ab crunches.

The Wing attachment targets muscles in the back, shoulders, legs and abdomen and is used for pulling and pushing exercises. When the Wing attachment is connected at the top of the glide rail, it is used to pull the body weight building stronger arms and chest. When connected to the lower end of the glide-rail, it is used to perform leg exercises and squats.

Verdict – GR8FLEX with its handled and cushioned Wing Attachment offers better grip while doing the kneeling ab crunches.