• The activities an individual takes part in
• A person’s level of toxicity/inflammation
• The diet and weight of the individual
• Previous injuries sustained by the individual
• A person’s posture & movement patterns
• A person’s level of strength

Joint-Friendly Total Gym Cardio and Endurance Moves:

1. Cardio Pull

Attach the arm cable. Focus on exploring the range of motion of the hips and knees with squats. Alternate your squats between single leg squats and jumping.

2. Alternating Single Leg Jumps Vary Range

Alternating jumps may require more strength, however, it is easier to control the core. Improved core control allows for improved loading through the lower body. Smaller range jumps varying the depth of the squat is a great challenge to the legs, and can help determine pain free range of motion. Vary the types of jumps you do like bicycle, scissor, or side-to-side.

3. Bilateral Jumps Small Vary Range

Ensure the core is engaged with each jump. Land as lightly as possible. Vary the depth and range of your movement.  Add rotations or jumping side-to-side with the jumps.

4. CycloTrainer

The Total Gym CycloTrainer provides a great way to add a low impact cardio workout. The CycloTrainer allows for the participant to perform or sustain squatting. Angles can be shifted to change the hip and knee range of motion, and allows for more opportunities to explore pain free range of motion.

Joint-Friendly Total Gym Strength Moves:

1. Squats

Squats are a traditional exercise frequently performed on the Total Gym. Now lets vary it! Perform this exercise in various ways, whether it’s with your legs together, widespread apart, turned out, and/or staggered.

2. Side lying Squat on Heel

Lying on one’s side, bring the top foot’s heel to the lower edge of the squat stand. Note, the toes may hang off the edge. Focus on pressing through the heel. Keep the knee tracking over the 2nd and 3rd toes. If you have any knee discomfort, turn the toe slightly up or down and test to see if the pain subsides.

Note: You want the upper body and core engaged in the exercises, not relaxing away on the glideboard.

3. Side Plank

Keeping the hips stacked, drive through the hips and press them up toward the sky. Envision making a rainbow shape with the body. The glideboard may be open, allowing for a greater challenge, or closed to allow greater stability.

4. Side Lying Squat on Ball of the Foot

With the foot in the middle of the Total Gym Squat Stand and heel lifted, press through the balls of your feet. Note this movement is similar to squatting, but with your heels raised. This is a quadriceps/top of the thigh dominant exercise.

5. Hamstring Curl

Using the Wing Attachment (link to: http://www.totalgymcatalog.com/total-gym-wing-attachment.php) or foot holder, focus on pulling through the back of the legs versus pulling the toes up.

Note: This can be performed sitting, ½ reclined or fully reclined. Sitting or ½ reclined will require greater hip and knee range of motion.

Joint-Friendly Stretches:

1. Figure 4 Squat

Keep the toes flexed to decrease knee strain. Glideboard can be opened or closed.

• Eating well
• Taking Epson salt baths
• Using ice on the afflicted area
• Getting plenty of sleep