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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!)

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.
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.
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!
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.

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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

The post Total Gym Yoga for Athletes 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)

Back: Rows

Options: seated, kneeling, high kneeling, static

Chest: Press & Flies

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

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

Options: seated, kneeling, kneeling squats

Biceps: Curls

Options: seated, kneeling, high kneeling, static

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.

Spooky Strong: Strength on the Total Gym

Spooky Strong: Strength on the Total Gym

A Total-Body Circuit to Spook Your Muscles!

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

When it comes to strength training, nothing’s scarier than a stale routine. Your muscles are smart. They adapt quickly, and when they know what’s coming, the progress can vanish like a ghost in the night!

This Spooky Strong Total Gym workout is designed to keep those muscles guessing, challenging them with unexpected moves and clever combinations so they stay alert, engaged, and ready to grow stronger.

The Spooky Strong Circuit

Just like a good jump scare, the secret is variety. By mixing classic Total Gym moves with hand-weight combos, you create new angles of resistance that shock your system in the best way. Different planes of motion, alternating tempos, and surprise transitions force your body to recruit more stabilizers and fire more muscle fibers. So scary, right?! This routine will definitely haunt your strength from head to toe.

Set Up: Low-Medium Level

Equipment: Total Gym, hand weights, timer APP

Directions:

Perform each move for 45 seconds with 15 seconds of transition.
Complete 2–3 rounds for a full-body fright fest.
Mix up the tempos to shock your system.
Aim to complete this workout 2 times a week or alongside your other routines.
If time is tight, 1 set is still enough to spook your muscles!

Moves:

Ghost Glides & High Pull (Legs & Back) – Lateral lunge adding a single-arm row at the top. Do both sides.
Scare Crow Curl & Extend (Legs, Biceps & Triceps) – Reverse lunge with bicep and tricep “trick” between movements. Do both sides.
Spider Crawls (Shoulders & Core) – Pike-to-plank knee taps. Keep the core tight and shoulders burning. Advanced: face away with hands on floor.
Haunted Chest Flies & Bridge (Legs & Chest) – Supine on glideboard, chest flies while hips are simultaneously extending into a bridge; use a spooky slow negative tempo.
Monster Squat Press & Plank Thrusts (Legs, Shoulders, Core) – Squat and overhead press, place weights down to slide back into a plank with hands on the floor. Return to repeat the combo. For intensity, add an explosive jump on the squat and press for a final fright. Modify: Omit gliding out. Instead, maintain a table top stance (hands on floor, knees hovering over GB). Walk the feet up and down to the glideboard, then squat & press.

Spooky Tip:
Choose a level of incline that challenges your strength but still lets you control each movement. Control is key! Don’t let those “monsters” (aka sloppy reps) sneak in!

Check out the video to see a demo of how these spooky moves are performed on your Total Gym.

The Secret Behind Spooky Strength

Muscle confusion is a smart, science-backed strategy. By changing movement patterns, planes, and resistance demands, you force your muscles to adapt, sparking new strength and stamina gains. Pairing the Total Gym’s dynamic cable system with hand weights amplifies the challenge, creating tension from multiple directions to keep your muscles guessing—and growing—every rep of the way.

Ghost Your Limits

This October, let your workout give you goosebumps. Get on your Total Gym, add a few “haunted” hand weights, and scare your muscles into next-level strength.

Keep them guessing, keep them growing, and stay Spooky Strong.

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post Spooky Strong: Strength on the Total Gym appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Creep it Slow: A Total Gym Circuit That’ll Haunt Your Muscles

Creep it Slow: A Total Gym Circuit That’ll Haunt Your Muscles

Slow, Controlled, and Wickedly Effective

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Not every workout needs to be fast, loud, or heavy to deliver results. Sometimes, the scariest challenge comes from slowing down and putting your muscles under tension long enough to really haunt them. This Halloween-inspired Total Gym circuit uses ultra-slow, Lagree-style tempo to work both the eccentric (lengthening) and concentric (shortening) ranges of motion, creating a full-spectrum challenge that your muscles won’t forget anytime soon.

Yes, you may feel sore for a day or two—especially if you’re new to this style of training. But that’s a sign your body is responding: muscles being asked to stabilize, resist, and fire in ways they aren’t used to is exactly how strength gains happen. Think of it as giving your muscles a little spooky nudge to level up your strength game.

Why Slow Wins

Time Under Tension: Moving slowly increases the duration your muscles are engaged, recruiting more fibers and boosting endurance.
Full-Range Activation: By controlling both the lifting and lowering phases, you strengthen muscles evenly and improve joint stability.
Mind-Muscle Connection: Slow tempo allows you to focus on form, feel each contraction, and prevent “phantom” sloppy reps.

Creep it Slow Circuit

Ready to haunt your legs in the best way? This Total Gym sequence puts every lower-body muscle under a spell with Lagree-style tempo—slow, deliberate reps that keep muscles under tension. Each movement is performed at an 5-count pace in both directions, forcing your muscles to stay engaged through every inch of the range of motion. The result: a BOO-tiful burn that lingers long after the workout ends.

Set Up: low level

Directions:

Perform each move at an 5-count tempo (both out and in).
Complete all exercises on one side, perform the core reset, then switch sides t
Just one full set per side is enough to leave your legs screaming… in a good way.

Focus Tip: Stay mindful of both the eccentric (lengthening) and concentric (shortening) phases. The slower you go, the more time your muscles spend under tension—and the greater the payoff.3

Moves:

Reverse Lunges – Step back with control, letting the glideboard slide as you resist both directions.
Lateral Lunge – Glide out to the side, keep the pace ghostly slow, and fight gravity on the way back.
Front Lunge – Slow drive forward, then resist the return for a spooky eccentric challenge.
Inner Thigh Slides – Slide out and in with tension from start to finish—no resting at the top.
Plank Finisher: After completing all moves on one side, hold a plank as you slide the glideboard slowly in and out for a core-haunting hold.

*Repeat the entire sequence on the other leg *

Spooky Tip: This workout is all about precision, not speed. Keep every movement deliberate, controlled, and intentional.

Slow reps. Scary results.

Slow it down, challenge your muscles, and enjoy the Creep it Slow experience. Want the full breakdown, timing, and pro tips for this spine-tingling workout? Check out the blog and let your strength get wickedly haunted.

Creep it real!

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post Creep it Slow: A Total Gym Circuit That’ll Haunt Your Muscles appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Total Gym F(all) Star Challenge – part 2

Total Gym F(all) Star Challenge

A 60-Day Reset to Match the Season’s Shift

Part 2: Mid-Season Momentum + Workout #2

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Seasons change, and workouts should too!

We’re halfway through the F(all) Star Challenge, and you, my friend, are a workout star champ. Whether you’ve been powering through since day one or you’re just jumping in now, this is the perfect moment to refresh your routine and add a bold new challenge to the mix.

Fall is all about transition and so is this challenge. As the days get cooler and the leaves start to turn, your body thrives on fresh moves, new energy, and the thrill of progress.

F(all) Challenge Overview

The Total Gym F(all) Star Challenge keeps the momentum going strong through the second half of the season with fresh moves, crisp air, and the freedom to make it your own.Your mission stays simple:

Complete 30 workouts in 60 days: Blend this new Total Gym routine with the kickoff workout (Part 1), opt for your TG go-to moves, and incorporate any other training you love.
Layer in outdoor cardio whenever you can: brisk walks, bike rides, trail hikes, or even a playful leaf-crunching stroll all count.
Log every sweat session to see your progress stack up and keep your drive alive.

New here? No worries! Start anytime. (Link to Part 1)

Jump in today and work your way through the 30-workout goal at your own pace. Quick 10-minute bursts count. Double sessions count. Pilates, yoga, dance… those count too! Every movement is a win.

F(all) Star Tracking Chart

Your best accountability partner? A simple visual guide to track every workout and keep your momentum strong! Download the F(all) Star Tracking Chart to log:

Date
Workout Type (TG #1, TG #2, outdoor cardio, etc.)
Workout Win (a small victory, like “extra reps” or “new trail discovered”)

Watching those boxes fill up is motivation you can see and celebrate your wins.

Total Gym Workout #2: The Mid-Season Burn

This fresh circuit layers cardio and strength to fire up every major muscle group and keep your body adapting. Adjust the incline to match your fitness level and keep your body challenged.

Equipment: Low-Medium incline + AbCrunch accessory
Format: 15-20 reps per move | 1–3 sets | Quick rests between exercises
GB = Glideboard

The Circuit:

Army Crawl: Core and shoulders work together as you crawl smoothly along the glideboard.
Incline Push-Ups: Mix parallel and diamond stance push-ups (kneeling or straight legs) for a chest and triceps burn. (Modified: closed GB, Advanced: open GB)
Incline Mountain Climbers: Drive knees in quickly for a heart-pounding burst. (Modified: closed GB, Advanced: open GB)
Reverse Lunge + Repeaters (right): Glide back into a controlled reverse lunge, then drive into a fast repeater to build power, balance, and endurance.
Lateral Lunge + Repeaters (right): With the same leg on the glideboard, face the side to glide into a lateral lunge to target glutes and inner thighs. Then pump out repeaters to challenge strength and stability.
Squats or Squat Hops: Use the glideboard as a guide to sink into a deeper squat. Amp it up with quick, explosive hops to fire up your legs and elevate your heart rate.

Repeat 4 & 5 on Left *

AbCrunch Series:
- Knee Tucks
- Oblique Tucks
- Plank Hold or Pikes (finish strong!)

(Check out the video for a full demo of each move.)

Fun Fall Tips to Keep You Moving

Soundtrack the Season: Build a new fall playlist—music makes your muscles want to move.
Sip & Soothe: Blend a recovery smoothie with pumpkin spice or cinnamon for a post-workout reward. (Hello fall flavor lovers!)
Celebrate Your Wins: Journal one highlight after each Total Gym session. Tracking progress fuels motivation.
Layer Up & Head Out: Crisp air is perfect for brisk walks, outdoor circuits, or a quick post-workout stretch in nature.

Your Mid-Season Mindset

Halfway through the challenge is the sweet spot where you’ve built momentum, but there’s still plenty of room to grow. Use this second routine to push past plateaus, explore new strength, and celebrate the progress you’ve already earned.

Consistency is the goal, progress is the prize, and every workout counts!

Cheering you on with change,

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT – Let’s connect and keep the fall vibes going!

(IG, FB, YouTube)

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Total Gym Pilates: Part 5

Total Gym Pilates: Strength Meets Flow

Part 5: Pilates Partner Workout

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

The grand finale of Strength Meets Flow takes Pilates to a playful new level!

This Total Gym Pilates Partner Workout blends the mind–body precision of Pilates with the dynamic challenge of training side-by-side with a teammate. Together you’ll move through flowing circuits that strengthen, lengthen, and energize from head to toe, while refining every core Pilates principle: alignment, breath, concentration, control, precision, flow, and centering.

Series Overview

Strength Meets Flow is a five-part Pilates program that pairs classic Pilates principles with Total Gym functionality to create a reformer-style experience at home. Each segment focuses on a different attachment to build strength, flexibility, and body awareness from every angle.

Use each part as a stand-alone workout or combine them for a complete Total Gym Pilates practice. Movements also integrate seamlessly into other training styles for all-around conditioning.

The Partner Flow

This routine is a circuit you and your partner complete together, combining precision, control, and connection.

Directions:

Split the Stations: Partner A begins with the Cable exercises (1–4) while Partner B performs the matching Toe Bar exercises (1–4).
Complete the Circuit: Work through the full sequence for one round, then switch roles and repeat.
Timing/Rep Guide: Perform each move for 1 minute or 15–20 controlled reps.
Rounds: Two rounds create a balanced session; add more to increase the challenge.

Be sure to watch the video demo to see proper form and flow in action.

Warm-Up (off the Total Gym, performed together)

Roll Down – Slow spinal articulation to awaken the core.
Plank Walk Out – Lengthen and stabilize as you walk your hands forward.
Down Dog to Pike – Stretch the back line and lift through the center.
Shoulder Taps (Advanced: single leg) – Fire up deep stabilizers and balance.

CABLE EXERCISES

Alternating Row + Straight Arm Sweep – Upper-body strength and spinal rotation.
Bridge Press + Teaser Roll Up – Core connection from floor to sky.
Serving Circles – Shoulder stability with graceful flow.
Torso Chops / Rotations – Oblique power and rotational control.

TOE BAR EXERCISES

Plié Pulses – Inner thigh and core engagement.
Bridge Lifts – Glute and hamstring power, controlled and centered.
Mountain Climbers (Modified: hands on Foot Bar / Advanced: feet on Foot Bar) – Dynamic core and cardio.
Swimming / Sky Diver Hold (bodyweight move) – Back extension for postural strength.

SWITCH ROLES & REPEAT THE FULL CIRCUIT *

CORE FINISHER (off the Total Gym, together)

Push-Up to High-5 – Strength with a side of teamwork.

Finish With Intention

Five workouts. One powerful practice.

The Strength Meets Flow series took you from foundational Pilates to a playful partner finale that contributes in building strength, balance, and total-body awareness every step of the way.

Take these principles—alignment, breath, control, and flow—and keep them alive in every workout. Whether you revisit a single part, stack all five, or blend the moves into your own routine, the strength and precision you’ve gained are yours to carry forward.

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post Total Gym Pilates: Part 5 appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Total Gym Pilates: Part 4

Total Gym Pilates: Strength Meets Flow

Part 4: Leg Pulley

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Every Pilates tool adds a unique layer to your practice, and on the Total Gym, the Leg Pulley system is where precision meets power. By training one leg at a time, you not only strengthen the lower body but also reveal imbalances, improve alignment, and challenge the core to stabilize through every range of motion.

This workout blends classical leg pulley sequences with the added resistance of gravity and the glideboard. The result? A fluid flow of movements that lengthen, strengthen, and stabilize from the hips to the core, all while developing control, symmetry, and balance.

Series Overview

Strength Meets Flow is a 5-part Pilates series blending classical Pilates principals with Total Gym functionality. Each blog pairs Pilates exercises with a different Total Gym attachment to create a reformer-style experience at home. Part 4 features the leg pulley to target single-leg strength, hip mobility, and precise alignment from every angle.

Missed the previous parts? Click below to see how the Total Gym mimics a reformer and learn foundational movements to get started.

The 5 Part Series includes:

Part 1: Foundations
Part 2: Toe Bar
Part 3: Core Power
Part 4: Leg Pulley
Part 5: Partner Flow (up next)

Leg Pulley Workout

This sequence emphasizes unilateral control, helping you build strength, mobility, and balance in each leg individually.

Set Up:

Low-Medium Level, Leg Pulley Connected

Directions:

Warm-up: Perform dynamic movements to prepare hips and core.
Start: Stand to one side of the Total Gym, facing the Glideboard. Place the pulley on the foot closest to the bottom of GB, then carefully mount into a side-lying position with the pulley leg stacked on top.
Focus: Slow, controlled movement. Precision over speed.
Reps: 10 per exercise
Sets: One sequence per side.
Repeat: Complete all exercises on one leg before switching.

SIDE LYING

Set Up: Lie on your side with the bottom leg bent or straight (advanced) and top foot is in the pulley. (Exercises 1-3)

Leg Lifts
- Strengthen the outer hip and thigh by lifting and lowering the pulley leg with control. Maintain stacked hips and a lifted waist throughout the exercise.
- Focus: Outer hip strength + core stability.

Bend Press
- Bend the pulley leg toward the shoulder, then extend with control toward the bottom rail. Keep pelvis steady and engage glutes and core.
- Focus: Hip strength, hamstring length, and pelvic stability.

Front Sweeps
- Sweep the pulley leg forward and back while maintaining hip stability. Avoid crossing midline or dropping the leg.
- Focus: Hip mobility, adductor engagement, and core control to prevent pelvis

SUPINE (lying on back)

Set Up: Transition onto your back with the pulley leg extended toward the ceiling, opposite knee bent and foot anchored.

Single Leg Kicks
- Lengthen the pulley leg up, then lower with control. Focus on hamstrings, glutes, and deep core initiation.
- Focus: Hip mobility and pelvic stability

Circles
- Extend the pulley leg toward the ceiling, then trace controlled circles without letting the pelvis rock. Inhale to prepare, exhale as you draw each circle (10 reps in one direction), then reverse.
- Focus: Hip mobility while keeping the pelvis anchored.

Supine Stretches

Figure 4 Stretch
- Cross the free ankle over the pulley leg. Draw the pulley leg in to stretch the outer hip and glute. Use your hand to gently guide the bent knee away.
- Focus: Deep glute and outer-hip release while maintaining a neutral spine.

Assisted Hamstring
- Anchor the free leg to the GB while the pulley leg reaches to the ceiling. Slowly guide the pulley leg toward you, keeping the stretch supported by your core.
- Focus: Length through the hamstring with stable hips and deep breathwork.

Dismount

Extend the free leg toward the bottom rail. Once your heel connects, engage your core to roll up to a seated position and carefully remove the pulley. Move slowly and with control to maintain balance. Repeat on the other side.

* REPEAT EXERCISES ON OTHER LEG *

Up Next:

The grand finale of Strength Meets Flow: a Total Gym Pilates Partner Workout that turns every skill you’ve built into a flowing circuit. Double the challenge, double the fun, and put your strength, precision, and control into motion.

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post Total Gym Pilates: Part 4 appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

Total Gym Pilates: Part 3

Total Gym Pilates: Strength Meets Flow

Part 3: Core Moves to Ignite Your Center

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

There’s core work… and then there’s Pilates. It’s not just about crunches or ab strength. It’s about teaching your body to move with intention, control, and effortless flow. At the heart of it all is your powerhouse: the deep core connection that stabilizes, supports, and fuels every movement.

Part 3 of Strength Meets Flow focuses on core-driven movements to ignite your center with precision, control, and flow. With the incline, glideboard, and cables on your Total Gym, these exercises transform Pilates classics into full-body challenges that elevate posture, sharpen body awareness, and deepen core engagement.

Missed Part 1? Click here to learn how the Total Gym mimics a reformer and transforms your home practice, including 5 foundational movements to get started!

Why Core Work on the Total Gym Feels So Different

Unlike traditional mat work, the glideboard along with the incline on the Total Gym create a unique instability that forces deeper engagement. Here’s a few key points of why it works and why it feels so different:

Core Stability + Balance: The moving glideboard demands constant inner balance for deeper core activation.
Incline = Springs: Resistance from the incline mimics the spring tension of a reformer.
Gravity + Bodyweight: You are both the mover and the resistance.

This is where Pilates gets powerful, for real results! So get ready to take your Pilates core training onto your Total Gym and to power up your strength!

3 Core-Powered Pilates Moves On Your Total Gym

This focused sequence may look simple with just three movements, but each one is deliberately chosen to connect mind to muscle, activate deep stabilizers, and train the spine with both strength and length. By moving with precision and control, you’ll discover how Pilates transforms your core into the true source of power, stability, and flow.

Set Up: Low – Medium Level, Cables Attached

Directions:

Utilize the Pilates Principals: Alignment, breath, and core control.
Move slowly and intentionally: quality over quantity
8-10 reps per exercises, 1-2 sets is perfect.
Use your breath to guide each movement, keep your spine aligned, and your core engaged throughout.
Incorporate Part 1: Foundational Movements for a dynamic warm-up and Part 2: Toe Bar Moves to progress your Pilates training.

Double Leg Stretch
- Lie supine on the glideboard (belly up), cables in hands, knees hugged to chest, and head slightly lifted to start.
- Inhale: Keep head lifted and lower spin imprinted into GB as you extend arms and legs in opposition.
- Exhale: Circle arms around towards shins and draw knees back in to chest
- Repeat slowly for control

Focus: Deep abdominal activation, coordination, breathwork.

Tip: Anchor your tailbone, hollow your belly, and let your breath guide the flow.

Leg Lowers

Lye supine on GB with knees in tabletop and arms extended from chest holding cables.
Maintain an imprinted spine throughout the exercise.
Inhale: Keep the arms still while lowering one leg at a time towards the rails.
Exhale: The leg returns back to tabletop to repeat.
Advance: Extend legs straight, lower towards rails, then lift back towards hands to tap the shins to fingers.
Play with the movement to alternate small and large circles in both directions.

Focus: Core stability, shoulder control, breath coordination

Tip: Let the motion come from your center, not momentum. Your arms are moving, but your core is what’s working.

Swimming

Lie prone on the glideboard (belly down), cables in hand, arms extended forward.
Press into the cables slightly to lift upper torso into extension and drawl belly away from GB.
Alternate lifting opposite arms and legs, simulating swimming.
Keep the glutes and lower back engaged; move with length and control.
Advanced: play with movement tempos, slow vs faster speeds to challenge your muscles.

Focus: Posterior chain activation (glutes, back, shoulders), core extension control

Tip: This is not a momentum drill, it’s about igniting your posterior chain by lengthening while lifting the spine. Think about reaching longer through the upper and lower body in opposition.

Mind-Body Takeaway

These three cable-based exercises blend classical Pilates control with the dynamic feedback of the Total Gym. Move with intention, let gravity challenge your center, and feel how true strength begins in the core.

But this is only the beginning. Pilates principles, paired with the glideboard, gravity, and cables, create endless opportunities to build deeper strength and sharper awareness.

Next Up: Part 4 shifts the focus to lower-body integration using the leg pulley system. You’ll strengthen, stabilize, and lengthen with purpose to to unlock your inner strength that supports you from the ground up.

Stay consistent, stay curious, and keep moving with control.

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT

Let’s Connect on Social Media

The post Total Gym Pilates: Part 3 appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.