Bayou Fitness Total Trainer 4000-XL Home Gym Review

The Bayou Fitness Total Trainer 4000-XL is a pretty apt competitor to the famous Total Gym product endorsed by Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley. The 4000-XL isn’t something you’re going to purchase if you’re looking to bodybuild. It’s made for people who want to burn calories and get toned in the comfort of their own home, without shelling out thousands for weights, machines and other cumbersome, space-robbing equipment.

Specs Out of the Box:

Unfolded footprint: 20” W x 48” H x 94” L.
Folded/closed footprint: 20” W 50” H x 14” L.
14” W x 46” L glide board.

Value-Added Features:

No assembly required.
Space-saving “fold and roll” storage ability.
Resistance increments from 4% – 69% of your body weight, with 11 incremental levels of resistance.
Rugged heavy-duty rollers for durability and ease-of-movement.
3 and 4-point pulley system.
Accommodates users up to 6’7” in height.
385-pound total weight capacity.
Large easy-to-roll castors.
Entire unit weighs only 96 pounds.

Attachments & Accessories Included With Total Trainer 4000-XL:

Power Weight Bar – mounted to the sides of the glide board, allowing you to add extra weight.
Sturdy Removable Squat board – great for squats, leg presses and calf raises.
Pushup, Pull-up and Shoulder Press Bar – this mounts at the bottom of the unit and can be used for shoulder presses, pushups, or pull-ups.
Bicep Curl and Press Bar – there are a variety of pulling, pressing and curling movements that can be done by using this attachment.
Dual Leg Cuffs – allowing for several glute, hamstring and hip flexor movements.
Toe/Pilates Bar – for doing situps, crunches, and Pilates exercises.
Instruction Manual and Video – shows you how to set up, use and store your brand new Bayou Fitness Total Trainer 4000-XL.

Pros of Owning the Bayou Fitness Total Trainer 4000-XL:

Entire Body Resistance Workout

Working the entire body while working out has proven to be the best way to burn stubborn fat and keep in shape without spending hours exercising every day. The glide board design, combined with the pulley system, makes it easy for a person with a minimal strength, fitness and/or injuries to start trimming down and getting toned, without the risk of injury or overtraining.

Easy Adjustable Resistance

Without adding extra weight, the level of resistance adjusts from 4 – 69% of your bodyweight. You can add extra free weights via the Power Weight Bars mounted on either side of the Glide Board, so long as the total weight on the machine doesn’t exceed 385 pounds.

Mobility and Space Saving

The fact that it folds up and can be stood vertically in a closet or corner and has built in castors is a definite plus if you don’t want your exercise equipment taking up space. The castors are also ideal if you want to store it in a garage and roll it outside to do your workout.

Cheaper Than Total Gym

The Total Gym has been around for ages. Due to its popularity, you’re going to spend anywhere from $800 on the low end, to upwards of $1500 to own one. The specs and features of the 4000-XL are identical, with many sources stating that the 4000-XL is built stronger, with the average price tag on Amazon only around $460 – $470 (it sells for over $600 on Bayou’s website.)

Cons of Owning the Bayou Fitness Total Trainer 4000-XL:

Weight Restrictions

The 385-pound weight restriction creates a couple of issues. First, for people who outweigh the capacity of the machine. Second, if you want to use the machine for strength training.

Time Between Exercises

There are plenty of complaints from people who claim that changing the machine’s configuration between exercises is time-consuming. While this is probably true; it’s a limitation that all similar equipment has. You can’t have a machine that allows so much versatility and expect to switch from doing leg presses to bicep curls without it taking a bit of extra time.

Not the Cheapest

You can purchase the Weider Ultimate Body Works for less than $200. The Weider unit is 20” shorter and only has a 250 pound weight capacity, but if you’re shorter and don’t plan to add extra weight, the 4000-XL may be overpriced for your needs.

Conclusion:

The Bayou Fitness Total Trainer 4000-XL is anywhere from a quarter to even half the price of the Total Gym XLS. I’d say it’s probably the far better value.

Though the 4000-XL doesn’t come with a celebrity endorsement, the specs and features are identical.

Check on Amazon for more info!