Pros: Little impact on joints, fast , minimal adjustments. harder than you think.
Cons: length of machine,doesnt do all exercises well, but that can be said of all machines.
I bought my Totalgym from EFI not the informercial.
the quality is very good, I bought a Bowflex powerpro to see the diffence and prefer the Total gym ,I dont like the spingy feel of the Bowflex , I prefer the natural feeling of the Total gym.
The Total gym will give you a fantastic workout.i like it better than freewieghts , although I use dumbells every once in a while to change things up.
I feel its your Physiology that will determine whether you can build your body , not the machine.
Some people gain muscle more easily than others.
I have difficulty building muscle as a lean guy , but the Total gym makes me look fit and it builds muscle no doubt.
Of course if you are a hardcore bodybuilder, you will grow out of it, but you can get around some of its limitations, like the pull up, I just slow down the exercise or do one arm at a time.
I get a pump and feel good after a workout.
Some people have the wrong idea about the board ,yes, its sopposed to not have a back rest, thats what strengthens your core;and makes you work harder.
you can also add free wieghts if you want more resistance ,but most people will only need it for squats.
Any more questions? feel free to ask,
Dave