Smart Gym Equipment - Our 3 Favourites

In this article, we discuss smart gym equipment, its benefits, and our 3 favourite choices.

Unless you have sequestered in a cave on a deserted island, you know about smart gym equipment. These pieces of machinery are enhanced with technology to provide a motivational, interactive workout. Increasingly, people are making smart gym equipment staples in their homes, too. If you are considering complementing your home gym with smart equipment, this article is a good start. We explain what smart gym equipment is and the selection types. The blog reviews the benefits and outlines our three favourite choices. We start by defining smart gym equipment.

It is equipment that uses technology to track and enhance workouts. It connects to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and personal devices. Any workout equipment connected to the internet is smart gym equipment. A large display screen guides workouts via compatible apps. Users access live and on-demand workout classes, tailored training, and more. Traditional workout information still tracks. Stats like reps and sets are logged to make it easy to pick up the next session where you left off.

Smart gym equipment is growing in popularity because it provides one-on-one motivation in the privacy of your home. Enthusiasts use the equipment paired with apps to maintain proper form. Fitness goals are set within the apps. The technology steps in and tracks goals automatically. It is much easier to build upon fitness success when a built-in personal trainer takes care of all the details. Users glean health and fitness metrics such as total calories burned, heart rate, distance, and goals accomplished.

Smart gym equipment has three main workout features: virtual, streaming, and subscription.

Imagine workouts simulating a real-world experience. Automatic manipulations to incline, speed, and resistance combined with realistic screen displays give the user an immersive experience. Participants can opt for celebrity-led classes to spice up their adventures.

The user downloads workouts. Flexibility allows for different themes, instructors, and backgrounds. Users still feel connected to others in a smart workout by enabling features like leaderboards. For some, this competitive spirit boosts their performance. 

These are a must-have if the user expects streaming workouts. Some mistakenly purchase smart gym equipment without a subscription. Choose the best app with features that appeal to you. Otherwise, the smart gym equipment is just, well, gym equipment. 

Smart gym equipment is growing in popularity and functionality. Technology constantly adds features that add to a workout. Here is some of the most popular equipment outfitted with smart technology. 

Treadmills used to be the backup plan for a cardio workout. Most users rely on their old treadmills when inclement weather makes it impossible to run outdoors. Others use a treadmill because they need a safe environment. Most users agree on one thing. Running on a treadmill is a mind-numbing and monotonous exercise. This thought explains why most treadmills also double as laundry holders!

The smart treadmill experience could not be any different. It opens the world to you right in front of your sneakers. Virtual reality sets your running paths in some of the most beautiful locations around the world. Instructors guide participants along mountain routes that most will never see in person. The display screen coordinates with the appropriate incline and speed to give the illusion of really being there. These provide a great cardio workout.

Not everyone can jump on their bike and take a 2-hour ride in the countryside. Smart bikes today have improved dramatically from the stationary bikes of yesterday. Most provide a quieter performance. 22" smart screens are the standard for most displays. These give high-definition views of popular routes around the globe. A few models use a rotating screen feature when you want to mix up biking with mat work.

Different models encourage staying in sequence to beat or music. Others tilt and lean as you encounter turns to simulate an actual riding experience. Before purchasing a smart stationary bike, you need an app subscription and cycling shoes to maximize your cardio workout.

Most workout enthusiasts land on rowers for their unique cardio techniques. Users achieve a total body cardio workout. And unlike running, a rower has no shock impact on the knees or other joints. Rowing engages the core, arms, and legs. Smart rowers kick up the experience tenfold. Streaming workouts are capable of automatically adjusting resistance. Some rowers add the sound of water splashing each time the row raises or lowers. Owners can even get training and critiques on their techniques with selected apps.

The compact footprint of stair-steppers and cross-trainers makes them an appealing fit for a home gym. These machines benefit the core, arms, and legs. The realism has not quite caught on with these machines, though. Stair-stepping to the top of The Shard does not hold much appeal for a morning workout.

These high-tech mirrors are less a piece of equipment as they are a connection to an interactive class. They provide real-time feedback on proper form and other options. The attraction lies in the ability to access different types of workouts. At any time, a user can select from pilates, strength training, yoga, or even boot camp-style workouts.

Special gloves with installed trackers are used for smart boxing. Standard boxing or kickboxing is available. Workouts display via an app on a TV screen or a tablet.

Smart gym equipment provides the same benefits as a gym workout with added features and convenience.

Peer pressure is decidedly motivating for most people. Posting workout results on social media puts more skin in the game. Congratulations upon reaching a goal is a great encouragement to set more. 

Sticking to a workout routine is tough. Especially when a tough day at work makes social interaction a chore. Then add in the smells, germs, and grunts from a typical gym, and willpower will find the next exit. Working out at home on smart equipment gives you all the benefits of a gym workout without the drawbacks. It removes the roadblocks to sustained motivation. 

It is much more convenient to leave the car in the garage and jump on your machine whenever you choose. Smart equipment has functions to set up your workouts to your schedule and data tracking. Some even connect to a smartwatch or phone for reminders and updates.

Not everyone has the time or the money to hire a personal trainer. Plus, using a trainer means you adapt your schedule to the schedule of another. Smart gym equipment provides options for custom workouts and fitness goals on your terms. Online plans customize to personal weight, strength, and overall fitness targets. Users have access to virtual classes where they can interact with trainers and participants. 

The lack of substantial results leads many to drop their gym memberships. Few of us are disciplined enough or have the resources to track the components of our workout sessions. Smart equipment does that for you. It logs reps and sets but then takes a quantum leap in stat collection. Total physiological data is captured and compared against your progress and goals. Now you can see progress and specific areas to improve.

You may get sticker shock when you start shopping for smart gym equipment. But consider your monthly membership dues with transportation costs for a few years. You will see that smart equipment pays for itself over time. 

So have you decided to buy a piece of smart gym equipment but do not know which one to choose? Here are three of our heartiest recommendations.

Reach your goals your way, in your space with Echelon EX-5s Connect Bike. A sleek design, competition-style elements, and a 22" rotating screen are game-changers. It is easy to forget you are still in your living room as you participate 24/7 in thousands of live and on-demand classes. Pedal your way to fitness with world-class instructors and the Echelon community. A household membership unlocks all equipment and classes for the entire family.

*Get 45 days Free Subscription when you purchase through Gym Flooring!

KEY FEATURES

• 24/7 access to thousands of live and on-demand classes. Get motivated with world-class instructors and the Echelon community.

• 22" HD rotating screen

• Padded handlebars transition between high and low-resistance postures

• Competition-style seat with 6" lever-style adjustment

• 32 Level magnetic flywheel

• Bluetooth connectivity

Run your way across the best routes in the world from your home with Echelon Stride Smart Treadmill. Your cardio workouts reach another level with an impact-absorbing running deck and a 12-level and 10% incline range. Use the Echelon Fit app to sprint to the top of the leaderboard with our world-class instructors. The auto-fold technology reduces to 10" deep for easy storage when not in use.

*Get 45 days Free Subscription when you purchase through Gym Flooring!

KEY FEATURES

• Auto-folds to 10" deep

• Impact-absorbing running deck

• Metal safety bar prevents objects from being pulled underneath

• 12-level/10% incline range

Get the same training developed for competitive rowing athletes. Dynamic RowErg gives the closest simulation to being on the water without getting wet. Achieve minimal body mass movement with a moving footrest. The same concentration and body control needed in real-world rowing replicate here. This makes the Dynamic RowErg an excellent, sport-specific training and coaching tool. The Dynamic Link accessory enables two or more to join. Now you can train together as a team boat.

KEY FEATURES

• Performance monitor gives repeatable, comparable data for every ride. Select "Just Row" mode or choose from a variety of workouts.

• Bluetooth and ANT+ wireless connectivity

• Floating footrest

• High-strength drive cord

• Flywheel and damper put you in total control of your exertion and resistance

• Compact footprint

Smart gym equipment lets you customize workouts and track your progress. Streaming classes with world-class instructors and beautiful vistas are accessed right from your home. Give yourself the benefits of better health with advanced technology in smart equipment. Our blog explains more in detail here.

And since you are researching gym equipment, check out this blog for home gym inspiration.