Around the world, many gyms and fitness studios are closed due to the spread of COVID-19. But you don’t have to let your fitness goals fall by the wayside because you’re stuck in the house. In fact, this is an excellent time to develop a home fitness routine that can extend beyond social distancing mandates.
Many fitness studios have begun live streaming classes via Zoom, there are countless meditation and workout videos available for free on YouTube, and we here at PCMag have already rounded up the top 10 apps for working out at home. These are all great resources, but if you’re fortunate enough to have a decent chunk of disposable income, you might be interested in investing in a piece of smart fitness equipment.
Offering live and on-demand instructor-led workouts, these devices can help you stay motivated when your self-discipline starts to waver. That’s perhaps more important now than ever, given that exercise is one of the best ways to boost your immunity and reduce stress.
Smart home gym equipment isn't cheap, and you should expect to pay extra for a monthly subscription to stream classes, but these devices offer some of the most state-of-the-art, immersive home fitness experiences available today. If you’re looking to elevate your home gym to not just survive but thrive during this Coronavirus quarantine, check out our list of the best connected fitness equipment below.
Peloton Bike
Peloton Bike
4.0
Editors' Choice
If you love the energy of a spin class, you can
experience it any time with the $2,245 Peloton Bike, which features a 22-inch
touch screen on which you can stream live and on-demand classes. The company offers more than 90 live sessions a week, and a vast on-demand library of classes ranging from five to 90 minutes.
The Peloton Bike earned PCMag’s Editors’ Choice
award; we love its compact design, large class selection, and integration with
the Fitbit and Strava fitness apps. A $39 monthly membership gives you access
to all the classes and the ability to create individual accounts for everyone
in your home.
Meanwhile, Peloton also has a mobile app, which provides
access to thousands of instructor-led workouts, including floor-based strength
training and yoga classes as well as outdoor running classes that can be done
without the company’s equipment. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Peloton
has extended the trial period of its app from 30 to 60 days. After the trial
period, the app costs $12.99 per month.
$2,245.00 at Peloton
Peloton Tread
Peloton Tread
4.0
Editors' Choice
Peloton is best known for its spinning bike, but the company
also makes a $4,295 connected treadmill for runners, and it’s also a PCMag Editors’ Choice winner.
The Tread features a 32-inch 1080p touch screen for live and on-demand classes.
Real-time instructor shout-outs and virtual high fives from other Peloton
members will keep you motivated during runs.
We like its minimal but classy design, bright and sharp display, and wide selection of motivating classes for all fitness levels. If
you’re a runner and have the money and space for it, you’ll love the Peloton
Tread.
$4,295.00 at Peloton
NordicTrac Commercial X22i
NordicTrac Commercial X22i
In business since 1975, NordicTrac is one of the most
respected and enduring names in the fitness equipment market. The company is taking on new competitors like Peloton through a partnership with iFit,
a fitness platform that offers interactive, trainer-led classes set in
locations all over the world. Many of NordicTrac’s treadmills, ellipticals,
bikes, and rowers come with a one-year membership to iFit (a $468 value).
That includes the company's $3,999 Commercial X22i
treadmill, which features a 22-inch HD touch screen on which you can take fun
classes like a virtual hike through Lake Tahoe or a run through the streets of
Paris from the comfort of home. iFit personal trainers can even adjust
your incline, decline, and speed in real time to give you a challenging
workout.
Mirror
Mirror
4.0
Editors' Choice
When it’s not in use, this $1,495 interactive fitness device
looks like a sleek full-length mirror. But packed inside is a 40-inch display
on which you can stream and follow along with thousands of live and on-demand
exercise classes including boxing, cardio, Pilates, yoga, and more, as you
check your form in the mirror’s reflection.
The Mirror earned our Editors’ Choice award,
garnering praise for its library of classes, sleek design, and integrated
40-inch 1080p display. We said it’s “simple and easy to use,” but noted that the
display isn’t a touch screen, so you control it with your phone. It’s best for interior design-minded people and those who lack the space for bulky exercise
equipment. A $39 monthly membership is required to
access classes.
$1,495.00 at Mirror
Tonal
Tonal
The $2,995 Tonal claims to house an entire gym’s worth of
strength training equipment in one wall-mounted machine with adjustable arms.
Backed by 20 patents, it uses a combination of electricity and magnets to
digitize weights, offering up to 200 pounds of resistance.
A $49 monthly Tonal membership gives you access to the
company’s library of on-demand-only strength training workouts, and lets you
set up an unlimited number of user profiles per household. Tonal’s artificial
intelligence coaching software aims to take the guesswork out of strength
training, offering real time verbal cues to help you along the way. It also remembers
how much weight you lift for each exercise and increases the weight as you get
stronger. Tonal says its users increase their strength by 25 percent, on
average, in their first 90 days.
A Tonal spokesperson tells PCMag that the company has seen
an increase in orders since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Echelon Reflect
Echelon Reflect
The Echelon Reflect is another wall-mounted smart mirror that
features an integrated HD display on which you can view many different types of
on-demand and live studio workouts, including barre, boxing, cardio, Pilates,
strength, and yoga. During your workout, you can see the instructor on the
screen and your own reflection in the mirror.
When not in use, it looks like a regular mirror, and takes
up no space, so it’s great for small homes and apartments. There’s a 40-inch
version for $1,039.98 that doesn't feature a touch screen, and a 50-inch model
with a touch screen for $1,639.98. Live and on-demand classes cost an extra $39
per month.
Tempo Studio
Tempo Studio
The $1,995
Tempo Studio has an easel-like design that sits on your floor, and neatly holds
a variety of strength training and fitness equipment, including dumbbells, a
barbell, weight plates, a heart rate monitor, a workout mat, and a recovery roller.
It features a 42-inch screen on which you can stream high-intensity interval
training (HIIT), mobility, and strength classes.
The Tempo Studio uses 3D sensors to track your movements, count
your reps, and recommend weights. During live classes, trainers can see when
you make a mistake—like if your knees go past your toes in a squat—and
correct your form in real time. Classes cost $39 per month.
FightCamp
FightCamp
4.0
Editors' Choice
Boxing is a great workout, and punching a bag can help
relieve the stress of the COVID-19 quarantine. FightCamp brings the excitement
of a boxing class to your home. The FightCamp Personal package,
which includes a free-standing bag, a set of punch trackers, wraps, boxing
gloves, and a workout mat, costs $1,219, though there’s a cheaper option if you
already have your own equipment, and a pricier package for families.
You can stream FightCamp's classes on your TV, or watch on your iPhone or iPad (it's not available on Android at this
time). The sweat-proof punch trackers measure your punch speed and
keep count of your strikes, so you can view post-workout summaries and compete
on a leaderboard against the FightCamp community. Classes cost an extra $39 per
month.
Health and Fitness Tech That Doesn't Cost a Fortune
Health and Fitness Tech That Doesn't Cost a Fortune
If you’re on a tighter budget, you don’t need a smart exercise machine to stay active at home. Check out our ultimate guide to health and fitness tech for affordable and free options that will get you moving.