Having a home gym is an easy way to stay in shape and save money on pricey memberships. Technology has made home gym equipment equal to if not superior to the machines you’d find at public gyms.
We’ve found some must-have items for your smart fitness home gym to help you have a high-tech workout experience in your home’s comfort. Each of these items is an essential tool to keep you in shape, including mats, treadmills, exercise bikes, and watches to keep up with your vitals.
When picking exercise equipment for your home gym, finding pieces that do more than one feature can reduce the number of tools you’ll need to have in your home. And having “smart” technology-enabled devices makes working out even more manageable, with access to real-time instructors and statistics, so that you can have better workouts.
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Stocking your home gym with smart equipment is a great way to improve your workouts. Many of these devices let you join other trainers or people working out to experience a workout class without the hassle of traveling to a gym.
And many of these machines can let you exercise to music or in exotic locations to visit foreign places. They even help keep track of your statistics, so you know how much you’ve accomplished.
There’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to choose a smart fitness device over a standard workout machine, other than the costs. Many of these devices can even fold up for easy storage, so you don’t take up as much room.
No home gym would be complete without a high-quality workout mat. Even if you don’t practice yoga or pilates, a mat can make it more comfortable to do core strengthening exercises instead of lying on a hard floor.
The Backsplash Fit Smart Mat is genuinely a mat of this century. Connect this mat to your Alexa device so you can do guided yoga workouts from the Women’s Health app.
After your workout is done, flip the mat over, click a button, and the mat rolls up by itself. Storage couldn’t be simpler. Once rolled, the mat stays closed and can stand up on its own.
The Backslash is 5mm thick, with zero PVC or latex, so it’s allergy-free. The bottom of the mat is slip-resistant, so you never have to worry about the mat sliding while you’re in the middle of a pose.
And the top of the Backslash has enough grip that even when sweating, you’ll still have a good hold. You’re sure to love this oversize mat, which is 24″ x 72.” That’s a full five inches larger than other models.
No home gym is complete without an exercise bike. Although pricey, the Nordictrack Studio Cycle is the perfect solution for anyone wanting to get a full workout at home.
When you include the iFit membership (a one-year subscription that comes with your bike), you get access to real trainers from around the globe. You also get to browse a massive library of on-demand workout programs.
Watch recorded or live sessions of over 16,000 workouts while keeping up to date with your real-life statistics on a 22″ touchscreen HD screen with a 360-degree adjustable mount.
When working with a trainer, they have real-time access to your bike controls, including the incline, decline, and resistance. You put forth the effort, and your trainer sets your controls.
You can pick from multiple locations around the globe, including custom courses on Google Maps. Your trainer will automatically adjust your bike’s settings to match the terrain of your chosen area.
There’s even the option to get off the cycle and do cross-training exercises to tone your entire body. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, the Nordictrack will work for you and your family. You can save up to four separate profiles so the entire family can keep track of their progress.
The Ancheer Treadmill can connect with the FitShow app, available on Android and iOS devices using a Bluetooth connection so you can control your speed and tilt from your device and imitate different sporting events.
You can even listen to music through the dual built-in speakers or connect your headphones using the auxiliary jack.
This treadmill has 0-15% incline, built-in speakers, and speeds from 0.5 to 9 MPH (miles per hour). A soft drop system keeps your floors protected from damage, and noise-reducing belts and motors make your workout peaceful and quiet.
Emergency shutoff keeps you protected, and this treadmill folds for easy storage (35″ x 27.6″ x 54.7″). It has a weight capacity of 300 pounds and 12 preset programs, a heart rate sensor, and a 3.25 HP drive system for a smoother run.
No workout is complete without a smartwatch to help monitor your vitals. The Fitbit Versa 2 smartwatch is one of the most excellent tools ever to include for your activities.
FitBits work as health monitors. Your watch will continuously check your heart rate, sleeping patterns, and blood pressure to have a good understanding of your health. It also keeps track of your steps.
This watch has built-in Alexa that gives you current news, weather updates, and lets you set timers or alarms and control your Alexa devices using voice commands.
FitBits can also play music through the built-in Spotify app, lets you go shopping, and keeps you updated with phone notifications, including phone calls and texts.
There are 20+ built-in goal-based exercises, and it’s even waterproof up to 50 meters so you can swim or keep it on in the shower. There’s nothing you can’t do while wearing a fashionable Fitbit watch.
If you’re looking for an all in one workout station that won’t take up a lot of space, allow us to introduce the Echelon Reflect. The Echelon hangs on your wall and looks like a regular mirror until you’re ready to exercise.
This exercise machine is actually a WiFi-enabled, full HD 1080p 60 Hz touchscreen with an eight-megapixel front camera that gives you real-time stats on calories burned, abilities, goals, and heart rate.
You will need a membership to access the live and on-demand classes, but you can access a wide selection of lessons 24/7 to exercise on your schedule.
Options for activities you can do with the Echelon include high energy cardio, Zumba, yoga, pilates, boxing, celebrity workouts, strengthening, and more. There’s nothing you can’t do with this machine.
They even include a variety of music, including current popular hits, to work out to your favorite tunes. Two CPU 2×8 speakers ensure you hear every word from the music or coach.
No workout is complete without weight training. The Tempo Studio might not take up a lot of space with its compact size of six feet in height and 2’2″ in width, with a depth of 1’4.” All you need is a five-foot clear area to work out.
But it has everything you need to get a full workout using the 42″ HD touchscreen and 3D motion sensor. In addition to the flatscreen machine, you also get:
While you’re working out, the 3D sensors track your form, count reps, and give suggestions on which weights you should use.
You can even get feedback from trainers who can watch your session and critique your technique so you can correct mistakes and have a better workout.
Artificial intelligence uses motion sensors to track twenty-five separate joints to analyze your range of motion and provide in-depth metrics. You can even see how you measure up to other classmates.
And you have the option to try out multiple classes that focus on:
Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Weights make it easy to have a full dumbbell set without the mess of a bunch of different weights. Set your chosen weight at the turn of a dial, choosing from 10 to 90 pounds.
Make your dumbbell workout interactive by connecting to the Bowflex SelectTech app, which provides a journal to keep track of your workouts, design custom workouts, take a six-week challenge, set achievements, and follow recorded workouts with real trainers.
The Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Weights Kettlebell is similar to the dumbbells. You can change the kettlebell’s weight using the dial for values of 8, 12, 20, 25, 35, and 40 lbs.
The dial makes it easy to change exercises without having to pause to switch to a different weight. Twist it to make the weight heavier or lighter based on your needs.
You can use this kettlebell for a wide variety of full-body exercises. But you do have to be careful not to drop this product on the ground, as it can damage the internal components.
You can work out to twenty-four separate trainer exercises (at bowflex.com/selecttech) based on foundational kettlebell techniques, including twists, squats, swings, and rows.
You can get a full-body workout at home using the Fitness Reality 1000 Plus Bluetooth Rower. This handy machine lets you do full-body, low impact workouts to target the shoulders, triceps, biceps, forearms, legs, and thighs through various exercises.
The slide rail inseam length is 39″ and adjustable to accommodate most heights (up to 6″ 6′). The handlebar is foam covered and extra-wide with a length of 21.5.” And it folds up for easy storage. There is a 250-pound weight capacity.
You can sit on the large contoured cushioned seat or stand up and pull the cord from behind your back to target specific muscle groups.
There are fourteen levels of tension so that you can have an easy workout or a challenge. And the front stabilizer footpads at the front make it easy to do exercises like standing shoulder presses, tricep extensions, shrugs, bent over rows, front raises, upright rows, curls, and shrugs.
You can connect to the My Cloud Fitness app (with iOS or Android) through Bluetooth to track your workouts. And you can set workout goals based on three separate settings – time, distance, or calories burned.
There’s even a 3.5″ LCD screen that keeps track of your time, total count, distance, calories burned, strokes per minute, and scan.
Staying hydrated is essential during workouts, but it can be easy to forget to take a drink when you’re focused on your training.
The Hidrate Spark Smart Water Bottle is an easy solution to all your problems. Connect your bottle to your phone through Bluetooth so you can easily track how much water intake you have during workouts through sensor technology.
You can set your liquid intake goals by intervals or through the amount. And you can choose from three different lighting patterns, so your bottle glows as a reminder to take frequent drinks.
This water bottle is BPA free with a silicone sleeve that reduces condensation and slipping. There’s also a matching finger loop.
And the battery can be replaced, so you never have to worry about not having power. The compartment is conveniently located at the bottom of the bottle.
The lid and bottom are dishwasher safe, but you will need to clean the body and sensor by hand washing only.
Having a home gym is a great way to save money and motivate yourself to stay in shape. You won’t have to worry about exercising in front of a bunch of strangers, and you never have to leave home. We’ve given you five must-have items for your smart fitness home gym. Happy exercising!
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