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Remember the late 90s and early 2000s when smart tech was first introduced but still primarily a thing of the future?
For reference, the very first iPhone was released in 2007. Smart houses (Disney Channel hit Smart House anyone?), smart appliances, and smart fitness equipment were the stuff dreams were made of. The tech of the future.
Well, the future is now. Smart fitness equipment is here and if we're going to put a label on the smartest piece of hardware to add to your home fitness setup, it's Tonal.
Tonal is everything you need in a complete home gym, and so much more!
It's like having a highly skilled, personal trainer right on your wall — just waiting for your beck and call! With its sleek aesthetic, all-inclusive design, and intuitive technology, Tonal is without out a doubt, the smartest gym around, and a must for your living space.
Here's why...
Tonal: The total package
This slick piece of equipment functions as a complete home gym, bringing you tailored personal training, accessible anytime from the comfort of home.
It features numerous programs and workouts to help you achieve your fitness goals, and its small footprint, and seamless adjustments, make it a no-brainer for fitness aficianados looking for the total package when it comes to smart home gyms.
Crush your fitness goals with Tonal; the stuff home gym dreams are made of.
Pros:
- Goal Oriented: 300+ programs, 5,000+ workouts
- Tailored training
- Lightning fast adjustments
- Small footprint, sleek design
Cons:
- Pricey
- Paid monthly subscription required
- Sticker price doesn't include all accessories or installation
Tonal: Design
Now, I don't usually call the hardware in my home sexy, but when it comes to Tonal, I do.
Tonal boasts an all black, ultra-sleek design, with chrome accents. It looks more like a cool looking mirror or a modern art piece than a home gym. Definitely not a piece of equipment that you want to hide or designate to the gym room in your house like a lot of other competitors in the smart fitness space.
No, no, Tonal can go right in your living room and your guests will likely think it's just part of the decor. Only you'll know it for the smart piece of hardware it really is, unless you decide to share its secrets of course! A 24-inch touchscreen allows you to access all this smart gym has to offer with a simple finger tap, and weight adjustments are just as seamless.
Tonal has a small footprint that requires a seven by seven foot floor space. A small space to sacrifice in the name of revolutionized strength training and the epitome of smart fitness.
Tonal: Features
Programs + workouts
Tonal makes reaching even the loftiest of fitness goals attainable with 300+ programs and 5,000+ workouts designed to help you achieve anything you set your mind to.
Choose from an enormous selection of classes like HIIT, Yoga, Sport Performance, Pilates, Boxing, Family Fitness, Pre and Post Natal, and so much more!
You can create your own workouts or follow along with expert personal trainers that tailor each session to your unique needs. My favorite thing about having Tonal in my home is that I can access my favorite workouts anytime.
I'm married, work full time, and have an awesome five-year-old and two fur babies. I love being a partner, career woman, and mama, but my family/work life balance leaves little room to get my booty to a fitness studio. Traveling to and from in-person classes eats a huge portion of my day, and therefore —tends to amplify my stress, rather than dissipate it like it's supposed to. It just isn't a realistic regular practice for my schedule.
However, I do like to work out every day and Tonal has made that possible.
With Tonal, I can take all my favorite studio classes whenever I want! Whether it's the butt crack of dawn or I'm burning the midnight oil, Tonal is there for me, and allows me to sweat whenever's convenient.
The convenience and versatilty this smart gym provides is well worth the initial sticker shock, becaus hey — it's pricey! BUT, if you ask me — the insane amounts of time it's saved, stress relief it's provided, and the convenience of allowing me to train when and how I want, all while honoring and balancing my family's daily schedule, is 100% worth it!
Intelligent technology
There's no doubt that Tonal is the smartest home gym in the game.
It's highly intuitive — assessing your movement, collecting over 50 data points a second, and continuously adapting to your needs every time you power it on.
Tonal's adaptive weight system responds to your abilities and adjusts accordingly based off the personal data it senses every second (yes, every SECOND). It adjusts in real-time to keep your muscles guessing and your body challenged, while suggestive weights optimizes the effectiveness of each rep.
Tonal can load between five and a whopping 200 pounds in as little as one-pound increments, ensuring the perfect amount of resistance in any given rep. Not bad for a piece of home decor, eh?
With 245 unique movements and counting, Tonal keeps it fresh throughout every sweat session.
Tonal's dynamic weight modes: Spotter, Smart Flex, Eccentric, Chains, and Burnout allow the resistance to adjust during a workout based on your movement, essentially simulating a personal trainer assisting you by adding or reducing weight as needed throughout your set.
Drop sets give you even more ways to push your limits, building muscle up to two times faster by encouraging you to lift a weight load until you can't anymore, then reducing the weight and repeating the exercise. This technique is exhausting, but very effective!
Real-time coaching cues in Smart View make the most of every lift by encouraging proper form and safety cues in Spotter Mode guarantee you're never stuck under a bar.
Progress tracking
Progress tracking can be found on every piece of smart gym equipment, but Tonal one ups the competition by suggesting what to do next. It automatically tracks your progress, giving you personalized weekly targets and insight into your reps including: power, total volume, lifted, and overall strength.
Personalized weekly targets break down your bigger goals so they're attainable, while keeping you challenged the whole way through.
Tonal delivers a gamified experience for added inspiration. You can earn streaks, badges, and improve your Strength Score to spark your competitive side and stay motivated.
Tonal review: The in-app experience
The Tonal app provides an intuitive in-app experience, where you'll see the data points that matter displayed center stage on your homepage.
Available on iOS and Android, the app stores all your important tracking info including: program, streak, number, activity calendar, Strength Score, and more! Tap on any of the metrics to open a detailed historical summary of your progress.
You can personalize your profile info, fitness goals, and strength training level, and peruse an enormous catalogue of ever growing classes and programs to suit your training needs and fitness goals.
Accessories
Tonal offers a wide variety of smart accessories to revolutionize your strength training.
Note that accessories are not included with your purchase of the main piece of equipment (Tonal mirror), but you can add them to your purchase in a Smart Bundle for $495.
The Smart Bundle includes Smart Handles, Smart Bar, New Rope, Bench, Roller, and Workout Mat. Alternatively, each accessory (and then some) can be purchased ala carte in Tonal's Accessories section on their website.
Tonal review: Specs
| Category | Product Name |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 50.9-inches H x 21.5-inches W x 5.25-inches D |
| Workout Footprint | 7-feet x 7-feet |
| Weight | 150 lbs |
| Power | Line Voltage: 120V Frequency: 60hz Amps: 12 AMP |
| Screen | 24-inch Touchscreen (120V) |
| Audio | 15W Stereo Speakers |
| Max Tension | 200 lbs (100 lbs per arm) |
| App Compatibility | iOS + Android |
| Tonal Membership | Mandatory |
Tonal review: Price
Tonal is currently priced at $2,995. Plus, a monthly Tonal membership is mandatory to access Tonal's workout library and utilize the equipment.
I'll be the first to say — it's a pricey investment, BUT — as Tonal functions as a complete home gym and offers all the workout types you could ask for, it's a worthwhile one.
The convenience of accessing all your favorite workouts anytime in the comfort of home = priceless.
With Tonal, you don't have to drive to and from fitness studios or pay all those separate gym and studio memberships to take all your favorite fitness classes. It pays itself off and then some over time.
Tonal does offer finance plans starting as low as $63 per month with 0% APR. You can also try Tonal at a location near you if you want to check it out in person before you buy. Head to Tonal's Try Tonal section on their website for locations.
Tonal review: Bottom line
If you're looking for the smartest in home fitness equipment, Tonal is it!
Tonal is all the home gym you'll ever need!
It will revolutionize your approach to fitness with it's intuitive technology and adaptive resistance, and save you countless hours in the process. Access all of your favorite classes conveniently in the comfort of home and get ready to smash your goals and level up your fitness routine tenfold with Tonal.
With Tonal we thrive, Tonal is the smartest way to work out.
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