There’s no denying that COVID-19 changed the way people exercise. With gyms temporarily closed, sales of dumbbells, medicine balls, and other equipment rose an estimated 23% during the pandemic, and the at-home fitness equipment market—valued at $5.5 million during the pandemic—is projected to reach $11.5 million by 2027.
And now, a new class of artificial intelligence (A.I.) workout equipment ensures that those at-home exercises are smart enough to watch your form and help you meet your fitness goals.
Generally speaking, artificial intelligence refers to robots taking on tasks that could previously only be performed by human beings. For example, your phone uses A.I. to recognize your face and ChatGPT, which made headlines in 2022, can generate human conversations.
When it comes to fitness, A.I.’s major advantage is personalization, according to Kerry Greer, lead of exercise science and training at Nautilus, Inc., a major manufacturer of fitness equipment. It can sense or watch the way you move, and give you helpful suggestions for making your workout more effective. “A.I. now can be used to understand users, their movement patterns, and their progress better, providing a more tailored offering to each individual and adjusting to their needs,” says Greer.
Depending on what device you’re using, A.I. may offer feedback based on your current fitness, count your reps, tell you how heavy your dumbbells should be, and even write a unique fitness plan for you.
All of these features can lead to safer at-home workouts—a big deal since one of the common criticisms of exercising outside the studio is lack of real-time feedback. Plus, Greer notes that having the A.I. watching your back means that you can spend less mental energy tracking, say, how much weight you’re deadlifting or how many squat reps you’ve already completed. “Because it's an A.I.-based experience, it's there whenever you're ready to use it,” she adds.
Below, are six of the newest and most innovative pieces of home gym equipment powered by A.I.
Fiture
This A.I.-powered smart fitness mirror offers a wide variety of exercise modalities, including strength, barre, and boxing. You can even design custom workouts using the brand’s Motion Engine technology, which offers form cues and trainer guidance to ensure you’re performing movements in the safest manner possible. Fiture co-founder Maggie Lu also notes that the mirror also won’t be an eyesore in your home. “This is the only fitness mirror on the market offered in five colorful shades, and turned off, it’s a beautiful piece of furniture. Turned on, it transforms any space into a fitness studio,” she says.
Price: The Fiture Core is $1,395, while the more compact version, the Fiture Mini, retails for $900. Note: It’s $25 per month for the membership that offers you access to the classes.
Tempo Move
If you’ve ever lamented that weight racks take up significant square footage in your home, Tempo’s sleek and small design will blow your mind. The Tempo Move’s cabinet stores 90 pounds so you can equip each Tempo dumbbell with 42.5 pounds. While you have to slot the weights on yourself, Tempo’s A.I. technology will tell you how much you’re about to row, squat, or deadlift to make the process a little more seamless—and count your reps once you’re ready to go. From there, the Tempo app will guide you through strength training classes or even set you up with a personal trainer.
Price: The Tempo Move costs $495, while the Tempo Studio—the company’s more deluxe at-home device—starts at $2,495. The monthly membership, which offers you access to Tempo’s classes, costs $39 per month.
OxeFit
At-home workout equipment that helps you become stronger in water and snow sports is hard to come by, but that’s exactly what you get with OxeFit XS1. This smart device offers A.I.-based feedback on your strengh training form, and because OxeFit uses tension bands instead of physical weights, you can adjust the weight without having to move a single plate. If your favorite sport happens to be seasonal, you can also upgrade to add activities such as paddleboarding, kayaking, or skiing (skicross) to keep your training up indoors.
Price: The OxeFit XS1 starts at $3,999. The membership is $39.99 per month
YogiFi Smart Mat
If you’ve ever tried downward dog at home and wondered, “Am I doing this right?,” this intelligent mat may be the yoga buddy you need. This device contains sensors that tweak your form as you move from pose to pose, so you can watch your form away from the studio. Simply roll your current yoga mat over the YogiFi and download the YogaFi app, and you’re ready to go. As a bonus, the mat is also well-cushioned, so you can look after your joints and bones as you learn the ins and outs of yoga alignment.
Price: The mat is $399.99; the app is free.
JRNY
So you already have a stocked at-home gym? JRNY will ensure you’re making the most of it—and preventing injuries—by counting your reps, personalizing your workouts, and correcting your form. You can even say, “Hey JRNY” and ask the A.I. to adjust your weight and reps if you feel too tired for the day’s workout. “A.I. paired with our Motion Tracking gives you the benefit of having your movement quality analyzed, followed by corrective feedback cues to help you improve,” says Greer. “We know that movement quality is very important for not only improvement from a fitness perspective, but also in decreasing the risk of injury.”
Price: A subscription to JRNY costs $19.99 per month or $149 per year. Note: You’ll need to make sure you have compatible devices to take advantage of all the A.I. has to offer.
Carol
At-home spin bikes abound—but none are quite like Carol, an A.I.-powered exercise bike that personalizes your ride down to the last detail. The bike’s software learns your fitness and performance to craft an efficient HIIT workout every single time, with each session lasting only five minutes (seriously). According to the researchers behind Carol, this approach may improve your VO2 max, boost your cardio, and increase your metabolism. As you get fitter, Carol will notice—and adjust your workouts accordingly.
Price: The bike is $2,595 and the subscription is $15 per month.
