Today’s home gyms are a whole lot more than a workout bench and some weights, or a treadmill in the garage. High-tech gym equipment can offer personalized workout advice, track real-time stats as you go, and help you feel connected to a wider community even if you aren’t visiting a gym. It’s also a great investment for beginners, since lessons can teach proper form and help explain a wide variety of workouts so you can find the regimen that’s right for you — while more advanced stat tracking is perfect for those training to meet specific goals. Let’s take a look at some of the smartest gym equipment around!
Note: Most smart home gym equipment requires a subscription to fully unlock all the features. You should keep this in mind when figuring out the true cost for most of these models. Wi-Fi connections are also required, so think about placement in your home carefully.
Best smart home gym equipment at a glance:
- Aviron Victory Treadmill
- Tonal
- Hydrow Essentials Package
- Bowflex Max Trainer M9
- FightCamp Personal
- CLIMBR
Aviron Victory Treadmill
If you find workouts to be boring, the Aviron Victory Treadmill is for you. Designed as a gamified way to get in your steps, it offers everything from classes and scenic destination walks to legitimate video games. With over 1,000 activities, there’s always something new to enjoy, and there’s always a new high score to chase. You can even dive into group activities, a nice way to stay motivated and feel connected to a fitness community.
All these games and programs are brought to life by an oversized 22-inch HD touchscreen. It looks fantastic in action, and it’s easy to navigate all its menus thanks to a simple UI. Other nice features include the ability to sync Bluetooth headphones and heart rate monitors with the treadmill. As for setup, Aviron offers a white-glove installation service if you’d rather not piece together the treadmill yourself (which will take around 45 minutes).
Beyond the smart features, this is a premium piece of traditional fitness gear. It transitions smoothly as you increase speed or incline levels, the running surface is large and durable, and it feels shockingly sturdy even during intense workouts. The running deck is low to the ground, too, making it accessible for all fitness levels.
As great as the treadmill is, it won’t be for everyone. The most notable reason is its price. At $3,499, it’s a pricey piece of gear. You’ll also need to sign up for a subscription to get the most out of the treadmill — which can quickly add up. But if you’re seeking a premium treadmill that offers heaps of smart features (including access to video streaming apps, games, and classes), the Aviron Victory Treadmill is hard to beat.
Tonal
Tonal is a home gym mirror , a product that’s designed to be mounted on a wall and provide detailed information for your workout and to help maintain proper form, as well as walkthroughs for specific exercises. What makes Tonal unique is that it’s not just a mirror with bodyweight exercises: It’s a full resistance system that can be set up for all kinds of serious strength training to target specific muscle groups.
Tonal’s strength training videos are top-notch if you want to try a new exercise, and the system can intelligently increase resistance strength as you improve. You can also track all kinds of stats over time to measure your progress. There’s not much focus on live workouts, but if you want a home gym to make you stronger, there are few better picks .
Hydrow Essentials Package
Rowing machines are famous for getting your heart rate up while giving you an intense workout: The Hydrow isn’t just a beautiful example, it’s also very smart. The Essentials package includes a fitness tracker wristband and other accessories so you can get detailed information on your heart rate and other stats. The 22-inch touchscreen program provides both workouts and data about your speed and calories burned. There are both guided and unguided rowing options, and with the included map you can switch to yoga afterward to cool down.
Bowflex Max Trainer M9
Ellipticals are designed for whole-body cardio workouts, and can often save a bit of space compared to treadmills or similar options, making them popular home gym picks. This Bowflex model gets straight to business with an excellent design made to alternate intensity for HIIT-like workouts. You can pick from a variety of programs on the touchscreen, as well as specific world locations, or simply choose one of the recommended options. The screen can also stream classes, give awards for specific achievements like calories burned, and even streaming from popular apps like Netflix — but you’ll need a subscription to enable all of this.
FightCamp Personal
Home boxing may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of high-tech workouts, but the FightCamp experience is on a whole other level. The smart gloves and smart punching bag combination can track punches, speed/rate, and overall output. You can choose from a variety of programs and styles based on what you want to practice while keeping an eye on both the timer and your goals with a nearby screen to show information from the app (you’ll probably want a TV nearby for this one).
Trainers are available for whatever style you prefer and your level of experience. We recommend the Personal package, which is geared toward a home gym setup, although you may want to add a couple more accessories depending on how you plan to use FightCamp.
CLIMBR
CLIMBR doesn’t exactly simulate the climbing experience — it won’t feel like tackling the rock wall at the gym or bouldering courses. But it will train similar muscles in an elliptical-like workout that focuses more on strength training, and is an excellent option for building up a sweat. That makes an innovative option for preparing for climbing season, or simply for getting an intense workout while saving space (CLIMBR says it engages over 86% of the body’s muscles). There’s both a built-in screen for tracking tempo, reach, and power, as well as a companion app for tracking your workouts, plus a variety of workout options to pick from.
