Home gyms have come a long way over the past few years. Instead of a simple workout bench and some weights, you’ll now find smart home gyms that can provide custom workouts tailored to your needs. They can also track your stats, provide advice, showcase lessons, and even sync you with a larger community of users working with the same gear. However, many smart home gyms also require a subscription — which can range from $15 to $50, making them an expensive proposition.
So, should you invest in a smart home gym or stick with a traditional gym membership? That’s not an easy question to answer, and the truth is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Some folks might benefit from the ease of access offered by a smart home gym, while others might enjoy the motivation and socialization provided by a traditional gym.
Need some help deciding which is best for you? Here’s a closer look to help you decide if investing in a smart home gym is worth it.
What is a smart home gym?
Smart home gyms come in all shapes and sizes, but they’re traditionally seen as gym equipment that can connect to the internet or provide advanced features beyond your traditional set of weights. Many do this to give you access to personalized lessons or connect you with other users, giving you a chance to feel like part of a larger community. Others might use it to help track your goals and send awards for hitting milestones.
The coolest use of this technology is with integrated trainer-led sessions. For example, a smart home treadmill might have you watching a video of a trainer climbing a mountain, and your treadmill will automatically adjust its settings (such as incline and speed) to those of the trainer. This allows you to get an intense workout without manually manipulating equipment — just load up a session, and your machine will do the rest.
In other words, smart home gyms help remove the guesswork from your fitness regime, giving you detailed feedback and personalized advice for your sessions, along with the ability to automatically tweak your settings as needed.
What are the benefits of a smart home gym?
One of the big benefits of a smart home gym is obvious — you don’t have to venture outside your home to get a rigorous workout. Going to the gym can be a hassle, and if you have a packed schedule, it can be challenging to find time (or the motivation) to squeeze in a workout. But if the gym is literally sitting in your home, it’s much easier to keep up with regular workouts.
Another benefit is access to a personal trainer. Whether this be via software like Tonal that helps track your progress, expert coaching from personal trainers to guide you through different workouts, or AI-driven suggestions to improve your form based on feedback from the gym’s sensors, there’s a wealth of functionality available in smart home gyms.
Depending on the subscription and cost of your smart home gym, you could also save money over the years. And because most smart home gyms allow multiple people to use them, they could be a great option for a family instead of signing up for multiple gym memberships.
What are the drawbacks of a smart home gym?
The biggest issue with a smart home gym is the upfront cost. Many of these systems cost thousands of dollars (Tonal costs nearly $4,000 and the NordicTrack Commercial 2450 Treadmill is $3,000), and when you can walk into most gyms and start working out for about $15, it might be hard to justify the costs. However, if you’d benefit from the convenience and plan to use the smart home gym for several years, the costs start to even out.
However, you’ll never be able to escape the monthly subscriptions required by most products. Most smart home gyms are designed to be used in conjunction with a paid membership — decide you no longer want to be a member, and your gear isn’t nearly as exciting. That means the true cost of a smart home gym can be much higher than anticipated, so be sure to thoroughly research all the fees associated with your favorite product and compare it to a standard gym membership.
If you’re interested in improving your cardio, check out the best treadmill deals to see if a discounted product makes the numbers more enticing.
You’ll also need to ensure you have space in your home for the smart gym. The majority of smart home gyms are sleek and streamlined, but they still take up a good chunk of space. If you’re living in a studio or cozy home, it might not be worth carving out a corner of your real estate for a gym.
Is a smart home gym worth it?
If you don’t mind the upfront investment, have the space for it, and want added convenience, a smart home gym could be a wise decision. Not only do they make it easy to fit in a workout during a busy day but the personalized trainers and AI systems help you get a better sweat than a traditional home gym. They can even be more beneficial than gym memberships, as you’ll have instant access to a variety of classes and other data that’s typically missing from basic gym memberships.
Conversely, smart home gyms might not be for fitness enthusiasts who love the community feel of their local gym. Smart home gyms might offer leaderboards and ways to connect to other users, but nothing can replace the feeling of a local gym — for better or for worse. A gym membership is also great if you’re tight on space and are unsure if you’ll be using the gym a few years from now. After all, no one wants to invest $4,000 in something that’ll sit in the corner collecting dust.