The pandemic convinced me: fitness at home is the future. After the grand reopening, I will continue to practice in my living room because I love it.
Why? The ease, affordability and quality of training. Whether I’m at home or traveling, practicing for 15 minutes or 45, it definitely beats what I did before: fighting for a place in a boating class and paying too much for the privilege.
I’ve already written about my favorite fitness programs and standalone bike setup. Recently I asked myself, as we will still have to work and practice from home through hybrid work: should I take my lounge workouts with a higher connected equipment to the next level?
In an effort to learn something about why people spend thousands of dollars on equipment, and hundreds more a year for streamed workouts, I set up a smart gym: a SoulCycle At-Home bike ($ 2,500), a Mirror workout ($ 1,495) and an Echelon Stride treadmill ($ 1,300). Meanwhile, my colleague Joanna Stern tested the upcoming treadmill of Peloton Interactive ($ 2,495, on sale May 27).
Internet-connected hardware contributes to the experience in several ways. Products usually have a large exhibit designed to stream classes. Personal workouts, captured by sensors, are displayed on the screen. Many have a social component, such as the ability to compete on a live leaderboard. All of the models I tested require customers to sign up for a $ 40 per month membership.