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6 Exercise Gadgets to Work Out Smarter
The age of useless exercise gadgets is over as we welcome smarter tech to get more effective workouts and better results. You no longer have to use your grandma’s “vibrating belt machine” to get healthier and shed extra pounds.
In place of those clunky exercise tools are high-tech products that help you work out smarter, not harder. Exercise gadgets don’t automatically whip you into shape, but many can help you stay on top of your health and progress while keeping yourself on track.
As tools for exercise are refined, so is the workout process and results. If you want to boost your productivity while feeling healthier, here are the top six exercise gadgets that may help.
Our Top Picks
Elseluck Walking Pad
If you’ve been on TikTok, you’ve likely seen the viral videos of “walking pads” and their many benefits. They’re flat, easy-to-store treadmills (smaller than those at gyms and fitness centers) that you can tuck under a desk or a sofa.
Anyone struggling to hit a daily step count could benefit from this at-home walking tool, as it doesn’t take up too much space and can be hidden after use.
Walking pads are a great way to boost your health and burn calories with slower-paced miles as you work. Studies show that when walking is combined with a healthy diet, people burn calories effectively, which can contribute to fat loss.
Walking has other incredible benefits for the body, including preserving lean muscle mass, boosting your mood, and reducing the risk of disease.
While walking pads are an incredible way to boost your daily exercise, doctors still recommend walking outside to help your brain and body relax away from screens.
And, don’t forget, before purchasing this exercise gadget (or anything, really), be sure your home has a large enough storage space to accommodate it.
Peloton Indoor Exercise Bike
Don’t buy a Peloton just for the hype. Buy it because you can get a full heart-pumping workout in 30 minutes or less.
Unlike other stationary bikes, Peloton brings personalized workouts to your home. These workouts require a subscription, but most at-home bikers say it’s worth it because the company offers different types of home workouts, from high-intensity sessions to power yoga to pilates.
Peloton bikes surged in popularity during the height of COVID quarantine, when gyms and fitness studios were closed to the public, and it’s easy to see why. This high-tech piece of equipment brings world-class workouts into your home.
Budget shoppers beware: Peloton bikes and their subsequent subscriptions come at a pretty steep price and will definitely put a dent in your wallet. If you’re interested in stationary biking at home but don’t want to fork over the cash for a Peloton, check out alternatives like this stationary bike from MGDYSS that provides many of the same features.
Vaunn Pedal Exerciser
Small pedal exercisers might be a perfect fit if you’re looking for an exercise gadget for the office or home and walking pads or ellipticals aren’t your thing. Pedal exercisers are small gadgets that have two pedals connected to a small base that allows you to simulate the movement of biking from any-old chair.
The exercise tool emulates the bottom half of a bike. To use it, just place your feet in the stirrups and push the pedals. You might say it’s like riding a bike. Due to its compact design, you can use it under a desk or in front of a chair or couch, and it’s light enough to easily move from room to room.
The Vaunn pedal exerciser offers light to medium resistance and is ideal for those who enjoy the low-impact benefits of indoor biking but don’t have the time or the space for a larger exercise bike.
Because the tool is so easy to use, it’s a great gift for seniors or anyone who struggles to get out of the house.
Smartwatch Garmin Forerunner 265
Understand your body better with a smartwatch that doubles as an activity tracker and at-home biometrics reader.
You no longer have to make a doctor’s appointment to check in on your basic vital signs. Smartwatches like the Garmin Forerunner 265 come with basic capabilities to track your heart rate and other health metrics.
Forerunner 265 is one of the most popular smartwatches for runners, as it comes loaded with training insight and world-class GPS to help you run smarter. With up to 13 days of battery life (in smartwatch mode) and 20 hours in GPS mode, it’s a top choice for athletes, beginner to elite.
Garmin smartwatches are well-loved in the cycling and running communities for their GPS-tracking system and SatIQ technology. Like many smartwatches, this one can also link to earbuds to play your favorite music as you work out.
Echelon Reflect Fitness Mirror
Enter an alternate reality with a mirror that makes you feel like you’re living in the future. Smart mirrors are the latest trend in exercise gadgets and transform your at-home workouts — and they are pretty cool, y’all. Say goodbye to the days of searching YouTube for the perfect workout, the Echelon Reflect comes connected to live and on-demand studio-quality workouts that stream into your home on a 40-inch display.
Stand in front of the mirror and follow Echelon’s trainers as they take you through your favorite guided workouts. There are hundreds of classes to choose from, including cardio, strength training, yoga, pilates, meditation, bootcamp, barre, and more.
Echelon’s Reflect Fitness Mirror comes at a steep price compared to other exercise gadgets, but workout enthusiasts share that they’re a great way to stay in shape with in-depth workouts from home.
RENPHO Smart Scale
Keep track of your progress with this upgraded bathroom gadget. This isn’t a standard scale that just displays your weight. The Smart Scale links to the RENPHO health app (available on most smartphones) and shares 13 health metrics for body composition to help you stay on top of your health.
After linking the scale to the app, use it like a regular scale to keep track of important health information like muscle mass, visceral fat, bone mass, and total weight. Keeping track of your health and progress is essential to exercise, and this tool can help you work out smarter, not harder.
RENPHO’s Smart Scale provides precise measurements in increments of 0.2 lbs, which can help you stay on top of your goals.
