Personal training stays home at CES 2021

The first Bowflex product came about in 1986, and the brand has come a long way since that first resistance machine made of polymer rods. At CES 2021, Bowflex unveiled two upcoming products, an elliptical-stairclimber crossover called the M9 Max Trainer and the T22 Tread treadmill, which features a large 22-inch touchscreen -- the largest screen on any Bowflex treadmill to date. It's slated to launch on Jan. 15, 2021 on Bowflex.com first and at major retailers to follow. 

How it works as a personal trainer: Both the M9 and T22 Tread are really a way to showcase JRNY, Bowflex's stab at streaming fitness service with guided workouts. JRNY (pronounced "journey") starts each new member off with an initial fitness assessment to find your cardio starting point. 

The app then suggests workouts tailored to your fitness level, modifying suggestions as you get faster and fitter. On the T22 Tread, you can also run with trainers and opt into virtual coaching, which will give you an extra push on days you need help with motivation. 

A new smart mirror comes from NordicTrack, a longstanding company that just released its newest high-tech device at CES 2021. Vault combines the best of Mirror and Tempo, with a 32-inch HD touchscreen, a swiveling 60-inch mirror and a cabinet that houses dumbbells, resistance bands, a workout mat, yoga accessories and kettlebells. 

How it works as a personal trainer: Vault pairs with iFit, the workout app from Icon Health & Fitness (the parent company of iFit, NordicTrack and Proform) that powers all NordicTrack equipment. 

iFit classes are led by highly qualified trainers from all around the world, and while Vault doesn't provide real-time technique feedback like Tempo, it does stand out in one way: The massive 60-inch screen allows you to easily self-correct because you can see your entire body and the trainer's entire body at the same time. On smaller fitness mirrors, images can feel kind of mashed up. 

The "OG" of digital fitness, if you will, Mirror raised eyebrows back in 2018 when it launched, but it quickly proved fun and effective (albeit expensive) and has earned itself a loyal fan base. 

This aptly named smart fitness mirror doubles as home decor and a home gym setup. With the $39/month subscription, you can access live and on-demand workout classes from cardio to barre to strength training.

How it works as a personal trainer: Mirror actually offers one-on-one, live personal training through the system's video camera and two-way speakers. It functions just like traditional personal training, but without physical contact. It costs $40 per session on top of the $39 monthly membership and monthly device payment, if you finance it.

Tempo Studio is a relative newcomer, having just launched in February 2020. The company couldn't have picked a better launch date, because the fitness industry came crashing down just a month later, leaving millions of lost gym-goers looking for -- and willing to pay a lot for -- home gym setups.

Similar to Mirror, Tempo utilizes a large vertical HD screen on which you can stream workouts. However, there's a key difference: Tempo's A-frame cabinet houses a 115-pound Olympic weight set complete with a barbell, effectively replicating traditional gym workouts. Also, Tempo tracks your form and reps whereas Mirror does not have those tracking capabilities.

How it works as a personal trainer: While it doesn't offer one-on-one live personal training, the AI and 3D sensor technology provides real-time feedback on your technique. The device also offers suggestions for weight, reps, rest intervals and workouts based on your performance history. Notably, Tempo creates weekly customized programs based on the principle of progressive overload, a fundamental fitness concept that explains how your body improves in response to continuous increases in workout intensity.  

Tonal is like the halfway point between Mirror and Tempo, because it's a fitness mirror with weights, but not real weights: Instead, Tonal uses "digital weights," a concept the company introduced with the launch of Tonal in 2018. Using electromagnetics to create electronic resistance, Tonal employs cables (much like the cable machines at gyms) to create up to 200 pounds of resistance. 

How it works as a personal trainer: Like Tempo, Tonal uses AI technology to track your workout performance and make suggestions for future workouts. This alleviates much of the stress that comes with working out, because you don't have to program for yourself -- you can trust the technology to program for you. Tonal also sets your weights for you and increases weight automatically as you get stronger.

Ah, Peloton, the unicorn of 2020. After a treacherous 2019 holiday commercial, Peloton recovered and went on to become one of the most valuable companies in the fitness industry. 

This wildly popular indoor stationary bike all but exploded when fitness junkies started grappling with gym closures. There's also Peloton Tread, the connected treadmill, and Peloton Digital, the app that houses Peloton-exclusive workouts.

How it works as a personal trainer: It doesn't, really, but that doesn't stop people from using it like one. Peloton functions more as a group fitness instructor than a personal trainer, because there aren't any true one-on-one or real-time feedback opportunities. Sure, Peloton enlists some of the best trainers worldwide to teach its classes and group classes can be energizing -- but there's still a risk of injury for beginners, especially with resistance training workouts.

Echelon started with bikes and rowers before moving into the fitness mirror category. The Echelon Reflect comes in two sizes, a 40-inch and a 50-inch, and with an Echelon membership, you can join live classes or stream on-demand classes. If you enjoy a little friendly competition, check in with Echelon's leaderboard to see how you stack up against fellow exercisers in your classes. 

How it works as a personal trainer: Again, it doesn't, really. Like Mirror, the Reflect allows people to join instructor-led classes, which is better than working out alone (especially if you're a beginner), but not quite on the same level as personal training. Tracking your workouts with Apple Health or another integrated app will help continuously level up, since you can go back and see your performance history. 

Another tech-analog hybrid, Hyfit launched in mid-2020 with its take on smart fitness. The company places a strong emphasis on do-anywhere fitness, and its first (and currently only) product is a smart resistance band set called Hyfit Gear1. 

This product offers limited workout options compared to other smart fitness devices, considering you can only perform basic bodyweight resistance exercises. However, the system allows you to continually increase the resistance you work with, preventing fitness plateaus.

How it works as a personal trainer: The Gear1 resistance bands contain sensors that track your repetitions, volume (total weight lifted) and calories burned. When you pair the bands to your phone and download the Hyfit app, this data is automatically collected, which makes workout tracking a breeze. The smart sensors also track your form and the app can tell you which type of workout, such as strength, endurance or flexibility, you should focus on.

Another legacy fitness company that's produced quality equipment for decades, ProForm dipped its toes into the smart fitness business with Vue, a product akin to Mirror, Tempo, Reflect and Tonal. This smart mirror comes equipped with a pivoting 60-inch-by-24-inch mirror, part of which also functions as a touchscreen. It also comes with a barbell, dumbbells, weight plates and resistance bands.

How it works as a personal trainer: ProForm is owned by Icon Health & Fitness along with NordicTrack, and like the new NordicTrack Vault, the ProForm Vue is powered by iFit. When you stream iFit workouts, you won't receive real-time feedback, but you can watch your trainer and self-correct. Vue automatically stores your workout performance and uses AI to suggest future workouts.