Tonal is a smart home gym system designed by Silicon Valley engineer Aly Orady that uses electromagnetic weights to replace conventional gym equipment. A clever mash-up of popular home gym favorites like the Lululemon Studio Mirror, Tempo Move and the Peloton training subscription app, the entire Tonal unit is just over 4 feet tall and less than 2 feet wide — and can be mounted directly on your wall. As you might expect, this is far less bulky than a roomful of barbells and free weights.
Although I know it’s important to build muscle so you can boost your metabolism and improve body composition as you age, I’ve always preferred pilates or yoga to lifting weights. To be honest, training with weights has often seemed intimidating to me, in large part because I had no idea how much to lift or how often to incorporate weights into my regular routine.
After taking dozens of Tonal classes, I can confidently say it makes weight training completely accessible to anyone, regardless of your fitness ability. Although Tonal comes with a hefty price tag of $3,995 and a monthly subscription fee of $59.95, we think it’s worth the splurge for anybody who wants to get serious about strength training.
A favorite of athletes, including LeBron James, Tonal is a smart home gym system that uses electromagnetic weights to replace conventional gym equipment and pairs with a well-stocked subscription service for a more intuitive workout.
What we liked about it
The space-saving design
The first thing I noticed when my Tonal arrived was its compact and sleek silhouette. The entire unit, which looks like a squat flat-screen TV, is just a tad bigger than my bathroom mirror yet has the ability to deliver up to 200 pounds of digital weight. And its cables tuck neatly inside the machine so there’s nothing to interfere with your decor when it isn’t in use. Mine is currently hanging on the wall inside my home office but I wouldn’t hesitate to have it installed in my living room if I lacked the extra space for a dedicated workout area.
The custom, intuitive features
I am not tech-savvy. Yet from the beginning, the Tonal was simple to set up and easy to use. The home screen immediately guides you to an Intro to Tonal workout, where you take a short strength assessment test that allows the machine’s AI technology to store customized weight goals for individual exercises? whether it be overhead presses, bicep curls or squats —? then save the information internally for your future workouts. Going forward, Tonal automatically adjusts your weight for every single workout, regardless of whether you’re taking a pre-recorded class or exercising live with a Tonal instructor. It also counts your reps, the total volume of pounds you’ve lifted and tracks your metrics. You can even choose the genre of music you like best and select anything from Top 40 to techno to 80s pop to play in the background while you work out.
The wide variety of classes
Tonal offers hundreds of strength training programs, focusing on everything from improving fitness to building muscle to getting lean. But you can also take one-off classes, focusing on your upper, lower or full body, that are separate from these larger scale programs. As with most popular digital workout subscriptions, the strength training programs are all recorded, though new streaming workouts are released daily so you can sign up for a live or on-demand class anytime you want. There are an average of three to five live classes offered each day.
During the testing period, I took a live class with Coach Ackeem and was blown away by the amount of energy he brought to my workout. Not only did he give motivational shout-outs, but he also provided clear, concise instructions for every single exercise. Even though this was an advanced class, and I certainly felt challenged as a newbie, Coach Ackeem constantly provided helpful tips for good form. I also loved the “cheer” feature that enabled me to interact with other members by touching their avatars at the top of the homescreen.
Although Tonal’s biggest draw is strength training, you can also access plenty of other workouts with your monthly membership. Tonal offers everything from pilates to boxing to yoga, to name a few. There’s also meditation, HIIT, kickboxing, mobility, dance cardio, kickboxing, mobility workouts, bootcamps and family classes. I took a few mobility workouts, in addition to signing up for a strength training program, and was extremely impressed by how these classes helped decrease the chronic tightness in my shoulders and lower back.
The coaches
Tonal has more than two dozen coaches with a wide range of teaching styles. It may take a bit to find your match, but the sheer number of instructors makes it easy to discover the ones who will best motivate you. My personal favorites were Coach Gaby and Coach Ackeem. I loved Gaby’s upbeat, positive attitude in the Lift to Lean program. And, as I mentioned earlier, Coach Ackeem is extremely high energy, which helped me push myself harder when I felt like giving up. Tonal’s extensive roster also includes personal trainers, pro athletes and even fitness legends like P90X creator Tony Horton.
What we didn’t like about it
The price
Despite everything we love about Tonal, there is no way to ignore the fact that it is a very expensive piece of fitness equipment. The unit alone is already pricey. But if you want to add in accessories like the weight bench, bar, rope, foam roller and smart handles — which you will need for most workouts — you can easily spend another $500 or more.
It’s fragile
Given how expensive Tonal is, I expected it to last for a long time. However, after my very first workout, the clip that allows me to move the Tonal arms to various angles for different exercises, got stuck and wouldn’t move back into place. After a two-week wait, I finally got a technician to come fix the problem. Although I haven’t encountered any more issues, I was still surprised that I needed to set up a service call so soon after my set-up and delivery.
The set-up and warranty
Setting up a Tonal in your home is not a simple process. There’s no way around the fact that you need to hire a professional to install the equipment in your home. And, if you don’t pay the extra $295 to $495 for Tonal’s installers, you’ll end up voiding your warranty — so that’s not really an option. The machine also requires access to a strong WiFi signal, a minimum of three feet of wall space on each side, a power outlet within six feet of your workout area, drywall with metal or wood studs and a ceiling height of at least seven feet so that Tonal’s adjustable arms can fully extend.
And, just in case you’re planning on moving anytime soon, don’t even think about a DIY installation. You’ll need to purchase Tonal’s relocation kit from the company and hire professional installers to come set up the machine again for an additional $300. Otherwise, Tonal will once again void your warranty.
How it compares
Working out with Tonal was an incredibly motivating experience. I loved the customized weight recommendations and the fact that I never once had to count any reps. The instructors are fantastic and there’s a ton of variety so I never got bored. However, compared to competitors like Lululemon Studio ($995), Tempo ($2,495) and Forme Studio ($2,495), Tonal is a bigger investment and has more stringent guidelines for where it can be placed. It also requires you to drill holes in your wall, unlike Lululemon Studio and Tempo which both come with stands, which means it may not be suitable for renters.
The monthly subscription for Tonal is also more expensive than both Lululemon Studio ($39)? and Tempo ($59). However, Tonal is the only smart gym of the three that allows you to lift up to 200 pounds of digital weight. Both Lululemon Studio and Tempo both require you to purchase free weights if you want to take any strength training classes, which require more storage space and an expensive investment as you continue to improve.
Bottom line
Tonal is a great way to make strength training accessible for anybody, regardless of whether you’re new to weight lifting or a professional bodybuilder. The built-in cables and AI features make using Tonal a breeze, so you can exercise without a ton of space or commuting back-and-forth to the gym. Although it’s expensive, we think it’s worth the price tag if you can afford to splurge and and want to get a great workout that’s comparable to a personal training session in the privacy of your own home.
