the new personal fitness tech you need to try right now

New year, new fitness goals. And happily, new personal fitness technology to help us achieve our targets. Our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy breaks down the latest and greatest in fitness tech: these are the new personal fitness tech devices you need to try right now.

new year, new personal fitness technology

Whatever your fitness goals may be this year– whether it’s training for your first 5k race or working up to the 26.2 mile Boston Marathon, losing that pesky 5lbs from all the holiday pies or buckling down and committing to a lifestyle change once and for all, we are all unified by our desire to know what the heck is happening to our bodies when we are working out.

Am I doing this right? Is this even doing anything? Is this what dying feels like?

Our picks for the latest and greatest in fitness technology, many of which were unveiled earlier this year at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, address these questions and more.

The emphasis is on democratizing world class coaching for the everyday person and increasing personalization for every workout in a user-friendly way. If we’re going to spend an hour exercising, we want it to be as enjoyable and effective as possible.

wearable technology

If you’re ready to move on from counting steps (and walking around and around your kitchen island to achieve those last few steps), the newest smart watches and gear just got smarter.

Suunto 3 Fitness Watch

The Suunto 3 Fitness watch aspires to be your new personal trainer. It creates a custom 7-day workout regimen based on your fitness level and past exercise history. Each day, the length and challenge will change based on real time heart rate monitoring. And since it can also track your sleep, recovery time will also be factored into your personalized plan. List Price: $229

Vivoactive 3 Music by Garmin

The Vivoactive 3 Music by Garmin was updated this year with LTE service from Verizon. The new connectivity allows you to finally leave your phone at home and not be loaded down with another device while you’re working out. Receive emails, texts, and listen to music right from your wrist. It also features over 15 apps to guide you in your yoga, running, cardio, and strength training. A thoughtful safety feature of holding down the watch button for 5 seconds, will immediately and continuously share your GPS to your chosen contacts. List Price: $299.99

Asensei Training System

Still in the nascent stages of development, keep your eyes out for Asensei’s “connected coaching” textile-based training system. With monitors woven throughout the fabric of its workout garments, users will be able to connect in real time to expert coaches who correct form, suggest the next progression, and provide post-workout analyses. It is currently being tested on elite rowers but the company plans to provide expert training in all athletic endeavors.

Smart Equipment

If you’re the home gym type, prepare to make all of us jealous. No funky smells emanating from your neighboring lifter, no cheesy techno beats, and no more missed classes. Maybe we’ll forgo our luxury gym membership and just come over instead?

Peloton Tread

The Peloton Tread was first unveiled at last year’s CES and is now available for purchase (full disclosure: the CEO of Dandelion Chandelier is a board member of Peloton Interactive). You have probably heard of their indoor cycling bikes. Now they are taking over the home treadmill. The treadmill itself is stylish and beautiful with sleek, modern angles. Similar to the bike, you have access to an immersive fitness studio experience via the 32” HD touchscreen display for live class offerings, as well as an on-demand library of past classes. List Price: $3,995

HiiGa One

If space and let’s be honest, aesthetics, has kept you from keeping a weight rack in your home, check out the HiiGa One. Invented by highly respected Japanese sports trainer, Kazuo Higa, this minimalist machine is electrically controlled which means no switching plates or second guessing which weight to use. It will automatically control the load each time through an intelligent force feedback system. For example, if it senses the user’s energy decreasing, the load will be slightly reduced. So nice! Who said robots don’t have feelings?

JaxJox Kettlebell Connect

How would you like to trade your collection of multicolored kettlebells for just one set? JaxJox’s latest toy is the KettlebellConnect. It provides 6 weights (12lbs to 42lbs) in one weight via a rotating weight selecting core. The ball also contains motion sensors to record your reps and track your workouts. List Price: $349

Cubii

The Cubii Pro Seated Elliptical ($349) fits neatly under a desk so that you can work out at work without most people even noticing. It’s a great low-impact workout, and you can track your progress on iPhone and Android cellphones, Fitbit smart bands, and Apple Health Kit.

That’s it – the new personal fitness tech you need to try right now. So many exciting and smart toys to help you achieve that perfect body! The only question we have left is if we’re smart enough to remember all these kooky product names and spellings!

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Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, fitness and even investigating police misconduct. Julie lives in NYC where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing and spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.

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