The Future Of Fitness

Workouts are getting smarter, easier and hyper-personalized, thanks to the latest crop of high-tech fitness innovations heading our way.

KARA Smart Mirror

A TRAINER IN YOUR MIRROR

Imagine having your own PT on standby, ready to put you through a workout whenever you want. The KARA Smart Mirror is bringing this dream to life. When it’s not in use, it’s simply a sleek mirror for your home. Switch it on and a trainer appears in the reflection, ready to guide you through a yoga flow, cardio workout, dance session and more. Watching your reflection as you move allows you to track your form, and a roll call of world-class coaches is available to guide you through every exercise. You can also monitor your results, such as calorie burn and heart rate, with the smart AI feature.

THE PRO VERDICT: “While nothing can quite replace a live PT, this is a great option,” says Kate Kraschnefski, head of training at the Australian Institute of Fitness. “I like that people can keep an eye on their technique in the mirror. Anything that encourages body awareness is really positive.”

Learn more: karasmartfitness.com

EMSculpt Neo

NO-SWEAT ABS

How about a workout you can do while resting on your back? Enter EMSculpt Neo, which promises to sculpt your abs without the crunches. More like a spa treatment than exercise, the device is strapped to your middle for the 30-minute session. It works by transmitting radio frequency heat to melt fat, and high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy to build muscle. What does that feel like, exactly? The device induces a strange, warm sensation as your muscles contract without your input, but it’s pain free. Four sessions are recommended for best results, and
clinical trials suggest you’re in line for 25 per cent more muscle and 30 per cent less fat.

THE PRO VERDICT “I’m sceptical on this one,” says Kate. “It’s not really a strategy that’s going to help someone be holistically healthy in the long term. If someone’s eating awful food and doing this, they’re not going to see abs, no matter how amazing it is!”

SAGA Fitness  BFR Cuffs

FAST-TRACKED RESULTS

Think of these SAGA F SBFR Cutts as a hard workout minus the hand work Blood flow-restriction (BFR) training uses constrictive bonds to reduce the tow of oxygen to your muscles, making them work harder in less time and with less effort BFR training traditionally uses a rope or bond to apply tension, which can be tricky to get right. But these cuffs make the process easy: Slip them onto your Gims or legs and sync with an app and they’ll calibrate to your body based on your blood pressure. Why use them? The cuts are deal if you need to avoid stressing your joints with heavy loads, or if you want to fast track your strength a while sticking to low-intensity moves

THE PRO VERDICT “This training methodology is backed up by a heap of science, so I’m really confident in the approach.” says Kote. “The feeling of having the bands on is something you need to get used to, but it has some exciting potential benefits for rehabilitation or training elderly people, not just elite athletes.” :

Learn more: sage.fitness

Peloton

THE CELEBRITY FAVE

It comes with a who’s who of famous fons from Beyonce to US President Joe Biden. Now, interactive fitness platform Peloton is heading to Australia, allowing spin class devotees down under to get a studio-style workout in their lounge room. The Peloton bikes come equipped with a large screen allowing you to livestream classes direct from New York while you pedal, or access workouts on demand. But you don’t have to shell out big bucks for the bikes – You can also subscribe to the accompanying opp for equipment-tree workouts dance cardio and outdoor running classes

THE PRO VERDICT “Virtualitness is about giving people a great experience and Peloton’s really excelled of being able to do that.” says Kate. While the cost will be a barrier to some. I’ve heard people who get into it gol fabulous results. It’s making people feel empowered, but also offering thot motivation you need to have a hard workout.”

Learn more anepeloton.com.au

Fitted out

Forget equipment – one day your workout may come from your activewear. In development are leggings that use vibrations to silently guide you through yoga positions, sports bras that monitor your heart rate; clothes infused with sensors that track your technique as you train; and suits that use electrical muscle stimulation to work your body for you. Now that’s smart style.

Prevention Australia

The Australian Institute of Fitness

At the Australian Institute of Fitness (AIF), we are no stranger to the competitive and evolving nature of the fitness industry. That’s why we remain the #1 fitness educator since 1979. We continuously raise the bar by providing the best education and resources through dynamic and hybrid training methods that mould to your lifestyle. We are strong believers in evidence over fads, so you can be assured your training with AIF will solidify your career for the long-term.