Tonal has launched Tonal 2, an upgraded version of its flagship at-home digital strength training machine that features an all-black design with chrome accents, hardware upgrades and new workouts.
With Tonal 2, users can lift up to 250 pounds of adaptive digital weight, up from 200 pounds in the original Tonal.
Priced at $4,295, the new machine also sports a high-resolution camera with an improved Smart View, allowing users to see themselves and receive real-time coaching cues while working out. Thanks to the new camera, Tonal 2 leverages AI to analyze 500 data points per second, the company says.
Tonal 2 also offers drop sets, automatically reducing weight during a set as fatigue sets in, and supports a new workout modality called “aero HIIT,” which combines cardio and strength training into a single session.
“With Tonal 2, we’re taking another big step in delivering truly personalized strength training for our community,” said Tonal CEO Darren MacDonald, who took over for Krystal Zell in September. ”By combining our internal data with the latest advancements in technology and movement science, we’ve made it possible for members to lift up to 250 pounds, explore the dynamic Aero HIIT modality, and benefit from even smarter coaching cues for safe and effective training.”
“It’s all about helping people get stronger in a way that’s tailored to them while continuing to set new standards in the fitness industry,” MacDonald added.
Originally launched in 2018, Tonal’s machine allows users to lift digital weights while receiving on-screen guidance powered by virtual coaching and AI. The company’s software monitors lifting form, tracks velocity and predicts optimal weight for each exercise. Tonal also offers on-demand workouts across strength training, cardio, yoga, HIIT and mobility.
The company became highly popular during the pandemic, achieving unicorn status in March 2021 based on a $1.6 billion valuation and attracting investment from the likes of LeBron James.
Amid the post-pandemic struggles of at-home fitness, Tonal has sought to distance itself from its reputation as the “Peloton of weightlifting,” instead positioning its machine as the best way to strength train for serious lifters and newbies alike.
“If you look at outcomes from people working out on our trainer versus going to the gym and just grabbing a couple of dumbbells, the outcomes from working out on a Tonal are significantly better,” MacDonald told Athletech News.
In particular, Tonal has sought to appeal to people aged 55 and over, many of whom are embracing strength training for its anti-aging benefits. According to Tonal’s recent State of Strength report, its members over 55 increased their strength by 73% in their first year on the machine.
Across all demographics, Tonal reports that 90% of its members were still active on the platform one year after starting. Those retention numbers give the brand hope for the future of at-home strength training.
Tonal will continue to primarily target the at-home fitness market, but the brand will also look to explore commercial opportunities such as brick-and-mortar studios and potential physical therapy applications
“When people think about resistance training or working out, we want them to think of Tonal, ideally in their home, because of the convenience factor, our coaching and 250-plus workouts,” MacDonald told ATN. “But we can imagine commercial settings where it makes a lot of sense, too.”
