Two big names in AI-powered home gyms designed for a high-tech full-body fitness program have arrived.  We’ll be talking about Tonal vs Tempo Fit strength training systems. These can both be used to build muscle and get toned.

Both of these technologically advanced exercise machines are well thought out and make an excellent option for any home gym.  Of course,  there are a few key differences to be aware of depending on what you’re looking for.

Which one is best for each individual depends on personal fitness goals, how you like to workout, and how much money you want to spend.

Tempo VS Tonal Overview

In case you are in a hurry, you can click on the links below to go directly to the product.

Image	Name	Price	Buy
	Tempo Studio Home Gym	$$$	CHECK CURRENT PRICE
	Tonal Home Gym	$$$$

Benefits of Purchasing a Home Gym

We are just beginning to realize the many benefits of working out at home.  The most important advantage of having a gym at home adds up to the ever driving, convenience factor.

Time seems to be the most important consideration for most people.  Just the drive time to the gym can be difficult and the biggest waste of time than anything.  Personally, I always forget something whether it’s my water bottle, or not remembering to charge my headphones.

Other reasons in favor of working out at home are the cleanliness of a commercial gym, scheduling issues, gym membership costs and commitments, kids and daycare, and then there’s the comfort factor.

Why An Interactive Home Gym?

This type of home gym technology comes with many advantages.  Besides convenience, there is the motivation and challenge that comes with a live interactive class.  When using these home gyms, the interactive personal trainer keeps you “in the moment” and focused.

Having this kind of instruction will help guide you to get the most efficient workout possible.  With a virtual home gym, you have access to tons of different workouts that are set up to make your exercise routines more challenging.

The biggest argument for these systems is, you’re going to have to pay a monthly membership either way, so why not get the best home gym workouts instead?

Multiple Exercise Catagories

A great motivator is choosing which type of instructor-led workouts you are in the mood for that day.  The options range anywhere from cardio to yoga, strength and weight training, meditation, boxing, and interval training (HIIT).

You can also focus on building certain body parts such as “leg day” for example.  Besides choosing a category, there are options to choose the fitness level that you prefer.

To keep it interesting and challenging, the computer keeps track and recognizes your current level of fitness and the amount of ideal weight.  These home gyms remember all previous workouts aligning them with your goals to keep you focused.

Staying Motivated

Exercising at home is already hard enough to stay focused.  You’re basically on your own, left to devise and stick to your personal fitness routine.

There are many distractions at the house and many of us will lose interest in keeping with our goals from day to day or through the duration of a workout.

We all need a push from a coach from time to time, especially when we are left with this sometimes daunting task.  Having more “personal” or hands-on guidance is the best way to ensure meeting your exercise goals more quickly.

For additional energy and motivation at home, check out my Best Pre Workouts with Creatine.

Tonal and Tempo Similarities

Because home interactive gyms are all about convenience, these types of gyms focus on being extremely user-friendly.  Both Tonal and Tempo make it easy with their HD touchscreen to guide you through to the right workout.

Both of these home gym machines come with WiFi, Bluetooth, quality speakers, on-demand classes with certified trainers, and a phone app.

They keep track of your progress, goals, workouts that you’ve done, and which weight you have and should use.  On the screen, you will see the number of repetitions performed, sets, the exercise being performed, and the weight being used.

Tempo Studio and Tonal systems require a membership to operate, and with a 12 month commitment for the first year.

As you can see, these interactive home gyms have many great things in common. However, Tempo Studio does come with much more, including an AI computer interface with body sensors for their live interactive classes.

Next, we will review more about what sets these two pieces of interactive home gym equipment apart.

Tonal VS Tempo and Their Differences

I’ve used interactive home gyms since the first “Pelaton” bike system and based on my research, both Tonal and Tempo are premier systems.  However, Tempo Fit Studio’s benefits do seem to outweigh those of Tonal.

In a nutshell, Tempo Fit is a more versatile and truly interactive home gym. With Tonal, you are confined to the movements of the resistance arms and it is not an interactive gym. There are no live streaming classes or trainer interaction.

Tempo gives you direct input from a live trainer to help with form and motivation with its sensory technology. Tonal gym can cost quite a bit more for the equipment and monthly membership fees. Where Tempo is truly interactive,

The type of resistance between these two pieces of home gym equipment is a huge difference between them. If your goal is heavier lifting, Tonal home gym works well with its 200lbs of digital weight. However, Tempo Studio can also focus on muscle growth with the weight bars and weight plates provided.

I list all of the positives and negatives for both Tempo and Tonal in the sections below.

Tempo Fit Studio

What is Tempo Studio interactive home gym?  Tempo is an all-in-one home fitness system, and so far, the only home gym of its kind that is truly interactive with assistance from a live certified trainer.

The first highlight is its 42″ HD touchscreen display (twice the size of Tonal) which is built into a stylish either black or white cabinet.  With this touchscreen, you can access over 7 live exercise classes per day with a certified personal trainer or enjoy 100’s of on-demand workouts.

Your Tempo screen shows the trainer, which exercise you are on, the number of reps, depth of your moves, amount of weight being used, pace, ranking in your class, calories burned, and heart rate.

Tempo Fit home gym is equipped with a computer processor, body sensors, camera, microphone, speakers, WiFi, and Bluetooth.

Along with the Tempo interactive gym you have access to their user-friendly phone app.   This can be used to program activities or to watch on-demand workouts on your phone when away from home.

Tonal Studio Packages

Tempo now offers upgraded weight packages called the Tempo Plus and Tempo Pro.

Tempo Starter: This base package comes with a set of dumbbells, 70lbs of Olympic size weight plates, and a workout mat. Everything neatly into your Tempo Studio cabinet.

Tempo Plus: On top of the base model equipment is 125lbs of weight plates with a barbell, a heart monitor, recovery roller, and an adjustable weight bench.

Tempo Pro: Finally, the “pro” offers everything above, but with 215lbs of weights with a weight plate storage rack, a kettlebell system, and a folding squat rack. An entire home gym setup.

How It Works

Behind the large touchscreen are thousands of sensors.  When comparing Tempo Studio vs Tonal, the interactive part really sets Tempo apart.  Both the live training coach and artificial intelligence recognizes all of your joint movements.

This is how your training coach and AI helps improve your movements, offer motivation, and prevent injury.  Tempo has perfected this real time interactive system to give you the most effective and safest workouts possible.

During on-demand classes, the computer will offer feedback and suggestions during your workout for improvement or encouragement. Tempo also offers personalized programs.

For privacy, you can turn off the live coach at any time.  You can also compete with the other members of the group, but they won’t be able to see you.

Getting started

To get started, Tempo does an initial fitness test of your current physical ability.  This is so it knows what level of challenge to give you as well as establishing a baseline to monitor accomplishments and goals.

Next, the touchscreen will guide you through which category of classes that you would like to focus on, including if you want a live class or on-demand.

Categories include HIIT classes (high-intensity interval training), cardio, calorie burn, yoga, and mobility classes.

Depending on which mode is used, there will be either the live trainer or the computer to guide and motivate you through the workouts.

Price

The Tempo Studio price is $2495.00 which is close to average when considering interactive type home gyms.  This is the base Tempo model with upgraded packages called the Tempo Plus and Tempo Pro. My favorite is the Tempo Plus package for $3245.00.

With any type of home exercise system like Tempo, there will be a monthly membership fee required.  Tempo Studio gym is $39.95, which is in line with the Mirror gym, Echelon Reflect mirror, and several other interactive gym systems.

There a financing program available that gives instant approval if you qualify.  If you aren’t happy with Tempo Studio home gym, there is a 30-day hassle free money back trial period.  The Tempo warranty period is 3 years, which is longer than “mirror” home gyms.

A benefit that can bring the price down, Tempo will set up different user profiles for everyone in your household at no extra charge.

Tempo Fit Studio Positives

• Tempo is truly interactive with live coaching and AI feedback
• Includes weights and accessories – up to 215lbs with upgrade
• Large, easy to use touchscreen
• 7 or more live streaming classes per day
• 100’s of on-demand classes in every category
• Display keeps track of all vitals and goals
• Phone app can schedule or play classes
• Includes multiple user profiles at no extra charge
• 3 year warranty is longer than many competitors

Potential Negatives

• A monthly membership is required with any interactive gym equipment
• The stylish cabinet is less compact than a “mirror” home gym system

Tonal

This is the first wall mount home gym made for strength training of its kind.  The Tonal interactive gym is geared towards more serious weight lifters and emphasizes upper body strength.

Believe it or not, this streamlined piece of technology will give you up to 200lbs of magnetic resistance.  This type of resistance is incredibly smooth and can be easily adjusted with the touchscreen dial.

The unit consists of a 24″ touchscreen with 2 moveable arms, a computer interface, speakers, Bluetooth, and WiFi.  Unfortunately, the necessary attachments are sold in a set at an additional cost.

Its touch screen makes it easy to scroll and locate exercises, and it shows your reps, sets, current exercise, time under tension, range of motion, power, and volume.

The moveable arms can be raised and lowered, moved in and out, and used at different angles.  This enables this machine to perform over 170 different movements.

How It Works

There are no live classes, instead there are certified coaches that work as virtual trainers.  These on-demand type classes show allows your trainer to guide you through each workout while giving detailed instructions.

Tonal always remembers how much weight you did the last time and will even inch it up from time to time.  If you choose, the amount of weight that you want can also be manually adjusted.

There are 17 sensors that the computers AI uses to offer instant feedback, looking for incorrect form or position.  The artificial intelligence also knows when you are struggling and automatically adjusts weight as it goes.

It can be set to add more weight during the negative movements are work as a “spotter” to keep the workouts more challenging.

Tonal home gym remembers every workout, tracks your progress, and monitors your strength.  This user friendly home gym can duplicate almost any exercise done in a commercial gym.

Getting Started

To get to know you better, Tonal will have you choose your fitness goals such as muscle growth, performance, and calorie burn, etc.  Then pick your fitness level, and will take you through a series of exercises while increasing the weight to establish your baseline strength.

Now you are ready to go.  Simply choose the fitness category or body part you want to focus on to scroll through the class selections.

There are numerous classes, categories, and training programs. From there, the virtual trainer will guide you through the entire workout.

Price

The Tonal price is $2995.00 and there is a financing program available.  The is a monthly membership fee of $49.00 per month.  I recommend paying the $250 setup fee to get it securely attached to the wall.

If you don’t like Tonal for any reason, it comes with a 30 day risk free trial and also a 3 year warranty.

A nice benefit to the membership is that you will receive unlimited accounts for everyone to use.

Unfortunately, the smart bar, handles, ropes, and bench are sold separately for $495.  These are required to use the system.

Tonal Benefits

• Designed for weight training with 200lb of resistance
• Over 170 different movements
• Smooth resistance adjusts automatically or manually
• Tracks workout stats such as reps, sets, and weight
• Easy to use 24″ touchscreen
• 100’s of classes by category and fitness level
• All-in-one space-saving home gym
• Multiple users at no extra charge
• 3 Year Warranty is longer than average

Possible Negatives

• Set of handles and other accessories at an additional charge
• Live classes and feedback is not available on Tonal
• Tonal gym cost and membership fees are the most expensive in its class

Tonal VS Tempo Conclusion

From my research, Tempo Studio interactive home gym proves to be the winner in the virtual home gym category.  It is truly interactive with live feedback from a streaming personal trainer and optimized artificial intelligence.

Tempo includes all of the workout gear, the screen is twice the size, and it’s priced much less. However, their upgrade packages do get more pricey.

Tempo offers more versatile exercise programs while Tonal concentrates on heavier strength training exercises.

Both of these home gyms provide tons of different exercise routines grouped by category and offer great full body workout programs. Like Tempo, Tonal is excellent for heavy weight training and building muscle. However, you are restricted to the movement of the arms.

Tempo and Tonal come with a user friendly touchscreen and automatically increase intensities to keep you challenged.

Whether you prefer Tempo vs Tonal will depend on your personal fitness goals and preferences.  They are both very effective and state of the art interactive home gym exercise equipment.

Check out my Best Interactive Home Gym review where I compare Tonal vs Mirror vs Tempo vs Echelon

⇒ If you have any questions or comments about “which is better Tempo or Tonal”, please leave a message below and I will respond.