Scroll back a few years and you’ll notice something funny about connected fitness. Everyone was talking about bikes, treadmills, mirrors on the wall… basically cardio with a screen. Peloton became a cultural icon. Mirror promised yoga in your living room. And for a while, that was enough.
However, it left out half of the equation. Strength training. The thing coaches and doctors keep repeating: lift weights, build muscle, protect your body as you age. Cardio burns calories, yes, but strength keeps you moving long-term. So why did it take so long for connected fitness to bring strength into the picture?
Because it’s harder. And maybe a little scarier.
Why Strength Was Left Behind
Let’s be honest. Cardio is easy to package. Put a screen on a bike, add classes, build a community. Done. People sweat, they high-five, they come back for more.
Strength training? Whole different animal. It requires progressive overload, proper form, and safety measures. Drop a dumbbell in your living room, and suddenly the convenience doesn’t look so convenient. No wonder early connected platforms leaned heavily on cardio. It was cleaner, safer, and easier to monetize.
But eventually, the gap was obvious. Users started asking: where’s the strength? If this technology can help me pedal through France on a Tuesday night, why can’t it also coach me through a proper squat?
The Tech That Changed Everything
The real shift came when resistance stopped being tied to plates of iron. Instead of racks and barbells, smart gyms started using motors, cables, and sensors. That’s where AI crept in.
Now machines like Speediance’s Gym Monster 2 can sense when you’re fatiguing and lighten the load mid-rep. Tonal can increase resistance as you get stronger, like a trainer spotting you. Vitruvian condenses the whole idea into a portable platform.
Think about that for a second. No more guessing. No more wondering if you picked the right dumbbell. The system literally decides for you, based on how you’re moving in that exact moment. It’s like training with a coach who never gets distracted, never forgets your last set.
A Pandemic Push No One Planned For
Of course, timing played its part. The pandemic shoved millions of people out of gyms and into their living rooms. Peloton bikes sold out. Dumbbells doubled in price on secondhand sites. People improvised with soup cans.
And then came the realization: cardio was easy enough to replicate at home, but real strength training? Much harder. That pain point opened the door for smarter solutions. Speediance, Tonal, and Vitruvian arrived at just the right time.
Even when gyms reopened, the habit stuck. Once people saw they could lift safely in their bedroom or living room, skipping traffic and membership fees, many didn’t want to go back. Strength training finally had its shot in the connected space.
Speediance: Foldable and Practical
Among the new players, Speediance found its angle: foldability. Its Gym Monster doesn’t need a dedicated room or permanent installation. You work out, fold it flat, and reclaim your space. For apartment dwellers, that’s huge.
The machine also comes with AI-driven modes, including eccentric training, chain-like resistance, and constant speed. Beginners get guidance. Intermediate users get progression without planning. Advanced lifters? Well, some complain the 220-pound resistance cap isn’t enough, but for the majority, it covers plenty of ground.
Reviews picked up on the trade-offs. Wired called it clever for small homes. SFGate loved the folding design. Critics nitpicked the resistance limit. But that’s the point: people were finally reviewing a foldable gym as a real piece of equipment, not a gimmick.
Tonal: The Premium Wall Fixture
Tonal went in another direction. Instead of foldability, it offered sleek permanence. Mount it on the wall, plug it into structured programs, and train with digital weights up to 200 pounds per arm.
It’s polished. Elegant. Almost clinical. The kind of thing that fits perfectly in a modern home office. But it comes with strings: professional installation, a steep upfront price, and subscription fees if you want the full package. For households with money and space, Tonal is brilliant. For renters? Not so much.
Still, Tonal deserves credit. It made connected strength aspirational. It showed people that lifting at home could be stylish, not just practical.
Vitruvian: The Portable Outlier
Vitruvian kept things minimal. A compact platform with digital resistance, easily stored under a bed or carried along if you move. It doesn’t have the giant screen or glossy programs, but it does the job. For people who value portability above bells and whistles, it’s an appealing option.
It shows that connected strength isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some want elegance. Some want portability. Others want foldability.
Why This Matters to Consumers
Here’s the bigger picture. For years, consumers accepted that connected fitness meant cardio. Now expectations are shifting. People don’t just want to stream a workout. They want equipment that adapts, guides, and fits into their lives.
AI-powered strength systems do exactly that. They track reps, adjust resistance, and provide structure. They make strength training less intimidating for beginners and more efficient for regular lifters. That’s a game-changer.
And companies like Speediance prove it’s not only about polished ecosystems or famous instructors. Sometimes, practicality, a foldable design, and a one-time cost are what resonate most.
Recognition Helps Build Trust
The funny thing about fitness tech is that credibility doesn’t just come from sales. It comes from validation. Reviews, awards, and industry recognition all matter.
Speediance’s 2025 wins at the FIT Sport Design Awards and the Global Tech Awards gave it legitimacy. Tonal leans on celebrity partnerships. Peloton thrives on cultural cachet. Different routes, same outcome: proof that these machines aren’t fads.
Without that validation, connected strength could have slipped into the same category as gimmicky infomercial gear. With it, the category looks like the real deal.
Beyond the Cardio Bubble
So where does connected fitness go now? Probably toward deeper integration. Machines that sync with wearables. Programs that adjust based on sleep and stress. Maybe even VR environments where you compete in strength challenges from your living room.
But the important part is this: the days of cardio-only connected fitness are done. Strength has arrived. And companies like Speediance are showing that it doesn’t have to be bulky, intimidating, or stuck in a garage.
Peloton built a movement around community. Tonal built one around elegance. Speediance is building one around flexibility. Together, they’ve reshaped what home fitness looks like.
And it’s about time strength training got invited to the party.