I Tried Amp, the AI Strength Training System — and It May Replace My Gym Membership

Fitness enthusiasts are becoming increasingly interested in enhancing their home gym setups – and the latest entry into the smart fitness equipment market, Amp, seems to be the answer to their needs. For a fitness writer like myself, my current home workout setup is rather modest, featuring adjustable dumbbells, a mix-match of resistance bands, and my treasured yoga mat. However, if you ask me about my ideal home gym setup, I wouldn’t hesitate to share about Amp.

Amp, valued at $1,795, is a revolutionary addition to the smart fitness equipment industry. At first glance, you might mistake it for a state-of-the-art coat stand, but beneath its sleek, silver column and a single arm that conceals its cable, hides a versatile strength training machine. Amp is capable of facilitating a range of exercises for your upper body, core, and lower body. Its primary attraction, however, is its smart algorithm that learns from your workout performances and suits your fitness requirements, levels, and objectives.

Interested customers can reserve Amp for a $99 deposit, which will count towards the total price once it’s available and also covers a one-year subscription to the app. The Amp machine is slated to start shipping in early 2025. My pre-launch experience with Amp was quite insightful, and if you keep reading, you’ll find out what makes it worth the investment.

One of the first things that appealed to me about Amp was its simple, inconspicuous design. Mounted on your wall, it can easily blend in with your interiors, and if visitors do notice the minimalist silver column, they’re likely to find it intriguing rather than displeasing.

Despite its aesthetic appeal, the simplicity and efficiency of its user-friendly design deserve equal merit. Frequently, advanced fitness gear can be intricate to a point of unnecessary complexity. Amp, on the other hand, is instinctive to use. Two easily accessible knobs control the height and angle of the arm and adjustment of weights (up to 100 pounds). The pedestal also comes in handy for placing your mobile device for an easy view of the app during workouts and even charges your device alongside.

The intelligence of Amp’s workouts really impressed me. It offers different smart modes, each targeting specific workouts, with automatic weight adjustments. For instance, the Band mode exercises the concept of using a resistance band by increasing weight during the dynamic phase of a workout. This machine also recognizes your stopping point in the middle of a workout, giving the Drop Set mode the signal to decrease some weight, allowing you to complete your set without needing to manually remove the weights.

The system also learns from your workouts and uses this data to create a more tailored experience for you. For instance, if you’ve done several upper body sessions consecutively, it might suggest a lower body workout. Alternatively, it can help you progress by recommending incrementally heavier weights.

I was particularly drawn to the gamified challenges that Amp offers. This encourages you to lift heavier weights for longer durations, which you might otherwise not do, especially during the final set of a workout. Additionally, it helps you maintain a pace – fast decrease, slow increase – that optimizes muscle engagement.

Amp is fundamentally centered on strength training. It collaborates with various trainers and offers Pilates or yoga workouts in addition to classic strength sessions; though it isn’t intended to be a cardio workout machine.

Amp, being a premium home workout system, is ideal for beginners and experts alike. With a one-time fee of $1,795 and a monthly subscription of $23, Amp is indeed an investment. However, its multi-functionality and well-crafted workouts make it worth the price. It could easily substitute your gym membership.

Amp also comes with several added benefits such as white-glove installation at no additional cost. Furthermore, Amp provides five attachments free of charge – a handle, dual handle, rope, T-bar, and ankle strap.

In conclusion, If you’re looking for a supreme home workout system that can offer a seamless combination of intelligence and intuitiveness in physical fitness, Amp is worth considering.