Tonal has been busy since the company introduced its second-generation machine in January of this year. Not only does the digital functional trainer now have Tonal Intelligence-powered Daily Lift workouts and new ankle strap workouts, but they're introducing an entirely new way of using Tonal.
At-home Pilates workouts are usually limited in what they can replicate because most moves require expensive reformer platforms that provide steady tension via springs. But Tonal is using its unique hardware to introduce Pilates to the Tonal 1 and 2. Even more exciting is that it’s partnering with celebrated trainer Kristin McGee (you likely know her from her tenure on Peloton or from her own fitness platform).
Additionally, Tonal is releasing exclusive Pilates Loops made just for Tonal in partnerships with Reformer Loops. The new accessories are available for pre-order now on the Tonal website, with the full Pilates experience rolling out about a month later on November 17 to both the Tonal 1 and Tonal 2 platforms.
The new workouts emulate the 10 different tension levels of reformer springs, using micro-adjustments to match your exact performance. The first series of workouts will be led by Kristin McGee. I sat down with McGee to find out more about the new Pilates programming as well as what might be next for her on the platform.
Anthony: In the time since parting ways with Peloton, you've established your own fitness platform — what was it about Tonal that enticed you to partner up?
McGee: I think it's so innovative and data driven! Tonal establishes an individual baseline and tracks real progression. You're not just guessing and saying "oh, I think I can go up a little on this exercise." Tonal actually gives you all the data and then acts on it so that you keep progressing. And their programming is great — you can actually integrate this technology and your progress with tried and true workouts. For women, especially, it's an amazing gateway. A lot of women have this apprehension about lifting and strength training. But when you have it in the comfort of your home and you don't have to be self-conscious and you have data-supported workouts, I think that's incredibly empowering.
A: So do you incorporate a lot of strength training into your fitness routine? What does your perfect workout week look like?
M: I do! Strength training is great for longevity and stamina. I actually feel my yoga is now more of a moving meditation. If I have my perfect week, I think it would be two days of strength, two of pilates, and one day of yoga.
I think it's so cool that Tonal gives you the ability to fuse all these elements into one workout session. I can start with Pilates as my warmup to get focused and into my core and then have that core activation that helps me during my strength. Then I'd enhance my mobility by finishing with yoga.
A: Pilates is well known, but for a lot of at-home fitness enthusiasts this might be their first full reformer-enabled Pilates workout. What advice do you have for first timers?
M: Reformers are humongous! And they’re intimidating if you’ve never used one. I really love that your Tonal becomes a reformer, essentially. You’re actually going to feel the same resistance but it’s even more fluid because of the digital tension. It’s safe. You can experience the resistance you get with a reformer, but in a compact package. I think Joe Pilates would’ve loved this, he was a big pioneer of innovation in fitness.
And it engages your core in different ways, which is so important for every kind of athlete. I completed my first marathon last year and Pilates has unilateral moves that are great for runners, that engage your core in ways that strength training can't. You can push a lot of weight with your legs but you can cheat and use your back and skip your core. You can't do that with Pilates. I've been doing Pilates sessions with Joe and Akeem [fellow Tonal trainers] and they're fit guys and even they were like "this is hard!"
A: Will we be seeing more programming from you beyond the initial PIlates offering?
M: I'm bringing all three: floor content, pilates, and on-tonal strength. Strength without mobility or mobility without strength is pointless. But it's different for each person, which is why I love how Tonal tailors workouts to each individual.
I'll be adding in active aging content too. Once women go through perimenopause, estrogen and hormones in general decline. You don't get that same testosterone boost from strength training. Women can lose up to something like 7% muscle mass per decade after 50. You have to have progressive overload to stay ahead of the curve and I think Tonal enables them to experience that.
I hope that for women who are on the fence, that this will hopefully inspire them to get into strength training. I think the Tonal community is really awesome and I’m looking forward to getting to know them more. The company is so forward-thinking and open-minded. I'm excited to be working with them.
A: Thanks for taking the time to chat today! I’m looking forward to checking out your classes!
M: It was my pleasure! Thanks so much!
In addition to the new Pilates classes, if you’re looking for traditional strength training, you’ll want to check out the other recent addition to Tonal: ankle straps. Just like the name implies, these wrap around your ankles and unlock a whole new range of lower leg exercises that previously weren't possible on Tonal including glute kickbacks, hamstring curls, donkey kicks, and more. They're a welcome sight for anyone who's tired of being stuck doing deadlift variations and squats to work their legs.
Introduced earlier this year, Tonal’s other new training modality since the Tonal 2 launch is the Daily Lift. Built on "Tonal Intelligence," the company is emphatic that these aren't just AI-generated workouts. The proprietary system combines unique training data from your workouts and uses performance science to deliver personalized training.
How does it work? Each Daily Lift workout is created by layering in multiple inputs. Tonal analyzes your recent workouts and performance in those workouts to figure out which muscle groups are ready to train. It also looks at workout duration and volume to determine intensity and workout length. It then puts together a combination of moves that make sense together (that's the "performance science" element).
Other strength platforms have something like this as well, giving you targeted muscle maps based on recent workouts, but Tonal’s real-data workouts move beyond that basic concept to give you training that’s tailored precisely to match your current fitness level. Now out of beta, it’s available to all Tonal customers. Daily Lift is a great way to stay on track with your fitness goals even if you’re not currently working your way through a program.