Archive for Exercise Gadgets

Dumbbells made with CDs are a great geek workout

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on August 12th, 2008

Dumbbells made with CDs are a great geek workout
Geek or not, if there’s one thing we all have plenty of it’s Cds. And if you want some exercise, but don’t happen to have any dumbbells around, just create your own with all of those CDs collecting dust. The one pictured is 10lbs. All you need are 150 CDs, a threaded rod and bolts and you’ve got a 10 pound weight. The rest is up to you my flabby friend. This should give you an idea of what mailmen had to go through back when all those AOL CDs were arriving at your house. Sure some got all muscular, but others threw out their backs.

Treadwall for those going nowhere

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on August 3rd, 2008

Treadwall for those going nowhere
The Treadwall is great for those who love the outdoors but have no mountains to climb. It’s also pretty nifty for those who hate the outdoors but want a good workout while pretending they are scaling K2. Perfect for bloggers to get away from the computer and get some exercise too. It looks kinda fun.

The whole thing is set up on a moving belt and your only job is to climb nowhere. The speed is in part determined by your weight and power you use pulling up, so the better you get, the faster it is. But at $10,000 I think I’ll go climb a building or two and take my chances.

VR Treadmill lets you run outdoors…while indoors

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on July 28th, 2008

VR Treadmill
For those who believe that they can only get an effective workout outdoors, here’s something that will trick you into getting in shape without hitting the front door. What we have here is basically a fancy treadmill with a curved VR display on top.

It’s a great distraction from your workout, but imagine the video game possibilities. You could actually run around while fragging people. Better yet, jog around the halls of the Starship enterprise or on Mars. Doctor Who fans could pretend that they are being chased by Daleks. Oh yes. It has the potential to get everyone exercising. Especially nerds. At last nerds will be fit and rule the world.

Toshiba Sportio helps you work out

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on June 4th, 2008

Toshiba Sportio helps you work out
In case you haven’t noticed, there is a real fitness craze happening thanks in part to Wii Fit. Toshiba wants to do their part as well. The Toshiba Sportio is a new addition for Japanese carrier KDDi. Ironically, the phone is a fatty, but helps you stay fit with motion sensors counting the calories burned during a workout.

It also takes advantage of GPS to lay out your jogging route. It will stream music to compatible Bluetooth headphones with the ‘BEAT RUN’ function, which adjusts the tempo to you as you feel the burn. The Sportio sports a 2.2 inch TFT 240 x 320 screen, 2 Megapixel camera, GPS and 1 Seg Tuner. You’ll have your choice of five colors: orange, white, black, red and green.

Wii Fit alternative: The Atari Family Trainer

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on May 14th, 2008

Wii Fit alternative: The Atari Family Trainer
Obviously the Wii Fit will be one of the best sellers for Nintendo this summer, and the concept of fun exercise is very appealing to large mammals. It’s appealing to Atari too. Atari is releasing their own version of a fitness game called Family Trainer. In Atari’s version, you don’t use a step-on board like Wii Fit, the Family Trainer uses a floor mat similar to the DDR pad.(Is this thing going to slide and hurt people?)

Family Trainer features several virtual outdoor challenges like river rafting, log jumping, etc. Atari has plans to release Family Trainer in Europe this September. No information on pricing, but expect it to be comparable to Wii Fit.

Charge your gadgets while you exercise

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on May 8th, 2008

Charge your gadgets while you exercise
Pssst. Hey. You. The guy with all the gadgets and the huge gut. Put down the comic book and the PSP, give me a sec. Wanna charge your gadgets and get some exercise at the same time? Maybe get a girl? Check this out.

This pedal-charging device from Japan is like a Power Stepper but even better. Apparently, it will produce enough electricity to power mobile phones, media players, or any number of other gadgets. Just don’t tell anyone you have it, otherwise you will be charging stuff like a hamster in it’s wheel.

Hydro Physio Lifestyle: The future of exercise

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on May 6th, 2008

Hydro Physio Lifestyle: The future of exercise
Apparently, the future of exercise involves lots and lots of water. Think Luke Skywalker in that Bacta tank in Empire, but for exercise instead of rapid healing. Hydro training has many benefits and it’s accepted that water based exercises boost muscular strength with little adverse affects. The Hydro Physio Lifestyle range has been designed to take advantage of the benefits of water exercising to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals with a less stressful method of training.

The Hydro Physio Lifestyle is easy to install too. Variable water heights enable different muscle groups to be worked on. This feature also makes the unit adaptable to the height and mass of each user, so no one needs to be left out.

Seiko Slimstick is like a tiny Richard Simmons

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on April 27th, 2008

Seiko Slimstick is like a tiny Richard SimmonsPedometers are nothing new. They count the number of steps you take. Problem is, they don’t translate that figure into what’s needed to burn off all that junk food you cram down your pie-hole. Seiko has the answer in the form of it’s Slimstick. It’s like a tiny Richard Simmons in that it won’t let you cheat, no matter how hard you try and it is an exercise know-it-all. It won’t wear short shorts, talk all lispy and get into a fight with Dave Letterman…I hope.

It measures all of the work you do as you go about your day. It doesn’t just measure the number of steps you take, it uses sophisticated dual-axis accelerometers to measure the actual amount of work that is being done. With that information it calculates the number of calories burned. It will also store information about your routine, so that it can show you how you are progressing over time. It’s only the size of a pack of gum, so it won’t get in your way. The Slimstick is available in a variety of designer colors and finishes for around $60-70. But only in Japan.

Cycool Bike: work out in style with a fan

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on February 28th, 2008

Cycool Bike
The Cycool bike is not a quantum leap in technology. It’s an exercise bike designed for people who want to work out, but hate sweating. Let’s face it, if you work out, you’re going to sweat. The “system is powered by your own peddling-the faster you peddle, the faster the fan.”

Gamercize gear coming to a gym near you

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Nino Marchetti on February 6th, 2008

gamercize-gym-pod.jpgWe first profiled Gamercize, a company which develops exercise related gaming add ons for various platforms, in January. We’ve known gotten word the company is also bringing to gyms a commercial version of its offering called Gamercize Exercise Pods.

The Gamercize Exercise Pod concept is quite simply a wait to help people lessen the boredom most feel when working out. It consists of a combination of different exercise equipment, one of Gamercize’s accessories and a PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 gaming console. One can even add a HD widescreen LCD television if so desired.

Gamercize PC: exercise while you work

Posted in Computer Components,Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on January 18th, 2008

Exercise while you work
Wii Fit isn’t the only way to get healthy. And even if you get one, that requires leaving the computer. Who wants to do that? The Gamercize PC helps make time for exercise while you’re working at a computer/desk, reading your favorite gadget blog or whatever.

It works just like any step climber but it’s connected to your keyboard and mouse, if you stop stepping, they stop working. So you certainly have some encouragement to keep going. You can burn up 400 calories an hour and it will record your process and keep you in touch with your goal.(Which is probably just to keep your keyboard and mouse working)

CES 2008

Garmin Forerunner 405 tracks workouts, uploads wirelessly

Posted in CES 2008,Exercise Gadgets,GPS,Garmin,Watches by Darrin Olson on January 7th, 2008

Garmin 405 Forerunner GPS watch tracks routes while running and uploads to your computer without wiresGarmin has a new exercise gadget debuting at CES this year called the Forerunner 405, designed for runners to aid in training and track routes. The new 405 is also a little more stylish than previous models with similar functionality, keeping the size to a minimum so the gadget doesn’t look like such a gaudy chunk of electronics on your wrist.

The Forerunner 405 is GPS enabled and allows outdoor runners to keep track of their speed, distance, heart rate and location through the watch. This model also features a cool new bezel around the display that lets users navigate and change settings on the watch by simply tapping it and sliding their finger around the metal circle.

Getting your fitness Swirl on

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Nino Marchetti on December 19th, 2007

swirlnet.jpgAnd so surfaces another fitness gadget. Swirlnet, a company around for a good part of 2007, is getting ready to show off at CES a new version of its Swirl product. This one is called the Swirl MX.

The Swirl MX is designed to work with Swirlfit, the online companion of the fitness device, to help you “create your own heart rate zone training programs and intensity-match them to your favorite music.” The product itself is described as a 1oz heart rate monitor, music player and virtual personal trainer which “guide you so you stay in target training zones throughout your workout” by offering real-time voice coaching.

WiiFit release info announced for Japan

Posted in Exercise Gadgets,Nintendo,Wii,Wii Accessories by Reuben Drake on October 10th, 2007

Nintendo announces the WiiFit release date and price for JapanEarlier today at Nintendo’s Fall Conference the company announced a release date and price for their new WiiFit balance board game in Japan’s market. The WiiFit game will go on sale December 1 for 8,800 Yen, or about $75 which might seem a little bit on the steep side but it does come bundled with the balance board. Similar games like Guitar Hero that come with the guitar accessory are usually priced similar or more. There was no announcement for a U.S. release of the WiiFit game yet but you can bet that it will be launched in the states before the holiday season, likely for a similar price.

Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control watch released

Posted in Exercise Gadgets,Watches by Darrin Olson on October 5th, 2007

Nike Amp+ Sport Remote ControlWithout much fanfare Nike has let loose the new Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control. The Amp+ wears on your wrist like a watch and actually will tell the time, but that’s the least impressive of its features.

The watch works in conjunction with the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit and Nike+ iPod Ready shoes (if you want shoes with a special pocket in your shoe for the sensor) to give you audible feedback while your walking or running of your time, distance, calories and pace. This is very convenient and saves you from toggling through menus and viewing the data on a little LCD screen. The display shows the time and when connected to your iPod nano will show navigation controls for the player. You can even set up a particular “power song” and hit a button to play it during the tougher times when you need a little extra motivation.