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Maximize Your Workout Experience With Our Guide to Tonal

The guide to getting started with Tonal

If your goal is to get stronger, leaner, healthier, happier, or bulkier, you’ve come to the right place. We put together a quick-read guide to help you get acclimated to your new digital strength training system.

Find the answers to all of your getting started with Tonal questions here and get ready for the best workouts of your life.

Get oriented.

Watch the Getting Started and Workout Basics videos to get acquainted with your Tonal. These can be found in the “Welcome to Tonal” section of your home screen.

Be sure to also watch the Smart Bar Tutorial for important safety information.

You’ll also want to take note of how to adjust the arms of your Tonal. Practice moving Tonal’s arms with Coach Kelly as he shows you how to set up your Tonal for a workout in our Getting Started video.

Getting started with Tonal: a guide to your trainer

Rotate Button: Rotates the arm horizontally
Angle Lever: Changes the vertical angle of the arm
Height Lever: Allows the arms to move up and down the track

Trust the intelligence.

To get started, complete Your First Tonal Workout to find your starting weights and learn everything you need to start your fitness journey. Once complete, Tonal automatically selects your weights for each movement so you never have to think about how much to lift again. You can always adjust the weight if you want more or less of a challenge.

Commit to showing up.

Tonal will suggest a multi-week training program in the “Next Up” section that’s based on your goals. Programs get you moving a few times per week with different moves each day. Our coaches guide you with step-by-step instruction and motivation.

Meet the Coaches.

Read their bios and watch their intro videos on Tonal to get a sense of their coaching style and unique approaches to fitness.

Pump some tunes.

Tonal Radio will power your workouts and keep you grooving with six stations to choose from. If you have Bluetooth headphones, you can pair them with Tonal. Swipe down from the top right corner of the display to access the Settings menu. Select “Bluetooth” to pair your device.

Tell your friends.

Research shows you are significantly more likely to accomplish a goal when you tell someone about it. Don’t be shy about sharing your training! Tag us @TonalStrong on Facebook and @tonal on Instagram. We want to hear how you’re doing!

Now That You’re A Pro, Get To Know The Advanced Features Of Tonal

Weight Suggestions

After you complete Your First Workout, Tonal suggests the appropriate weight for you to lift whenever you’re doing a guided workout.

If you’re in free lift mode, Tonal automatically sets the weight to your last remembered weight. The remembered weight is what you lifted in your most recent set. You can adjust the weight at any time.

Smart Handles

The Tonal Smart Handles enable you to turn the weight on or off once you’re comfortably in position. Simply click the button on either end, with either hand, and never worry about dropping a dumbbell on your toe again.

Smart Bar

The Smart Bar enhances many lifts and chops and is loaded with safety functionality. In addition to turning the weight on and off with the Bar Control Clip, you can simply tilt the bar to drop the weight. This is especially helpful when you’re in a bench press so you can turn the weight off without moving your fingers or straining your back. In order to access this functionality, Tonal needs to be in Bar Mode.

In guided workouts, this happens automatically when a coach asks you to do a move with the bar. Tonal takes itself out of Bar Mode when the coach takes you back to a move using the handles or a different attachment. When you work out in Free Lift, Tonal relies on you to set Bar Mode. All you have to do is select the bar move you’re doing before you start lifting, and Tonal will take care of the rest.

Spotter

In order to push yourself with confidence, the Tonal Spotter acts like your trainer or workout buddy at the gym. If you’re ever struggling to complete a rep, Spotter will lower the weight in one pound increments until you finish the set. Push harder or test yourself with a burnout with the support of Spotter.

To turn Spotter on, tap the Weight Control. It will remain on for the rest of your workout, unless you disable it.

Eccentric

Eccentric mode is a dynamic weight mode that adds resistance to the negative portion of a movement. You can add up to 60% of the weight to optimize your time under tension to build muscle and strength faster. You can find this feature in the Weight Control.

Chains

Chains is how we adapt your weight on the fly to get heavier as you pull or push through the full range of motion. Each rep will feel heavier the further out the cable is, similar to metal chains or a resistance band. It’s a helpful feature to add an extra challenge to your sets to increase the power you can generate. You can also find this feature in the Weight Control.

We’re constantly adding new workouts, programs, and features, so stay tuned! We always want to hear what you think, so feel free to reach out. Get excited and get ready to be your strongest with Tonal.