By Joseph Mapa as told to Karen Iorio Adelson

As a police officer and Marine Corps veteran, fitness should have always been part of my life, but it never really was. 

In the Marines, I ran because I had to, but I never enjoyed it. My current job is relatively sedentary. When I first became a police officer, I worked in the dispatch department and wasn’t out and about much. Now I’m a supervisor, so I’m mostly at my desk setting schedules and filing reports. 

Over the years, I got heavier and heavier. My clothes weren’t fitting anymore, and I felt increasingly uncomfortable. I’d see myself in photos and be surprised by how I looked. My wake-up moment came in January 2021 when I realized my uniform pants were getting too small. I had to call the supply officer at work and order pants the next size up—although I hoped I wouldn’t actually need to wear them. That’s when I knew I needed to take action. 

If I was going to be consistent, I needed a way to work out at home. Going to the gym isn’t easy for me since I work 12-hour shifts and commute an hour each way. I have to be at work by 5 a.m., and I want to spend time with my family when I get home. 

I knew I wanted to strength train, but I wasn’t sure what exercises to do or how to structure a lifting session. With workouts and programs led by expert coaches, Tonal made it easy to get started. After a month of working out regularly on Tonal, I began seeing muscle definition. My clothes were fitting better, and I had to make my work belt tighter. I lost 30 pounds in seven months, and even though I’ve gained some of it back, it must be muscle because I didn’t have to loosen my belt again, and all my clothes still fit. 

Tonal has given me the confidence to try a totally new-to-me activity: indoor rock climbing with my 16-year-old son. I never thought I could keep up with my son climbing, because I don’t have that lean body type you typically see at the climbing gym. 

But we’ve been going together weekly for a couple of months now, and I can see the connection between lifting weights on Tonal and climbing. When I’m pulling myself up on the rock face, I’m using the same motions. I do on Tonal. Even learning how to activate my hips in recovery workouts has helped me use them more in my climbs. I’ve also gained so much muscular endurance and I can hold myself up longer. I don’t get tired as quickly, and I don’t feel that sore afterward.

There’s one vertical climb at the gym that I’d always struggled with in the past. I just couldn’t grab the holds on it. It didn’t feel comfortable, and I didn’t feel strong. But after finishing the Go Big or Go Home 3 program on Tonal along with some custom workouts I created based on my favorite workouts in the program, I was able to do that climb on my first try when I was at the gym recently. And I went on to do it a second and third time. It was an amazing feeling. Another climber at the gym with a similar body type as mine actually saw me do it and asked for my help. I demonstrated my technique to him and showed him how I move my body. It felt good to help him out and celebrate with him when he did the climb. 

I know how important it is to inspire others because I’ve drawn so much support from the Official Tonal Community on Facebook. The biggest challenge for me has been carving out the time to exercise. I knew that just buying Tonal wouldn’t get me in shape—I had to make a commitment to myself. Seeing others in the community getting in their workouts, gives me the confidence that I can do it, too. I love how we’re all just regular people who’ve decided to change our lives. We’re all on our own journeys. Someone can lift 100,000 pounds or 5,000 pounds in a workout, and we still support them. Now, I post my daily workouts hoping that I can be that inspiration for someone else. 

Besides the physical changes, Tonal has also made it easier for me to show up for the people in my life. Putting my own health first gives me the energy to be a better leader at work. I feel like I can motivate and inspire my officers more because I’m proud of what I accomplish each day in my workout. It’s also helped me keep up with my kids. Since I lost my own dad when I was very young, it’s important for me to be there for them, whether that means rock climbing with my son or going to a concert with my 18-year-old daughter. 

I’ve now been working out on Tonal for two years and my goal is to keep it up as long as possible so I can keep being there for my family. Objectively, I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been. I genetically have very high triglycerides, but since I started on Tonal, my numbers have dropped to the lowest they’ve ever been. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to lower my risk of different health problems. 

As for those bigger uniform pants I ordered back in 2021, I ended up never having to wear them. I still keep them, though, as a reminder of how far I’ve come.

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Tonal Transformations

Tonal Helped Me Lose 92 Pounds—and Gave Me My Life Back

Tonal member Shelley Black beat cancer three times but lost her confidence. After achieving her fitness goals, she’s living her life to the fullest.

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It’s never too late to start—or restart—your fitness journey. Here’s how to come back strong no matter how long you’ve been on the sidelines.

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At 65, I’m Strong Enough to Hike Around the World

At 65, Tonal member Tracy Dingman is hiking around the world, proving it’s never too late to get started.

By Shelley Black as told to Karen Iorio Adelson

I was never a small person, but losing weight became even more difficult after a series of health challenges a few years back. 

At 38 years old, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was a total shock. It was even more surprising when, less than a year later in 2016, I learned I also had thyroid cancer. If that wasn’t enough, I found out I had skin cancer in 2019. Luckily, all three of my cancers were caught early, and I was able to beat them. But my body wasn’t the same. 

I had my thyroid and uterus removed to prevent future cancers or complications, but the hormonal changes from those procedures made it very difficult to lose weight. My body simply wasn’t responding to diet and exercise. Whether I ate or didn’t eat, I gained weight. 

Even if I did lose weight, it would eventually creep back up again. My husband is very active and has a background in exercise physiology. Despite going to the gym with him four to five days a week for years, I still couldn’t keep the weight off. 

When our gym closed in 2020 during the pandemic, my husband started looking into other options. He suggested Tonal, and after watching a few videos online, we decided to order one. 

When I was setting up my Tonal profile and had to enter my weight, I really didn’t want to put in that number. I weighed the most I had since right before I gave birth to my daughter (who’s now 17 years old). It was discouraging, but I told myself, “This is where I’m at. Now I can go from here.” 

Since then, I’ve completed 32 programs and lost 92 pounds. 

I really started seeing results when I added HIIT workouts to my routine. My first HIIT workout was so hard that I thought I wasn’t going to be able to walk the next day. As I kept doing these workouts weekly along with strength training, the number on the scale started going down.

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Tonal changed the way I looked at working out. After starting my first program, I was hooked. I loved that it was so easy to use, even for someone like me who never tested it out before buying. I’m also very competitive, so I enjoyed maintaining my streak and following my progress on Tonal’s leaderboard. (Look for my username IAMSHELLEY1976 if you want to connect.) 

Since I can just walk to another room in my house and get my workout done, I don’t have any excuses. I don’t have to worry about driving to the gym or waiting around to use the equipment I want because someone else is on it. 

Community is important to me, too. I love cheering people on in live classes and posting my milestones in the Official Tonal Community. It’s so amazing to see that even in such a competitive society, people have rallied around each other. Feeling like you’re not alone in a workout makes such a huge difference. Just being part of it makes me smile. 

Growing up, I never had an issue with self-confidence, but as I got older and gained weight, that shifted. I didn’t feel like myself. That all changed with Tonal. 

This new confidence translates to living my life to the fullest. I’ve gone water skiing, wakeboarding, and tubing, activities I hadn’t done for years because of my weight, on the lake near my home in Houston. When I do yard work or pick up a 50-pound bag of dog food at the store, I don’t have to think twice about whether I can do it. If someone asks me to go on a hike, I can say “yes” without a question. The old me would have been like, “Have you lost your mind?” I haven’t run a marathon, but I feel like I could if I put in the training. I have the tools to do something like that now. I’m even planning on starting my own business designing clothing and accessories, a challenge I’ve wanted to take on for a while but didn’t think I was ready.

Tonal has given me my life back and helped me love myself in a way I thought I’d never be able to again. Now, when I look in the mirror, I feel like I’m truly seeing myself.

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How I Lost 100 Pounds and Saved My Life in the Process

Tonal member Robert Mahaney hopes his life-changing journey inspires others, especially his daughters.

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Lifting Heavy Won’t Make You Bulky—Here’s What It’ll Do Instead

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By Jonathan Flicker

Every time you do a coach-led workout on Tonal, you’re completing a specific series of exercises in a particular order designed to maximize your results. In this series, The Why Behind the Workout, we break down the science behind a particular workout or program. 

Here, we go deep on Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength with Tonal coach and certified personal trainer Kendall “Woody” Wood.

Who It’s For

Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength is an intermediate-level program designed for the everyday athlete who wants to build foundational strength and muscle while losing fat and shifting their body composition.

Getting all of these results in just one program isn’t easy, but Wood explains, “we’re doing that by way of foundational compound lifts and movement patterns in higher rep schemes with lighter weights, then weaving in plyometric bursts and off-Tonal intervals.”

This program is a great choice for someone who used to play sports and still loves to challenge their athleticism, the weekend warrior who dabbles in recreational activities with friends, or anyone who wants to bring out their inner athlete.

“Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength, is a great program to tap into for people who want to push their limits and have the goals of getting lean and shaping up,” Wood says.

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How It Works

In this program, Wood uses a combination of traditional strength training and plyometrics over four workouts per week: an upper-body day targeting chest and back, a lower-body day, a second upper-body day working the shoulders and core, and then a full-body day. 

In weeks one and two, you’re establishing proficiency in the movement patterns before you progress in terms of level and complexity in weeks three and four. The idea is to progressively overload the muscles and stimulate adaptation.

“To move the needle, we need to have novel stimulus of progressive overload every couple of weeks,” says Jenna Moore, a certified strength and conditioning coach and Programming Specialist at Tonal. “The plyometric nature of the program stimulates fast-twitch muscle fibers to create the bigger, faster, stronger aesthetic and mentality.” She adds that the compound lifts are done at a moderate rep range of 8-10 reps to build muscle. 

In each workout, the purpose of the first block is preparation, with movement variations that are slightly less intense to prime your body for the bigger, more technical movements you’re going to see later on. Think of it as an extended warmup.

The moves in the second (primary) block feature big compound lifts. In the first two weeks, those main movements are accompanied by active recovery exercises to give you additional time to rest, but in weeks three and four, it’s game on; they’re paired with explosive plyometrics with similar mechanics creating what is known as contrast sets. “Super-setting two movements of the same muscle group in this manner increases our force production and subsequent muscle growth,” says Wood.   

The third and final block of each workout is all about cranking up your metabolism with more cardio and conditioning movements to improve agility, coordination, and explosiveness. This is when you really challenge your inner athlete, build resiliency, and strengthen the stabilizing muscles around the joints creating a more durable body.

The Key Moves

Rotational Row

Wood is a huge fan of this move along with the rotational lift and chop because, as she says, “they train the body how to transfer power and force.” These moves help you become familiar with how your kinetic chain—the interrelated group of segments within your body that work together to perform moves—functions. 

Bird Dog with Row

This is a challenging move that combines two exercises, the bird dog and the single-arm row, and taps into your back, glutes, core, and shoulders. “This is a move where you need to self-correct, a term I use a lot because it empowers you and helps you notice any inconsistency in your movement pattern without me pointing it out,” explains Wood.

Barbell Hip Thrust

The barbell hip thrust is one of Wood’s all-time favorite moves because of how it isolates and strengthens the glutes from a shortened position. “Stronger glutes equals a stronger body. The stronger the glutes, the more support for the spine and the entire trunk,” she says. 

Barbell Sumo Deadlift

This lower-body compound move targets the quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, and back. “We’re really tapping into the hips here,” she says, “and asking a lot from the glutes especially the glute medius,” a key muscle that stabilizes the pelvis and helps keep your trunk upright when walking or running.

When to Do it

Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength has 16 workouts designed to be completed in four weeks, with four workouts per week. “The cadence of this workout is set as on, on, off, on, off, on, off. People should fit them in when they can, but minimally getting in one or two rest days in the cycle is ideal to get full recovery,” says Moore. Wood agrees about the importance of the scheduled rest days. “You don’t want to run the risk of burning out by skipping rest days,” she says. “Listen to your body.”  A typical week might look like this:

Moore says that the most important thing is consistency and setting your intentions for each day.“You will get out what you put in. If you’re looking to maximize your results, show up every workout ready to give it your all,” she says.

What to Do Next

Power Hour 2 – Coach Kendall Wood

“If your momentum is high after completing this program, you should tap into my recently released Power Hour 2,” says Wood. It uses the same general idea of incorporating the most fundamental compound lifts and maximizing your power by pairing them with off-Tonal plyometrics. “It will be a fun test of how far you’ve come and how strong you’ve gotten, but it’s not for the faint of heart,” she says.

Power Gains – Coach Tim Landicho

In this program, “The rep ranges are in the 6 to 8 range, which makes it a perfect progression from the 8 to 10 we used in Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength,” says Moore. It utilizes the Bulgarian Method to build strength and power. This method uses Eccentric and Chains mode to vary between slower, more controlled, and faster, more dynamic reps of the same movement.

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Maintain Strength and Prevent Injuries During Your Off-Season With This New Program

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One of the best ways to stay motivated, remain consistent, and have fun with fitness is to sweat it out with a buddy or loved one.  Along with keeping you accountable, working out with a partner can actually help you enjoy exercise more, according to one study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology. As for couples who work out at home together, a 2021 study found that people who exercised with their romantic partners felt more satisfied with their workouts and their relationships. 

Partner workouts on Tonal make it easy to work out side-by-side with a friend or family member and get stronger together. Since one membership gives you unlimited accounts, you’ll each be able to get personalized weight recommendations and track your progress.

How to Start a Partner Workout

Training partners and accountability buddies can be key to pushing past plateaus or achieving your next goal. From strength training and HIIT to recovery and mobility, almost any Tonal workout can be done as a partner workout (with the exception of your initial strength assessment and workouts streaming live). Once you pick the session you want to do together, it’s easy to get set up. 

1. Select a workout on Tonal. On the bottom left of your screen, you’ll see an option to select Partner if that workout is available as a partner workout.

2. Sign in your workout buddy. If they don’t have a Tonal account, they’ll be prompted to create one.

3. You’ll start with a warmup. After the first person completes the first lifting set, we’ll prompt the next person. While you wait for your turn, cheer each other on, rest, or do some active recovery. You’ll perform off-Tonal moves at the same time. 

Note: Because partner workouts include time for both of you to do all the sets, they will take longer than the stated completion time on Tonal. This will vary based on the number of on- and off-Tonal moves, but members say to expect a workout to last 1.5 times longer than the allotted time. Once you start the session, the time remaining will reflect an estimate of the length of the workout with both partners.

Benefits of Partner Workouts on Tonal

Convenience

When you’re working out at the gym with a friend or family member of a different ability level, you’ll spend a lot of time re-racking a barbell or grabbing multiple dumbbells to accommodate both of your needs. During Tonal’s partner workouts, you’ll each get personalized weight recommendations for every exercise, all on one piece of equipment. Digital weight automatically adjusts from person to person, so there’s no need to waste time changing weights.

John Wikman, a Tonal member from Indianapolis, says adaptive digital weight is a “great equalizer” for doing partner workouts with his wife Kelly. “We can both do the exact same workout, even at the same time, and know that we’re getting the same [level of] intensity,” he says. 

Amanda Gee, of Omaha, Nebraska, agrees that not struggling to swap weights between sets makes Tonal partner workouts a “game changer” for her and her husband John. “It takes so much less time, effort and frustration,” she says, compared to a similar workout with traditional equipment. 

Variety

Tonal offers workouts beyond strength training—including high-intensity interval training, cardio, mobility, and recovery workouts—and many of these can also be performed as partner workouts. If you’re stuck in a rut of doing the same type of exercise, having a partner who usually does a different modality can encourage you to try something new or push you harder than you do on your own. 

For example, Faith West, a Tonal member from Saratoga Springs, Utah, convinced her husband Wesley to try a mobility workout with her. He was hesitant at first, but now he’s hooked, and the couple does a session together every night. 

“He will say ‘not everyone does [mobility] because it doesn’t seem important, but it’s the most important part of fitness,’” says West. “Every time he says it, I chuckle and say ‘you were that person.’”

Individual Progress Tracking

Even though you’re doing the workout together, you’ll still get all your individual metrics so you can track your progress and your Strength Score. Your stats, including total volume lifted and any new PRs, will be saved to your own Tonal profile. 

A bit of healthy competition with your partner can even motivate you to work harder. Cindy Redman of Yucca Valley, California, loves doing partner strength workouts with her husband Mike and jokes, “I like when I get more PRs than him and my Strength Score goes up more points than his.” 

Houston-based pals Jhon Cuthbertson and Josh Gill use metrics in their partner workouts to spark a light-hearted battle over who can lift more. In one workout, Cuthbertson saw Gill going for additional reps in each set, so she decided to add a few of his own. “This created this competition dynamic, and I think we ended up both lifting over 40,000 pounds that day,” he says. “At the end, we couldn’t get off the ground laughing.”

Try These Partner Workouts

If you’re looking for some fun partner workouts and programs to try, check out below that Tonal members love doing together.

20-in-20: Ignite – Coach Tony Horton
Jonathan Borders and his wife Jami, Tonal members from Springboro, Ohio, are currently working through this four-week program, the latest of several they’ve completed together. Jonathan likes how the workouts are still relatively quick even with the additional time for two partners. 

Go Big or Go Home 3- Coach Jackson Bloore
Since the workouts in this muscle-building program emphasize heavy lifting with long rest periods in between, Wikman says they’re a great option for partner workouts. “It’s easier to take the rest time while the other [partner] is doing the lift,” he adds. 

Quick Fit: Back and Biceps – Coach Tim Landicho
Working through high-volume sets of upper-body pulling exercises is more fun when you have a partner cheering you along. This short workout is popular among members looking to build strength and improve their posture with a pal. 

Push-Pull: Max Variety – Coach Joe Rodonis
With a mix of rep ranges and a variety of different exercises, this program offers something for partners who love building strength and those who want to work on their endurance at the same time.

How to See Your Results After Partner Workouts

You’ll see a workout summary after you and your partner finish the session, just like in an individual workout. Tap your name at the top of the screen to toggle back and forth between your results. You can also access the workout summary from your partner workout in the activity tab of your Tonal mobile app profile.

Partner workouts aren’t the only way to make fitness social on Tonal. Try a live workout to get shout-outs from your coach and cheer on fellow members in real-time, or organize a virtual group workout to exercise with your friends from the comfort of home.

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Working out with others—whether IRL or virtually—is not only more fun, but it’s also proven to help you feel more motivated and supported than exercising alone. 

That’s why Tonal makes it easy to share your passion for fitness with the new Tonal Referral Program, which rewards both you and the friends and family you refer. For each person who purchases a Tonal, you’ll earn one month of free membership. Your referral will receive a $125 discount off their Tonal trainer purchase. It’s a win-win for everyone. 

Plus, sharing the magic of Tonal is easier than ever with the new Tonal home demo feature.

Here’s how to participate in the referral program and welcome your friends and family to the Tonal community: 

How to Make a Referral 

1. Open the Tonal mobile app on iOS or Android.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Tap Refer Tonal > Referral Program.
4. If you prefer to use a browser, visit this page to generate your referral link. 
5. Share your unique referral link with your friends and family. 
6. You may also copy your referral link and share it when ready.

Every time one of your referrals purchases Tonal, you’ll earn one month of free Tonal membership 31 days after the installation of your referral’s Tonal. You’ll receive an email with instructions on how to redeem your reward. Your referral will receive a $125 discount code for their Tonal trainer purchase. You can earn an additional one month free for each referral, up to 10 per calendar year. 

Learn more about our referral program here and get the full terms and conditions.

John Sill is just one member who’s taken advantage of the Tonal referral program to help his friends and family get fit.

An attorney from Wichita, Kansas, Sill originally bought his Tonal to regain the fitness he’d lost after having three children and falling out of his gym routine. 

“Once you get out of it, it’s hard to get back into it,” said Sill in an interview with Tonal. “Right after my daughter turned 5, she said ‘Dad, you don’t have big muscles.’That stung—and motivated me to get back into it.” 

Sill and his wife chose Tonal because they wanted the convenience of working out from home without commuting to the gym or finding childcare. He was already noticing improvements in his strength when he was encouraged to get into bodybuilding. This summer, Sill entered his first competition and won. 

Excited about his victory, Sill posted before-and-after photos on social media to show off his progress. His comments flooded with praise—and lots of questions about how he made his transformation. Everyone was impressed that he did all his strength training on Tonal, and several are now Tonal members thanks to Sill’s referral. 

Of course, Tonal isn’t just for aspiring bodybuilders: Sill’s aunt and uncle were so inspired by their nephew that they bought a Tonal of their own simply to improve their health and get in better shape. 

“They’re not doing bodybuilding,” Sill explained. “They’re retired individuals in their 60s who just want to work out.” Sill loves how Tonal is flexible enough to support all different fitness goals. 

Whether you know someone who loves yoga and Pilates, is looking to build muscle, or wants to improve their golf game, Tonal has something for everyone. 

Read More

By Jonathan Flicker

Every time you do a coach-led workout on Tonal, you’re completing a specific series of exercises in a particular order designed to maximize your results. In this series, The Why Behind the Workout, we break down the science behind a particular workout or program. 

Here, we go deep on Off-Season Strength with Tonal coach, certified personal trainer, and competitive athlete Kristina Centenari.

Who It’s For

Off-Season Strength is an intermediate-level program designed for competitive and recreational athletes looking to excel at the sports and activities they love. Even if you don’t play a structured sport, you’ll benefit by developing a strong foundation to move better through everyday life. 

“It’s for someone who is looking to get really strong by getting back to the basics and get a better understanding of how their body moves through those basics,” explains Centenari, an accomplished runner and triathlete, skier, and former competitive tennis player. In addition to getting in-depth knowledge of your own body, you’ll also gain the confidence to perform your activity without pain or injury.

The Goal

Centenari knows that it’s easy to get sucked into a state of mind where you prioritize performance over long-term health in your training. “I did that as an athlete, and it took a heavy toll on my mind and body,” she says. “This program is designed to help you build a foundation so you can bulletproof your body.” 

You’ll do that by building muscle, power, and connective tissue strength in the tendons and ligaments. “Our connective tissue is there to stabilize the joints, so we need to make sure that it can handle the demands of our training and our daily activities,” adds Josh Clay, a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

For athletes, there’s a lot of talk about raising the ceiling of achievement, but, as Centenari says, “if you don’t have a solid floor or foundation, you’re putting a limit on yourself, and it sets you up for injury, plateau, or burnout.” Off-Season Strength is all about building that solid floor to help you become your strongest, most capable, and most resilient self.

How It Works

In this program, Centenari uses tenets of the Conjugate Method, which exposes you to varying degrees of intensity to improve both strength and power. She adds accessory and isometric work to improve lower-back stability, connective tissue strength, and overall joint health. 

In the program, you’ll complete four workouts per week for four weeks. Two days per week will be devoted to maximum-effort strength, while the other two will focus on dynamic-effort power, with each day targeting either the upper or lower body. Because each day focuses on either strength or power, the intention behind the blocks varies depending on the goal of the workout. 

The first block of each workout pairs a primary, low-repetition move with an active recovery or accessory exercise to increase your range of motion and give your muscles time to rest. The two strength days feature a descending rep scheme working up to a heavy last set. But in the power workouts, Chains mode is activated to maximize velocity with the goal of getting every rep over the 80 percent line of Tonal’s power meter. 

The second block on each day is all about either hypertrophy and core or power with moderate repetitions. Here, you’re being exposed to movement patterns you may not be used to, such as moving laterally, plus a primary upper- or lower-body move to enhance power. 

The third and final block contains rotational and anti-rotational core moves to increase spinal stability. You’ll also see accessory exercises including isometric holds to build postural endurance and connective tissue strength around the hips, knees, and ankles. “Isometric movements require maximal contraction of the muscle [and] the more muscle we can recruit to work, the more strength and power we will be able to produce,” says Centenari. “Isometric strength is largely dependent on overall core strength and trunk stability, which is why we are aligning these concepts throughout the program.”

The Key Moves

Racked Squat

The front-loaded squat is a staple of lower-body strength days. This foundational lower-body push move strengthens the quads and glutes, but the upright position of your torso requires a ton of abdominal strength, making this a great core exercise as well.

Bench Press 

The bench press is a classic compound upper-body strengthening movement. With this exercise, you’re targeting your chest, shoulders, and triceps all at once. “Having a strong upper body will help in pretty much all aspects of life, sport, and movement,” says Centenari. “Whether you are a tennis player swinging a racket or a runner swinging your arms back and forth, this compound lift will help you efficiently build more strength and power.”

Neutral Grip Deadlift 

A foundational hip-hinge move known for its potent ability to strengthen the glutes and hamstrings, deadlifts actually work your entire posterior chain, the muscles on the backside of your body that run from your heels all the way up to the back of your neck. In this program, you’ll do deadlifts on power days with Chains mode activated so you can focus on force and velocity. 

Close Grip Bench Press 

Unlike the traditional bench press, the shoulder-width grip of this move activates the triceps more than the shoulders, allowing for greater power and velocity. Clay points out that “power is the first thing to degenerate as we age, so it’s really important that we continue training to increase it.”

Isometrics (Iso Squat Hold, Iso Split Squat, Superhero Iso Hold)

An isometric contraction is a muscle contraction without motion, and Off-Season Strength has three isometric moves that are key to improving connective tissue strength and spinal stability. “The bottom of your range of motion, when muscles are lengthened, is best for strengthening connective tissue,” says Clay, which is why the two lower-body exercises are performed in the lengthened position. The superhero iso hold is designed to strengthen the lower back’s ability to tolerate spinal extension.

While holding an exercise may seem easier than moving heavy loads, Centenari points out that many people underestimate how hard isometrics are, so be sure to bring your focus to these.

When to Do It

Off-Season strength consists of 16 workouts designed to be completed four times per week for four weeks. Clay recommends doing the first two workouts of the week on consecutive days, followed by a rest day; and then the third and fourth workouts on consecutive days followed by two rest days. A sample schedule might look like:

“You have to work and put in the reps to be consistent but be smart about it by giving yourself the rest you need to get stronger,” says Centenari. 

If you’re training for a sport, it’s best to do this program four to eight weeks out from when the season starts, or complete it a week before your first day of practice or training. 

“If you have performance goals, do this program before you start that specific training,” says Centenari, and Clay adds, “The number one thing is to show up consistently, and to train with an intensity that drives adaptation. Intent is everything.” 

What to Do Next

20-in-20 for Runners – Coach Kristina Centenari

“If you feel confident, start to explore more specific goal-focused programs,” says Centenari. 20-in-20 for Runners has a focus on unilateral work and is a great program for the recreational runner, or anyone looking to move better in sports or through life.

Ski Strong – Coach Kristina Centenari

While this program was designed to improve performance specifically for skiing, Clay recommends this as another great follow-up to Off-Season Strength. Sports are very much about deceleration and change of direction, which requires a ton of eccentric strength. Ski Strong heavily emphasizes this while also focusing on power-based exercises.

Power Build – Coach Joe Rodonis

If you’re ready for the next challenge and are interested in building muscle, especially in the glutes and chest, consider this hypertrophy program. It also uses the Conjugate Method to build strength, muscle, and explosive power, but Power Build has a progression in terms of load due to lower reps and correlating higher weight. 

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You can read all about Tonal and its features, but to really feel what it’s like to lift adaptive digital weight in a workout personalized just for you, you need to experience it for yourself. 

That’s why Tonal offers interactive demo sessions led by Tonal experts at showrooms and Nordstrom stores across the country. At all of these locations, you can try out Tonal, get all your questions answered, and even complete a short workout session during your demo. 

You can find Tonal showrooms in Short Hills, New Jersey; Tysons Corner, Virginia; Los Angeles; Dallas; and, most recently, Boston Seaport. Additionally, Tonal is available to try at Nordstrom stores in cities including San Diego, Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Austin, and Seattle.

When people try Tonal (even professional athletes), they are often surprised by how smooth the adaptive digital weight feels, says Tonal expert Val Zulali, who manages the Tonal showroom in Short Hills, New Jersey, and has been leading demos since 2019. 

“People see our commercials and our amazing partnerships, but they truly want to see how Tonal works and feels,” adds Zulali “It’s great to walk them through how the arms move, how the Smart Accessories work, how easy it is to navigate through our content, and how Tonal’s founder Aly Orady really was able to bring the whole gym to your wall.”

There’s one moment in every Tonal demo that Zulali always looks forward to: “It’s the look of shock and excitement when people finish their last rep and can turn the weight off with a click of a button on the Smart Handles,” she explains. “It happens in almost every demo, and it’s always that ‘wow’ factor when they see how it’s possible that we can literally turn the weight off.

Enter your zip code here to find your nearest location and book a Tonal demo.

Here’s What to Expect When You Book a Tonal Demo

Ready to give Tonal a try? Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions about the demo experience. 

How does a Tonal demo work?

Once you book a demo, you will receive a confirmation email from your local Tonal expert with important details about your demo. They will ask you a few questions to get to know you better and make sure you get the most out of your visit.

Once I arrive for a demo, what happens?

Each demo is unique and tailored to your specific needs and questions. The Tonal expert will show you how to adjust the arms, guide you through different movements, show you the variety of content, and more. You can even get set up to do your strength assessment, which will establish your starting weights on Tonal. If you’re trying out Tonal at a Nordstrom location, you’ll first locate Tonal’s shop-in-shop experience in either the Women’s or Men’s active department and be greeted by a Tonal expert. 

Who will lead me through the demo?

A Tonal expert will guide you through every step of the demo—all you have to do is show up.

What if I’m new to strength training? Will I be completely lost in the Tonal demo?

Many of our members are new to strength training, and Tonal makes it easy to get started. Your local Tonal expert will walk you through the basics from moving the arms to navigating through the workouts and programs. By the end of the demo, you‘ll have a solid understanding of Tonal regardless of your fitness level or prior knowledge.

Will I be able to do a workout on Tonal during the demo?

Absolutely! If you prefer to experience a full Tonal workout, your Tonal expert will take you through your strength assessment to get you set up, and from there, you will be able to choose a short workout to try. We also invite folks to come back a second time to do a full workout after their initial demo if preferred. 

If I like the Tonal experience, can I purchase one onsite?

Yes, you can purchase a Tonal onsite at a showroom or Nordstrom store. Your Tonal expert will walk you through the ordering process and provide you with all the information you need to complete the purchase.

What are my options if I want to try Tonal but can’t do an onsite demo?

If you don’t live near a Tonal showroom or Nordstrom location, you can book a free virtual demo in which a Tonal expert will give you a personalized one-on-one demo via video call. You’ll get a chance to ask all of your questions and see Tonal in action without leaving home. Tonal experts are prepared to make sure you get the most out of your virtual experience, whether that’s showing you the variety of content offered or showcases moves you’re interested in exploring. 

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Consistency is key to seeing results in your fitness journey—but variety is just as important if you want to stay engaged and avoid falling off the fitness wagon before the end of the month.

This January, Tonal is launching its biggest challenge yet: Four-Week Fast Track: Frest Sets. This new program comes with an emphasis on spicing up your routine through different training modalities, undulating programming, creative meal prep ideas, and new strategies for setting goals and actually following through on them. 

While you’ll certainly gain fitness and confidence—and have a lot of fun—during the challenge, you’ll also establish habits that’ll keep your momentum going throughout the rest of the year. Tonal’s January challenge will give you all the tools you need to level up your fitness and maintain a healthy lifestyle beyond these four weeks. 

The challenge kicks off on Monday, January 2. Follow along here and in the Official Tonal Community on Facebook for tips and support along the way. Tonal members will also receive emails each week with links to the recipes and weekly workout calendars. 

Here’s what you can expect in the Four-Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets challenge. 

The Workouts: Get the Full Schedule

There are two tracks available: beginner (Level I) and intermediate/advanced (Level II). Both are offered on-demand and will help you commit to strength training three days per week for four weeks. On your off days, Tonal’s programming specialists have recommended a mix of mobility, cardio, and Quick Fit sessions to complement your program workouts. 

Both programs feature workouts from six different Tonal coaches, each bringing their own unique energy and motivational style. You’ll also alternate your weekly focus between hypertrophy and muscular endurance to build lean muscle mass one week and then shed fat and burn calories the next to get lean. 

The workouts are all on-demand so you can easily fit them into your schedule. They’ll be available on your Tonal and mobile app on Monday, January 2. Use Tonal’s routine planning features to set your program schedule and add the recommended off-day sessions.

The Recipes

Eating healthy, home-cooked meals is a smart strategy for ensuring you’re getting all the nutrients you need to help you reach your goals. But it’s easy to fall into one of two traps when it comes to cooking: Either you ambitiously meal prep but get bored of eating the same meal each day or you burn out trying to cook something new every night. 

The remix recipes in the Tonal’s January challenge solve both problems: You’ll spend one chunk of time meal prepping and doing most of your cooking and then remix your original dish during the week to create something new—without a ton of work. 

The meals are also designed to specifically support the goal of your training each week. During hypertrophy-focused weeks, your meals will emphasize protein for muscle growth and recovery while, during the endurance-focused weeks, you’ll concentrate on eating the healthy carbs necessary to fuel those workouts. 

With breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes, you’ll end the month with plenty of new meal ideas that you can repeat—and remix—after the challenge.

Every Friday, we’ll be releasing the shopping lists and recipes for the upcoming week so you can meal prep over the weekend. 

The Community

Even though you’ll be able to do all the workouts from the comfort of your own home, you won’t be alone in the challenge. Throughout the month, you can share your progress and get support from fellow members in the Official Tonal Community. Tonal coaches will also be popping in to share their advice for getting the most out of the challenge, and you can follow them on Instagram for motivation all month long. 

January 4, 3 p.m. PT: Coach Tanysha Renee and Coach Ash Wilking
January 11, 3 p.m. PT: Coach Kristina Centenari and Coach Tim Landicho 
January 18, 3 p.m. PT: Coach Joe Rodonis
January 25, 3 p.m. PT: Coach Kendall “Woody” Wood

Follow Tonal on Instagram for pep talks, cooking demos, and more featuring these Tonal coaches, and get involved to join the fun!

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Everyone Is on a Journey 

Fitness is a journey, not a destination. We all have a “why” that moves us to start. Maybe it’s building confidence by getting stronger or making everyday movements easier. Or maybe it’s pushing our athletic performance from better to best. But what keeps us moving is not the number on the scale or a medal at the finish line. It’s the pursuit of our unlimited potential. 

It’s the lessons we learn along the way. It’s pushing through the moments we want to give up. It’s the feel-good endorphins that flood our systems. It’s the way movement parallels life that helps us navigate both. We all move, every day, in different ways. Tonal isn’t just along for the ride; Tonal accelerates the ride as an essential tool that allows you to push yourself to the next level.

Level Up, Every Day 

For proof, look no further than these Tonal members. Mom of three and certified personal trainer Michelle Tee was already a self-described “gym rat” turned Tonal devotee. But when a hip injury derailed her goals, she discovered a whole new approach to fitness. Through Tonal’s vast content library, Tee used mobility training, yoga, and meditation to bounce back stronger than before. 

Paralympian and pro handcyclist Travis Gaertner competes at the highest level on the world stage. But when juggling his day job, family obligations, and elite-level training became a challenge, he needed a fitness solution that was more efficient for his lifestyle. Tonal became his “competitive advantage,” allowing him to train new muscle groups, track his power output, and apply it to his performance on the bike.

Former recreational athlete and dad of three, John Sill, fell off the fitness wagon when he had kids. But after his daughter made a brutally honest comment about his physique, he was inspired to get back in the game. By training exclusively on Tonal, Sill was able to balance family time and win a bodybuilding contest, all while discovering newfound strength and confidence along the way.

For decades, Arlene Kraushaar was caught in a cycle of beginning an exercise routine, getting injured, and then having to start all over again. With Tonal’s safety features, she’s able to gain strength with the confidence that she won’t get hurt. Kraushaar also found support in the Tonal community from fellow members who’ve encouraged her to achieve more than she ever thought possible. At 66, she is now the strongest she’s ever been.

By leveling up their training, these already-accomplished athletes have tested their limits and achieved a version of themselves they never thought possible. Learn more about their stories below. 

It’s exciting to start looking ahead to the new year and setting big goals for yourself, but you can’t forget to celebrate the gains you’ve already made. As a community, 2022 has been Tonal’s strongest year yet—and that’s all thanks to your hard work.

Tonal members weren’t the only ones hitting the weights this year to crush their goals. According to an analysis by the fitness booking platforms MindBody and ClassPass, strength training was the most popular workout of the year with a 94 percent increase in class reservations from 2021 to 2022.  With Tonal, you’re already one step ahead—getting all the benefits of resistance training classes and guidance from certified coaches without leaving home. 

Check out the impressive stats below to see just how much strength we’ve gained together this year. For your own personal recap, open the Tonal mobile app to find your 2022 Year in Review and share your progress with friends and family.

We Lifted Skyscrapers and Monuments

This year, we lifted more than 54 billion pounds — 54,647,040,566 to be exact. To put that in context, that’s the equivalent of nearly 75 Empire State Buildings, 1,006 Statues of Liberty, or 2,454 Eiffel Towers. 

In case you’re curious, in 2021 our community lifted 16 billion pounds. We’ve more than tripled our total resistance this year, lifting an additional 38 billion pounds.

We Worked Out Long Enough to Travel to Pluto and Back—36 Times

The Tonal community completed 12,344,201 workouts this year, exercising for a combined 6,024,703 hours. That’s 251,029 days or nearly 688 years. In that time, we could have traveled from the Earth to Pluto and back 36 times. That’s a round-trip journey of 6,596,200,000 miles. (It took NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft 9.5 years to reach the dwarf planet from 2006-2015.)
 
If you’d rather stay local, you could also fly around the Earth in a commercial jet roughly 118,131 times. (One trip would take around 51 hours.) This year, we’re lightyears ahead of the 1.7 million hours spent working out in 2021.

We Got A Lot Stronger

Considering all the pounds we lifted and hours we spent sweating it out on Tonal, it’s not surprising that individual community members also gained serious strength in 2022. That means the average member added more than 12 pounds of digital weight to a 10-rep set of goblet squats. The average increase in strength score was a whopping 144 points—beating last year’s average of a 132-point increase.

This year, Tonal members spent 90,000 hours breaking a sweat alongside their loved ones and friends with Family Fitness, Partner Workouts, and Virtual Group Workouts. A study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology found that workout buddies can help you feel motivated, supported, and encouraged to exercise more. And now that Tonal has added Live Workouts, you have yet another way to work out with community members, friends, and family in 2022. 

The Most Popular Program of 2022

20-in-20: Ignite – Coach Tony Horton

For the second year in a row, Tonal coach Tony Horton takes the top spot with his 20-in-20: Ignite program. Members love how these quick workouts make it easy to build strength and fitness in just 20 minutes per day. 

View Your Personal Recap

To see how you contributed to our community’s amazing achievements in 2022, log on to the Tonal mobile app for an in-depth summary of your own year on Tonal. (You’ll need to have completed at least five Tonal workouts this year to see your recap). Share your personal stats in the Official Tonal Community or on social media and tag Tonal so we can celebrate your success.  

Here’s what you’ll be able to see in the app:

• How many pounds you’ve lifted
• How much time you spent working out
• Your highest-volume workout
• The move you performed the most
• How much your Strength Score has improved

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