The future of fitness is here.
As you are probably aware, AI is everywhere, and it’s being used for everything. That includes how you work out. A friend of mine put me on to using ChatGPT to get very specific workouts that I can do at home. It’s been a game changer, helping me to find movements that work a wide variety of muscles in my body and leave me sweating, as well as creating brief sessions for me when my time is limited (six moves, 40 seconds each, two times for example). But if I was impressed by that, there’s a new product that is taking AI fitness to the next level, and I had the chance to try it out.
Back in March, I traveled to the Soho neighborhood in Manhattan to check out a new innovation in strength training. There, in a showroom tucked inside of a charming building covered in wood and artwork on the ground floor, was a fitness device that, while unassuming in its stature, acts as the ultimate personal trainer to help you meet your goals. I was excited to check out amp (by amp Fitness), an AI-driven device that, through digital integration, offers you tailored guidance, intelligent resistance adjustments, and more for all workout levels. I’ve been on a health and wellness kick since the new year rang in, and four months in, I feel the best I have physically in years. (For context, the last six years have been spent trying to conceive, carry, deliver, and care for children.) But I’m always open to new ways to work out, and strength training, as I’ve learned is a key to lasting results and good health. Founder Shalom Meckenzie knew that when he came up with the product and founded the company. He lost his father when he was 18 and from that day on, realized the importance of prioritizing exercise.
“I knew that I wanted to have an impact and have people live a longer, healthier life,” he told Forbes. And that’s how amp was born. Strength training, as we know, improves bone density with age, builds muscle mass, and boosts metabolism—key for weight-loss goals. It also plays a significant role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases and preventing injuries. However, after countless dumbbell and kettlebell sessions, it’s easy to feel like your routine is becoming repetitive.
Such is the benefit of amp. The device, both through its app and through a freestyle mode, can help you tailor workouts with as little as five pounds and as heavy as 100 pounds of digital resistance (I told you it appears unassuming). It offers three smart resistance modes: Fixed, which provides constant weight throughout your range of motion; Band, which increases resistance as you move away from the starting position; and Eccentric, which adds resistance as you return to the starting point. You can switch between these modes to adapt to your progress. Unlike a bulky functional training machine at the gym, which takes up significant space, this equipment is compact enough to fit in a corner of your home or garage—though be mindful that brick walls are not able to support it.
Utilizing the app, you can get strength-training workouts tailored to your fitness needs and goals. Switch out the premium grey attachments that come with the device (the app gives instructions on how to do it, and they come out and clip in just like a seatbelt buckle), and move the amp’s arm up and down smoothly with the push of a button.
In addition to the unlimited workouts led by trainers in the app, Meckenzie—known as one of the largest private shareholders in DraftKings—leveraged his gaming background to incorporate gamified workouts into amp. Think of it like Guitar Hero for fitness, where you’re focused on beating the game without even realizing you’re powering through an intense tricep extension or other challenging exercises. This approach makes the burn of a tough workout feel more like fun, keeping you engaged and motivated.
With its intelligent features, if you’re struggling with a set and need to adjust the weight, amp can do it for you. Simply pull your arms down and hold for a few seconds, signaling the device to lower the weight—a technique known as “drop sets.” This extends the set and increases time under tension, allowing you to continue pushing yourself with less strain but no drop in effort required. Additionally, the device can detect when you’re ready to increase your weight based on your performance. Overall, amp is designed to help you build strength, often in ways you don’t even realize.
The device, which is priced at $1,995 before tax, comes with a premium accessories kit, including the variety of attachments I mentioned for pull-down and extension workouts of all kinds (arms and legs). It also requires a one-year subscription, at $23 a month, to get all the great workouts in. After a year, if you must, you can freestyle your workouts while making full use of the product. White glove service comes with every purchase, so a team arrives and installs the product in your home. No need to knock down walls or do anything dramatic. It just requires a few holes in the wall to bear the load of your weight. And if you need to move it, that team can return and remove it without doing any damage to the wall.
In addition to all of that, the product is visually a treat to the eye. It’s not bulky in the least, allowing it to fit into any aesthetic in your home and be out of the way. Put in work and forget it’s there.
AI is rapidly transforming the fitness industry, providing motivation and personalized workouts that once came with a hefty price tag through personal training. From AI-powered platforms to devices like amp, these innovations do more than track performance—they help people build healthier habits through intelligent analysis, real-time feedback, and tailored guidance. Even if this device isn’t your preferred choice, the use of AI to help you reach your fitness goals is something worth embracing. Whether you’re training for a marathon, pushing yourself at the gym, or achieving your goals from the comfort of home, AI can play a powerful role in your journey.
