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More than 500 years after Leonardo da Vinci depicted his idea of the perfectly proportioned human body, a new smart strength training machine aims to help you achieve just that. The $2,200 Vitruvian V-Form Trainer is an app-connected workout platform with two cables on top that together offer up to 400 pounds of electromagnetic resistance. It allows you to perform 100-plus moves to work your upper body, lower body, and core. The machine is easy to set up and quickly connects with its companion app, which offers a small but growing selection of trainer-led classes, lets you create your own workouts, and tracks your progress.
But in testing, the V-Form Trainer’s resistance adjustments were often hectic and jerky, a problem I worry puts users at risk of injury. Moreover, the unit is heavy and cumbersome, and simply moving it to the floor and back to an upright storage position caused the cord to become damaged, a known issue the company says it’s working to fix.
I like the idea behind the V-Form Trainer, and with some promised improvements, believe it has the potential to be a valid Tonal competitor. But until that happens, the Tonal is still our Editors’ Choice if you’re looking for a top-notch resistance-based smart strength training machine. While it costs quite a bit more than the V-Form Trainer at $2,995, the Tonal justifies its price with a space-saving wall-mounted design, a large screen on which to view workouts, and a wide selection of safe and effective trainer-led classes and programs.
Known Issues
Before investing in the V-Form Trainer, you should know that it’s a first-generation product with several known issues. For instance, the company says it’s aware that the machine applies too much “friction” when the weight is set at less than 10 pounds per handle. Vitruvian plans to release a new version of the machine in the second half of the year that will correct this issue, so lighter weights feel more appropriate.
In addition, because the machine was designed in Australia, it has a Type I plug and runs on 220 to 240 volts. If you live in the US or Canada, you’ll need a 110v transformer to use the first-generation model (which the company is currently providing free of charge). The second-generation machine won’t require a transformer.
“We are working hard to make [the product] way better as we reach product maturity over the next 12 months,” a spokesperson says.
The company says it’s also aware of an issue that can cause the V-Form Trainer’s power cord to become damaged when moving the machine on the floor via the non-wheeled end. I experienced this problem within my first two weeks of use.
One morning, I went to plug in the machine, and the cord on my unit looked like it had partially melted and had some of my carpet stuck to it. (In the manual, Vitruvian warns against using it on deep-pile or thick carpeting, which could prevent airflow. The only rooms in my home with enough space to use the V-Form Trainer have medium-pile wall-to-wall carpeting.)
The company sent me a new cord, and said the problem wasn’t an electrical issue.
“This sometimes happens when you pick up the machine from the wrong end and move it,” a spokesperson said. “The new V-Form Trainer that will come out this year has addressed this issue and recesses the plug into the machine to stop this potential damage.”
On the software side, Vitruvian plans to release a new version of its app by the end of July that will feature an improved workout builder, daily classes, four- and eight-week programs to target specific goals, games, and more social features (including teams, workout sharing, and in-app competitions). Vitruvian says that classes in the updated app will give you more flexibility to set your weight level, feature music, and incorporate the machine’s different workout modes (such as Eccentric, which only adds weight during the lowering part of the move). The upcoming iOS app will also work on iPads, which aren’t currently supported.
After it rolls out the update, Vitruvian plans to start charging $39 per month for a premium app subscription, which will give you access to all of the aforementioned features. As a more affordable option, the company also plans to offer a $19 monthly advanced data tracking subscription, which will include everything but the trainer-led classes. The free version of the app will only offer “basic workouts” and personal-best tracking.
When the company releases its second-generation machine and updated app, we will reevaluate it and update this review accordingly.
Sleek and Screenless
Developed by Australian company Virtuvian, the V-Form Trainer features an extruded aluminum frame and a carbon fiber shell, two resistance cables on top onto which you can attach handles that simulate dumbbells and a range of other accessories, and lights on the front and back that let you know it’s connected to the app.
It measures 44 by 20 by 5 inches (LWH) and weighs 80 pounds. The platform can support users up to 330 pounds, and offers up to around 400 pounds of resistance (200 pounds max per cable). The machine has six leveling feet, as well as air inlets and vent holes on the bottom to prevent it from overheating.
The V-Form Trainer costs $2,200, which includes the workout platform, a set of standard handles for upper-body exercises, and ankle straps for lower-body moves. Delivery is included in the price.
Vitruvian also sells a $200 Entry accessory kit that includes premium handles, a rope, a bar, and a workout mat for the top of the platform. It also offers a $400 Pro accessory kit that comes with everything in the Entry kit, plus a bench and belt. For this review, the company sent me the V-Form Trainer along with the Entry accessory kit.
Vitruvian doesn’t currently offer financing options, but plans to in the future. For now, you have to pay for the full price upfront, but the company offers a 14-day return guarantee, so you can get a full refund (minus the cost of return shipping) if you’re not satisfied with the machine, as long as it’s not damaged.
The machine comes with a limited parts and labor warranty; the frame and other mechanical parts are covered for three years, other electronics are covered for two years, and labor is covered for one year.
Unlike competing products such as the Tonal and Tempo Studio, the V-Form Trainer doesn’t have its own screen. The platform connects with the Vitruvian app (available for Android and iOS phones), which offers access to a small selection of trainer-led classes, tracks your progress, and lets you create custom workouts and compete against other users on a leaderboard.
For the best experience, Vitruvian recommends streaming classes from the app to your TV using an Apple TV or Chromecast.
In comparison, the wall-mounted Tonal, which features a 24-inch touch screen, is quite a bit pricier at $2,995, plus an extra $495 for accessories, $250 for delivery and professional installation (which is required), and $49 per month for a membership. The Tempo Studio, which uses free weights instead of electromagnetic resistance, falls in the middle price-wise, at $2,495, plus $250 for delivery, and $39 per month for a membership. The Tempo is another PCMag Editors’ Choice winner, and my personal favorite of the bunch for its sophisticated form feedback system and 42-inch touch screen (though Tonal is a close second).
Setting Up the V-Form Trainer
Getting started with the V-Form Trainer is easier than many smart fitness machines. First, download the Vitruvian mobile app and set up a user profile. You can sign into the app using your Apple, Facebook, or Google account, or create one with your email address. After signing in, the app will ask whether you prefer metric or imperial measurements, and a few questions about yourself including your approximate weight, height, gender (with options for female, male, and other), and strength level (rookie, amateur, or athlete; I went with amateur but later changed it to rookie).
Next, if you live in the US or Canada, you’ll need to first plug the V-Form Trainer into the transformer, then plug the transformer into a wall socket. Make sure you turn the transformer on, then flip the V-Form Trainer’s power switch, located next to the power cord inlet on the left side of the device, and you’ll hear it power on and the lights on both sides of the device will illuminate. When it’s on, the V-Form Trainer makes a whirring sound, almost like a fan.
At the bottom of the Vitruvian app are the following tabs: Activity, Classes, Workout, Profile, and Device. To pair the machine with the app, just tap the Device tab, select the QR code icon in the top right corner, then use your phone to scan the QR code on the right side of the machine, and you should be good to go.
In the Classes tab, there’s a four-minute Getting Started video, which goes over the various app features. Vitruvian recommends watching this before your first workout.
It should be noted that, in the manual, Vitruvian offers several warnings against using the machine outdoors or near water. The company specifically says not to use it outdoors to, “reduce the risk of burns, fire, electric shock, or injury,” and that it’s, “NOT designed for use…near a pool or spa, or in any other high humidity environment.”
Given these warnings, it’s baffling that the company has multiple photos on its Instagram account showing the machine being used outside and next to pools.
As another word of caution, if you have the resistance cords pulled out of the V-Form Trainer when it’s powered off, they will be sucked back into the machine with a good amount of force as soon as you flip the on switch. If your fingers are near the cords as they’re being pulled back in, you could get hurt. I hope Vitruvian creates a safety mechanism that prevents users from being able to pull the cords out of the machine when it’s powered off, as I don’t see any reason why you should be able to.
Working Out With the V-Form Trainer
Like the Tonal, the V-Form Trainer gives you the option to follow along with trainer-led classes, program a custom workout in the app, or select individual moves one by one.
In the app’s Workout tab, there’s a list of more than 100 moves you can perform on the machine. You can filter the moves by equipment needed (bar, handles, bench, belt, ankle straps) and muscle groups (legs, core, shoulders, arms, back, and chest). All the equipment accessories (with the exception of the bench) clip to the resistance cords with carabiners.
The app offers video demonstrations for each move, but no verbal instructions or tips about proper form (unless you’re taking a class). Before performing a move, you can set the number of reps, target force (in pounds), and the mode. Mode options include Focused (tension across the entire range of motion), Progression (incremental weight loading), Pump (the faster you go, the heavier the weight gets), Old School (mimics a static weight feel), Eccentric Only (the machine only loads weight during the lowering phase of the movement), or Beast (each rep loads an additional 7 pounds per rope). When building a workout in the app, you select each move, the number of reps, force, and optionally program rest time after any move.
Each time you perform a move on the V-Form Trainer, the machine measures your range of motion for the first three reps, then you’ll feel the resistance load on. On the bottom of the screen, it shows your rep count and force.
The machine dynamically adjusts, so if you’re struggling to get the weight up, it will deload. My major gripe about working out on the machine is that the resistance adjustments often feel erratic, drastic, and jerky. I usually feel the resistance abruptly and unnecessarily change multiple times during every rep. I worry these drastic changes put users at risk of injury.
I notice this issue more during classes than when I’m performing individual exercises. One time, I had to exit a class early because the weight was simply too heavy and the machine repeatedly failed to deload quickly enough, so I could feel my back straining.
A Vitruvian spokesperson tells me that this is less of an issue when using Old School versus other modes, and mostly a problem when you’re lifting light weights. In Old School mode, the weight stays constant throughout the movement unless you can’t lift it or drop it very fast. Keep in mind that you cannot currently set the mode during classes, only when performing individual exercises. When the weight is set below 13 pounds per cord, the machine oscillates between 6 and 13 pounds when the handles aren’t moving.
“This is to keep tension on the cables, but also make the weight light enough to get it moving,” a spokesperson said. They acknowledged that the weight oscillation, “can be a bit confusing for people,” and that the comapny plans to address this problem in the second-generation V-Form Trainer, which will be, “more responsive down to around 6 pounds per handle.”
As is, the V-Form Trainer is best used, “as a strength device for exercises where the weight is greater than 15 pounds per handle…The generation 2 device is more of an all weight device as it is good down to 6 to 7 pounds per handle.”
In testing, I found the handles, barbell, and rope accessories easy to clip on and use. The ankle straps, which let you perform moves such as glute kickbacks, kneeling abduction, and hamstring curls, are somewhat awkward to clip on and off, requiring you to pull out the tense resistance cord. If you lose your grip on the cord, it will quickly snap back into the machine.
In comparison, one of the things I like about the Tonal is that you can press a button on its smart handles or smart bar to completely turn the resistance on and off. That way, you can turn the weight off as you’re getting into position, then turn it on when you’re ready. When you press the button to turn the weight on, you can feel the resistance increase and see the weight go up on the Tonal’s screen.
The Tonal also offers a few different modes including Spotter, which reduces weight when you start to fatigue; Chains, which simulates the effect of lifting with chains; and Eccentric, which adds weight to the negative portion of your lift. In addition, its resistance adjustments never feel drastic or jerky.
The Vitruvian app’s Classes tab surfaces the Latest Drops at the top, followed by Tutorials (demonstrating how to safely perform certain moves like a barbell clean, single legged row, knee up, bench press, etc.), then a list of New Classes. There are some basic filtering options, letting you sort classes by equipment needed, muscle groups, and trainer. It would be helpful if you could filter classes by duration and save your favorites for easy access. At this time, all of the classes are less than 30 minutes and usually don’t include a warm-up or cooldown.
Before taking a class, you can preview the list of included exercises and breaks. During a class, the instructors demonstrate and explain how to perform each move, offer tips about proper form and encouragement, and give you time to rest between sets. My favorite are the HIIT classes, which incorporate moves on and off the machine, and really get your heart rate up. Because the classes currently don’t feature music and are filmed against a plain white background, they can get a bit boring. Going forward, the company says it plans to add music and move away from the white room feel.
In the app’s Activity and Profile tabs, Vitruvian offers some nice performance tracking and social features. They aren’t perfect, but I see potential.
In Activity, it keeps track of every move you have performed on the V-Form Trainer, along with your reps, energy (calories burned), and weight. It also keeps track of your personal best for each movement. It would be nice if the app also kept track of which classes you have taken.
In Profile, it shows which muscle groups you have worked and your leaderboard ranking. Vitruvian uses a point system, which I don’t fully understand, to rank the leaderboard. When I visit my Profile, it says I have done 74 workouts on the V-Form Trainer. I am not sure how the company got that number, but it seems too high. The app could do a better job of explaining this.
Wait for the Second Generation
I had high hopes for the $2,200 Vitruvian V-Form Trainer, but it needs more work, both on its hardware and software. On the plus side, it supports a wide range of moves for a full-body burn, offers multiple modes including an eccentric training option, and gives you the flexibility to follow along with classes or do your own thing. But its resistance adjustments are often hectic, especially at low weights. Concerned about the safety of the unit after the cord became damaged, and my risk of injury due to its jerky resistance adjustments, I stopped using the machine altogether after about a month.
Vitruvian promises that the next generation of the V-Form Trainer, due out later this year, will address many of the problems I encountered, and I look forward to testing that version. Unless you’re a smart fitness enthusiast with a strong curiosity in this product and money to burn, I recommend passing on this first-generation model.
For now, if you’re in the market for a functional, safe, and user-friendly smart strength training machine, the Tonal and Tempo Studio, our Editors’ Choice winners in this category, are your two best options. The Tonal stands out for its tidy, wall-mounted design and smooth electromagnetic resistance system, while the Tempo offers superior form feedback and lets you train with physical weight rather than digital.
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