Digital weight technology: why is digital weight so challenging?
"Normally, I lift 120 kg on my chest, but here, 60 kg is a challenge" "It's never been this tough before" – these are the voices we gather during SmartGym Pro tests at our stands during events. Why is it that the same 120 kg "weighs" more than it might seem?
SmartGym is a multifunctional training station that allows for a comprehensive full-body workout using just one device. The SmartGym Pro set with an exercise bench enables over 200 different exercises for all muscle groups. The innovative "digital weight" technology allows precise load adjustments every half a kilogram, ranging from 1.5 kg to 65 kg (Pro version) and from 1.5 kg to 35 kg (Lite version) on each side. This makes the devices suitable for both beginners in strength training and professionals.
Muscle tissue growth is possible through subjecting muscles to resistance against the force acting in the opposite direction. In conventional equipment, this force is gravity pulling down dumbbells, barbells, and other physical weights lifted by the exerciser. SmartGym devices use "digital weight" technology, where the force to be countered is digitally generated by appropriately programmed algorithms.
Precisely adjusted load
What stands behind the "digital weight" technology that makes training even more effective, with a higher perceived effort indicator at an equivalent value on the traditional "rack"?
"Digital weight" uses advanced algorithms to generate resistance without using "physical" weights. Sensors in the device read values of tension in the Kevlar cable 10,000 times per minute and transmit data to the motor. The motor is responsible for producing the resistance at the user's chosen value. Micro-vibrations on the bar, resulting from this characteristic operation, additionally dynamically stimulate muscle tissue growth.
Is it really that challenging?
The difference between exercises with traditional weights and training with "digital weight" lies in how muscles are stimulated during the execution of a similar movement.
During exercises with the same resistance on SmartGym, the perceived effort was approximately 20% greater than on traditional weight devices. In simpler terms, this means that during each repetition on SmartGym, the muscles are more stimulated.
What is the reason for such a difference?
The main reason why digitally generated weight seems to be greater than physical weight lies in the way it is produced. Digital weight is generated by a motor that eliminates the natural momentum that occurs with free weights. This means not so much a difference in the weight of the load but a greater force in the muscles that the exercising person must generate to maintain tension in the cables.
In digitally generated weight, you cannot rely on momentum to assist in performing subsequent repetitions, as in the case of traditional weight. The mechanism of load generation, not based on gravity, provides resistance in both the eccentric and concentric phases of the exercise. This causes the muscles to be subjected to constant resistance throughout the movement, thereby increasing the intensity and effectiveness of the training.
What are the main advantages of devices using digital weight?
Digital devices take up significantly less space than their traditional counterparts, allowing for similar training. Only 2m² is needed to perform training on SmartGym. The load that can be generated on SmartGym Pro is 130 kg, and on SmartGym Lite, it is 68 kg.
"Digital weight" not only allows for a comprehensive workout in a smaller space than that occupied by standard equipment but also diversifies exercises by choosing one of five available operating modes. Performing training in elastic, rowing, and, above all, eccentric and isokinetic modes requires the use of specially designated separate devices.
Modern technologies have become an integral part of almost every aspect of life, bringing significant changes to how we work, learn, communicate, and take care of our health. In the fitness industry, technology has revolutionized how people exercise and care for their bodies. Smartphones, smartwatches, and fitness apps provide health and activity information, allowing users to track their progress, monitor heart rate, or even sleep quality.
Fitness clubs use advanced technology to personalize their customers' experiences, offering virtual fitness classes and tailored workouts to individual needs. The emergence of smart exercise devices, such as SmartGym, using digital weight, is another step in the evolution of the fitness industry. These innovative devices allow for a wide range of exercises both in smaller gyms and in the comfort of one's home, while also providing interactivity and personalization that were previously only available in professional training centers. These features make ViSHAPE brand devices perfectly aligned with current healthy lifestyle trends, combining user convenience with advanced technological solutions.
