Boutique fitness classes may be on the rise, but working out from the comfort of your home has always had its positives.
For the new wave of in-home workouts, there's Mirror. It's an actual mirror you can use for your morning routine, but with high-powered tech built inside. The panel itself is a liquid crystal display (LCD), with stereo speakers, a camera, and some custom software powered by a quad-core processor. Bluetooth and WiFi allow you to connect with monitoring devices and stream the classes from Mirror. As for the classes, there's cardio, yoga, strength, barre, boxing, stretch, and pilates, with various levels of each.
The connected screen will run you $1,495, and the classes are an additional $39 a month. The mirror is 52 inches tall and can be wall mounted or can sit on a metal stand.
Mirror is controlled by an iOS companion app; there's no word if Android support is arriving.
As with most fitness classes, you can set up a profile and get some personal recommendations. For instance, I had back surgery, which means my muscles often get sore. If I plug that in it will recommend the right classes for me to take -- ranging from the type of activity to the level (beginner to expert). Since the classes are live, you can also get feedback from the instructors.
Mirror handles the vetting of the instructors on its platform as well as the streaming of them (internet required). You'll be able to see the instructor on the Mirror, along with other metrics. There will be over 50 classes a week in the beginning, plus a library of on-demand classes at any time. These pre-recorded classes will let you see the instructor as well.
One-on-one training sessions will arrive in the future, according to Mirror, at what will probably at an added cost.
If you're feeling weirded out about some of this, know that Mirror includes a lens cap for the camera in the box, plus the device itself can be turned off. Whew.
The Mirror is essentially a giant vertical video, so users would have to line up behind each other to work out together — kind of like being stuck at the back of the class in the world's thinnest gym room. CEO Brynn Putnam says it isn't designed to be a multi-user experience, but that the company might look at other solutions down the line.
Mirror will allow you to sync an Apple Watch or other Bluetooth fitness monitors, although it's currently unclear precisely what accessories will work. The company is including a heart rate monitor with the purchase of $1,495 price and additional ones cost $49.95.
For now, Mirror is undoubtedly increasing competition for Peloton and other on-demand in-home fitness services. But at $1,495 it's not cheap, especially when you factor in the required $39 a month subscription fee. Mirror also includes a metal stand and starter kit (fitness bands and a heart rate monitor) with the purchase.
Comparatively, Peloton charges $2,245 for their basics bike, which offers 24-hour access to their studio cycling classes.
Mirror provides more workouts and uses than does a connected stationary bicycle — but you won't get cycling classes on it, so it depends on your workout preference. And, in comparison to Mirror's $39 a month membership, the average cost of one pilates class in the NYC region is around $30, depending on the studio.
As an alternative, there are a trove of fitness videos and sometimes even live streams available for free on YouTube.
We'll be spending more time with Mirror soon, but interested customers can order one now direct from the company.
Additional reporting by Chris Taylor
