Fitness Equipment to Analyze Your Form

Welcome to the future, where fitness equipment, mp3 players, televisions, and personal computers are seamlessly networked to maximize form and function.
The LA Times profiled a gaggle of new equipment unveiled at the recent International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association's annual International Trade Show in San Diego. Tiny televisions and the blinking LED screens of most current treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes are so 2007. Taking their place may be a series of new gadgets that record, analyze and sync your workouts to personal computing devices.

Some of the highlights:

Life Fitness' Elevation series of cardio equipment allows users to save their workouts to a USB stick, which they can download onto their personal computer to create custom workouts.

Star Trac's Koko strength training machines have video screens demonstrating proper form and speed.

Life Fitness, Star Trac, Precor, and Technogym machines have sensors that send information to your iPod, which you can download directly onto gym equipment or your home computer.

—Emily Matchar