I Tried the LIT Strength Machine, and It Helped Me Get Out of My Fitness Rut

Like many individuals, I ended up in a health rut in 2020, and after lacking my studios for months, I bought a Peloton bike. Although I loved having a bit of kit in my house—and Peloton does provide a wide range of lessons past the bike itself—there was nonetheless one thing lacking. I struggled to stay to my routine, and sadly, my shiny spin bike, as soon as a beacon of hope, turned a shrine of disgrace within the nook of my lounge.

However final summer season I bought the prospect to strive a brand new piece of at-home exercise tools, the LIT Energy Machine, that promised to get me again on monitor when it come to figuring out. Half rower, half Pilates equipment, half…one thing else fully. Through the use of water for resistance, a sliding carriage, and totally different resistance bands, the only machine is ready to provide a number of train choices.

As a result of this is not a linked machine, there aren’t any connected electronics—or cords—which has allowed me to take pleasure in out of doors exercises within the California solar, and I can use the arm attachment to carry my iPad for guided exercises, which come as a part of your month-to-month subscription to LIT’s health app. In addition, it folds up, so so long as you have got about two ft of area (vast) for the bottom of the machine, and no less than seven-foot tall ceilings, you’ll be able to hold it saved upright when it’s not in use.

At $1,800, it’s undoubtedly nonetheless an expensive piece of kit, however in the event you mix the prices of shopping for a hydro-powered rowing machine and a reformer, you would be spending that a lot (probably extra) simply—and have to determine the place to retailer two items of kit, which can or will not be a deal breaker relying on the dimensions of your property. (LIT additionally gives financing, FYI.) Other than the price of the {hardware} itself, you are taking a look at $25 a month (or $240 per yr) for a subscription to the platform’s digital health library. With that being mentioned, you don’t essentially want the category subscription, although I do advocate it.

The exercises

In order you’ve in all probability already gathered, you’re not simply doing rowing exercises on this machine—the app gives over 2,500 lessons, starting from 10-minute to 1 hour, with fashionable music, and a dozen instructors—although rowing makes up a big class and is really such a robust (and underrated!) train class, in my humble opinion. Astronauts use rowing machines to coach in area as a result of they’re so rattling efficient, and use so many muscle teams concurrently, together with the legs, again, arms, and abdominals. Throughout a rowing stroke, the muscle mass which can be used essentially the most are the again muscle mass, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. The arms, shoulders, and belly muscle mass are additionally used to assist generate energy and management the rowing stroke.

Then you definitely’ve bought Pilates, which is, in fact, one other full-body exercise—the LIT Methodology machine has elements of a basic Pilates reformer, utilizing the seat as a small carriage, with resistance bands added into totally different routines.

On high of that, there are damage restoration lessons, core and conditioning exercises, stretching classes, postnatal choices, and even barre. In case you don’t really feel like doing a guided class, there are additionally “scenic rowing” movies the place you’ll be able to just about row your self by means of aquamarine seas or tropical lakes.

My expertise utilizing the LIT Energy Machine

One among my favourite components about this machine is how low-maintenance, simple, and ass-kicking it’s. But it begins out feeling like a “lazy’ exercise”—I roll out in pajamas (not even athleisure) and no sneakers, sit on the carriage, slide my naked ft underneath the foot straps, and begin rowing. Whether or not I exploit one of many guided row exercises, or do my very own mixture, the result’s at all times a full-body, sweat-soaked expertise that hits each main muscle group in my physique.

I like doing a easy 10-minute endurance row with Jazmin R on the app, or two totally different 10-minute classes again to again. She teaches lots of foundational expertise that construct correct kind and power to arrange you for different lessons (each on and off the machine). The music is often digital, pop, and hip hop (assume: something from a Hardwell dance anthem to Snoop/Dr. Dre’s “The Subsequent Episode” to one thing vibey by SZA). I dial into my rowing kind and motion sample; she’ll remind me about my grip and posture; and I will work by means of a sequence of clean energy strokes, in addition to sprints. Jazmin’s vitality is electrical, so even essentially the most fundamental newbie lessons nonetheless really feel sturdy and uplifting.

You may regulate the resistance with a dial on the water tank (which, IMO, is so cool… it’s all primarily based on water!). This lets you handle how difficult your exercises are, and make modifications as wanted.

Then there’s the Pilates lessons—I missed the studio reformer exercises a lot, and was craving a return to my favourite type of train. One memorable class I took was set to a Billie Eilish/Cardi B soundtrack (a successful combo) and used the seat and resistance bands with handles to copy the lengthy straps and carriage on a reformer.

I did a core sequence sitting on the seat, a strap deal with in every hand, utilizing a spinal twist movement backward and forward and the power of your arms to drag the carriage out and in. We additionally did an “elephant,” which is a signature reformer train, once more utilizing the seat because the carriage. We completed with some lateral lunges with one foot on the seat. These lessons are dynamic, difficult, form-focused, and by no means boring or monotonous.

Through the pandemic years, small (just about insignificant) limitations to entry felt insurmountable—to me, no less than! One thing so simple as needing to placed on biking sneakers and clip in was, for no matter motive, one thing that bought in the best way of figuring out greater than as soon as. With the LIT Energy Machine, I don’t even put on sneakers half the time. I can simply sit down and begin rowing… no class, no sneakers, no further tools essential. I’ve actually completed exercises in my pajamas, barefoot, a number of occasions.

All in all, the LIT Energy Machine gives a few of the most secure, strongest, efficient, and accessible types of train that anybody can profit from. The variability obtainable retains it fascinating on your mind and physique, and the instructors hold issues constructive and inspiring, whereas nonetheless serving to you are feeling considerably held accountable. The capability to retailer it upright (or outdoors), and use your personal up-to-date expertise as a display screen make this a house gymnasium choice that may evolve over time and work for numerous settings and life.