A review of Amp — a techy device that enhances at-home workouts using AI

Yahoo

29-05-2025

A traditional, no-frills workout purist — that's how I describe myself. I run, I swim laps, hit the gym, use standard lifting equipment … I didn't think I needed something so high-tech for my workouts. After one session with Amp, I proudly say out loud, "I was wrong."
Here is my review of Amp, an innovative device new to the fitness world, promising gamified, curated workouts for whatever your fitness goals, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned lifter. As a personal trainer myself, my evaluation takes a deep dive into Amp's performance, features and overall usability. I'll take you through my experience with it, including how the equipment affected my recovery with a bad leg. Whether you're considering this for fitness or rehabilitation (like I did), you can use the review to help determine whether Amp is right for your workout goals.
For anyone who looks forward to working out but dreads trying to piece together fitness equipment (you can count me in your numbers!), you'll be as excited as I was to learn that Amp includes free white-glove delivery and installation with every purchase. The brand took care of everything — I just had to show the installer where I wanted it to live. As someone who has put together more than my fair share of home fitness equipment with long and confusing instructions, this was by far the easiest installation I've ever enjoyed.
Before installation day, I sent a few photos of the rooms where I was thinking of installing the Amp to the installer to make sure I had the best spot picked out. I originally wanted to put it in my garage, but as someone who lives in a hot climate, the installer suggested I find a location with better climate control. This was helpful feedback to receive before the equipment even arrived to help make the installation process quicker and smoother.
For those considering Amp, walls that work for installation include:
Drywall or Sheetrock with proper stud support
Solid, poured concrete with no added material
Solid cinder blocks without added materials
Even though the Amp is modern and sleek, it does require room. When not in use, the device itself is 6 feet tall, 2 feet wide and 1 foot in depth, which is pretty minimal, but to actually use it, you need to have more unobstructed space — about 7 square feet. If you're in a small apartment or are installing the Amp in a smaller room, you just need to make sure you'll have sufficient space to move around and exercise when the Amp is in use.
One of the standout features of the Amp device is its design. The sleek, minimalist aesthetic makes it look more like a piece of modern art than a bulky eyesore like a lot of home gym equipment. The chic design only adds to my home's décor, and I can even dress up the shelf that's included in the installation. It's perfect for setting up a small plant or a picture frame when not in use.
For me, the product's appearance was my second favorite element of the device, following closely behind its AI technology. I've always wanted to be able to keep my fitness machines inside my home instead of out in my garage, but I don't like the way that gym equipment tends to take over a space's aesthetic. Luckily, Amp makes it possible to keep the machine inside without feeling like I'm turning my guest room into a fitness center.
Amp comes with a sweet box of gorgeous workout accessories that work with the machine to offer exercise versatility. With a variety of handles, ropes and ankle straps, you're able to target every major muscle group by simply switching the accessories in and out. They also have a handy click-in and release button that works much like a belt buckle.
The features that stuck out to me right away about Amp are the equipment's intuitive design and its adjustable resistance and smart technology. If you're recovering from an injury (like me) or you're new to strength training, you're unlikely to feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how much weight to use. It's easy to simply turn the dial (it's the big, black, obvious dial right at the front of the device) to personalize the level of resistance.
One of my favorite differentiators from traditional gym equipment like dumbbells or barbells is Amp's ability to provide isotonic resistance — resistance applied during the concentric and eccentric phases of an exercise. The concentric phase of an exercise is the "lift" phase. For example, as you pull a dumbbell to your shoulder during a biceps curl, or as you rise to standing during a squat — it's when you're pushing or pulling against resistance. The eccentric phase is the "release" phase, like as you lower a dumbbell back toward your sides during a dumbbell curl or as you lower your glutes toward the ground during a squat. Isotonic exercises allow you to work against resistance during both phases, targeting multiple and opposing muscle groups at the same time. Incorporating isotonic training is a great way to make your workouts more efficient and effective. Amp makes this easy to do.
To do different exercises like shoulder press or chest press, you have to move the Amp's arm up and down to make sure it's positioned appropriately. To move the arm, you simply press a button and make the adjustment. It took a few tries to get used to this, and I did need to press the silver button harder than I thought I would, but once I figured it out, it felt easy to move around. It's worth noting that I'm 6'0" and I didn't have any issues related to my height — even with standing exercises, I always felt I could adjust the arm so that I could perform each exercise with a full range of motion.
I'm not the best with technology, often taking the path of least resistance when it comes to high-tech gear. I never use all the features (or even try), as tech is often too daunting to me. However, I found Amp's app intuitive, and the real-time and long-term exercise tracking is pretty motivating. I can track my progress, see how far I've come and set goals that push me to work harder.
The app also feels a bit like a fitness playground. Thanks to integrated AI, it continuously learns from my workout history (such as noticing my affinity for rope-based exercises) and my fitness goal of running a marathon, and is always curating new training plans as I gain strength. It automatically adjusts the resistance for each exercise based on my effort (I don't have to do anything, thanks to AI), and it includes 400 movements and endless ideas for future workouts.
The app comes with a free month-long trial, but after that, it costs $23 per month, including user profiles for up to five people on the same membership. Even as tech-resistant as I am, I've really enjoyed the app and will likely pony up the cash to keep using it after my trial ends. One big drawback? The app is only available for iPhone users.
I can't gloss over the fact that the Amp costs nearly $2,000, a steep price for almost anyone. If you're a gym rat who prefers the camaraderie of others when you work out, this might not be a good option for you. Also, if you prefer traditional weights like dumbbells and barbells, or if you're a heavy-duty lifter who needs resistance levels above 100 pounds, this isn't the best choice. To spend this amount on a single piece of fitness equipment, it must fit your preferred fitness lifestyle.
However, if you're someone serious about fitness goals and you're motivated to work out at home, this equipment offers much more than your average gym machine. For me, this tool transformed my rehabilitation workouts, and now I'm adding weightlifting to my marathon training. I can confidently say that this is worth the money for me.
Thanks to isotonic resistance, the Amp provides a workout that my dumbbells and standard gym machines can't provide. It also uses AI to remember my workouts, making planning and implementing workouts seamless — I don't need to look up old fitness notes in my phone to remember the sets, reps and weights I used in previous workouts. I'm a big fan, and I believe the future of fitness is now installed in my living room.
I also appreciate Amp's physical therapy capabilities. After battling chronic hamstring pain for a number of years, I've been looking for a solution, and Amp appears to have filled the role. By using Amp to perform my physical therapy exercises, my strength training is more balanced and personalized, and my hamstring pain has reduced significantly since incorporating the device into my regimen. Plus, as my endurance training for my marathon ramps up, so does my use of Amp. It creates workouts that are complementary to my running routine, targeting muscles I don't hit when I'm hitting the pavement. This helps keep my training well-balanced.
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