News From Engadget.com
“You may already know JAXJOX as a clunkily named purveyor of home workout gear, but the brand has only really flirted with tech before. Though it’s put its stamp on a fitness tracker and smart scale, the company is beginning a whole new connected push at this year’s CES, starting with its $349 smart kettlebell. As you’d expect, the thing will keep track of your reps, sets and workout time; plunk it on its charging base and you can also change its weight from between 12 and 42 pounds. Simply recording your workouts is only part of the proposition, though. Following in the footsteps of Peloton and several others, send another $30 per month JAXJOX’s way and you’ll get access to live and on-demand fitness classes that are intended to help you get the best out your equipment.”
- TURN OF A DIAL: With the turn of a dial, you can easily adjust from 8 to 40 lbs., rapidly switch from one exercise to the next, and perform a wide variety of full-body exercises.
Kettlebell Krusher’s Take:
Well, that didn’t take long. New smart devices are starting to pop up all over the place. The most recent and significant device that comes to mind is an Alexa-equipped microwave. When pushing buttons becomes too much of a hassle, simply order your microwave to heat and defrost to your pleasure. You can even scan a barcode to have your food items cook at the precise time and temperature.
While this new smart kettlebell by JAXJOX doesn’t have a voice assistant, its bells and whistles sure do impress. A promotional video on the JAXJOX website showcases this kettlebell as if it were a high-end automobile. In fact, one of the taglines in the video, 12-42 pounds in 3 seconds, feels like a bragging statistic from the often used 0-60 in X seconds. I have to give credit where it is due and say that is pretty amazing.
Features and Price
The high price tag might scare some people away. However, it’s important to think of this smart kettlebell in terms of value. 6 Weights are included which would equate to using 6 different kettlebells. When you do the math, you’re getting your money’s worth per kettlebell. You can still find some kettlebell sets of similar weights for less, but they obviously won’t track your workout.
The charging base powers the smart kettlebell for an astonishing 14 hours. Of course, no one will be working out for that long. However, it’s nice to know that you can use it for multiple sessions without it losing your workout progress. It’s this feature that is sure to get the most acclaim.
Equipped with motion sensors, your every move will be tracked. Data regarding how many reps, sets, time (including rest), and more is synced with the KettlebellConnect app. Apparently, this smart kettlebell can be shared with up to 9 users too. This makes it ideal for working out with friends or even in classes.
The hype surrounding this new kettlebell does seem warranted. However, I’d like to see some actual reviews from professional kettlebell trainers before recommending it over more traditional kettlebells. If you really want to give it a try, it does appear to be available on the JAXJOX website for purchase now. I’m sure this is the start of many new smart kettlebells to come.
