Wondering about installation, membership, or workouts? Read on for answers.
There are a lot of questions that pop up when you’re considering bringing a Tonal into your home. The answers to these 14 frequently asked questions—covering everything from installation, wall damage, and membership to working out with friends and family—should help you determine if Tonal is right for you. Read on for all the information you need to make a decision you feel confident about.
Installation
1. How does the installation process work?
From placing your order to starting your first workout, Tonal offers a simple way to get personalized training with an all-in-one at-home gym. Once you order your Tonal, you’ll receive a link to the pre-installation survey with questions about the room where you plan to mount your trainer. It’s best to have a secondary location in mind, too, in case your preferred space doesn’t meet the installation requirements. If the Tonal team needs more information about your space, you’ll be contacted within a few days.
Next, your Tonal is shipped to a local warehouse location. You’ll be contacted upon arrival to schedule a delivery date and time. When the installation team arrives, they’ll confirm that your space is compatible and, if so, proceed with mounting your Tonal on the wall and pairing the smart accessories.
Currently, shipping time is 1-3 weeks from the day you complete your pre-installation survey. You can check your order status using the order status tool at any point in the process.
Learn more about the installation process.
2. Will Tonal fit in my space?
You can get big results in small spaces—for proof, check out how these members fit their Tonals into rooms of all sizes. The minimum space requirement for Tonal is 7 feet as measured from the center of the trainer: 3.5 feet to the left, 3.5 feet to the right, and 7 feet out from the wall. Although Tonal requires 7 feet 10 inches of ceiling height for the arms to extend to their highest position, it’s possible to do all moves in the movement library with a minimum ceiling height of 7 feet.
You’ll also need a reliable WiFi connection, a three-prong power outlet, and two wall studs either 16- or 24-inches apart.
To get a preview of how Tonal will look in your space, check out Tonal AR in the mobile app. To access the feature, you’ll need to have an iOS-powered device and the latest version of the app. Go to Settings > Refer Tonal > View in room with Tonal AR, and use our phone’s camera to see Tonal on your wall.
Read the full installation requirements.
3. What happens if I move? Will Tonal reinstall my trainer?
Whether you’re moving your Tonal to another room in your home or across the country, the process is easy. Simply choose a relocation package that fits your needs, and Tonal will schedule a trained installation partner to uninstall Tonal at your current location and reinstall it in your new space. If you’re comfortable uninstalling Tonal on your own, you can opt for reinstallation services only.
If you’re moving within 50 miles, Tonal will transport your trainer for you, but you’re responsible for your own transportation for longer-distance moves. To ensure your reinstallation goes smoothly and you have all the equipment you need, reach out to Tonal’s Customer Care Team at least two weeks before your move.
4. How much does Tonal weigh? Will it damage my wall?
While installing Tonal involves drilling into a wall, it’s a very similar process to hanging a flatscreen TV or a bike rack. Installation requires drilling eight holes in the wall to secure the bolts. In some cases, drilling additional pilot holes may be necessary. If you move or uninstall your Tonal, these small holes can simply be spackled and repainted with supplies available at hardware stores. Even though Tonal provides up to 200 pounds of digital weight thanks to electromagnetic resistance, it only weighs 150 pounds.
Read more about Tonal for renters and how to safely uninstall Tonal.
Hardware
5. How durable is Tonal? Are there any common maintenance issues?
Just as you train to get strong on Tonal, Tonal is designed and tested to be strong for you. It goes through thousands of hours of rigorous testing to ensure it’s durable enough to withstand years of heavy use. In rare circumstances, Tonal’s cables may wear out, but Tonal is covered by a three-year limited warranty that includes replacement parts. To keep your cables and smart accessories in peak condition, inspect for signs of wear once per month, or after every 10 uses. Regularly walking out the cables can remedy any loud clicking sounds you may hear in the cables.
If you have any issues with Tonal, you can contact the Customer Care Team. They can help you troubleshoot if needed, and send any necessary replacement parts.
Read more about routine cleaning and maintenance.
6. What does digital weight feel like? Will 200 pounds be enough?
If you’re regularly lifting heavy weights at the gym, 200 pounds might not sound like a lot. But digital weight feels different—and harder to lift—than free weights. An external study comparing digital weights with barbells and a traditional cable machine found that digital weights can feel up to 23 percent heavier based on participants’ rate of perceived emotion (RPE) and muscle activation testing.
Because Tonal’s digital weight is generated by an electromagnetic motor, there’s no momentum to help you out as you lift. That means you have to generate more force to move the weight. Even advanced lifters like fitness professional Paul Sklar and professional athlete Stipe Miocic have been surprised by how challenging working out on Tonal feels.
Digital weight also allows you to challenge your muscles in new ways with variable resistance training. Tonal’s dynamic weight modes—Burnout, Chains, Eccentric, and Smart Flex—can adjust the weight within a set or even during a single rep to maximize your workout time. Tonal’s Spotter Mode keeps you safe when you’re working out alone by automatically reducing resistance when you’re struggling.
Read more about digital weights and dynamic weight modes
Programs and Workouts
7. How will I know where to start?
You’ll probably be eager to get started once your installation is complete, and with Tonal you can jump into your first workout within minutes. . When you first set up your account, you’ll select your experience level and one of three goals: Get Lean, Build Muscle, or Improve Fitness. Then you’ll complete a strength training assessment to calibrate your digital weight. This is part of how Tonal’s advanced technology can offer you personalized weight suggestions for every move.
Based on your goal and level, Tonal will suggest programs and workouts that are best suited for you. Following a multi-week program is the quickest and most efficient way to reach your goals. By consistently following a program over two to four weeks, you’ll gain competency and confidence with strength training. Check out this guide to the best programs and workouts for beginners to learn more about Tonal’s beginner-friendly options.
Before your Tonal arrives, you can start exploring workouts and programs in the Tonal mobile app. You can bookmark individual workouts or join a program from the app, and they’ll appear on your Tonal home screen. All of Tonal’s workouts and programs are led by expert, certified coaches who support, guide, and motivate you every step of the way. You can also join the Official Tonal Community on Facebook. There, you’ll find people to cheer you on and a wealth of tips and advice to help you throughout your journey.
8. Can I do cardio on Tonal? I thought I needed cardio to lose weight.
You’ll find plenty of cardio workouts on Tonal including HIIT workouts, dance cardio, and kickboxing. Additionally, Tonal’s high-intensity strength training sessions are fast-paced with minimal rest time so they’ll get your heart rate up and boost cardiovascular fitness.
If you’re interested in changing your body composition (building lean muscle and losing fat), strength training should be part of your regular routine. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that strength training or strength training paired with cardio increased lean body mass more than cardio exercise alone. Additionally, a recent meta-analysis confirmed strength training is effective in both increasing lean muscle mass and reducing body fat.
Read more about strength training and weight loss.
9. I want to lose weight but my partner wants to gain muscle. Can Tonal help us do both?
Absolutely. Tonal has thousands of workouts that can help you both reach your individual goals, including full-body strength training, cardio, barre, Pilates, yoga, and more.
With Tonal’s unlimited membership, you and your partner can create separate profiles and set personal goals. Tonal will tailor everything from the digital weight selection to workout and program recommendations based on your individual needs. You’ll also get personalized insight into your progress, and Tonal will track everything for you seamlessly. You can opt to work out together or separately and support each other along the way.
10. Can I work out with other people on Tonal?
Exercising with friends or in a group class can be fun and motivating, and there are a few options for making your Tonal workouts more social.
In Live Workouts, you’ll train in real-time with a Tonal coach and other community members. The coach will give shout-outs during the workout, and you’ll also have the opportunity to cheer on your fellow members.
Virtual Group Workouts allow you to work out together with friends from wherever they are. You can pick any Tonal workout and receive a code to share with other Tonal members. Your friends will enter the code in the Tonal menu under “Join Group Workout.” You’ll see everyone’s reps in real-time and cheer each other on. The workout summary displays how much you all lifted together.
To work out on Tonal side-by-side with a friend or family member in person, try a Partner Workout. Members will do the same routine, one move after the other, and be prompted for their turn. Tonal tracks your progress separately, and the weight automatically changes based on the user, so you and your partner or friend can spend more time exercising together.
11. Can I do lower-body exercises on Tonal?
Several of your biggest muscles, including the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, are located in your lower body, and Tonal wouldn’t be a full-body system without offering lots of exercises to train these powerful muscles.
On Tonal, you’ll find dozens of lower-body exercises including the classic squat and deadlift, plus variations such as single-leg Romanian deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats. With Tonal’s digital weight, you can safely do compound moves like a barbell squat to press without having to load up a barbell with heavy plates. You simply add and remove the weight with the click of a button. For more ideas, check out a lower-body specific Tonal workout like Leveled-Up Leg Day with Coach Ash Wilking or Love Them Legs with Coach Tanysha Renee.
Read more about building lower-body strength on Tonal.
12. How often is new content added?
Tonal streams live workouts Monday through Friday, and l releases new on-demand content weekly, so you’ll always have a variety of multi-week programs and workouts across different modalities to choose from. Check the mobile app for the most up-to-date live workout schedule.
Membership
13. Can multiple people use my Tonal membership?
Yes, for $59.95 plus applicable sales tax* per month, Tonal’s monthly membership includes unlimited accounts for your whole household. Each person can create a personalized account with individual progress tracking and digital weight recommendations. With Tonal’s membership, you can level up your training with exclusive features such as Strength Score, Form Feedback, and Dynamic Weight modes.
Tonal’s unlimited membership also gives you access to a constantly-growing library of workouts and multi-week programs. This also includes On-The-Go workouts in the mobile app that you can do while away from your Tonal. Tonal consistently adds fresh new content every week so you’ll never feel bored, and can avoid plateaus.
Choose from strength training, cardio, high-intensity workouts, yoga, dance, barre, pre- and post-natal routines, and even guided meditation and breathwork. You can also train alongside friends with Partner Workouts and Virtual Group Workouts or build your own training routine with Free Lift and Custom Workouts. Plus, Tonal offers Family Fitness, fun workouts that bring you all together and get the whole family moving.
14. What metrics and insights into my progress does Tonal offer that I can’t get at the gym?
By measuring your power, speed, and range of motion through every second of every rep, Tonal provides detailed data to track your progress. When you first complete your strength assessment, Tonal will calculate your Strength Score, a comprehensive metric to measure your overall strength. You’ll also receive individual Strength Scores for your upper body, lower body, and core to build balance between muscle groups. Your Strength Score determines how much weight Tonal will suggest for different exercises, and will change as you progress.
Because Tonal constantly monitors your lifting, you’ll also get a notification if you hit a personal record for one-rep max, power output, or total volume for a specific exercise within a workout. It’s an exciting achievement that’ll keep you motivated to improve. Plus, Tonal automatically keeps track of all your weights, reps, and stats so you won’t have to take notes manually to track your progress or see how you’re improving over time.
Read more about Strength Score.
*Membership price depends on the date of your activation, which occurs as early as the date your Product is installed: $49/month for memberships activated before 2/21/2023. Beginning on 2/21/2023 membership price is $59.95/month.
