Vitruvian V-form review: Connected strength training

There's a lot happening within the connected fitness world right now, and we're seeing more and more products and programs popping up that are associated with this space. The pandemic has forced many fitness studios and gyms to close, giving most of us a serious incentive to find new ways to work out at home. I've spent a lot of time trying and researching the best connected fitness equipment, and there's a lot of great programs available today.

I recently tried the Vitruvian V-form trainer, which is a connected strength training machine. Vitruvian's technology works in tandem with you and the Vitruvian app to deliver the perfect weight load in every rep. It's an effective, efficient workout, and an excellent way to strength train at home.

Vitruvian V-form review: Price and availability

Hailing from Australia, the Vitruvian V-form is a brand-new connected fitness strength training program that was officially released in 2020. It's available on the Vitruvian Form site for $2,200. Currently, they're offering free Premium Vitruvian App subscriptions until July 2021. If you're interested in the V-form program, I'd recommend taking advantage of this deal while you can!

A Premium Vitruvian app subscription grants access to a huge and ever-growing library of exercises searchable by muscle group and accessory type, classes led by leading trainers, and technique tutorials with certified coaches. You'll also have the ability to build unlimited customized workouts, earn points, and compete with friends and Vitruvian users worldwide. The app will track and store fine-grain performance data for an incredible motivational experience.

Vitruvian V-form review: Smart, effective, easy to use

Let's talk about how the Vitruvian V-form works. It uses a unique algorithm based on your personal profile to load the correct amount of weight for every rep you do. It's designed to push you, so be prepared to be challenged in every workout. You start by pairing the machine with your app by scanning the QR code on the side of the V-form. Once your machine is connected, select the class that you want to take. I highly recommend watching the Getting Started tutorial before you jump into your first workout, so you really understand how the machine works.

During each class, you'll see your reps and your force or weight displayed on screen. The machine begins by measuring your range of motion during the first three reps of each exercise. You can see your range of motion via the bar displayed on the left side of the screen. Do your best to move through your full range of motion in every rep so the machine can adjust the correct weight load accordingly.

When you hold and pause at the top of your range of motion, the machine knows to increase your weight load, and when you hold and pause at the bottom of your range of motion, the machine decreases the weight load. You want to make sure you're working in a comfortable range so you can hit the top and bottom of your range in every rep. If the machine increases your weight load to the point where you cannot hit the top of your range of motion, it will sense that you're struggling, and will decrease your weight load so you can complete the rep.

This system is designed to increase your weight load after every rep to help you grow stronger. It's an efficient and effective program. The Vitruvian V-form trainer can generate weight loads ranging from 11 pounds to 400 pounds. This should be more than enough weight for most people, but if you're a heavy lifter, it's important to note that Vitruvian weight feels much heavier than static weight, as you have no momentum at all to help you through those extra-heavy reps.

There are 100+ exercises to choose from within the Vitruvian app, and they add to this library frequently. Classes range from 10 to 30-minutes and there are tons of different kinds of workouts to choose from. A few examples of class titles include Upper Body Gains, HIIT, Powerlifting, Back and Biceps, and Balanced Body. I love the variety and the emphasis on strategic muscle groups in each class.

For those that are brand new to strength training and this type of movement, the Vitruvian app also offers lots of tutorials. Tutorials cover everything from How to do a Knee Up to How to do a Suitcase Dealift. If it's an exercise covered in class, there's a tutorial for it. If you're unfamiliar with an exercise, watch the tutorial so you can ensure proper form and prevent injury.

The Vitruvian app is very easy to use and has paired seamlessly with my V-form machine. When you open the app, your activity, classes, workout, profile, and device tabs are displayed from left to right at the bottom of the screen. Your Activity tab shows your recent personal best, your workouts over the last seven days, your weekly, monthly, and yearly progress, and you're complete exercise history.

The Classes tab is where you'll find all of your classes and tutorials. The Workout tab is really cool because you can create your own workouts. You have an enormous catalog of exercises to choose from, so you can really tailor your exercise session to your needs. The Profile tab shows your total workouts, total weight lifted, and total time spent working out. You can also see your recent personal best and how many points you've earned this month.

My favorite component of this tab is the muscle groups pie chart. This shows you (in percentages) where you've been focusing your strength training attention and will give you suggestions on where you could spend more time. For example, in my last workout, I worked my legs 48% of the time, and shoulders 26%. It mentioned that I didn't spent much time on my chest and arms and suggested a few exercises that would target those muscle groups specifically. You can also see the community leaderboards reflected in the Profile tab for the day, week, and month. If you're a leaderboard kind of person and are motivated by a sense of community, the Vitruvian V-form trainer is a great fit for you.

The last tab is the Device tab. This is where all of your settings reside. It's fun because the V-form trainer is equipped with lights that flash and change color while you're working out. This brings a fun party vibe to your strength training sessions. You get to pick your device color scheme too! There are five different color combinations to choose from, one being Stealth, which keeps the lights off if they're just not your thing. The Vitruvian V-form trainer is also equipped with wheels for easy movability. It's flat, fairly compact, and easy to store. I like to slide mine under my bed when it's not in use.

Vitruvian V-form review: Heavy, no music, production value could improve

Ok, let's talk about the not so great things. The Vitruvian V-form trainer is extremely heavy. It's easily over 100 pounds. It does have wheels for movability, but it still requires serious physical strength to move it from point A to point B. It's not so much of a hassle moving it around the house, but if you're temporarily relocating it, or moving it permanently after it's out of box for example, it requires some power to move it, lift it, and roll it.

Take note that there is no music in the V-form classes or tutorials. I was very surprised by this as music is a major driving force behind most fitness classes. It's definitely an aspect I like to have every time I work out, so I really missed it while I was taking Vitruvian classes. I suppose you could play your own music in the background via a separate speaker, but you'd have to turn it down low enough to hear the instructor and getting the separate levels right might be challenging.

The production value of the V-form classes leaves something to be desired. The trainers are all individually great, and they have good energy. However, they're situated in front of an all-white background, and there's nothing else aside from them and the V-form trainer. Plus, there's no music whatsoever. Music would be a welcome addition, and so would a more interesting background. When comparing it to some of the other top connected fitness apps, like Peloton, there's definitely a noticeable difference, and room for improvement when it comes to overall production value.

Vitruvian V-form review: Competition

MYX Fitness

MYX Fitness is another connected fitness program that works in tandem with the affiliated MYX app to store all of your performance data and keep you motivated towards your fitness goals. It's different than Vitruvian V-form because its program emphasizes indoor cycling on top of cross-training in fitness modalities like Pilates, barre, yoga, sculpt, HIIT, mobility, and meditation. I have tried both and feel that MYX is much more all-encompassing. It offers classes in multiple fitness modalities opposed to just strength classes. Plus, it comes in at a lower price point. You get everything you need to create your own home gym with The MYX Plus for $1499.

Tonal

Tonal is very similar to Vitruvian V-form in the sense that it's a connected strength training machine. You affix Tonal to your wall, and it uses a patented digital weight system to make thousands of calculations a second to deliver a smooth weight lifting experience using magnets and electricity. It can deliver up to 200 pounds of resistance, which is a lot less than the V-form's 400 pounds. The V-form definitely wins when it comes to weight load. Tonal is also much more expensive. It starts at $2995.

Vitruvian V-form review: Should you buy it?

• You're looking for a connected strength trainer
• You're interested in smart weight loading
• You love community and an easy to use app

• You think you're going to move it around a lot
• You want music in class
• You want high production value

You should buy this if you're looking for a connected strength training program specifically. Vitruvian offers over a hundred strength classes and tutorials, and the V-form library is growing all of the time. The algorithm they use, on top of smart weight loading, provides a very effective, efficient strength training workout. The Vitruvian app is user-friendly and offers helpful insights and suggestions to help you reach your fitness goals. A Vitruvian Premium subscription enables you to compete with friends and users worldwide. Remember, you can subscribe to Vitruvian Premium for free until July 2021.

I would not recommend this if you're envisioning moving it around a lot. It is extremely heavy. Be aware that there is no background music in the Vitruvian classes or tutorials. This is something, that I personally, really missed. The production value also leaves something to be desired.

Vitruvian V-form is a great connected strength training machine. The smart weight loading is what this program is based on, and ensures the perfect weight load in every rep. It challenges and pushes you in each exercise to help you grow stronger and meet your fitness goals. Vitruvian Premium offers leaderboards and the ability to compete with friends and users around the globe.

Take note that it is extremely heavy but does have wheels for short distance moves. The production value is lacking a bit, and there is no music in the classes or tutorials. Overall, I think it's a great machine in itself. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a connected strength training program, that wouldn't miss having music drive their workouts.