As fitness equipment starts to feature more technological advancements, leading-edge companies selling these products such as Peloton and NordicTrack have become more popular most recently.

It makes one wonder, will data-tracking, digital gym equipment take the place of your average gym?

When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, the world shut down and many were left with nowhere to go when it came to keeping up with their health and fitness goals.

Howard Olinsky, a store manager at Johnson Fitness and Wellness in Fairfield, NJ since 2004, sells equipment and helps families find machinery that works with their needs.

“This time last year we were much, much busier,” says Olinsky, “I can tell you my doors were closed to the public, but the phones were ringing all day.”

Nicole Varone, a yoga instructor from Queens NY, claims the time spent in her home gave her the excuse to do some much-needed updating to her yoga studio.

“Being that I am suspended in the air, it is crucial that my home remains updated with the best equipment,” Varone says, “when exercise is your life, you’ll go to whatever measures necessary to make sure you have the best of the best.”

Especially in quarantine, people felt the need to update and shop for their at-home-gyms.

Nicole Wich, a Pilates Instructor at Club Pilates in Wayne NJ, says that her mother owns a Peloton bike, one of the numerous equipment types sold by Olinksy, and it helps her since she’s part of many who wouldn’t be able to attend a normal gym.

“There’s a special population of people who use Peloton and who are the prime example of why we need an alternative to everyday gyms, and my mom is one of them,” says Wich.

The new wave of digital equipment recreates a gym in your living room, featuring live, on-demand classes. These machines allow you to go at your own pace, providing instructions so you can follow at your own convenience. They typically come with interactive and touchscreen displays along with built-in cameras and all-in-one systems.

The machines are not cheap, they range in price from $1,000 to $4,000, depending on brand and type of equipment. Peloton starts at $1,895 and Nordic Track tops out at $3,799.

Regardless of how much they are, Wich has seen firsthand how technology has altered the fitness industry.

She says many of her customers continue to return to her week-after-week since she has built a relationship with them. Her experience is much more intimate than bigger brand gyms such as Planet Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and Retro Fitness.

“There’re plenty of pros and cons but it depends on your perspective and reasoning for using at-home fitness equipment that has these technological advancements,” says Wich.

As COVID-19 starts to settle, it still remains unknown whether the fitness centers people poured into pre-pandemic will return to their old ways, or if technology-driven workout equipment has taken that away altogether.