Can the Vitruvian Trainer+ help you sculpt a stronger physique from home? Kieran Alger puts it to the test
Virtual bike, treadmill and ergo trainers like Peloton, Echelon and Hydrow are neat solutions for getting your cardio fix at home. But no one has nailed full-body strength sessions without filling your house with bulky workout benches, plates and bars. That’s where the Vitruvian Trainer+ comes in. This smart, adaptive resistance weight trainer promises the complete strength experience, in a simple, space-saving package.
At first glance, the Trainer+ looks like an unassuming slab, but this platform uses up to 200kg of cable-based, algorithm-driven, adaptive resistance; a series of accessories; and a smart training app to recreate virtually any gym drill right in your living room. The question: can it really deliver the same workout and benefits as your regular gym gear? I spent a month using it to find out.
MF verdict ★★★★
If you want to do full-body weight training at home, the Vitruvian Trainer+ is a versatile training tool that’s considerably more compact and convenient than a bench and weights set-up. But even at the basic level, without the accessories and the access-all-area membership, it’s still very, very expensive.
How i tested it
For this test I replaced my gym time with Vitruvian Trainer+ workouts for a month. I had the full Pro Kit and premium app access. I tried out a range of the trainer-led classes and built custom workouts to best replicate my usual gym regime, all while training for a marathon.
Out-the-box impressions
When I first unboxed it, the Vitruvian Trainer+ seemed pretty unassuming. The main space-saving platform looks a bit like an aerobic step on steroids – a 117 x 52 x 11.5cm black slab with a no-nonsense, extruded aluminium frame and a carbon fibre reinforced shell. At 38kg it’s quite heavy but looks built to last. It’s unlikely to win any style awards, but it’s also not an eyesore.
The only real feature on the platform is a strip of LED lights that show you when the Trainer+ is powered up and synced to the app via Bluetooth. There are easy-to-use quickrelease cable connectors at each end that make swapping the training accessories a doddle.
A handle on one end and softish, rubberised wheels on the other also make it easier to slide the platform under a couch or bed (or wherever you
