Workout mirrors and smart home gyms have become increasingly popular thanks to the convenience and high tech features they offer.

However, because not everyone has the space or budget for home gym equipment, many companies are making their personal training experiences and studio classes accessible without the need for a large (and often heavy) device.

Best known for the Tempo Studio — a high tech armoire that offers 3-D sensors, a large touch-screen display, and storage for your workout equipment — Tempo recently released a more compact alternative.

The Tempo Move is a home fitness setup that takes advantage of your TV and iPhone to provide the same personalized workout experience as the Tempo Studio, without the full armoire.

Curious whether the Tempo Move is a better fit for your goals and needs? We tried the Tempo Move for 2 months to see if it’s worth purchasing.

Priced under $500 and featuring high quality weightlifting equipment, the Tempo Move provides excellent value for anyone looking to improve strength and definition.

However, if you’re interested in a more trendy-style experience with cardio and sculpting classes set to music, this isn’t the device for you.

Tempo, previously known as Pivot, was founded in 2015 by Moawia Eldeeb and Joshua Augustin in San Francisco.

The company’s original product was the SmartSpot, a computer vision-augmented smart screen to help fitness trainers analyze and improve their clients’ form.

This smart screen was the inspiration for the Tempo, and the company became a household name with the release of the Tempo Studio.

However, for people who either don’t have room for the Tempo Studio or want a more affordable alternative, the company recently released the Tempo Move.

The Move includes a phone dock so you can connect your iPhone to a TV to stream studio classes on the Tempo app. Using your phone’s camera, the app can offer real-time feedback on your form, keep track of your reps, and make personalized weight load recommendations.

What’s more, the Move comes with a compact, modular-designed cabinet for storing weight plates, dumbbells, and weight collars.

The Tempo Move and Tempo Studio share some of the core features that make Tempo stand out from its competitors, most notably the real-time guidance and personalized feedback.

Still, there are key differences between the two products, such as the design, price, footprint, and included equipment and accessories.

Here’s a closer look at how the products compare:

Keep in mind that both the Move and the Studio require a $39 monthly subscription to the Tempo app.

Speaking of which, both products provide access to thousands of studio workouts. However, the Tempo Studio has a leg up on the number of classes offered, simply because it’s been around longer.

Finally, the Tempo Studio armoire features an integrated 42-inch (106.7-cm) touch screen, whereas the Move requires you to have a TV with enough room in front of it to exercise.

Yes and no. I’ve tried my fair share of live and on-demand fitness classes, including Obé Fitness, iFit via the NordicTrack Vault, and Peloton using the Peloton Bike.

However, this was my first time exercising with a device that offers real-time feedback and guidance for strength training.

The Tempo Move regularly retails for $495, though it’s currently discounted to $395. Shipping is free.

To help make it more affordable, the company offers payment plans as low as $16 per month for qualified customers.

The Move comes with a 3-year limited warranty, and you can return it for a full refund within 30 days.

Finally, keep in mind that you’ll need to sign up for a Tempo membership, which costs $39 per month and supports up to 6 users.

22 inches tall × 13.5 inches wide × 13.5 inches deep (55.9 × 34.3 × 34.3 cm)

The foundation of the Tempo Move is the Tempo Core, a round iPhone dock that allows you to stream classes onto a TV or monitor while using your phone’s camera to provide real-time guidance and feedback.

The Move also includes a compact weight storage cabinet, which my husband initially mistook for a subwoofer because the model I received was black with a faux wood top.

The front of the cabinet features a magnetic cover that opens to reveal storage for your Tempo weight plates.

On top of the cabinet, you’ll find a vertical storage compartment for the dumbbells and an area to attach the Tempo Core.

In addition to the Core and cabinet, your purchase comes with the following equipment and accessories:

According to the company’s website, Tempo will soon offer a compatible barbell and kettlebell, though the company has not disclosed whether they’ll be included with your purchase or just as add-ons.

Unlike the Studio, which has everything you need, the Move also requires you to have a TV with an HDMI port, a USB charger, and a strong internet connection.

The Tempo Move arrives in a large box with several small boxes inside to keep the equipment and accessories safe and secure.

Because the box was too large and heavy for me to safely carry, having each item individually packaged was convenient for transporting it all down to my TV area in the basement.

Speaking of which, the first step in setting up the Move (other than opening and recycling the boxes) is figuring out where to put it.

There are two requirements for the perfect workout space:

Because there’s only one room in my house that meets these requirements, I set up my Tempo Move in the basement.

Next, you’ll want to decide whether you want to attach the Tempo Core to the storage cabinet or place it on an entertainment stand.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to place the Core close enough to your TV or monitor (or, in my case, the receiver) for the HDMI cable to reach.

For this reason, and because I already have a cabinet below my projector screen, I put the Tempo Core on my entertainment stand and placed the Tempo storage cabinet just off to the side.

I found the rest of the setup process to be straightforward, although I spent a considerable amount of time running around my house to find a USB cable and wall adapter, which you’ll need for powering the Core.

Once the Core is properly hooked up and your workout equipment is snugly stowed away, the final step is to create a Tempo account and take the Tempo Move introductory class.

Pro tip: if you have a case on your iPhone, I recommend removing it to avoid syncing issues between the app and your TV.

The Tempo app includes thousands of workouts, with new on-demand classes added weekly.

While the bread and butter of Tempo is strength training, the app offers additional class types, including cardio-boxing, high intensity interval training (HIIT), mobility, core, yoga, and more.

When setting up your account, you’ll answer a series of questions about the types of workouts you enjoy doing and your fitness goals. Using this data, the app will recommend classes each day, which you can view on the home page.

However, if you’re in the mood for a specific type of workout, you can also search for classes by pressing the Classes tab.

From here, you can either scroll through classes or filter your options to find exactly what you’re looking for. Current filters include:

If you have a specific goal in mind, such as to improve definition or lose weight, you can also select a progressive training program.

Additional tabs include Profile, which is where you can access your training stats, and Live, which is where you’ll eventually find a schedule of live classes.

While the Move doesn’t offer live classes or support kettlebell or barbell exercises just yet, the company’s website assures customers that these features are coming soon.

My experience exercising with the Tempo Move was overall positive, as I found the device easy to use and appreciated being able to filter classes by length and muscle group.

Once you find your desired class, the app provides an overview of what to expect, including the equipment needed and a list of moves you’ll be performing.

This feature won major brownie points with me because I like to know exactly what I’m getting myself into before pressing “start.”

You’ll also have the option to customize your class, including pairing a heart rate monitor, keeping or hiding the leaderboard, and selecting a music station. However, after using platforms like Obé and Peloton, I found Tempo’s music selection a bit lackluster.

While they won’t have you feeling like you’re in a trendy fitness studio, Tempo’s classes lived up to my expectations in that the focus was on building strength using proper form.

Most classes follow a similar format that includes a warmup, a few circuits, and a cooldown. During the circuits, the instructors generally use rest periods to demonstrate the next move, which I found helpful.

During classes, I liked being able to see how much time was left for each move. You can also view your ranking on the leaderboard, although I found this too distracting and opted to keep the leaderboard hidden after my first class.

If at any time your form needs correcting or your weight load needs to be adjusted, notifications pop up on the left side of the screen.

Having the app tell me when to go up in weight was one of my favorite features, because it helped move me toward my goal of gaining strength faster than I would have when working out on my own.

Similarly, I found the rep counter motivational because it pushed me to work harder each round.

Speaking of which, one of the main complaints about the Tempo Move (and Studio) is that the device occasionally misses a rep. In my experience, the main culprit for missed reps was being too close to or too far away from my phone.

To avoid this, make sure to periodically check the TV screen. Near the bottom are an exercise mat icon and a white dot. When you’re in proper position, the white dot will be in the center of the mat and the mat will be green. If you’re out of position, the mat will be yellow or red.

I was also impressed by the equipment. Sure, using weight plates makes the weights a bit bulky compared with traditional hand weights. However, I found that not having to find room for multiple sets of dumbbells was worth the trade-off.

Plus, the weight plates make it easy for users of varying fitness levels to get a challenging workout without needing extra equipment.

Looking back on my experience, one thing I’d do differently, and would recommend to others, is to follow a predesigned program rather than selecting individual classes.

After all, part of what you’re paying for with the Move is a personal trainer-like experience, so you might as well let the experts do the picking.

Priced under $500 and featuring high quality weightlifting equipment, the Tempo Move provides excellent value for anyone looking to improve strength and definition.

The instructors are knowledgeable, and, aside from one celebrity instructor class that I tried, they do a great job of explaining how to perform each move safely and with proper form.

Speaking of which, unlike many other smart home gyms, the Tempo Move (and Studio) is unique in that it will alert you if your form needs correcting or if you should go up or down in weight.

I also found the weight load recommendations to be key to making noticeable improvements in my strength after doing 2–3 classes per week for just 2 months.

Plus, unlike the Tempo Studio, the Move makes it easy to move the device to another area of the house if needed.

Of course, no product is perfect. I occasionally struggled with syncing my phone to the TV, but I could usually remedy this by removing my phone from the Tempo Core, closing the app, and trying the process again.

Additionally, while the strength classes lived up to my expectations, I found that the cardio and HIIT workouts lacked the fun, high energy vibe offered by other streaming platforms.

Another factor to consider is that the Move doesn’t integrate with or offer classes for cardio machines, such as indoor cycling bikes or treadmills.

I love that Tempo and other exercise apps can save you time and money compared to hiring a personal trainer or taking boutique fitness classes.

However, if you already own a smart machine that requires an app membership, adding another monthly subscription might not be feasible or desirable.

While I won’t be surprised to see more devices like the Tempo Move pop up, there aren’t yet many products comparable to it, other than workout mirrors — but that’s about to change.

Peloton announced that it’s releasing the Peloton Guide in early 2022. While we don’t know when it will officially be available for purchase, here’s a quick look at how the specs of the Guide compare to the Tempo Move.

We won’t know the exact details of the Peloton Guide until it’s released. However, there appear to be some key differences between the two devices.

While the two products cost the same amount, the Tempo Move includes 35 pounds (15.9 kg) of weights and a compact storage container to keep them in, whereas the Peloton Guide comes with only a heart rate band.

The Move also offers features that don’t appear to be part of the Guide, including real-time form correction and recommendations on when to go up or down in weight.

That said, the Guide differs in that you’ll be able to see yourself onscreen next to the instructor to help keep an eye on your form. It also doesn’t seem like you’ll need a smartphone for streaming classes.

Another bonus in Peloton’s favor is that the monthly subscription cost is lower, although you’ll still need to pay $39 per month for an All-Access membership if you already own the Peloton Bike or Tread.

Overall, while the Tempo Move gives you more bang for your buck, the Peloton Guide might be worth waiting for if you already own a Peloton device or basic weightlifting equipment.

The Tempo Move offers the benefits of a workout mirror at a more affordable price. Plus, you can easily move it anywhere in your house without needing a dolly cart to do so.

Like the company’s flagship product, the Move provides expert-led workout classes, high quality exercise equipment, and real-time feedback to help you achieve your fitness goals.

While it’s not the best fit for everyone, the Tempo Move is worth considering if you’re focused on building muscle and gaining strength.

Interested in trying Tempo? We can help!

Interested in trying the Tempo Move? We can help!

Last medically reviewed on February 17, 2022

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