Tag: elliptical

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Connected Objects Fitness

Glyder is a smartphone-connected exercise product for the deskbound

The Premise. Sitting is as harmful to our health as smoking is. Or so they say. Either way, it’s difficult for office workers to get the exercise they need in order to stay healthy. Some have the chance to take a walk at lunchtime, but busier bees are chained to their desks all day.

The Product. Glyder is a fitness device that lives underneath your office desk. Resembling a digital scale, it has two pedals on either side where your feet go and comes in red, gray or black. The motion is similar to that of an elliptical machine. A large digital screen on top shows the calories you’ve burned, the strides you’ve taken and how close you are to your daily exercise goal. This data can be stored and set with an accompanying smartphone app. The app stores your workout history and also allows you to adjust the resistance of Glyder and compete with other Glyder users.

The Pitch. Glyder’s campaign video shows an office worker trying and failing to workout at the office. There’s also a funny part where the Glyder user makes less noise while exercising than her coworker sitting in a rocking chair. The rest of the campaign goes through Glyder’s various features along with helpful gifs of the pedal width being adjusted as well as the product in use. This under-the-table fitness device hopes to raise $75,000 on Kickstarter.

The Perks. Early gliders can enjoy the Glyder for $99 at a regular price of $139. The top tier of $10,000 offers backers a trip to China to tour Glyder’s factories. Estimated delivery is currently set for January 2015.

The Potential. As with any office workout tool, there’s always the risk of looking unprofessional as your legs mysteriously gyrate under your desk. We’ve seen several of these types of products at Backerjack like Tao and Cubii, both of which stress at-desk workouts. Like Cubii, Glyder emphasizes that elliptical motion, but does so in a sleeker manner at a fraction of the cost. While it’s unclear how beneficial a Glyder workout really is, the price and lure of activity at the office may be irresistible for antsy executives.

Categories
Connected Objects Fitness

An atypical elliptical, Cubii lets the deskbound stay active

The Premise. Sitting down all day can be harmful to our health, but what is an office worker to do? Some opt for sitting on yoga balls, while others may try to power walk in place during work. Either way, it’s difficult for corporate drones to get the exercise they need and complete their work at the same time.

The Product. The Cubii is a miniature elliptical trainer for under your desk. You place your feet in the product and rotate them at the resistance of your choice just as you would on a conventional elliptical machine. This device is small enough to be portable and discreet, making it perfect for the office. The Cubii has Bluetooth capabilities and communicates with an accompanying app to track your activity from your phone. 

The Pitch. The long Cubii video features various office workers giving testimonials for the product, all saying that they love being active and don’t find exercising while working to be a distraction. In addition, the creators explain their passion for fitness and personal health. They also talk about how their app can also be used with fitness products, such as the Fitbit. Cubii hopes to raise $80,000 in a 40-day Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. Early backers can enjoy the Cubii and accompanying app for $279 (shipping not included) or a regular price of $299. Higher tiers offer multi-packs of the product for either couples or an entire office (of eight people). Estimated delivery is currently set at January 2015.

The Potential. Several crowdfunded products have tried to solve the evil office sitting problem of our modern age. Some do it with standing desks, such as the aptly named StandDesk, while others try with robotic chairs like the ChairBot. These other products focus on actually not sitting, while the Cubii is all about staying in motion when parked at your desk. For a sawed-off elliptical machine, the Cubii is a bit expensive, especially since it’s entirely mechanical. However, compared to these other products, this mini-workout device is by far the cheapest option. Its app that is compatible with other fitness devices is especially appealing. All in all, the Cubii could be just the solution for stagnant office employees.

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Aquatics

Aqua Elliptical helps you get in your cardio on the lake

Aqua EllipticaWater sports have grown past water skiing, wakeboarding and surfing. Now, people are exploring even more new ways, like paddleboarding, to get exercising while in a lake or ocean. The Aqua Elliptica offers one such way to enjoy cardio while out on the water. This product is basically a water-friendly elliptical machine, similar to one you’d find in the gym. One Aqua Elliptica costs backers $2,500 with an estimated delivery date of September 2014. This new water device hopes to raise $50,000 in a 33-day Kickstarter campaign.