Those who enjoy working out usually have several activities they like to engage in. Whether it’s boxing, yoga, Pilates or strength conditioning, there are lots of ways to stay in shape, but not always one place where you can easily work out in so many different ways. C-ACTION hopes to bring the possibility of tons of activities to you in one simple package. Featuring a mat and a boxing bag-like bump, you can use this product for yoga, boxing, Pilates, mixed martial arts and more. C-ACTION comes in two sizes, each able to be carried on your back. While this product is versatile, it has the limitation of ground-only use. In the campaign, everyone using this seems to be stuck on the ground or in need of the assistance of another. Still, for those who like working out on the floor, the C-ACTION does have many interesting uses. Backers can donate $220 for the smaller version with an estimated delivery of February 2015. This fitness mat-of-all-trades is hoping to raise $40,000 on Kickstarter.
Tag: yoga
Yoga is all about balance. Unfortunately, our bodies are alarmingly lopsided. A pose that we can do perfectly on one side of our bodies is surprisingly difficult on the other side. Yoga teachers are constantly adjusting their students to maintain balance in their poses. The SmartMat does the exact same thing. By connecting with your tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth, the SmartMat collects data about your posture, balance and alignment to assist you with becoming a yogi master. It first adjusts your alignment, telling you, for example, to move your right foot forward. Then, it tells you to shift your weight so there is equal pressure on both sides of the body, a very important aspect of yoga. The app lets you monitor your progress over time and even gives you new yoga moves to try out. Powered by battery, this mat boasts up to six hours of life. For a mat and the Android/iOS compatible app, backers will have to shell out $347, $100 less than the retail price, for estimated delivery in September 2015. SmartMat is hoping to raise $110,000 during its campaign on Indiegogo.
By all accounts, SmartMat looks like a super cool way to get your yoga on. Most fitness monitoring devices focus on higher impact sports, like the runScribe. SmartMat, while expensive, provides a ton of useful information since the entire mat is collecting data from the entire body, pretty cool. Looking like a traditional yoga mat and made out of most of the same materials, it’s a little concerning how long this mat will last. Some mats wear out over time, but with such an expensive investment, it’ll be important for SmartMat to prove its functional longevity. Also, it’s only water and sweat resistant and not proof. Big sweaters and hot yoga practitioners will have to protect the SmartMat with an extra towel. Still, this super cool product is a great tool for yoga enthusiasts looking to perfect their practice.
Yoga has numerous health benefits, but many new practitioners find themselves with injuries because they don’t perform the positions correctly. Yoga by Numbers is speciality yoga mat comes with gridlines and numbered targets to help yogis practice safely. The company has filmed DVDs to help aspirants learn the mechanics of poses with their mat, making yoga more accessible to everyone. The dog-loving team that developed the mat, which seeks to raise $17,000, is producing in the U.S. using natural rubbers; these are good for the environment and sticky enough for new yogis to get a good grip. The best reward deal seems to be the $120 starter package, which includes the mat, two DVDs, and a mat-carrying strap. It’s due in April 2014.
With its primary color motif, you might think BeamBlock is a trade show prop from Google, Microsoft, eBay or some other company that has adopted four colors in their logo.Or maybe it’s a a new version of Simon that you play with your feet? Alas, it’s neither electronic nor noisy. True to its name, the simple device is a cross between a (short) balance beam and a step block. Yoga teacher, personal trainer and all-around fit Londoner Thierry Giunta abstains from actually demonstrating use of the device in the campaign video, but makes up for it with some pose photos. Alas the reward tiers are as difficult to understand as the choppy audio in the campaign video. It seems, though, that one can pick up a BeamBlock for £120, an insane amount for what appears to be a plastic block. But it may arrive on your block in March 2014.