If you use an Apple Watch with cardio equipment, GymKit should be on your radar. It’s the best way for Apple Watch and a fitness machine like a treadmill or elliptical to exchange workout data, producing more accurate measurements than either device can provide alone.
Key Features
BowFlex includes GymKit across its current T6 , T9 , and T16 treadmill lineup. That means the feature is not being reserved for the most expensive model. You can use Apple Fitness+ ( Apple One Premiere ), Peloton, Zwift, or BowFlex’s optional JRNY platform. Your device can pair with the T6’s built-in Bluetooth speakers, while the console continues to display the workout data you need. Aside from GymKit and the approachable price, my favorite feature is how the BowFlex T6 controls speed and incline.
What Works Well
Apple introduced GymKit with watchOS 4 in 2017, but compatible equipment has remained surprisingly difficult to find. The good news is that, nearly a decade later, you no longer need to spend around $15,000 on a GymKit treadmill.
Verdict
I’ve been testing the BowFlex T6 treadmill this summer, and its combination of GymKit support, approachable pricing, and dial controls makes it easy to recommend. Anthony Winge, Director of Product Development at Johnson Health Tech, tells 9to5Mac that calories, speed, distance, pace, time, incline, and heart rate sync in real time between the treadmill and Apple Watch, creating a more unified and accurate Fitness app record. Instead, you can spend around $1,000 on an excellent home treadmill that works with Apple Watch.
