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In partnership with Kabata. Editor’s Note: We only select and work with partners that meet our quality standards, so you can rest assured we only endorse products we believe in.
In my 20s, I would spend hours at the gym, convinced that results were directly correlated to time and energy spent. Unsurprisingly, I ended up with a new “itis” every quarter from overuse injuries, and found myself somewhat hapless during my elongated gym sessions. Turns out: simply copy-catting different people at different weight stations, hoping I was going to leave with traffic-stopping deltoids and glutes is not an actual strategy for long-term gains.
Now in my 30s, my fitness goals have changed. I’m constantly looking for workouts I can do effectively, quickly, and safely that provide better strength and endurance—which is why I was blown away when I got to try the newest innovation in at-home fitness tech.
Meet Kabata, the world's first AI-powered dumbbells born from the fit minds of Co-Founders Kareem Aly (CEO) and Brian Lovera (CTO). Compact, expertly designed, and supported by hundreds of quick and diversified workouts, Kabata is focused on meeting users wherever they are in their fitness journey. Kareem shared, “Our differentiation is in the technology—AI and analytics. Kabata is the only dumbbell that counts your reps for you, tracks your metrics, including time under tension and velocity (rep speed), monitors & corrects your form to prevent injury, automatically changes weight for you by knowing exactly what you need, and runs analytics on all that data to coach and progress you safely.”
We like
- Kabata uses AI technology to coach on form for safer and more effective training
- The app has hundreds of focused / snackable workouts to help you continue to progress and grow stronger
- Great for weightlifting beginners or more advanced fitness lovers
- You can access personalized training plans tailored to your specific goals
- At ~$1200, Kabata is more affordable than most at-home fitness technology and takes up less space
We don't like
- If you’re someone who likes to mix up their workout routine with a bunch of different modalities or types of workouts, Kabata is primarily focused on weight training, so you won’t get that cardio / yoga / pilates mix.
Do You Even Lift, Bro?
Weightlifting used to be perceived as something meant for body builder types or people looking to “get some serious gains.” However, doctors, scientists, and fitness professionals have been emphatic that strength training goes beyond muscle building and is actually essential for longevity and healthy aging.
Kareem explained, “Muscle mass decreases 3-8% per decade after the age of 30, and this loss of muscle is a fundamental cause and contributor of disability as you age. Strength training counteracts this, resulting in slower age-related muscle loss, increased bone density, and stronger joints. It’s also known to enhance physique and increase confidence in many cases.”
Strength training is also scientifically proven to result in better sleep, improved posture and balance, increased muscle and metabolism, reduced all-cause mortality, lower cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer rates, and improved physical, mental and sexual health.
Given that society is starting to look toward fitness routines that support stronger, more resilient bodies vs. cardio-intensive, calorie-burning ones, strength training is gaining traction across all fitness levels.
The World’s First AI-Powered Dumbbells
Not many connected fitness devices actually analyze your workout data to coach you in a personalized way, but Kabata does.
Kabata’s world-class team hails from organizations like Apple, iRobot, Whoop, Nike, Peloton, Felicis, Meta, Postmates, Amazon, UCLA & Stanford, making their dumbbells the smartest fitness tech on the market. Using AI and data analytics, these revolutionary, world-class dumbbells are essentially working out with you, adjusting, monitoring, and coaching you throughout your exercise journey.
I asked Kareem, “Why AI?” and he said, “It removes the thought process from working out. You don’t want to have to think about how many reps you did, or if your form is correct, or if you should increase weight. Let Kabata AI analyze your entire workout and tell you exactly what to do. It’s like a personal trainer at your fingertips, watching and guiding you every step of the way—and at a fraction of the cost.”
Kabata’s Unique Features
At a glance, Kabata offers…
- Automatic weight change for seamless workouts
- AI-enhanced form correction for safer and more effective training
- Adaptive AI that progressively challenges you as you grow stronger
- Velocity-based training for athletic-level performance
- Personalized training plans tailored to your specific goals
However, as you dive deeper into Kabata’s AI-driven workout system, there are a ton of exciting features to lift for.
Kareem explained that there are “haptics” in the dumbbell handles, meaning you never actually have to look at your app or TV during the workout. You simply wait for the buzz in your palms at the beginning of the set to let you know where to start, and at the end of the set to let you know you’re done.
“Our gaming-inspired haptics pulse in your hands at various points in the workout—such as when your form is off—to create a more engaging, immersive experience. We also added a roller wheel in the back of the base. We realize 130 lbs is a lot to move around, so you can just tilt the base up and wheel your dumbbells to any room in your house or even work out outside, making Kabata usable from literally anywhere.”
Each dumbbell ranges from 5-60 lbs in 5 lb increments, so there is something for everyone at any level.
On the software side, the Kabata mobile app comes with self-guided workouts as well as trainer-led classes that can be cast on your TV for—what feels like—a live training session. Kabata gives real-time feedback during your sets on various metrics, like if your reps are too fast or too slow. The app also gives you feedback at the end of every set, guiding you on things like form, range of motion and symmetry. At the end of the workout, Kabata’s AI Coach will also recommend weight adjustments on certain moves based on your speed, form, rep quality and set completion.
Locked & Loaded: My Kabata Experience
I’ve been doing HIIT strength training workouts twice a week for over a year now, so I walked into my Kabata experience slightly suss. I’ve seen a huge change in my strength, endurance, and body from incorporating more weightlifting exercises into my fitness routine within a class setting, so I wondered about the quality of exercises I would get from an AI-powered home system (I’ll admit that I’ve been judgmental of AI in the past!).
In spite of my preconceived notions, the entire user journey was surprisingly seamless and straightforward.
I turned the knob to my desired weight on the dumbbell setup (which took up—seriously—no space at all), and told Kareem to choose a workout for me (politely, I promise). We decided on bis, tris, and flies.
After the weights let me know they were adjusted and ready to be lifted, I aligned myself with the TV-broadcasted app and began to “do the work,” as they say.
What I absolutely loved was the gamification of the workout (which was pretty quick and highly motivating). Similar to a gym workout, where you count your reps and do a certain amount of sets, Kabata counted down for me, working in tandem with me as I went along. If I stopped moving, the dumbbells knew to stop counting down.
More impressively (and importantly), seeing someone guide me through the exercises on “the big screen” helped me gauge my form better and stay in a more consistent flow, which inherently made it so I got more out of the workout.
After each exercise, I was able to see my stats, where my imbalances were, and weight suggestions for the next set. I was actually sweating (and sore the next day).
Pressing Ahead
I’m not not a workout snob, and I really think Kabata is onto something novel…and epic. And I’m not the only one who thinks so! They just secured a $5 million seed round led by Shawn Carolan at Menlo Ventures, highlighting that a new form of fitness is on the horizon.
With over 200 moves across upper body, lower body, full body, core, HIIT, and more, Kabata is bringing a seemingly limitless library of science-backed workouts trusted by actual fitness professionals and doctors to the homes of exercise novices and experts everywhere.
From Scheduling, Challenges and Global Leaderboards to Custom Workouts and even Muscle Heatmaps, new features will surely be a part of Kabata’s growth plan, creating an even more customizable fitness journey for users.
Kareem shared,“We hope to build a global business and brand of that caliber—and make the world stronger, healthier and happier as a result. We know that strength training is difficult, and we trust that what we’ve built makes your fitness journey more enjoyable.”
I’m a stan!
