Getting fit goes high-tech

New technology means a more efficient and safe workout

(CNN) -- Going through a workout is still sweat-inducing, but with the new technology available on the equipment, exercise is safer and more interactive than ever.

ProSpot, a new line of fitness equipment, uses touch sensor technology to take the place of a human "spotter." If the weights slip out of an athlete's hand, sensors send a signal to cables to "grab" the bar.

"It's the best breakthrough in technology we've seen in ages," said Mike Grant, General Manager of G&G Fitness Equipment in Buffalo, New York. "I've never seen anything like it. The second you let go of the bar it locks up in mid-air. The technology makes it so fun to work with, and I love showing it to people and hearing their 'oohs' and 'aahs.'"

Invented by machinist and company chief Michael Slawinski, ProSpot Fitness hit the market with safety in mind.

"When I played football for the semi-pros I didn't like people spotting me," Slawinski said. "I thought it was unsafe and then one day I heard of a guy dying after his free weight bar dropped across his neck. It was at that point 20 years ago I decided to come out with a safe free weight lifting machine."

The ProSpot consists of dual cables on both sides of the machine, with a 750-pound capacity on the home models. Other safety features include an automatic lock if power is disrupted. If the machine's plug was pulled out of the power outlet, the bar would lock in place while it was being used. This same feature would kick in during a power failure.

The ProSpot uses touch sensor technology to make workouts safer.

"An average of six people (are) killed every year from dropping weights on themselves," Slawinski said. "With its (ProSpot's) many safety features, weight lifters will not have to be worried about being benched for life."

Atlanta personal trainer Ladell Hill cautions, though, about thinking the newest in technology will mean better results. "People are always trying to make money so they come up with a lot of gadgets that catch people's interest," said Hill. "If you think about the history of free weights, they have never changed; they've been around since the early 1900s. Every gym you go into you will see free weights and dumbbells, but the machines may still change."

Tracking performance

Equipment now comes with even more technology to track your exercise performance. The console on the StairMaster not only displays distance and time, but also gives heart rate and calories burned -- all in a choice of seven languages. The Life Fitness T7i Treadmill and X5i total body elliptical cross-trainer also feature an interactive console with heart rate zone training workouts.

Industry workers say the interactive equipment is key to keeping people hooked on exercising.

Fitness professionals say today's technology allows the equipment to be customized to individual exercise programs.

According to Mike Grant with G&G Fitness, most people who come into his store will not even buy a cardiovascular machine unless they can interact with it in some way.

"In terms of cardio equipment, the interactive console is the most innovative technology to come out," Grant said. "The computers take your biofeedback and if you had a stressed day, it'll react on the biofeedback. Most people don't understand the biomechanics and physiology of exercising, but you can just tell the machine what to do and it'll figure out the rest for you. If you want to know how much fat you're burning, or your target heart rate, just press a button and the machine will tell you."

Fitness professionals say computers can be very helpful to people who work out, but there is a fine line between helpful data and technology overload.

"Many people sit in front of a computer all day while at the office. When they go to work out, they are trying to get away from that environment," says Cederic Bryant with the American Council on Exercise.