Is the Tempo Studio Worth it? My Review and Experience

It’s been about a month since my Tempo Studio was delivered and I’ve had a chance to try out a few classes. It’s safe to say I’m completely obsessed with my Tempo Studio and it’s been an amazing addition to my home gym!

In this post, I’ll share with you my experience with my Tempo, why I chose Tempo over Tonal, How I use my Tempo with my Peloton and race training, and more!

Tempo did provide me with a complimentary Tempo Studio however all opinions are my own!

What is the Tempo Studio?

First off – what is a Tempo Studio?

The Tempo Studio is a complete workout system. The top of the studio is a huge screen that shows the workout, your metrics, a leaderboard and a sensor to track your movements (more on that in a bit!). Underneath the screen is a storage area where all the weight plates can be stored (the dumbbells and barbells can be stored on a rack on the back of the machine).

There’s quite a bit of room in the weight plate storage so I’ve also started storing my resistance bands in there.

The machine is simply stunning. It’s beautifully designed and I love how practical it is. I had always been hesitant to really get into weight training at home because the traditional dumbbell racks take up so much room and I find adjustable weights are clunky and cumbersome (especially in boot camp style classes with quick transitions!). I don’t have any of those issues with my Tempo Studio.

Packages

There are 3 different packages available for the Tempo Studio: The Starter, Pro and Plus. Here’s a look inside each of the packages:

Starter

The Starter package comes with:

• Tempo Studio (in light or dark)
• Workout mat
• 2 x 7.5 lb dumbbells
• 75 lbs of weights (an assortment of 1.25lb, 2.5 lbs, 5lbs and 10lb plates)
• 4x collars (to lock the weights on the dumbbells)

The Starter Package is $2,495 or $52/month for 48 months through Affirm.

Plus

• Tempo Studio (in light or dark)
• Workout mat
• 2 x 7.5 lb dumbbells
• 1 x 25 lb barbell
• 75 lbs of weights (an assortment of 1.25lb, 2.5 lbs, 5lbs and 10lb plates)
• 2 x 25lb Competition Plates
• 6x collars (to lock the weights on the dumbbells)
• Recovery Roller
• Heart Rate Monitor
• Folding Bench

The Plus Package is $3,245 or $68/month for 48 months through Affirm.

Pro

• Tempo Studio (in light or dark)
• Workout mat
• 2 x 7.5 lb dumbbells
• 1 x 25 lb barbell
• 75 lbs of weights (an assortment of 1.25lb, 2.5 lbs, 5lbs and 10lb plates)
• 2 x 25lb Competition Plates
• 2.x 45lb Competition Plates
• 6x collars (to lock the weights on the dumbbells)
• Recovery Roller
• Heart Rate Monitor
• Folding Bench
• Folding Squat Rack
• Kettlebell System

The Pro Package is $3,995 or $83/month for 48 months through Affirm.

Each of these packages can be ordered on the Tempo site here.

Please note not all the accessories are available yet for the Pro system – Tempo estimates the Squat Rack will be available in July and the Folding Bench in October.

Tempo also has additional accessories – like yoga block, resistance bands, etc. available for purchase at checkout.

Related Post: My Financing Experience with Affirm

I got the Starter Package (you can read all about my delivery experience here), but as soon as I saw they had barbell classes I also ordered one. The website said it would take 2-4 weeks for it to ship but it ended up being delivered in about a week!

Tempo Content

I’ve had my Tempo for about a month now and have done a variety of classes with different instructors. Tempo has a variety of class types available, including:

• HIIT
• Weightlifting
• Strength (both with weighs and bodyweight only)
• Cardio (bodyweight)
• Yoga
• Boxing
• Stretch and Mobility
• Meditation

I like that when you first set up your Tempo Studio account, it has you enter in all the accessories that you have so when you go through classes it’ll only show you classes that you have the equipment for. You can also change this at any time as you get more equipment – like when my barbell arrived, I was able to update it easily in my preferences my equipment and now the barbell classes also show up in my library.

Live vs On Demand Classes

Tempo also offers 2 live classes a day during the week, and 3 live during the weekend. The live classes are usually a morning (9am CST) and evening (7pm CST) and the weekend are 9am CST, 10am CST and 11am CST.

I haven’t taken a live class yet, but Coach Melissa posted a really helpful post comparing the class types in the Tempo Facebook group. Here’s an overview of live vs. on-demand classes:

Live

• Shoutouts and live feedback (instructors can see your username, pace and weights you’re using)
• Live Leaderboard
• Sometimes themed

On-Demand

• Pause button
• Restart class later

Ultimately it’s a personal choice which classes you do. I pick my classes more on what type of workout I want that day so I usually end up doing an on-demand class (and I have 2 kids so I got to get my workout in any minute I have free!). I do like that both live and on-demand classes show you everything you’ll be doing in class so there’s no surprise on what moves you’ll be doing in class. This is especially important for me as a postpartum mom since there are a few moves my PT doesn’t want me doing just yet.

Leaderboard

Tempo has a leaderboard similar to Peloton. The Tempo leaderboard score is based off the weights you choose (the sensor can tell based on the color of the plates you have on your dummbells) as well as how many reps you do. So if you’re doing a bicep curl with 20lb weights, you’ll get 20 points for every rep you complete.

I can’t say the leaderboard really does anything for me. It might motivate someone to do some extra reps, or maybe try new weights, but for me, I don’t really use it or compete on it.

Tempo vs. Peloton

I’m a huge fan of Peloton and absolutely love my Peloton Bike and Tread. However, I haven’t always been a fan of their strength workouts. Before working out at home, I used to go to Orangetheory and work with a personal trainer so I was very aware of some big form issues I’ve had. While I try to work on them to the best of my ability – they’re still there and I need reminders to correct my form.

The form check is one of the big reasons that Tempo appealed to me so much. I really love getting live feedback from the sensor on my form, and it even tells me how to adjust it properly.

Now that I’ve used the Tempo Studio for almost a month now there are many advantages Tempo has compared to Peloton in terms of strength training. Here are a few of the biggest:

Form Correction

I absolutely love that the Tempo can correct my form as I’m doing the workouts! A little popup comes up when my form starts to go, and Tempo tells me how to correct it. On the next rep, it’ll give me feedback if I did the correction right or another suggestion on how to improve. In Peloton, there really isn’t any feedback on your movements (yet – the new Peloton Guide is supposed to help with this when it’s released).

Metrics

Another thing that I like is that with Tempo it’ll automatically track my reps and pace for each rep. After each set I can give feedback so then at the end of the workout Tempo will recommend a new weight – and remember it for the next time I do similar moves in a workout.

With Peloton, if you want to track weights or reps you have to do it on paper yourself. Thanks to Tempo tracking my weights I’ve actually already started to bump up my weights and lift a little heavier!

Music Selection

At the beginning of each Tempo class, you can actually select what type of music you want to workout to! There will be a suggested playlist, but you can scroll through and select any type of music you want. I thought this was really unique and genius!

You can’t see what songs will be on a playlist, but the playlists are pretty current and include top artists.

Shout Outs

I love that Peloton is so supportive of members, but one thing that really bugs me is shoutouts – especially during strength classes where milestones reach the thousands. Some classes I’ve done seem to be almost 99% shout-outs and to me, it’s not really that motivating and can get annoying. Tempo will do maybe 1-2 shoutouts a class and that’s it. I like that the Tempo instructors focus more on class than shoutouts.

On the flip side, there are some things that Peloton does better than Tempo:

Instructor Personalities

Peloton instructors are a whole other breed. They’re highly engaging and overall really entertaining. The Tempo instructors that I’ve worked out with so far seem to be a little more straightforward, and really only talk about the workout, tips for moves and keep their personal life out of the workout.

Community

Peloton has an amazing community with many instructor subgroups (like Becs Beasts, Jess Sim’s You Get to Crew, etc.). Tempo doesn’t seem to have followings like that just yet, but it also seems like Tempo is a lot newer than Peloton. I wouldn’t be surprised in a few years if Tempo’s community is built up like Peloton’s. Tempo does have a really great and supportive Facebook group so you can meet other Tempo users that way.

Content Organization

I find the Peloton classes are organized a little better than the Tempo classes. In Tempo, it seems like everything is geared towards a program. You sign up for a program, then the Tempo will tell you which workouts to do next. In Peloton, it’s more free choice and you can hop into any class.

With Tempo you can choose any class to do and hop around, but the names of some classes (for example Burn Baby Burn Part 4) make it seem like you’re supposed to do it as part of a program.

Tempo vs. Tonal

While I don’t have firsthand experience with the Tonal, my biggest reasons for choosing Tempo over Tonal are:

Freestanding vs Mounted System

I love that the Tempo is freestanding. When we bought our house years ago I never imagined that I’d have a gym at home. But since the world’s changed and I now do all my working out at home, I need to be able to do it in a small space. I just don’t have a full wall I can dedicate to a huge training system.

The Tempo Studio is a stunning machine that doesn’t take up a lot of space. Everything folds up nicely when not in use and it looks beautiful next to my Peloton Bike and Tread.

Free Weights

I also like that the Tempo is a free weight system (uses dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells) instead of a suspension system like the Tonal. I want to learn how to lift weights and be able to use these skills with confidence if I’m ever traveling and use a hotel gym. I feel like the things that I learn in Tempo are moves that I can always bring with me, whereas with the Tonal I feel like I’d become reliant on a machine like that to do any workouts.

My Experience and Review

I’ve had my Tempo Studio for about a month now and absolutely love it. In the past, I’d kind of view strength training as an extra thing I was supposed to do but now with the Tempo Studio I actually look forward to doing strength training. I’ve also started incorporating more than the traditional strength training by adding in some of the mobility and balance classes (my PT was super happy to hear this).

When you first select a class to do, the Tempo Studio will show you all the moves that you’ll be doing in the class. I really appreciate that because I’m a few months postpartum and need to be mindful of some moves I do – especially core. I’m able to take a look at the classes and if I think there’s a class that might call for too many modifications, I can skip it.

Once you select a class, it’ll let you select the music you want to listen to. It’ll default to the recommended one but ultimately it’s up to you which one you listen to. Currently, the selection is:

• Today’s Hits
• Pop
• Today’s Hip Hop
• Modern Downtempo
• Throwback Hip Hop
• Groove and Flow
• EDM
• Jock Jams
• Ambient
• Pride

There isn’t an option – yet, at least – to play your own music but I could definitely see that being a feature they add in the future.

I usually do either the Today’s Hits or Top Hip Hop, but have done the Modern Downtempo for stretching and mobility classes. I’ve been impressed that even though I usually select the same playlists, the songs that play have been different.

Weights and Set-Up

After you select your music, the next screen will tell you what weights to get ready for class and how to set up the dumbbells and barbell for the first set.

The dumbbells, plates and collars (this locks the plates onto the dumbbell) feel really high quality – like what you would find at a gym. Setting up the dumbbells took me a minute the first time I did it because it took a little getting used to using the collar to lock the plates, but once I figured it out it’s been really easy to do.

Once you have that setup, you click next and then can pair your heart rate. My Tempo came with a heart rate monitor but I use my Garmin Venu instead (I let my husband have the heart rate montior). I was really impressed that Tempo was able to pick up on my Garmin without any pairing or syncing required.

Once you have a heart rate monitor paired (you don’t need to have this, you can skip if you don’t have a heart rate monitor), then it’ll have you stand in the middle of the mat and start counting down to class start.

Class Format

Classes can range from 5 minutes up to 80-minute classes. I’ve noticed that these class lengths don’t include time for warmup, so they end up being a little longer (a 35-minute class I took a few days ago ended up being closer to 37 minutes with warm-ups added in). If you’re crunched for time, Tempo does give the option to skip warm-up and cooldowns.

I’ll be the first to admit I usually don’t do warm-ups or cooldowns on my own, so I do appreciate that they include it in the classes. These aren’t quick ones either – they’re usually 3-5 minutes long, for both warm-up and cool down.

Once the warm-up is over, the screen will pop up with what weights to have prepared for the first set. I like that the instructors group together moves that all use similar weights so you don’t need to swap out plates in between sets.

For the classes I’ve done, it’s usually set up with 3 different moves, repeated 2-3 times. Tempo does give you little breaks in between each set and there’s also a countdown clock. If you do need more time to rest, there is also a pause button, however, I’ve found the Tempo instructors are very generous with rest time in between moves.

Once you’re done with a set, a popup will show what weights to change to for the next round as well as a place to give feedback on the weights for the last round.

Initially, I was a little nervous I’d run out of time adjusting my weights, but Tempo gives around 2 minutes to get this done and I ended up having plenty of time (and enough time to provide the feedback!). If you do need a little extra time, you can always pause the workout.

Workout Tempo

During the workouts I’ve noticed that a lot of the moves are tempo moves – meaning, you pace yourself while doing the move (which makes sense where the name of the company came from!). Instructors will give you a goal pace (like 2 counts down, 2 counts up) and the Tempo will time your pace for you for each rep.

I’ve found this to be really good feedback for me because I’m one of those people that would rather rush through strength work – not ideal, but I’m being honest. By going slower and tracking my pace I get a much more effective workout (and have found I’m way sorer the next day).

Form Feedback

While you’re doing the workout Tempo will use a sensor to monitor your form and provide feedback. This is one thing that I was really excited about and have found it’s really accurate. I usually have issues with my squat form and sure enough, that was one of the first form adjustments it called out.

The feedback is real-time so if you do one rep with poor form, the Tempo will pop up with a call out and a little blurb on how to improve it. For example, when I was doing an overhead press I got a message that I was “Leaning Backward”. The Tempo then gave me feedback to brace my core – which sounded almost identical to what my PT is always telling me. Once I did brace my core, my form improved and Tempo recognized that and said good job!

Tempo also recently came out with a new measurement called Range of Motion, where the sensor can track your range of motion (or ROM) in moves like squats. They just came out with it this month and I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet but it looks really promising. They also are coming out with a series of classes that can help improve your range of motion.

Finishing Up The Workout and Recap

After you finish a workout, a screen will pop up to show you what areas you worked out, as well as where you can possibly go up in weights. Once you say ok to the changes the next time you do similar moves Tempo will suggest slightly heavier weights. If you’re not comfortable doing these suggestions you can always drop down in weights or revert back to your old weight preferences.

I really like this feature because it helps me push through my comfort zone and challenge myself. It did take some time to get my weights set up to the right amounts initially (it had me set a little too low), but now that it knows me and I’ve done a variety of moves I’ve found its more accurate in weight suggestions.

Review

I absolutely love my Tempo Studio and find that it complements my Peloton tread and bike really nicely. I feel like since I’ve started with Tempo I’ve really learned a lot about strength training and it’s already been helping improve my form! The instructors are really knowledgable and are full of really good and helpful tips – thanks to Coach Clarence, I’ve finally been able to get my form right for pushups and no longer avoid them!

Adding Tempo into my Race Training

I’m currently training for a 10-mile race and am using my Tempo Studio as my primary source of strength training. My training varies every week, but here’s an example of how I use my Tempo workouts with race training:

Monday: 35 Minute Tempo Full Body Strength + 30 Minute Peloton Endurance Run

Tuesday: 40 Minute Tempo Full Body Strength + 45 Minute Peloton Endurance Run

Wednesday: 10 Minute Tempo Pre-Run Warm Up + 45 Minute Peloton Speed Workout

Thursday: 35 Minute Tempo Full Body Strength + 20 Minute Peloton Run

Friday:10 Minute Tempo Pre-Run Warm Up+ 60 Minute Peloton Run

I’m also adding in Tempo’s mobility workouts and foam rolling at the end of the day.

Related Post: How I Train for Races with Peloton

Is it Worth It?

If you’re looking to do strength training at home I highly recommend getting a Tempo Studio. It’s been a great addition to my fitness routine and I’ve seen noticeable improvements in my form after just a few weeks (my PT has also noticed!). Not to mention, the instructors are great and always have great tips!

The Tempo Studio is perfect for beginners all the way to advance and they’re constantly adding new content and features.

The Tempo Studio does require a monthly subscription ($39/month) and that gives you up to 6 profiles. Pricing is in line with other subscription workouts like Peloton and Tonal, and ends up being less than $1.30 a day for unlimited access to classes.

Tempo does also have a smaller system, the Tempo Move, which is a smaller footprint and a little less expensive. You can find out more about the Tempo Move here.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I absolutely love my Tempo Studio and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great strength training program! I hope this post has been helpful and let me know in the comments if you have any questions!

Want to learn more about Tempo Studio or Tempo Move? Click here to check out their site!