About Smart Tech

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LES MILLS® has developed innovative studio equipment that supports and enhances our group fitness programmes, a great tool for personal trainers and team training. In the past few years, LES MILLS® has launched the Les Mills SMARTBAR™ barbell and weights system and the Les Mills SMARTSTEP™ and are continually working on new equipment innovations.

Our approach to product design is unique, our biggest competitive advantage is our access to fitness professionals who consult with us, test our prototypes and give us honest feedback. We take advantage of the 15,000 clubs who license LES MILLS® group fitness programs and the 100,000 Les Mills certified instructors to deliver better equipment. To ensure quality, exceptional functionality and user results, we partner with a New Zealand based design firm and start every new product by listening, watching and learning from our customers. 

Facing a highly commoditised equipment market, LES MILLS® sought to develop products that are truly innovative. From beginning to end, our innovation is customer-insight led, requiring years of extensive research and analysis. In collaboration with our external design partners, we developed products with cutting edge design and functionality that improves the user experience and delivers faster results safely and effectively.

For the SMARTBAR™, we sought to improve the ease and speed that weights are attached or removed. We also focused on making the weight plates comfortable and increase their functionality for use in personal and team training as well as group fitness. By achieving this, the SMARTBAR™ enhances both the member and club experience. 

The SMARTSTEP™ was focused on stability. A key innovation is the way the deck and risers engage by soft locking into position. When a user steps or jumps onto the deck, their feet increase the locking action and ensures a stable platform under a dynamic load. It also allows the SMARTSTEP™ to be picked up and moved as one piece making transitions fast and seamless.  The circular risers are intuitive and easy to locate. They minimize the risk of participants’ feet catching when there is movement around the edge of the step and will not slip on any gym surface.

LES MILLS® equipment will benefit clubs by offering customers unique, innovative equipment that helps them attain better results. By giving members a better experience, we can help drive retention and membership sales.