Are you searching for the perfect gym interval timer, look no further! GymNext Flex Timers have taken the fitness and CrossFit world by storm with their innovative features and versatility. But what are the differences between the ‘Home’ and Gym’ editions and what makes them better than other timers?
The GymNext Flex Home and Gym are both high-quality workout timers with the same functionality, superior app, and heart rate monitor integration. The key differences between the Home and Gym editions are; Digit size, buzzer volume, and price.
Let’s dive in and find out what makes GymNext Flex Timers so good and why you should choose them over other workout timers.
Key Takeaways
- The GymNext Flex Home and Gym Editions have two key differences: size and buzzer volume.
- The Home Edition has 2.3″ tall digits and a max 85db buzzer: Best for home and garage gyms where the timer is max 30′ away.
- The Gym Edition has 4″ tall digits and a max 95db buzzer. Best for larger gyms where the timer is more than 30′ away.
- Both editions are controlled by the same app and offer the same features, including Bluetooth connectivity, adjustable buzzer volume, and the ability to control multiple timers.
- The app is the key feature that sets GymNext Flex Timers apart, offering a wide range of settings and features for easy customization of workouts.
- The possible integration with heart rate monitors is a valuable addition, helping users stay within their preferred heart rate zone during workouts.
Contents
GymNext Flex: Home vs Gym
Key Differences
Luckily they made things very easy for everyone, the home and the gym edition are the same except for Three key differences; Size (and weight as a result), price, and max buzzer volume.
| Differences | GymFlex Next Home Edition | GymFlex Next Gym Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Digit Height | 2.3″ | 4.0″ |
| Size | 13″ x 4.7″ x 2.2″ | 23″ x 6.3″ x 2.2″ |
| Weight | 3.5 lbs. | 3.5 lbs. |
| Buzzer Volume | 45db-85db | 45db-95db |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
1. Size Matters: One of the primary distinctions between the GymNext Flex Home and Gym Editions is their size.
The Gym Edition boasts larger and taller digits, making them easily visible even from a longer distance. A bigger display needs a bigger box of course so the gym edition is quite a bit larger and heavier than the home edition. However, since they live on a wall anyways, this doesn’t really matter.
Technically the Home Edition is more portable since it would fit in many gym bags although it’s certainly not built for that. If you need a battery-powered timer, check out this article that shows the 4 best options.
2. Volume Sensibility: When it comes to sound, GymNext Flex timers have you covered! The Home Edition comes equipped with a buzzer that reaches a maximum of 85db, while the Gym Edition takes it up a notch with a 95db buzzer.
Both volumes are more than sufficient for their intended purposes, and you can always adjust the volume according to your preferences, down to 45db.
They are controlled by the same app, have exactly the same features, come with the same accessories included, and even have the same length power cord. So except for these two features, they are functionally the same.
3. Price: The Home Edition is quite a bit cheaper than the Gym Edition. In the end, you should just get the one you need (see below). If you’re in between the intended target users for the home and gym editions you could go for the home edition and save some money or go for the gym edition to make sure it’s large enough.
Suggested article: Why are fitness timers so expensive?
Who is the GymNext Flex Home Edition For?
As the name suggests, the GymNext Flex Home Edition is a perfect fit for your home or garage gym setup. With its 2.3″ tall digits, the display ensures that you can keep track of time and sets effortlessly. Phone screens are often too small to easily see all the information during a work interval.
The digits of the home edition are large enough to be seen clearly from up to 30 feet away, making it an excellent choice for home gyms, garage gyms, and even compact workout studios.
However, we understand that everyone’s eyesight is different, and if you find yourself more than 20 feet away from the timer during your workouts, you might want to consider the Gym Edition. If you can’t clearly see the time and intervals in the blink of an eye, there’s not much point in having a timer in the first place.
Who is the GymNext Flex Gym Edition For?
Are you a gym owner or someone that trains groups? If so, the GymNext Flex Gym Edition is tailor-made for you!
The Flex timer Gym Edition has larger 4″ tall digits. That means the display is easily visible up to about 100 feet away. This makes it the right choice for larger gyms where people are further away from the display.
The louder 95db buzzer is useful in larger, more open gym environments, ensuring everyone stays in sync with the workout schedule.
By the way, if you need a large timer in one spot and a small timer in another, you can link the GymNext Interval Timers together to either show the same timer on different displays or control two different timers from the same app.
GymNext Flex Interval Timer Features
Above we looked at the differences between the two GymNext workout timers but only alluded to some of the other features. Let’s dive into all the interesting and useful features of the GymNext Flex Timers:
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Seamlessly connect your GymNext Flex Timer to your iOs or Android devices for effortless control.
- Updated and Versatile App: The GymNext app is the heartbeat of these timers, regularly updated with new functionality for a flawless workout experience.
- 6 Digit Display: The display features 2 blue and 4 red digits for sets and time, ensuring clarity during intense workouts.
- Adjustable Buzzer Volume: Customize the buzzer volume according to your workout environment, ranging from 45db to 85/95db.
- Multi-Timer Control: With the app, control multiple timers at once with ease, making it perfect for group classes or circuit training.
- Built-in and Customizable Workouts: Choose from the 10 built-in workout timers or create unlimited custom workouts tailored to your fitness needs. Learn more about pre-programmed workout timer modes here.
- No Remotes Required: Say goodbye to old-school remote controls; these timers are efficiently controlled through the app.
- Auto Fade Music: Sync your GymNext Flex Timer with a Bluetooth speaker, and it’ll automatically fade music in and out during interval buzzers.
- Heart Rate Monitor Integration: Connect your heart rate monitor to the display for periodic heart rate updates, helping you stay in your preferred cardio zone.
- Versatility Beyond Timers: Surprise! The GymNext Flex Interval Timer can also be used as a shot timer or scoreboard. Talk about a fitness all-rounder!
These are the headline features that make these timers special. The key that makes these timers tick is the app.
GymNext Workout Timer App
The Flex timers are controlled with the app and only with an app. So it should be good, right?
If you want to get an idea of how the app works, you can actually install it (it’s free for both Android and apple) and use it without the display connected. You’ll soon see the massive amount of settings, features and presets. However, it’s still easy and intuitive to use so you’ll be on your way to working out any type of basic interval in no time.
Read here why you would use a timer display instead of your phone.
By the way, the app is free and fully functional. It’s actually a good interval timer app without the display as well.
If you want to program your own workout that has different types of intervals, it will take a few minutes to set everything up but it’s really not that hard.
There are tons of features and settings in the app that you don’t have to touch but can if you want to. Some notable settings include:
- Buzzer volume
- Voice type (male/female)
- Changing sound types for start/end of sets, segments and rest.
- How many seconds warning before the start/end of an interval or segment (if any).
- Rep counting
- Shaking the device for rest
The integration with heart rate monitors is also quite interesting. These aren’t great for group classes but for training a single person at a timer or yourself, these are really cool. Here are some things you can do with the heart rate;
- Show heart rate on the display (you can choose how between every 15 seconds and always)
- Play a noise when entering and exiting a certain cardio zone (you can set which heart rates the zones are)
This helps you keep your heart rate in the preferred zone and also helps you see what your heart rate actually is. Many heart rate monitors have a very small display so it’s hard to quickly see what your heart is doing. Having it periodically on the display is easier and also makes it possible for coaches and trainers to see immediately what’s going on so they can adapt their workouts.
One thing the app doesn’t do is keep the history of workouts and heart rate. You can find workouts you did before in the ‘recently used’ section. But you can’t see exactly what you did during that workout. If tracking that is important, you’ll need to run another app in the background.
Why The GymNext Flex Timers Are Better
App Superiority
The app is undoubtedly the standout feature that elevates the GymNext Flex Timers to a league of their own. With unmatched ease of use, a wealth of features, and the ability to tailor workouts precisely, it outperforms other fitness timers. While a few timers might have smartphone control, they simply can’t compete with the GymNext app’s feature-rich interface.
Most other workout timers do not have this, period. There are a few other timers that can be controlled by a smartphone. However, those apps just don’t come close in features and ease of use. Some are just not very well designed and are just not easy enough to use. They also have fewer features generally.
Read more here about which factors to look for when selecting a workout timer.
Quality Matters
Many fitness enthusiasts may be familiar with a certain well-known brand in the weightlifting/CrossFit space. While this brand offers a similar CrossFit timer, it falls short when it comes to app functionality and, in some cases, even quality issues. On the other hand, GymNext is a reliable choice with top-notch customer service, ensuring your fitness journey stays smooth and uninterrupted.
It’s also worth mentioning that GymNext has amazing customer service that will do anything they can to help you out. Every time I’ve sent them an email I’ve gotten a quick response.
App Control Over Remote Controls
Timers without app controls have an old-school remote control. If you’ve ever tried to program anything else than a super simple interval on those, you’ll know they are a massive pain.
Unlike timers with old-school remote controls, the GymNext Flex Timers’ app control revolutionizes your experience. Programming workouts on remote-controlled timers can be a hassle, but the app simplifies the process and puts you in control.
Which GymNext Flex Accessories Do You Need?
There aren’t many accessories available for the GymNext Interval timers but there are a few, six at the moment of writing to be precise:
Check the accessories shop here.
While these timers come packed with essentials, here’s a quick rundown of the optional accessories:
- 14′ and 6′ Extension Cords: If the 6′ power cord that comes with the timer isn’t sufficient for your setup, these extension cords come to the rescue.
- Power Supply: The power supply is included with your new GymNext interval timer, ensuring you’re all set right out of the box.
- Mounting Brackets: Rest assured, your timer comes with mounting brackets, and if you buy a new timer now, you’ll receive the updated version included.
- Tablet Holder: Allows you to mount your device on a wall/surface. Perfect for easy control and accessibility, the tablet holder is a good addition for multi-user access or hands-free convenience.
- Wire Guard: For gyms with high-energy activities where things might go airborne, the wire guard offers an extra layer of protection. Basketball courts would want to use this to protect the timer for example.
If you buy a new GymNext interval timer, it’ll come with the power supply and mounting brackets. The mountain brackets in the accessories shop are an updated version which should be included if you buy a new timer now.
The two extension cords are for when the 6′ power cord the timer comes with isn’t enough. Just check how far the power outlet is from where you intend to mount the timer and if 6′ is enough for this. The extension cords can also help you to route the cable in a way that looks better. The
So except for maybe the power cord extensions, there aren’t really any accessories you NEED. These workout timers come with what you need in the box.
