Katalyst’s Strength Training Suit Is Weight Training Without Weights
Our editors independently select the products we recommend. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links.
Running only requires a pair of shoes. Cycling needs a saddle on wheels. The Stairmaster is just moving stairs. Strength training, on the other hand, has yet to nail minimalism. The needy youngest child of the fitness world, it’s inherently injury-prone and demands more money, time, and effort. Katalyst, an electro-muscle stimulation-activated full-body strength training suit, tries to solve all of these issues.
Today's Top Deals
The scuba-esque suit is covered in electrodes that, once drenched with water, deliver light electric shocks that cause the body’s major muscle groups to contract. This makes basic moves like punching, squatting, and lunging harder and the 20-minute workouts on their app efficient.
Previously, there haven’t been many reasonable options for at-home strength training. The COVID-induced workout-from-home era illuminated the impracticality of outfitting a sub-800-square-foot apartment with a bunch of free weights, and sparring with strangers over shared equipment at Crunch Fitness gets old fast.
That’s exactly what makes Katalyst so appealing. It can be used anywhere, and doesn’t require any equipment besides the suit itself. The experience of using it is unconventional, and at times uncomfortable, but so is bracing for impact holding a 30-pound kettlebell.
Made of high-performance nylon and spandex materials that hold the built-in electrodes close to the skin, the suit wears like a wetsuit; it’s both thick and malleable. It’s also literally wet, since the first step of every workout is spraying down the interior so the electrodes can efficiently conduct electricity through the skin to the major muscle groups. You also tighten all of the straps and buckles as much as possible to also help the electrodes, which gives the whole thing a snug, moist fit. There are no two ways around it: it’s weird.
Katalyst Strength Training Suit
Buy Now
The Katalyst user also wears what the brand calls a Base Layer, a long-sleeved top and shorts that both retains moisture and helps conduct the electric impulses optimally. This works pretty well, but I was still damp after wearing the suit for close to an hour. An “Impulse Pack” transmits impulses from the Katalyst app to the suit so the electrodes fire and cool off in tune with the workout. This stimulates the muscles to contract precisely in time with the instruction to do a certain move — a squat, for example — so the moves are harder and have more of a physical impact.
Each impulse is pulsed in four-second intervals with four seconds on, four seconds off, and then the process repeats. It’s by far the strangest format for a workout I’ve ever experienced. But it did make everything from lifting your arms above your head to curling your biceps feel like moving through wet sand, an impressive feat for a suit that weighs about 3 pounds.
I felt ridiculous the entire time, both because of how hard basic joint bending had become and what I looked like, but at the end my body was exhausted. I wasn’t sweating because of the aforementioned clammy fabric, but I was definitely working hard. I felt like a celebrity wearing one of those lime green, sensor-adorned condom suits shooting a CGI movie, except I was in my living room just trying to raise my left knee while electricity radiated through my intestines. As quickly as they came, they would go, thankfully the app lets you lower or raise the intensity of the stimuli whenever you want.
Katalyst takes up less space than regular weights, but at $2,400, it’s not exactly a cheaper option. It also requires the same sort of time commitment to see any results. That said, the company claims it’s safer, leaving users less prone to injury than working out with free weights or dumbbells. It’s an experimental fitness nerd’s dream.
Frequently Asked Questions About Katalyst
Does Katalyst Work?
Defining what “work” means is difficult here, but it definitely does what it says it’s going to do. My muscles were fatigued after the workouts and I didn’t feel like I was about to blow out any muscle or joint. The app works seamlessly with the suit and when the setup instructions are followed accurately, it provides a full-body workout.
How Do You Set Up Katalyst?
The setup process for Katalyst is not easy. The suit needs to be laid out on a towel and the electrodes need to be soaked with water. The excess water needs to be drained and then the suit needs to be put on and tightened to make sure all the electrodes are connected to each major muscle group.
While I was setting up Katalyst, it took a few tries to get nearly every muscle group connected. My upper back muscles never fully connected to the suit because I was wearing a layer underneath the Base Layer, so I turned those electrodes off for the workout.
The app also leads you through a process of setting your base stimulus levels, which you customize based on each muscle group’s size and tolerance. My bigger muscle groups, quads, and glutes, could handle more intensity than my triceps and shoulders.
Can You Travel With Katalyst?
Yes, the Katalyst suit would be great for travel so long as it’s thoroughly dried out before packing. Mine dried out within a few days, so make sure you leave ample time before trying to stuff it into a suitcase.
Do You Have to Use the Katalyst App?
Yes, without the app the suit is pointless. This is what differentiates it from other luxe workout equipment where the app is an enhancer rather than a equipment. A free membership to the app is required to access the classes, which are what stimulate the electrodes and give the suit its effect.
Do You Have to Wear the Base Layer While Training With Katalyst?
Yes, the suit and Base Layer are designed to work in tandem, as the Base Layer not only helps absorb some of the moisture from the suit but also helps connect muscles to the electrode sensors. If the user isn’t wearing it there will likely be connection issues and the suit will be less effective. One important note is any clothing worn under the Base Layer disrupts the electrodes and makes the suit less effective. When I wore a sports bra with it, the suit wasn’t able to connect with my upper back muscles and they were left out of the workout. This is a mark against the suit in my book, since having to wear something specific to complete a workout is limiting. There’s also the reality of laundry cadence, and even though the suit comes with two Base Layer sets, it still renders using this system every day unrealistic.
You Might Also Like…
One Year Later, the Tempo Studio Is Sitting Idle in My Living Room
The Best Muscle Relaxant Creams for Relieving Post-Gym Soreness
5 Kettlebells Worth Adding to a Home Gym, According to Pro Powerlifters
More Top Deals from SPY
Best of SPY
