In a world obsessed with optimisation, Nerio Alessandri has been building the blueprint for better living for decades. The Chairman and CEO of Technogym talks to Esquire Middle East, morning routines, the role of AI in personalised training, and why dumbbells just got a whole lot smarter.
ESQ: What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Can you walk us through your typical wellness day?
Nerio Alessandri: I love working out early in the morning, followed by an energetic breakfast to kick-start my day. Of course, Technogym is an essential part of my routine. I enjoy mixing things up and doing a variety of activities, ranging from strength training to cardio to stretching. Most of the time, I train in my personal home gym, but I also like to join the team at the Technogym Village.
There, we have a corporate wellness centre that’s open to all employees and fully equipped with Technogym products. Naturally, Technogym is also the go-to brand for top hotels around the world, which makes it easy for me to stay consistent with my training even when I travel.
ESQ: How do you personally define wellness in today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world?
Nerio Alessandri: Today, Wellness and health are more than ever the priority number one for people. There is an increased awareness of the benefit of physical exercise among the population. People are more informed, but also at an institutional level governments and local authorities are understanding that investing in health and prevention is a great tool to reduce healthcare costs that will be unsustainable going forward since the population will get older and older.
When it comes to health, being able to prescribe precise exercise protocols to treat specific conditions and diseased it’s fundamental…so Technogym has a strategic advantage in the health field thanks to its unique digital Ecosystem that allows professionals to prescribe precisely exercises or training programs based on the need of every single user and at the same time user can keep track of the movement and improvement.
ESQ: In a time when many are sceptical about tech, from smartphones to AI, why do you believe technology still has a valuable role in wellness?
Nerio Alessandri: Technology is an important tool but it’s all about how we use it. When thoughtfully integrated, like in Technogym’s platforms, it empowers to track progress, gain insights into health, and stay consistent. It bridges the gap between ambition and action, making wellness more accessible and personalized for all the different users.
ESQ: Tell us about the idea behind Technogym’s smart dumbbells. What has the reception been like so far?
Nerio Alessandri: After strength training’s golden age in the 80s, in recent years its trend is living a huge comeback. The effectiveness of strength training is linked to many small elements: the correct load, the appropriate number of repetitions, recovery time, speed of execution of the exercise, posture, and range of motion. Optimizing every single detail and preventing the most common mistakes is fundamental to making your training effective and achieving better results in less time.
Technogym’s newly launched proposal for effective home strength training is the Technogym Connected Dumbbells: they are the perfect choice for at-home strength training because they pack 12 sets of dumbbells into one, making space an issue of the past.
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ESQ: What’s one wellness trend you’re excited about or think will define the future?
Nerio Alessandri: Motivation is key to achieving long-term results. If you’re not excited about your training experience, the habit won’t be sustainable, and you’re likely to give up. Today, AI offers a powerful tool for personalizing exercise based on each individual’s goals, passions, and aspirations. It also adapts to your progress, making every session continually relevant and engaging.
ESQ: Are you optimistic about the outlook for wellness and innovation in 2025?
Nerio Alessandri: As people continue prioritizing their health, I think the demand for smarter, more personalized solutions will only grow. We’re moving toward a future where wellness is no longer a luxury but a vital, integrated part of life; and that’s something to be excited about.