Fitness equipment is catching up with tech-savvy, gadget-loving exercisers who are downloading workouts onto their iPods, wearing heart-rate monitors and logging the miles they’ve run to continually fine-tune their workouts.

For gym rats, the latest cardio and strength machines will do much of the work for them, allowing users to customize workouts and compile their fitness data on home computers so they can keep a close watch on their progress. For example, someone could plug a USB stick into an elliptical trainer, work out, save the information to the USB and download that into a home computer. From there, a new workout can be designed with specific time and intensity, then downloaded into the elliptical next time, programming the machine to go at that pace. By tracking workouts, exercisers can see whether they’re progressing, or need to work harder to achieve their goals.

Some of the machines work directly with iPod Nanos, which can track workouts with the help of a sensor built into a shoe. Easy-to-navigate touch screens are replacing boring, old-school LED readouts. One company introduced a weight machine equipped with an instructive video to demonstrate proper form and speed for various exercises, perfect for those who need strength-training tutorials.

This growing technology in the fitness world may be a boon to exercisers, says Randy Drake, senior vice president of community and corporate development for 24 Hour Fitness.

“Exercise and how you take care of yourself has to extend beyond the four walls of a gym. This is a great way to reinforce that.” He also noted that, years from now, computer-driven fitness will be inevitable: “This is going to be completely natural — taking your workout with you, customizing it on your terms, setting goals and having that portability.”

The latest in fitness equipment debuted at the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association’s annual International Trade Show held recently in San Diego, where shiny, sleek, state-of-the-art machines enticed health-club owners looking for the latest gear. The computer-savvy crowd and tech types who love new tools probably will be the most enthusiastic early users. Other exercisers may come to appreciate the possibilities more gradually.

“When your friend says he’s getting a great workout because he’s using his iPod and it interfaces with a piece of equipment, more and more people are going to start using that type of technology,” says Joe Moore, the association’s president and chief executive. “It makes sense. It’s a natural progression.”

And for some — say those who simply want to exercise without knowing how many steps they climbed — touch screens can morph into television screens. If there’s nothing good on TV, members can plug in iPods and download their own music or video content. Because watching a bank of communal televisions is so five minutes ago.

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