A method for controlling a control interface of an exercise machine during the consumption of multimedia content, the method comprising:
- providing multimedia content of a personal trainer preparatory to a performance of a set workout program on the exercise machine, configured to be consumed by a user through the control interface of the exercise machine;
- associating configuration instructions of the exercise machine with the multimedia content, which can be read by a data processing unit of the exercise machine, synchronized with playing of the multimedia content;
- a step of dynamically modifying, via the data processing unit, wherein if an instant of playing time falls within a set time interval provided by the configuration instructions, the control interface is dynamically modified so that it takes a first operating configuration corresponding to a set time interval reached by the multimedia content;
- in said first operating configuration, simultaneously showing the user, by the data processing unit, on one lateral side of a display module of the control interface, a first plurality of temporary controls made available by the control interface and enabled to be used by the user through the control interface;
- and
- physically setting, by the data processing unit, the exercise machine based on the first plurality of temporary controls made available by the control interface and selected by the user through the control interface in said first operating configuration;
- wherein the step of dynamically modifying is performed, by the data processing unit, based on the configuration instructions of the exercise machine read together with the playing of the multimedia content, to modify the control interface so that it assumes a second operating configuration to simultaneously display on the display module a plurality of temporary controls representative of values selectable by the user of at least one first operating parameter of the exercise machine, each of the temporary controls showing the corresponding value;
- wherein the step of dynamically modifying further comprises a step of indicating, by the data processing unit, based on the configuration instructions of the exercise machine read together with the playing of the multimedia content, wherein it is indicated on the display module which of the first plurality of temporary controls representative of values selectable by the user of the at least one first operating parameter of the exercise machine is suggested by the personal trainer in the multimedia content for a phase of the set workout program that the user is performing in the set time interval that the multimedia content is at;
- wherein the step of dynamically modifying, based on the configuration instructions read together with the playing of the multimedia content, further comprises recognizing that the value of the at least one first operating parameter that the user has selected is different from the suggested value, and in response to said recognizing, maintaining, by the data processing unit, on said one lateral side of the display module the indication of which of the temporary controls representative of values selectable by the user of at least one first operating parameter of the exercise machine is suggested by the personal trainer in the multimedia content for that phase of the set workout program;
- wherein the step of dynamically modifying further comprises a step of automatically setting, at an end of a time interval corresponding to the third operating configuration, via the data processing unit, wherein if the user has not made any selection, a first initial workout difficulty level will be set automatically and a step of automatically setting, at an end of a time interval corresponding to the third operating configuration, via the data processing unit, wherein if the user has not made any selection, a first initial workout difficulty level will be set automatically;
- wherein said exercise machine is a treadmill, a bike or exercise bike, a rowing machine, an indoor cycling machine, a strength exercise machine, or a station for practicing boxing.