Nike has announced that it is taking its Nike + iPod system to the gym teaming up with Life Fitness, Precor, Star Trac, Technogym, 24 Hour Fitness and Virgin Active Health Clubs to make their cardio equipment Nike + iPod compatible.

The plan is to allow club members to easily track workouts on cardio equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and stair climbers.

The company says that Nike + iPod users will simply plug their iPod nano into the equipment at the start of their workout to automatically record their progress.

Users can then connect their iPod with their computer to upload the workout to the company's website nikeplus.com.

"The Nike + iPod experience revolutionized running. Now we’re revolutionizing the gym cardio experience", said Trevor Edwards, Nike’s Vice President of Global Brand and Category Management.

“We’re enabling people who go to the gym an opportunity to set goals, track progress, and compete in challenges with their friends and with other members of www.nikeplus.com. It’s a groundbreaking tool for people who want to maximize their workouts.”

When gym users connect their iPod nano to their computer, their workout data is sent to the website through iTunes.

This workout data is converted to “CardioMiles” so that users of cardio equipment can easily set goals and participate in challenges with runners and with users of other cardio equipment.