App for a Better Workout, Better Life
Download a free app onto your iPhone? or drop between 60 and 200 bucks on a heart rate monitor wristband with the accompanying body strap? Choose your own path, but I went with clicking the “get” button in the iTunes App Store for this new app by Cardioo, Inc.
The Cardioo- Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) app is a clear alternative to wearing a sweaty chest band and clunky wristwatch. According to Annalect, a marketing research and analytics agency, many millennials will ditch a workout if they forget to bring their music-playing device (mobile) with them. As a member of that generation, I have definitely done that more than once. So since our phones are a gym accessory just as vital as a pair of sneakers, workout supplementing apps are all the handier.
How it works
Heart rate is measured by holding your phone in front of your face by measuring the amount of light reflected off of it, or you can place your finger on your iPhone’s camera lens.
Why I like it
It is fairly accurate at measuring my resting and active heart rates. I can intensify my workout because I will know when I’ve met my target heart rate without mistakenly believing I’m pushing myself too far. For example, if you feel like you’re dying before you meet your target heart rate, you can be assured that you indeed are not.
Why I use it
Because being 22 and having a “fair” heart is not ideal. The app measures whether your heart is “fair- fit” on a scale of 7 points. Reaching the fit side of things means a strong heart that has to do less work during a workout and is less exposed to heart disease and heart attacks.
The Good
• It shows you “how you stack up” against the average heart rate in selected countries and famous athletes
• 7 minute guided workouts are included
The Bad
• Additional features are a part of a Pro version of the app. You have to pay an additional few dollars for features like:
• Finding out your target life expectancy
• Finding your target heart rate which you may want to utilize during workouts
