The Technology Boom!
You may remember a couple of weeks back, I wrote about my addiction to technology in fitness. I monitor everything! How far I am running, my heart rate at certain periods of training and exactly what I was doing in each and every training session is recorded. So why bring up technology again you ask? Sometimes I forget not everybody has been exposed to the information I have had access to throughout the course of my education. Not everybody understands why health and wellness are so important. You may know you should be keeping healthy and fit but do you really understand why? Probably not! I see this as a good opportunity to make sense of everything on the market. Assist you in making the right decision when it comes to your health and well-being. The right fitness tracker will be based on your individual needs and how active you are. The good news is there is something out there for everyone.
What are they going to tell me?
All fitness trackers will tell you the basics. From how many steps you have taken, to how far you have travelled, your heart rate at any given time and hours slept. Ten years ago this would have almost seemed impossible, whereas the truth of the matter is, these features are basic and in order to stand out from the crowd, these companies are required to be innovative, in order to stay ahead of the game.
Value for money
Basic fitness trackers don’t need to break the bank, especially if your needs are basic. They will tell you how far you have travelled, but for the everyday person, who knows they must do some sort of fitness but does not know where to start, there is often a good place. Remember though that these are not 100% accurate, so ensure you know exactly what you are signing up for before you invest.
The cheapest of the FitBit’s on the market and whilst it does not measure sleep, it takes into consideration steps, duration of exercise and calories. It’s simple, but still, incorporates the rock solid FitBit software that the company is well known for. At $59 how could you say no?
The latest to come out of China in regards to technology on a budget. It can offer you a step count, distances travelled, heart rate at any given time, as well as sleep quality. Coming in at $21, it also alerts you to when you a are receiving phone call and texts. It’s basic, but it does it well.
A slightly cheaper version ($119) of some of Polars more fancy fitness trackers and for the price, it would be hard to say no. Not only are calls, messages and calendar alerts all synced, it also takes into consideration steps, distances, durations, calories and not to mention it will let you know when you have been sitting down for too long. Say goodbye to those Netflix marathons!
The be all and end all
Let’s talk about those fancy watches now. Yes they look great, they are innovative and if you believe the hype, they WILL make you fitter (Only if you choose to though).
Garmin Vivoactive HR
With an inbuilt GPS system allowing for multi-sport tracking, including biking, swimming, paddle boarding, skiing, running and more. Receive cures when you achieve milestones, not to mention the healthy tips from virtual coaches provides instruction to those whose health and fitness knowledge is limited. If budget is not an issue for you, this would be my best bet, it really has it all.
FitBit Surge
The most expensive of the FitBit brand, it really is a fitness super watch. Inbuilt GPS measures distances, splits, pace and time, while continual heart rate allows you to maintain intensity no matter the activity. Not to mention it does everything else in a simple to read format.
Not only does it do the basics, it will also allow you to answer phone calls, send and receive text messages, as well as customise workouts, incorporate swimming programs and much more. So it’s a little bit pricey, but if you want wearable technology that looks great, as well as saving you time, the Apple watch is for you. Not to mention, Apple is at the forefront of innovation, so expect to see more from them within this space.
Athlete monitoring systems
Now, by all means, I don’t want to come across as bias here but performance monitoring systems like FitBox, Baseline and SportsMed Elite really do work. Yes, I work on these products daily, but I truly see the value in them, as the monitor performances to ensure athletes are able to train and compete on a daily basis. Furthermore, health and wellness metrics are taken into consideration on all platforms, to ensure the WHOLE picture of the athlete is accounted for. Coaches, high-performance staff and gym owner’s need to ensure all athlete training is monitored and logged. At the end of the day, these platforms are only as good as the information put in. So if you attend a gym or are a participant in a sporting team, that is yet to implement some form of athlete monitoring, ask about US. You won’t regret it!
So you see, there are a lot of options out there, all catering for a variety of budgets.
No matter the invest you make, big or small, these monitoring systems will start you on the path to overall health and fitness glory.
Naomi Wallis
Product Manager
Naomi speaks all things functional movement. She loves it so much, she adopted it into her daily fitness routine. To say sport was ingrained in Naomi is an understatement.
In fact, she loved it so much, she went on to study sports science at university and has worked for some of the best NRL teams in the country.
Her world is revolved around the sport and she brings this enthusiasm to the table every single day.
