5 ways to embrace wearable tech in order to reach your fitness goals

Helen Sanders, chief editor at HealthAmbition.com picks her top five wearable tech products for helping you improve your fitness levels over the festive season.

There are now some great gadgets out there which can help to give you a lot of feedback about the quality of your training. Here is my guide on the best tools to help you reach your fitness goals.

#1 – Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker approx £79.99

Until recently, Fitbit had really cornered the wearable technology market.  The Fitbit Alta, which is nice and slimline, and tracks activity levels very well, is reasonably priced for these types of products.

The battery life is good – up to five days; it normally takes around two hours to charge and it’s sweat, rain and splash proof.

It monitors the steps you take, distance, how many floors you climb, the number of calories you burn, the amount of active time in your day, provides workout assistance and tracks you sleep data.

It works via Bluetooth to sync data wirelessly and is compatible with the vast majority of iOS, Android and Windows devices.

#2 – Apple Watch Nike+ approx £289

The Apple watch is a considerable investment, but has a sleek design, is comfortable to wear and features a bright display screen that’s easy to read.

It is waterproof to fifty metres, and in addition to tracking your fitness data, you can customise your workout information. It also supports HIIT training, but doesn’t track sleep data.

The Apple watch features GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but doesn’t measure your elevation, and the battery life is comparatively short, at around eighteen hours.

Where the Apple watch excels is in its ability to store music, keep track of emails and field calls while you’re on the move, which is where it is worth the extra expense for some people.

#3 – JBL UA Sport Wireless In-Ear Headphones approx £130

These headphones are ideal for any form of exercise. They’re comfortable to wear, and actually stay in place during your workout!

They feature Bluetooth connectivity, avoiding the distraction of wires dangling from your head to wherever you manage to securely store your phone.

The battery life is around eight hours per charge, they are sweat-proof, and feature JBL signature sound for excellent sound quality for your chosen workout music.

These headphones also have an on-demand heart rate monitor which updates you as you train, allows you to view in-workout training information and continuously analyses performance during training.

 

#4 – Under Armour Speedform Gemini 3 City RE from £98

If you want wearable technology that’s not strapped around you wrist or requires earbuds, these smart shoes might be for you.

They combine the best of Under Armour’s lightweight footwear and electronic technology in one hit, producing a running shoe that will track your every fitness move with the built-in chip.

This means you can exercise without taking your phone with you, and sync the data via Bluetooth from the chip when you’re done.  They are also reasonably priced, given the value for money this product provides.

These sneakers are compatible with the MapMyRun app, and feature a Jump Test which provides you with data regarding muscle fatigue, which helps to track recovery status and provides information about how to adjust workout intensity.

#5 – Myontec Mbody Connected Shorts €770.00 (for complete kit)

For those who are seriously committed to their workout, these shorts measure the electrical activity of the muscles as your train, analyze your movement and can identify movement disorders, gait and postural issues, muscle imbalance and analyze technique.  It is labeled by the company as the most comprehensive and advanced training system available.

Designed by athletes, these shorts also measure muscle load, heart rate, cadence, speed and distance, and are a technological leader in the health and fitness industry.

They can connect with iOS and android devices via Bluetooth and have a dedicated MBody Live app to sync your data.  As you’d expect for the considerable price tag, they are made from high-tech compression fabric which makes them extremely comfortable to wear.

So there we have it.  Those were five products that I’ve highlighted to help you embrace wearable tech in order to reach your fitness goals.  They may not be for everyone, and the cost of some is a bit extravagant, but I have to agree that they all add valuable monitoring and feedback to help improve your training.

 Helen Sanders is chief editor at HealthAmbition.com. Established in 2012, Health Ambition aims to provide easy-to-understand health and nutrition advice that makes a real impact.