How wearables are powering a fitness revolution
Get a fitness band and make it through winter in the best shape ever
There’s a new show in town and it’s on the wrists of everyone from teenagers to grandparents. The runaway success of so-called ‘wearables’ has more people interested in their personal wellbeing than ever – and with a wide range of choices, there is a fitness band ideal for you.
That’s according to Dan Albertsen, retail services manager at Noel Leeming. He explains what a wearable, or fitness band, is: “Well, wearables often look a lot like a traditional watch, but they do quite a bit extra, starting off with recording how far you’ve run or walked each day.”
In addition to that, many will also track your heart rate and even record how long and how well you’ve slept.
Paired with a smartphone app, the power of a wearable is quickly magnified. “The data gathered by a wearable can be synchronised to your smartphone, allowing you to easily track how much exercise you’ve done, how much sleep you are getting and even what the quality of your sleep is,” Albertsen adds.
The devices will remind you to exercise regularly, while the apps take it further, with features such as automatically entering you into weekly fitness challenges (if you choose to participate) and badges rewarding you for progress. “Most people find their personal data quite fascinating. Combined with the excitement of a challenge, this helps with motivation to stay active – and as the darker months approach, many of us will welcome any extra help we can get,” Albertsen continues.
While FitBit and Garmin are perhaps the most recognised brands, there is a huge range available, including wearables from Huawei, TomTom, Sony, Moov and Strive. From the basic fitness bands priced from a little over $100, models go up to include specialist watches suitable for golfers, Iron Man athletes, serious runners and cyclists.
The more advanced models include built-in heart rate sensors, GPS capabilities and Bluetooth, blurring the line between ‘fitness tracker’ and smartwatch. “These wearables work very well with smartphones, connecting over Bluetooth to display text messages, missed calls and more,” adds Albertsen.
“There really is something for everyone and that’s what we’re seeing in-store, with people from all walks of life getting into the fitness revolution. It’s not just the youngsters; older folk are taking an active interest in their health and wellbeing, with a FitBit or Garmin considered an ideal companion to keep track of daily activity,” says Albertsen, “We’ve even had customers telling us that the data from a wearable is useful information to share with doctors as a record of activity and sleep patterns.”
A wearable, he says, can quickly become a daily companion. “It’s an investment in your lifestyle. Most of us haven’t ever had any idea of how much or how little we exercise on any given day. With a fitness band, that information is available to anyone for the first time – and with the associated app, it is presented in a way that will help keep you keen.”
Finding the right fitness band and getting it set up for the best results is easy, too. “We’ve got a wide range of devices and our in-store experts are only too happy to help select the best one for your needs, configure it for you and your body, and install and set up mobile apps on your phone,” Albertsen concludes.
It’s not just the youngsters; older folk are taking an active interest in their health and wellbeing, with a FitBit or Garmin considered an ideal companion to keep track of daily activity. Dan Albertsen, Noel Leeming.