Fit for the future

Technology has massively pushed the fitness industry forward, but how can it help you reach your goals?

Fitness is no longer niche, it’s mainstream. While at one time the gym was associated only with the likes of bodybuilders, hardcore fit freaks and athletes, now more and more people are starting to make conscious decisions that affect their health, body and fitness.

We’ve slowly seen the industry grow more popular through at-home exercise videos in the 1980s and the subsequent rise in interest in running, but never has it exploded in the way that it has done in recent years thanks to the power of technology. But how exactly have the likes of apps, fitness watches and devices made us fitter?

A motivation boost

Injuries aside, one of the biggest obstacles we face when it comes to getting fit is our motivation – or lack of it. Whether you struggle to get up early for a pre-work session, or post-work drinks with friends are just way more tempting than hitting the gym, we could all use a little help staying on the fitness wagon sometimes. ‘Technology has had a huge impact on fitness trends, largely because it has made people more motivated to work out,’ says Myzone founder Dave Wright. ‘Not only are you able to track your activities, but you’re rewarded like never before.’ Being able to receive your data visually – on your phone, watch or computer screen – at any time really puts into perspective what you’re achieving. This can be the biggest push, and knowing your device is recording your activity encourages you to keep up the good work as well as to push harder to beat your previous achievements, which you might have otherwise forgotten about.

Social beings

Fitness has grown hugely thanks to social media – from gym selfies to motivational memes, working out is one of the things we most like to post about. Not only can you get ideas and tips for exercise from fitness gurus on social media, but posting about your own workouts almost acts like a validation for your hard work – and who doesn’t want that? ‘This kind of feedback empowers people to exercise more effectively,’ adds Dave. ‘It’s the psychology of instant gratification.’ Every time we hit the gym, there’s an element of pride and satisfaction afterwards, and posting it on Instagram or Facebook allows us to bask in this. Shane Harman, Garmin UK wellness and fitness product manager, reckons that social media has also had a huge impact on which kind of workouts people are doing, thanks to shareability boosting their popularity. For instance, the squat challenge – which involved just squatting daily – shot to viral status thanks to its simplicity and accessibility, allowing everyone and anyone to take part from the comfort of their own homes.

Get holistic

Apps like Myfitnesspal and devices like Fitbit help us take an everyday, holistic approach to fitness, health and wellbeing. As well as tracking your activity throughout the day outside of workouts – for example through steps taken or calories burned – they also allow you to track what you’ve eaten. Food diaries can be helpful for people trying to lose weight or wanting to discover what could be causing them digestive problems, and keeping one that coincides with fitness data could be particularly useful to help you figure out what tweaks could be made to further your goals. Throw into the mix information about sleep and you’re on a one-way track to success.

Show us the progress

The fact that we can now record every step, mile or length of our workout has changed fitness hugely. ‘We see numbers in black and white during and after exercise,’ says Shane. ‘What previously may have felt like “a good run” has been quantified into X seconds per kilometre faster than last week.’ It might seem like a more obsessive approach to working out, but to many of us, it’s the key to improving. Having numbers and data to accompany every session means that we judge less on how a workout feels – so it’s easier to go harder (or lighter) than the last session and to push through to make progress. But that’s not all – technology can also

take our training up a notch thanks to the help it provides with planning. That might be through providing us with running routes, specific workouts or intensities needed in order to hit a goal we set out earlier on in the week.

Giving guidance

For those of us who don’t have a personal trainer, or don’t know about everything going on in the fitness scene, sometimes advice is the biggest catalyst for results. How handy is it that you can simply download an app that tells you what to do and when? The only thing you need to do is smash the workout. ‘I think apps will become more common place in terms of training, replacing PTS and fitness books,’ says Chloe Madeley, whose 15 Minute Fat Loss Workout provides super quick fat-burning circuits on your phone. ‘I think it’s made fitness less boring thanks to the visual stimulation technology allows. Apps are ideal for people who want to learn how to train or eat according to their goals, as they’re so visual and easy to use.’

‘This kind of feedback empowers people to exercise more effectively. It’s the psychology of instant gratification’