TECH
HOW SMART IS SMART ?
Years ago a training watch was a luxury only a few could afford , but in today ’ s world of Discovery Vitality goals , counting steps , and a general move to wellness , owning your very own smartwatch is not something unrealistic , rather its quite common , but how do you know what watch suits your needs ? Below we look at some key features of the smart watch market and what they mean when it comes to running .
When you make that decision to get fitter and stronger you often decide on a training programme to assist you , but when it comes to following a program you need to be able to track things like heart rate , speed , elevation , distance and so forth . The easiest way to track these elements is through a watch , but for someone starting out the investment a top model watch requires is something they won ’ t be willing to commit to , the good news is , there is a LOT of watches on the market , so it is not hard to find something that will suit you .
With a variety of price options , sports watches nowadays come with a range of different features , suitable for everyone from the beginner sportsperson to the professional athlete . So , which features should you look for when getting a good sports watch ?
BUILT-IN GPS TRACKING
If you are planning on training outdoors , from point to point , then having GPS tracking built into your watch is a handy feature . Having an accurate distance tracking using sensors in the watch , combined with a GPS tracker , gives you more accurate results for your run , in terms of cadence , power , elevation , and distance covered , used all together you get a full picture of how your run actually went .
But one thing to consider is that GPS tracking can sap your power , so if this is an important feature for you , then you need to look at something with good battery life too .
BATTERY LIFE
There is nothing worse than being in the middle of an important call and your phone dies , well its exactly the same with a watch , you don ’ t want to be in the middle of your best run to date and your watch suddenly goes blank and you lose what would have been your crowning moment on Strava !
Most watches in today ’ s market also sync to your phone meaning you get notifications delivered straight to your wrist , keeping you connected in our modern day society . But all these ‘ cool ’ functions will affect the battery life , and as you get more serious about running , you will be running longer and harder , meaning you want a watch that is going to be good for a four hour or longer run , especially if a marathon is your goal , some people run for seven hours , so having a watch that will last that long is something to look for when buying it .
WILL IT SYNC TO MY APP ’ S ?
In our modern era we have access to a range of personal trainers all in your pocket . Between Strava , Track My Run , and club run apps , there are many to choose from . So why is this important when choosing what Smart watch to buy ? Well if your new fancy watch doesn ’ t link to your favourite running app , it means you are missing a vital connection , doesn ’ t it .
If you are starting out and haven ’ t been on any apps yet , it ’ s probably best to do some research into what you will be using based on the goals you have set yourself and base your decision on that . A lot of sport watches also come with their own app , which are generally free-to-download on the app and google play store , meaning you can also see what your future watch will have to offer you .
If one of your big ticks is your Discovery Vitality Goal , you will also need to see if your chosen watch syncs to the Discovery app . This may not have been on your list to check , but based on your goals down the line , this is an important aspect to look at .
Watches will of course come with means and ways of optimising battery life , but at the end of the day , it is important to look for a watch that will suit the future you goals . So look at what you are aiming for and when you find a watch you like google and look specifically at reviews around battery life . Some watches even out the box need to be charged every day , where others , using all the functionality the watch has to offer last a week with one good charge .
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