Watches that Work

I am a bit of a watch nut, I like all kinds fancy, low tech and ones full of technology. For running, biking and xterra type events, nothing comes close to Polar. I have tried the Suunto X6HR and returned it 4 times within the year. Suunto claimed to have had a bug in a certain batch but I could not handle loosing data and the watch always resetting itself. The best thing about it was the interface with the PC, transfering data was easy and quick, now on the Polar this is one of my biggest complaints, the IrDA should work a little better, but after a couple of tries it hooks up. I use the Polar AXN700™ and this thing is bullet proof, if you are looking for a watch that can handle 90% of what the general public will put it through this is the one, it also competes with Suunto X6HR. It has vertical speed, barometer, fit test, compass and heart rate test. I could go into more but Polar AXN700™ will describe it better and in more detail. The other one, Polar S625X™ Running Computer is great!! Hands down great for triathlons. I have not gotten the bike mount yet but the foot pod once calculated is dead on. Has the same features as the AXN700™, but a different configuration in the setup and file structure.

Body Pod

Just like a dunk take for measuring body fat, this one is affordable for colleges and health clubs. If someone has used this or know of a place I would love to try it out.
The BOD POD offers:
• Proven accuracy using whole-body density measurement.
• Fast test time - about 5 minutes.
• Ability to accommodate all types of populations (including children, the elderly, and the disabled).
• Excellent repeatability. Safe for repeated testing and is non-invasive.
• Ease of use for both subject and operator. No special technician license required.
website BODPOD

Walking at Work

Well someone has done it, you can now walk on a treadmill and surf the web, answer email and talk on the phone. The treadmill moves fast enough to raise your heart rate but not sweat. This could be my office tomorrow, "Instead of being sedentary in front of their computers, they'd stand. But instead of standing still, they'd walk on a treadmill. And instead of meeting around a conference table, they'd talk business while walking laps on a track.

That's exactly how Levine, a Mayo Clinic obesity researcher, and several of his colleagues have been working for the past five weeks or so.

"I hate going to the gym, which may be partly why I'm so interested in this," he said, keeping up a 1 mph pace on his treadmill while checking e-mail and fielding questions from a reporter.
USA Today

Wrist Action

Not what you are thinking, but this low tech forearm/grip strengthen device is much better then the old squeeze grip spring device. The Dynaflex Pro Plus is a carpal tunnel saver and helps when you are board watching TV. Doing it in the office is a bit much,but holding on for 10 minutes is quite difficult. I have an original (the one without the rubber around it) and also a newer one. I like them both but once it get dirty and you lose the string it is really tough to start.

Yourself! Fitness

"Make a Promise to yourself today and begin a commitment to your health for life with Yourself!Fitness. Maya, the Yourself!Fitness personal trainer, will help you choose your health and fitness goals and then she will work with you to achieve them. Maya will guide you through dynamic workouts featuring over 500 unique exercises ensures no two workouts are ever the same. Choose your music, your mood, your focus and Maya will take care of the rest." Yourself!Fitness
This is a great example of what I was blogging about earlier. Yourself!Fitness has really figured it out, responsive trainer, tutorials, customizable workouts, personal profile, music options, workout locations, meal planner and progress monitor, this is more than any local gym offers from your own living room.

Fat Meter

Omron Body Logic Body Fat Analyzer HBF-306BL, I used this a while back and I guess since my body fat was to low that it had trouble giving me a reading. For the average person looking to see results and track weight and fat, this device seemed very accurate, others that were with me tried it and it seemed to be dead on. They say that it should be used with a scale if you would like to see the best results.

Video games to stay in shape

I had heard about his a couple years ago and now it's becoming a market. The idea is simple enough and when applied to a exercise routine, you start to see results. "How can this possibly work? How can you get a workout standing absolutely still?
Well, the kilowatt measures the force that you push and pull on the controller with, up to about 300 pounds worth." In home demo...

"Position 1: Stand in the doorway with your buns against one side of the frame and your hands on the other. Now push with all your might! While you're pushing, you should feel the effort in your triceps, deltoids, and abs.

Position 2: Hold onto the doorframe and pull with everything you've got. You should feel that in your biceps, lats and glutes.

Position 3: Brace your legs out wide, and push the doorframe left and then right. You should feel this in your quads, your core stabilizers, and your shoulders.

Now repeat the above exercises for 30 minutes, constantly changing between Positions 1, 2, and 3."


Now image a machine working against you, there you have it. POWERGRID Fitness

"No" Strap

I read this article in Sync a magazine dedicated to gadgets for men, not a great magazine but I was traveling and Outside was still last month. They had a article about mio watch that does not need a strap around the chest. After reading and if you are a serious athlete you will still feel at home with the strap. If you are just getting into reading and tracking your heart rate then this watch could be for you, base model starts at $99 so even if you don't like it then you have only invested a marginal amount of money. MioWatch

Breath and burn Calories

Not sure but this company claims that it can count the calories from your breath, not much I can say here, I read the website and seems like a good idea but from the masses I am not sure it is going to catch on. Story can be found at IOL

iUSE IT

Well people who know me, knew that it was only a matter of time before I did this post. One of the best pieces of training equipment that I own is my iPod Shuffle, using the iPod is to big to use while you are doing any serious miles. The shuffle is light, small and easy to use, load it up and go. I have had mine for about 2 1/2 months and I use it while riding and running, you just forget that it is there. The interface with iTunes is great, plug it in load it up and hit play, it's really that easy, some people have complained that there is no screen, I keep saying if you loaded it up with 3+ hour of music you know what is on it, the controls are easy to use, skip, play pause, previous, how simple can that be. I have dropped it and gotten it wet (not soaked it) and it has never skipped. As for when it gets close to your heart rate monitor, that it causes some interference, but I have learned to keep it at my waist and it fixed the problem. www.apple.com

iSMART polar software for Mac's

Good idea gone bad, I have tried to use this software a couple of times and find it very difficult, I also have to buy an adapter for the Polar IR-Serial Adaptor + USB-Serial Converter, so I have to go backwards after paying so much for one of the most advance laptops out on the market. It seems to me that it would be better just to have the companies selling the watches make Macintosh software, that is my thought. The Polar precision Software is great on the PC, I use it every day and I also use the online version polaroutdoorguide.com. Training for the masses and keeping a online diary seems to be a PC world and that's ok, stop trying and buy a cheap laptop that has IrDA and you will be more than happy.

Training Wheels

I can't wait for this. This new state of the art tricycle was designed by a team at Purdue University led by Scott Shim, an assistant professor of industrial design. It should be available by spring 2006, bike manufactures are very interested. After you read the article, I am sure you will say why was this not thought of sooner. Traditional training wheels make the kids dependent and never really learn to balance, when they are ready to take of the wheels, screaming and crying usually take place, this should help with that process. Full story (wired)

EyeToy for Fitness

It even has a name "exergaming" good for the kids that have grown up playing video games and need to get fit, it is actually a great way to teach martial arts. I have never gotten into video games, don't get me wrong I like to play them and used to go to the arcade mostly to play 'Pole Position" and other driving games. As the time for adults and kids gets harder to manage "exergaming" could catch on, cold winter mornings that you need to get your Kickboxing in turn on the gaming system and take on your next opponent, working up a sweat and learning the new moves. If they really get smart if your adversary does a move that you can't counter then there should be a button an instructor comes on shows you the move and counter move. There is some real potential, and fits into another idea I have but that is for another entry... CES in Las Vegas had a whole area geared towards "exergaming" and it seems to stay pretty busy. Potential I think so... EyeToy.

Bodybugg by Apex Fitness

I have always been lucky that I have never had to exercise to stay thin, quite the opposite I need to exercise to maintain my normal body weight. Apex fitness has a great product that helps with losing weight. Bodybugg™ by Apex fitness with technology developed by BodyMedia have come up with the world's most intelligent calorie management system, while traditional weight loss programs focus on tedious calorie counting, bodybugg™ is the only system on the market today that allows you to measure actual calories burned and consumed. I have not used or gotten my hands on this system yet but from what I have read it allows you to tailor the program based on your goals. Check it out.

Yacht Tracker

This is one of the most dynamic web companies, MASSIVE, driving great solutions to the interested consumer. They really delivered a interested way for the general sailing ethicists to view the legendary Sydney to Hobart". A COOL APPLICATION Adrian gives an overview of the Yacht Race Management System. “The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race site keeps up-to- date yacht positions in near real time. Every ten minutes, a GPS-enabled satellite transceiver relays position reports from each competing yacht.”