What Are the Different Types of Fitness Gadgets?

There are several different types of fitness gadgets on the market that can make working out effectively easier and more fun. One of the most popular items is a digital music player that works with a person’s exercise routine, often with programs that help provide motivation. Special sensors that are placed in the bottom of exercise shoes can help to monitor activity levels. Other trackers, including heart rate monitors and pedometers, are also popular, and even scales have turned into fitness gadgets.

While used by most avid exercisers, digital music players are available that do more than play music. Some will monitor a person’s activity level and heart rate, and then choose songs from the library to match the intensity of the workout. Others only work when a person is in motion, which can be especially useful for runners, as the music will automatically stop when the person stops, providing extra motivation to push towards goals. Another good motivation is a fitness coach program which provides encouragement while working out or even create an individualized exercise routine.

Sensors that can be inserted into the bottom of shoes can help to monitor fitness levels and track goals. These fitness gadgets typically keep track of the amount of time exercised, the speed maintained, and the distance traveled. More advance models even have the capability of automatically uploading the results to an exercise log on a computer, providing detailed information on a person’s progress.

Heart rate monitors are one of the most popular and well-known fitness gadgets available. These small devices strap on to a person’s arm and monitor the pulse, which can then be translated into calories burned. A heart rate monitor can be especially beneficial to those who favor interval training. It can be used to determine when a person reaches his or her resting heart rate and target heart rate, keeping a balance between the intervals.

Pedometers are also popular fitness gadgets. These trackers keep a log of how many steps a person takes, translating this information into an overall activity statistic and calories burned. Higher-end models also include something termed a “laziness buzzer.” When a person is resting for too long, the pedometer sets off an alarm, letting him or her know that it’s time to get up and move.

Newer scales have also turned themselves into fitness gadgets. Not only do these high-end devices weigh a person, but they also include Wi-Fi capabilities. This allows the information to automatically transfer to a person’s computer, where it can be stored in a fitness database. This helps to keep track of progress and mark goal milestones with ease.