I’m still reeling from my visit to the International Consumer Electronics Show this month. Last week I wrote of the crazy, amazing new gadgets that make it so you never have to leave your chair. This week I’ll share some of the insanely smart fitness tools that will help you have your fittest year ever.
Hittin’ the Gym
With the Gymwatch, your kettle bell workout will never be the same. Gym aficionados are in luck as well. The fitness strap (curiously not a watch at all) will let you chose an exercise, show a demo of it on your mobile device then tell you if you’re doing it right. The challenge may be that unless you switch the device from arm to arm while lifting dumbbells, you may not know if you’re doing your bicep curls correctly on both arms. Gymwatch is $199 per device and will be available soon-ish. If you can’t wait, you might try Moov: $59 gets you a device that monitors running, weight training, boxing, biking and swimming.
Tennis, Anyone?
If you play tennis, you’ll probably feel the need to pick up the iSetWatch when it comes out in April. This tool helps you be both fit and lazy. It will analyze your match stats to help you and your coach (if you have this watch, you probably have a coach, right?) analyze how you play in specific situations and against your biggest foes.
It even remembers whose serve it is and when you need to change sides. It’s hard to keep track of those things when you’re focused on improving your swing because the watch told you about your weaknesses.
On the Road Again
Cyclists are going to find all kinds of cool tools in 2015. High-tech flat pedals (not the fancy kind a more serious cyclist would clip his shoes into) will track your cycling stats, but more importantly, they’ll alert you when your bike is moved without you being on it. If you cycle home from work at night, you’re going to love the Visijax Commuter Jacket, which was a 2015 CES Innovation Award Honoree. The jacket turns your arms into glowing turn signals with 23 integrated LEDs. They’ll blink when the jacket senses a turn and turn themselves off when you’ve rounded the corner. When you get home, you just recharge the battery via USB.
Shootin’ Hoops
I’m not sure Wilt Chamberlain could have ever imagined a day when you’d have to charge up your basketball before a game. But here we are with a Smart Sensor Basketball with wireless charging pad. For just under $200, you can keep score, get instant feedback and learn how to shoot better. Add the SmartNet for instant make/miss real-time feedback on shot accuracy. In the old days, we just looked to see if it went into the basket or not.
Back on Track
Running and walking gadgets have come the farthest, and there are way too many devices to list these days. That’s why I love this new service from Lumoid: You can order up to 5 wearables at a time to try out. If you purchase your favorite through them, you just ship the others back. If you don’t like any of them, pay just $20 for the trials. My husband bought me the very excellent Garmin Vivofit, but if I didn’t have this one, I’d totally try out a bunch of the newest toys. Lumoid also rents cameras, video gear and DRONES!
Fore!
Of course there’s a golf gadget. There’s always a golf gadget. This year’s golf technology is essentially a wearable for your golf club. Attach the M-Tracer to the bottom of the grip to see data about your swing, speed, face angle at impact, tempo and more.
