If you’re a runner, you probably fall into one of two categories: those who enjoy the discomfort of lengthy distances or those who want nothing to distract them from the sensation of each footfall, breath, and swing of the arms. If you’re going to bring it, bring it!
The same goes if you like working up a perspiration but are wary of doing permanent damage to your body. You are also not bothered by the use of a fitness device or an upbeat playlist while you work out. Those who fit the latter category are in fortunate. To get the most out of your jogging routine, invest in a few of these helpful tools.
1. High-Tech Athletic Footwear
While technological advancements in running shoes have been slow, several brands have launched smart options in recent years. These include the Under Armour HOVR Sonic 3 and the Xiaomi Mijia.
Sensors in these high-tech sneakers record your runs and transmit the information to your phone via Bluetooth. This means you can go for a run without any other electronic aids than the sneakers on your feet and still keep tabs on your pace and cadence data via your smartphone or fitness tracker/smartwatch.
If you put on some high-tech running shoes and use an app to make you feel like you’re being pursued by zombies or listen to one of the many music apps designed specifically for runners, you just might set a new world record for fastest person. Possibly not, but you’ll definitely improve your jogging!
2. Headphones that transmit sound through the skull
Although bone-conducting headphones may sound like they ought to be labeled as “caution: potentially hazardous,” you can rest easy knowing that they are completely risk-free because they do not require any sort of intrusive surgical procedure to use. These headphones could very well save your life due to the way they function. Seriously.
The earbuds aren’t necessary for the operation of bone-conducting headphones like the Shokz OpenRun. With bone conduction headphones, sound is transmitted directly to the cochlea (the ear’s receptor) via vibrations transmitted through the skull, rather than through the ear canal and eardrum.
While the sound quality of bone-conducting headphones may not be as high as that of in-ear headphones, they do enable runners to keep an ear out for dangers like speeding cars and zombie stampedes.
3. Continuous Heart Rate Monitors
It is recommended that runners keep tabs on their pulse rates so they know how hard they are working during each run. To increase your speed and stamina, you need to run in the zone where your pulse rate is optimal for training. A heart rate monitor is a wonderful tool for ensuring that you are working within the optimal ranges for optimal results during every workout.
Multifunctional fitness monitors with heart rate monitoring can give you an approximation of your resting heart rate, but can you really rely on their data as much as you would with a medical device? Most notably while working out, superior measures are of paramount importance.
However, the accuracy of the heart rate monitors on the Apple Watch and other fitness trackers and smartwatches is significantly reduced in comparison to that of specialized heart rate monitors worn on the arm. (or, better yet, around your chest).
Check out the Polar H10 or the Garmin HRM Pro if you want to keep close tabs on your heart rate. Each of these monitors is worn around the torso and connects wirelessly to a user’s smartphone or smartwatch via Bluetooth or ANT+ for the most precise readings.