Guest post by Sara Upton:

magellan-echo-smart-watch-femalePeople have developed all kinds of rituals for getting the most out of their workouts throughout the years. From specific diets including specialized sports foods and vitamin/mineral supplements, to getting pumped up by being slapped before a game, everyone has their own way of getting the job done. What many people don’t consider for their training regimen, however, is how technology can greatly assist them in achieving their goals. People have trained themselves to find their pulse and count their heart rate out and plan their routes in advance to keep track of their mileage, but technology can easily do all of this for us and more.

Modern smartphones are being developed with built-in heart rate sensors now, and there are dozens of free apps that can assist people with workouts. For the competitive, apps like Strava help you track your running or cycling outings, and compete with other people in the area who work out on the same tracks. Apps like Interval Timer make it easier to keep track of time without constantly looking at a watch. There are also apps that can use phones to instantly measure your heart rate, no more needing to stop and count to figure out where you’re at.

Of course, using these apps used to require people to keep their smartphone with them at all times and be constantly checking on it while they work out. However, smartphone technology is being ported more and more to other devices, and “wearable tech” is becoming more popular around the world. An article by Verizon Wireless explains that smartwatches can do it all: “…see important notifications, as well as take phone calls, shoot photos and video, and even count your steps. It also passes information to your smartphone, creating a seamless experience between the two. “

smartwatch_concept_contentWith the ability to put all sorts of useful fitness apps on a smartwatch, it is quickly becoming possible to track all the information you could dream of by simply wearing a smartwatch. In addition to tracking your heart rate and distance, these watches will soon serve to enable you to listen to music, take phone calls, or even shoot pictures and video quickly and easily. Smartwatches have an ever-increasing capacity to integrate user created apps, and they will be able to perform anything developers can dream of, even as far as automatically incorporating weather tracking.

Of course, for those of us training for triathlons, wearing bits of technology into the pool might seem like a disaster waiting to happen. Luckily, these devices have been created with this in mind from the beginning, and waterproof smartwatches are already becoming a common occurrence. The technology improves every year, and there are even watches being designed to recharge with the energy they get from your movement. While your smartphone might need to be plugged in nearly every night to keep on going, your smartwatch might last weeks or even months.

It might not always be easy to jump into the technology industry when it comes to things like fitness. Once you get into a routine, it might not feel worthwhile to try something new, especially if that something comes with a hefty price tag. However, smartwatches are becoming more affordable (and more fashionable) every year and it is never too late to give them a try. They might help your fitness routine more than you realize.

Sara Upton loves exploring the great outdoors and sharing her experiences with the world. When she is not enjoying the beauty of nature, Sarah enjoys wrestling with her dogs, trying new foods, and hanging out with friends.