Exercise and Technology

Even before the days of chest expanders, Lycra and leg-warmers, people have been interested in gadgets to assist our exercise and fitness classes. We are all looking for something that will make us go faster!

There are benefits to gadgets and equipment that help us to record and improve our fitness during group fitness classes. Probably the most basic comes in the form of a time piece. This allows us to record how long a route takes or how many reps can be completed in a specific time. You can use a simple wrist watch or more advanced stop watches with lap timers.

There are many improvements over the past few years in exercise clothing and training shoes. Barefoot running is not a new thing and with the recent trend in this type of running there are many manufacturers whose shoes offer the most minimalist protection, giving the runner the barefoot experience. Historians believe that the runners of Ancient Greece ran barefoot and according to legend, Pheidippides, the first marathon runner, ran from Athens to Sparta in less than 36 hours.

The benefits of barefoot running are still under consensus. With these types of shoes, the lack of cushioning around the foot encourages you to stop heel striking and run on the balls of the feet. This in turn provides more shock absorption and less impact on the joints in the ankles, knees and hips. However, the low profile shoes would perhaps cause problems initially because as you are trying out a new style and form of running; your muscles are behaving differently and have to relearn how to run again. When beginning to use these types of shoes, it is recommended that you don't wear them constantly.

Another advance in technology over recent years is the influx of compression clothing. Compression socks have been used clinically to help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Whilst most athletes have a good blood supply due to increased cardiovascular performance, there is a recent trend to wear high compression socks which are said to stop blood pooling in the lower legs. This can happen whilst at rest or during fitness courses. There are also shorts and tops which are said to improve muscle performance by keeping them warm and to wick away sweat avoiding rashes during training. They can also improve recovery by preventing the start of delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS).

Then we move on to hi-tech heart rate monitors (HRMs). These record training thresholds aerobic and anaerobic, you can set alarms that keep you within your training target zone during an outdoor bootcamp. They can also enable you not to set off too fast in a race and compete at a pace that you have trained for. Many of these devices have global positioning systems (GPS), which give coordinates of start, finish and route taken.

Most devices require two pieces of equipment to be worn by the user, namely a chest strap worn around the torso which has electrodes that have to be moistened and have good contact with the skin. There are some models which use footpods inside the user’s shoe. The second piece of equipment is the receiver which is normally worn around the wrist. It records and displays all the relevant information from calories burned, maximum heart rate (MHR), time and distance travelled to altitude and elevation. All these details can be downloaded and recorded on more advanced models. You can use data to assess progress during fitness courses and improve your results.

Smart phones have also given fitness bunnies, not only music whilst they exercise, but the opportunity to use some great fitness apps. There are GPS type apps which give you all the benefits of the afore mentioned devices. Also some include HRMs but how accurate these are is debatable.

The [LINK "http://www.bmffitnessapp.com/" "British Military Fitness I-phone app"] is a great motivator, it instructs and demonstrates all relevant exercises, whilst also encourages you to keep going until your workout is complete. You have no excuse for not training even if you can't make it to you favourite outdoor bootcamp! Not only that, you have a choice of instructor voices!