Tech Tuesday: A look at smartwatch options and their benefits (take our survey!)
Technology can be found in almost every aspect of everyday life. Although some point out its inconveniences, it is hard to deny the positive impact that technology has on sports. Whether it’s measuring the trajectory of a home run in a baseball game, tracking the speed of a wide receiver in football, or counting your intervals in swim practice, innovation in the world of sports technology is something to be admired.
If you had told someone 50 years ago that their watch would be able to track their swimming training, they would have thought that this technology came out of a James Bond story. Now we can view calories burned, laps swum, intervals, strokes per lap, as well as many other useful aspects of your workout. Smart watches have become popular in the swimming community, mainly because they serve a purpose and are relatively unobtrusive during your workout.
One of the reasons these watches have gained popularity is that they allow you to exercise with a goal in mind. Similar to Peloton, which will track your burned calories, these smartwatches inform the swimmer of how hard they’ve pushed themselves. Many find that looking at these watches after a hard swim session gives them an extra sense of accomplishment. Those who exercise outside of the water also like to be able to compare and contrast an hour on the bike with an hour in the pool.
What smartwatches do swimmers use?
Apple Watch: This watch is water resistant to 50 meters (in case you’re into scuba diving) and has a built-in app that tracks laps, strokes and splits. This watch also provides GPS tracking if you are interested in open water swimming. These Apple watches are on the higher end of the price spectrum, but they are worth using because the connected apps work almost perfectly.
Garmin Swim 2: Garmin watches have become popular among athletes of all kinds. They seem to have come up with a respectable way of tracking swimming exercises, whether it’s in the pool or in open water. Tracking calories, distance and timed exercises are among the many necessary tools of Garmin watches. These watches are also on the more expensive side when it comes to smartwatches. However, they have excellent reviews for those who want to track their workouts.
Fitbit Versa 2 smart watch: While this watch isn’t the best for counting laps or strokes, it will serve its purpose for those looking to track their overall swim training. It includes features such as calories burned and total effort expenditure. Fitbit is also much more affordable.
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