In this day and age society has become much more reliant on technology to improve our lives. We have gotten to the point where we can run our homes, work, and chores from a digital device while sitting on our comfortable couch. The ease of living has increased obesity across the general population and shortened the overall lifespan of recent generations due to lack of physical activity. Can we use this same technology to enhance workouts and make them more fun? Absolutely!!
I will admit that I am guilty of being a technology fan. And you must admit that you can’t do anything without that trusty smart phone by your side. Why not turn that device into a piece of workout equipment? There are thousands of Apps out there to help you along the path to getting healthy. My suggestion? Start simple and start cheap. Determine what goals you want to achieve as it may take some experimenting to find the right products for you.
As athletes we love numbers and making sure our numbers are better than our competitors. With the Myzone training system used at the Compete facilities we give our clients visible data they can immediately use. Also, they can link to social media to proudly display their achievements to their friends. There are also monthly challenges that unites our Compete community to help push them to achieve their goals. All this data that is connected to that phone that is already in your pocket!!
From simply listening to the right kind of music to heart rate training with GPS tracking, there is technology out there you can use to help you work out. But, don’t forget that at the end of the day it is still you that has to get out there and break a sweat!!
Mike Hannegan is a certified Athletic Trainer at Compete and the Assistant Athletic Trainer with the Anaheim Ducks. Mike has over 1000 professional hockey games worked.