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LITTLE CANADA, Minn., Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --As fitness app usage soars, with over 84 million consumers using apps in the US alone, Dragon Door announced they would be making their best-selling fitness content available on the TriadXP fitness platform and TriadXP.com. Dragon Door will use TriadXP to convert their exercise routines into in-app workouts that are performed with the TriadXP app. The app's voice and visual cues walk exercisers through all exercise routines guiding them onwhat to do, when, how many, or for how long. With guidance and tracking, customers enhance their training experience and improve workout efficiency. And, since the TriadXP mobile fitness app tracks the user's performance as they workout with minimal effort on the users part, it eliminates the need for other apps or pen and paper to track results.

"TriadXP supports virtually any kind of workout," said John Du Cane, CEO of Dragon Door Publications. "As fitness innovators, we know that long-term results are usually the result of consistent goal setting and the consistent measurement of results. You get what you measure for, and the measurement motivates you to maintain your progress. In that regard, we see TriadXP as the perfect solution to help our customers optimize their workout results."

Addressing the need for home-based and callisthenic workouts, the bestselling 16-week Get Strongprogram from fitness gurus Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo will be the first program launched.

Dragon Door,credited with launching the modern kettlebell movement, is a publisher and online fitness retailer and provides advanced training and certification for fitness instructors. When searching for a partner who would provide the requisite technology platform from content conversion thru mobile app, Dragon Door found their answer with TriadXP. TriadXP knows fitness technology and delivers an optimal workout experience for a fitness enthusiast. The easy-to-use mobile fitness app and its versatility were critical in the decision. Equally important was TriadXP's AI-driven conversion tools, which quickly convert content without needing any technical knowledge at Dragon Door.

"We are excited to partner with a leader like Dragon Door," said Mike Elia, CEO of Triad Fitness Group. "They have a lot of great content, and we know their users will find it easier to work out and perform their routines on our TriadXP app."

About Dragon Door PublicationsDragon Door Publications is a publisher of innovative fitness content that offers effective, safe, and proven methods for maintaining a high level of health and physical performance over the long-term. The company is best known for having launched the modern kettlebell movement in 2001. Learn more at http://www.dragondoor.com

About TriadXP.comTriadXP.com, a fitness content platform from Triad Fitness Group, provides services and technology to allow content providers to convert text-based programs and related exercise imagery and videos into in-app exercise programs to be performed and tracked with the TriadXP mobile app. The app is free and compatible with iOS and Android devices. TriadXP is making workouts better for everyone. Learn more at http://www.triadxp.com

Contact: John Du CaneTel: +1 651-487-3828Email: jducane@dragondoor.com

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Fitness Innovator Teams with Leading Fitness Platform to Enhance Customer Training Experience with In-App Exercise Programs - Southernminn.com

TheSenates version of the bill, passed in July, includes a provision requiring an independent study of the ACFTs potential to adversely impact current and future troops. But the provision is not included in the House bill, also passed this summer.

The independent study is intended to determine the extent, if any, to which the test would adversely impact" soldiers stationed or deployed" to areas that make it difficult to conduct "outdoor physical training on a frequent or sustained basis, the Senate version reads.

The provision also asks for the study to determine whether the ACFT would affect recruitment and retention in critical support military occupational specialties ... such as medical personnel."

Though the Army is transitioning to the ACFT this year, soldiers' scores arent expected to count until March 2022. Soldiers are still challenged to train for and pass the new test, but no adverse actions will be taken against those who fail it.

Read more from the original source:
Gillibrand asks for pause on Army's new fitness test - Olean Times Herald

In the fitness world, 2020 will probably be known as the year everyone discovered working out in their living rooms. As gyms shuttered due to the pandemic and at-home exercise gear sold out across the world, there was a predictable rise in at-home bodyweight workouts. But working out is hard at least I think so. Honestly, I suck at it. I lack the motivation to get sweaty without a trainer there to catch me when I'm slacking, and without the financial accountability of a gym membership, I struggle to pull on my workout clothes and move my body.

It was a couple of months into lockdown, once I'd exhausted my options for one-off celebrity workouts that got me moving under the guise of having a laugh (like that time I tried Arnold Schwarzenegger's retro home workout), that I noticed my body was becoming increasingly stiff and sore from doing, well, absolutely nothing. That's when Chris Hemsworth's fitness app, Centr, entered my life.

I'd seen the ads with Chris and his wife, Elsa, looking sweaty and strong, and honestly, I was skeptical about whether it would be the right program for me. After a brief look at the app, I noticed that there is actually more than one program to suit different fitness levels. I was most interested in the newly launched bodyweight-only program that runs for six weeks called "Unleashed," which was perfect for me because the only equipment I have in my apartment is a workout mat, and because it had an option for beginners. Like I mentioned, I hadn't really worked out in months, so it was straight into the beginner program for me.

Ahead, see my breakdown of Chris Hemsworth's fitness app, Centr, and what I liked about it.

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I've Tried a Lot of Fitness Apps, and Chris Hemsworth's Might Be My Favorite - POPSUGAR

British Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson is taking a challenge that YouTubers and athletes alike love to try: military physical fitness tests. There's an entire genre of fit guys testing their mettle with the physical trials members of the forces must passfrom British bodybuilder Obi Vincent trying the Marine Corps Fitness Test, MattDoesFitness attempting the U.S. Air Force's Physical Fitness Test, and Olympic runners Nick Symmonds and Ryan Hall taking on the Marine Corps Fitness Test.

Men's Health

But Wilson isn't interested in one specific military outfit's protocol. For his challenge, Wilson plans to take on a custom challenge comprised of pullups, pushups and situps, all common events in the genre. To fit the theme, Wilson and his friends don faux-camouflage fatigues and wear dog tags (the face paint they apply might just be a step to far).

Wilson sets out a goal number of reps for each exercise:

Chinups: 23Situps: 70Pushups: 40

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"We'll see how far we can push the boundaries today," says Wilson.

Wilson gets to his chinups, and he knocks out 25 reps without dropping.

Next up is situps, which he plans to do for 2 minutes. But he comes up short with only 66.

"Ahhhhh!" he says as he struggles through his last reps. "We're putting ourselves through hell and high water."

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Finally, he hits the pushups, which will be until he fatigues.

"I'll be really happy with 87," he says.

He grabs a yoga block to put under his chest to tap for each rep. He gets to it, and he manages to get to 61 pushups before collapsing. He's not close to his goal, but it's a solid effort nonetheless.

In place of the 1.5 mile run standard with military fitness tests, Wilson decides to do an assault course in the gymnasium instead. The challenge uses the gymnastics rings, crawling underneath gym mats, scaling a wall, flips on a trampoline, walking across balance beams, and uneven bars. He completes it in 1:25. That might be more like a military obstacle course than a fitness testbut we'll give him credit for the effort.

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British Gymnast Nile Wilson Tries Military Fitness Test Events - menshealth.com

D.C. gyms and fitness studios have been faced with a daunting realization: winter is coming. See how they are making changes, building workout pods, opening new facilities and also closing for good due to the coronavirus pandemic.

WTOP/Dan Friedell

WTOP/Dan Friedell

Courtesy Candice Geller

Courtesy Reggie Smith

WTOP/Dan Friedell

WTOP/Dan Friedell

Courtesy Reggie Smith

When the coronavirus pandemic swept across North America in March, it closed schools, businesses, restaurants and fitness centers, forcing many people to work from home and limit their mixing in society.

There was one silver lining: the weather, while brisk and blustery some of the time, was generally good, and getting better. It made exercising outside tolerable, and even appealing most days.

While many people continued their fitness programs over the last seven months with Zoom classes or dripping sweat on a treadmill or Peloton bike indoors, many moved outside.

Lured by good weather in the spring and fall, some people even survived the sultriest days by working out early in the morning or late in the evening.

But now, winter is coming.

What will fitness studios and gyms, many of which have moved workouts outside, do at the end of October as days get shorter and frigid mornings make it harder for clients to peel back the blankets and get out of bed?

For the owners of four D.C. independent fitness studios, there are four distinct choices: invest in a new studio that supports a hybrid indoor/outdoor workout; encourage athletes to come back indoors while working out in masks and maintaining their distance; build individual workout pods separated by a frame and plastic sheeting; or, sadly, decide to shut down for good.

For Chris and Alex Perrin, the husband and wife team who own Cut Seven, a facility that offers an intense, boot-camp style workout in Logan Circle, the pandemic put on hold expansion plans, moved classes outside onto a D.C. schools soccer field, and prompted the search for a new studio.

Reggie Smith, who co-owns BOOMBOX, a boxing/fitness studio across the street from Nationals Park, pushed his workouts outside to both D.C. Uniteds Audi Field and the roof of Union Market.

Now that things are cooling off and daylight is fading, he hopes fitness fans will come back inside while taking pandemic precautions.

Candice Gellers Election Cycle, a small spinning studio on the east end of H Street N.E., will be celebrating its three-year anniversary in January.

After putting indoor classes on hiatus and renting out her bikes for months, then moving classes outdoors, Geller said she hopes her business will hang on to celebrate the milestone.

She has outfitted her studio with individual indoor workout pods with frames and plastic sheeting so riders might be more comfortable coming back inside.

All three of those studios said they will try to survive the winter and keep their fingers crossed for a mild winter and early spring.

But, for Betsy Poos and Alyson Shade, partners in Realignment Studio, a two-story yoga studio on Pennsylvania Ave. SE in Capitol Hill, the story is different.

After a spring, summer and fall of Zoom classes mixed with the occasional distanced outdoor flow at a nearby schools soccer field, their three-year partnership has come to an end: Realignment Studio will close at the end of the month.

For Poos, she said she felt there was just no end in sight for the restrictions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

The clincher for us was not just in getting through the next three months, but that after the next three months, we come into the spring and we are still sitting in the very same place and not able to return indoors safely for classes, she said after a morning sunrise yoga class at Watkins Elementary School in early October.

Smith, who only opened BOOMBOX in the summer of 2019, said his client count was steadily rising in the months leading up to March. Now, he said darker days and cooler weather will make people cross the threshold into his gym on Van Street SE.

As we lose some daylight, people who were reluctant to workout previously, they maybe take a chance and come out try a class, they see were checking temperatures, were staying distant, were wearing masks, and were as safe as you can be, working out, said Smith.

Classes at BOOMBOX are capped to 11 people, one-third of the normal capacity. That means theres more, Smith said, than six feet between each persons punching bag.

Poos, however, said her business two spaces were not set up with social distancing in mind, and even retrofitting would not have made a difference.

One space, in the basement, did not have proper ventilation, and the other, while it was upstairs with high ceilings, would allow so few yoga students that it was not worth running classes in-person.

The last thing I would ever feel is OK is being an owner of a business, being a teacher, trying to put people together for wellness that then did result in a COVID case. There just wasnt enough to balance that, she said.

For now, Poos, Shade and her employees will continue teaching yoga virtually. Poos will run Zoom classes via her website, BetsyPoos.com.

Realignment Studio isnt the only yoga studio thats been forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. A neighboring Capitol Hill yoga studio, Be Here Now, is also closing.

While it didnt make sense to stay open any longer from a business perspective, Poos said she and Shade tried to hang in as long as possible because they recognize that yoga, for many people, is more than just a workout.

That hits hard, Poos said of another D.C. studio closing its doors.

Theres folks, with yoga being an experience thats a bit different than other fitness modalities, they feel like I really need this community. They may have a spiritual connection. They feel really let down right now. So for that reason, it was that much harder to decide to close. [But], for our financial health, that was what we had to do, said Poos.

While some studios are closing, others are feeling optimistic, as the pandemic brought on new opportunities.

More Coronavirus news

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia|Maryland|D.C.

Chris and Alex Perrins original Cut Seven location, in a triangular-shaped studio on the corner of 11th Street and Rhode Island Ave. NW, was known among fitness aficionados to provide one of the hardest workouts in the District.

But the space was not conducive to social distancing. Over the last five months, however, D.C. sports fields, even including one summer morning at Audi Field, have played host to the Perrins brand of team-oriented workouts.

In fact, a steady stream of new clients who have felt comfortable doing outdoor workouts with weighted bags, kettlebells, heavy elastic bands and a good dose of bear crawls and 20-yard sprints migrated from their old gyms and studios and joined the Cut Seven family.

Two claps, instructor Marcus Lowe yelled one recent morning, standing on freshly-laid red turf at the gyms new indoor/outdoor location at the corner of 14th and Swann Street NW.

As members warmed up for a sweat session that included banded side lunges and squat jumps, Perrin described how a spring phone call to a number listed on a For Lease sign resulted in Cut Sevens newest location opening in late September.

Winter is definitely everyones what are we gonna do?, Perrin said.

Its cold. Picking up dumbbells and kettlebells in the cold is not very comfortable. It rains a lot. So that was the idea behind opening up the 1401 Swann Street studio, because we can cover it. We intend to put a roof structure so we can keep the elements at bay, said Perrin.

He said months of work went into leveling and repaving the parking lot of an old auto shop, giving the indoor structure a deep clean, building racks for weights and anchors for elastic bands, putting up a new fence, and laying fresh bright red turf.

We said, if were going to survive, this is how its going to happen, so lets put all of our resources into it, so we did, and I think people are catching onto it. And if we can solve the winter issue, well definitely do very well, Perrin said.

Geller, the owner of Election Cycle, is innovating to solve the what are we gonna do? question.

She built individual, plastic-framed workout pods so her clients can feel safe coming back into her spinning studio. It might seem strange for people to work out inside a plastic bubble, but Geller said she has tried doing a spin class while wearing a mask, and its not easy.

I understand why we cant do it without a mask, but also that its almost impossible to do with a mask. Which is why we created these little pods, she said.

Geller said she hopes to continue offering outdoor rides through partnerships with neighboring businesses like Pursuit and Duffys. She also hopes to take advantage of grants provided by the city to winterize its streeteries.

If those places are still providing a space that is climate controlled, that will obviously be really helpful to us, she said.

Geller said she had a recent conversation with a D.C. government representative who said many small businesses are closing due to the pandemic, and the winter will force still more to shut down.

So while these three fitness studios have every intention of making it through the winter, the virus and business conditions will dictate their success. Geller said her landlord at 1108 H St. NE. has been reluctant to make rent concessions.

Our landlord has not worked with us all, not given us one cent of rent reduction, despite the fact we havent been able to use the space for anything, she said. The big business, bank, landlord-type mentality is in the end going to kill us.

Perrin and Smiths businesses Cut Seven and BOOMBOX have been more fortunate, getting some rent leeway from their landlords.

Smith was able to put off paying rent while BOOMBOX was closed, and Perrin got a rent reduction for his old studio, which has served as a studio for his online classes, but he hopes to reopen for distanced workouts soon.

Smith said his business survival requires life getting somewhat back to normal after the winter.

With the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), I think were fine for the next few months for sure, he said.

If this thing drags on through 2021, were talking next summer, then it gets very difficult to survive. Were running capacity about one-third of our space, the revenue approximates our capacity, so it certainly isnt what we modeled when we opened.

Perrin said he hopes the combination of fully outdoor classes when the weather allows, the new hybrid studio, and the reopening of his old space will bring in enough revenue to withstand the coming months.

We do hope this is an attractive offering to this street and the folks that used to come to our studio, he said. No situation is ideal right now, but were doing the best we can, which I think people really do appreciate.

For now, however, it seems gym-goers are still interested in squeezing every last bit of outdoor activity during the fall months before they have to face going inside for a sweat session.

Fall in D.C. anyway, we see a decrease in riders, Geller said, because everyone wants to be outside. Same thing in spring, before its too hot. Its hard to gauge right now what will happen with that, but were hopeful people will start to feel a little more secure and safe. I understand the hesitation. Its a scary time.

Read the rest here:
DC gyms and fitness studios adapt, hope for mild weather or close for good as winter nears - WTOP

Connie Colbert

By Connie ColbertDirector, Canyon Health and Wellness Clinic

Halloween might look a little different this year because of COVID, but here are some tips from Johns Hopkins Hospital to help make it just as memorable while being safe.

Virtual costume contests and other online fun are the safest ways for kids to get together with their friends. Avoid parties, haunted houses and other indoor group activities especially when screaming is involved. (Screaming is a big part of Halloween, but it projects a lot of respiratory droplets.)

Door-to-door trick-or-treating is riskier since it involves interacting with many people. But if you choose to go ahead with the tradition, ask around in advance and find out who in your neighborhood is planning to participate. Ensure you and your children are physically distancing, wearing masks and practicing hand hygiene.

Keep large groups of kids from crowding around the same door, especially if theyre shouting trick or treat! Coach your children: If they encounter candy givers or other neighbors who arent wearing masks, wish them Happy Halloween and move on.

Giving out candy? Wear your mask, plus gloves, and toss the candy or pre-filled goodie bags on a sanitized table for physically distanced pickup. Look for clever ideas, such as making candy chutes and zip lines, or other fun ways to get candy to trick-or-treaters while maintaining 6 feet distance.

Parents dont need to wash or sterilize candy wrappers; hand hygiene is more important. Remind children that they can dive into their tasty treasures only after returning home and thoroughly washing their hands.

If your childs costume includes a mask, save it for later since costume masks may not prevent spreading the coronavirus. Substitute acoronavirus-approved mask, decorated to match the theme of your childs costume.

Alternatives to trick-or-treating still can be fun:

How about a spooky scavenger hunt in your yard? Tuck away treats for your children to find, give them flashlights and let the adventure begin. If you include others from outside your household, make sure everyone wears COVID-appropriate masks and stays at least 6 feet apart.

Carving pumpkins, decorating masks, watching movies and sharing funny, scary stories around thefireplace or outdoor firepit with family members can make memories to cherish.

Take plenty of pictures. This Halloween might be a little different as you take precautions such as mask-wearing, physical distancing, hand hygiene and avoiding crowds. But even while you are staying safe, you and your children still can have great times to look back on years from now.

Continue reading here:
Fitness Facts: Halloween and COVID safety - GCU Today

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, people increasingly have turned to exercise as a way to relax and rechargeoften in droves. Yellowstone National Park, one of the crown jewels of the National Park Service, recorded its second busiest August ever as nearly 900,000 visitors passed through its gates.

But as with most everything in the COVID era, the usual rules dont apply when it comes to staying active, whether hiking to Old Faithful or just working up a sweat at home. At this years Fast Company Innovation Festival, a panel discussion presented by Booz Allen Hamilton explored how digital innovations are helping to reshape recreation today, and in the years to come. Here are five key takeaways from the event:

1. Trip-planning goes digital

Forget poring over guidebooks and asking friends for their favorite hiking trails. Julie McPherson, executive vice president of digital solutions at Booz Allen Hamilton, says planning an outdoor adventure often starts with pulling out a smartphone. Booz Allen serves as innovative partner and main contractor to the federal governments Recreation.gov service, which helps people find outdoor activities ranging from backcountry camping to ranger-led tours. The sites mobile app was downloaded nearly 500,000 times during a three-month span this springmore than the total downloads in all of 2019. Were all used to doing mobile, McPherson said, but were seeing so much more volumewhether its actually making reservations or just getting access to information.

2. Slowing down, tuning in

As COVID-19 ground regular routines to a near-halt, many people found themselves with much more free time. Kristen Holmes, vice president of performance at WHOOP, which makes a wearable device that tracks fitness, sleep, and other physiological data, decided to embrace it. She has spent more time with family and has a renewed focus on her physical health. Ive just been trying to be more aware of the signals that my body is giving me, Holmes said. I want to make sure I create space for that during the day.

Holmes is not alone. While the consensus assumed that COVID lockdowns would lead to less-than-savory habits, WHOOP collected data that showed the opposite: users were sleeping better, exercising more, and improving their cardiovascular fitness. These are really crazy times, she said. We actually saw our cohort get healthier during this time of uncertainty and unrest.

3. Outdoor retailers have had to adapt

These days, many people are embracing outdoor activities for the first time. Doing that is a processfrom looking for inspiration and planning trips to getting kitted out with the necessary gear. Outdoor retailer REI has worked to make the purchasing process easier and safer for customers, from contactless pick-up at stores to more bespoke offerings, such as virtual outfitting and scheduled consultations with gear experts. They can get the time they need with an expert to talk them through [the process], said Christine Putur, REIs executive vice president of technology and operations. Were very obsessed about removing friction from that cycle.

4. Tech tools will help improve the great outdoors

With a spike of interest in outdoor activities, McPherson said that Recreation.gov responded by designing new ways to get visitors into outdoor areas more safely and efficiently. That included the creation of a timed-entry service to help set the number of vehicles and people who enter a recreation area at intervals throughout the day, as well as innovative ways to provide contact-free transactions, such as cashless entry and same-day campsite reservations.

McPherson noted that these innovations may have a long-lasting impact beyond COVID: By minimizing person-to-person interactions for such actions as paying entrance fees and checking-in visitors, for example, rangers may be able to focus on more important tasks. Were fundamentally trying to take as many of the administrative responsibilities off of them and automate that through technology, she said.

Following the panel discussion, Janelle Smith, a Recreation.gov spokesperson, added, We are hearing from many of our local recreation managers that converting their sites or activities as reservable on Recreation.gov has dramatically reduced their workload, allowing them to focus on other visitor services.

5. Balancing the work-life pendulum

So, what does the post-pandemic future hold for companies and organizations involved in the recreation industry? Like those in other industries, theyll need to remain flexible, according to Holmes. That means giving employees more latitude to determine what works best for their personal situation, whether its coming into the office or managing a more hybrid work-from-home schedule. Being able to have those conversations and come to a conclusion together is going to be really important, Holmes said. Because generally speaking, whats best for the individual is going to be best for the corporation, right?

McPherson noted that digital technologies such as videoconference apps have made that transition easier, and have helped companies and employees figure out how to find balance between their work and their personal lives. It really is about striking a balance, she said. We used to fight crazy traffic and go to the office every day no matter what. Theres never going to be a pendulum swinging back to where we were. I think thats good.

Click here to watch this panel from the Fast Company Innovation Festival.

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How technology is helping to reshape fitness and outdoor recreation - Fast Company

The Apple Watch Series 6 and Fitbit Sense are top smartwatches that can help keep an eye on your fitness levels and act as a phone alternative on your wrist. Both also have an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG -- Apple uses ECG) app, track workouts, sleep and blood oxygen levels, but they're different in the way they go about doing these things. To help you decide which is right for you, I've compared them on everything from fitness tracking to battery life and overall performance.

If you have an Android phone, the Fitbit is your only option, but both work with iOS devices, making the decision trickier if you have an iPhone. After two weeks of wearing these watches, I can tell you that there is no one-size-fits-all option. If you want the best overall smartwatch, with seamless fitness tracking and safety features, get the $399 (379, AU$599)Apple Watch. If you want the most robust sleep tracking, temperature sensor and the best battery life, get the $329 (299, AU$499) Fitbit Sense.

The latest Apple Watch has a robust set of fitness tracking features, an FDA-cleared ECG, blood oxygen tracking and all the responsiveness you could want from a smartwatch. It's also the better option if you need built-in LTE to use your watch without your iPhone nearby. Read the Apple Watch review.

The Fitbit Sense also offers an FDA-cleared ECG, strong sleep tracking, a temperature sensor and a stress tracking sensor. Unlike the Apple Watch, it also works with Android, has plenty of third-party watch faces to choose from, and offers the better battery life of the two watches. Read the Fitbit Sense review.

The Series 6 looks like every other Apple Watch that has come before it, with a square face available in two sizes (either 40 or 44mm) plus a digital crown and side button. The Sense looks like a higher-end Versa and comes in just one 40mm size with a stainless steel rim around the square face, but instead of a physical button, it has an indentation on the side that vibrates when pressed and can be used to control the screen. While the Fitbit is physically larger than the 40mm Apple Watch, the actual screen size is only a hair bigger than the Apple Watch because of the bezels. The Apple Watch also has bezels around the screen, although they're slimmer than those on the Sense.

Each watch has a color, always-on screen that's easy to see in broad daylight, although I found the Apple Watch takes the edge for overall brightness when glancing down at my wrist during an outdoor workout.

The Sense has many more watch faces to choose from than the Apple Watch, including third-party ones. However, you can further customize some Apple Watch faces to include complications, which are similar to shortcuts: They can display information such as weather or calendar appointments at a glance. Both also have different colors and hardware finishes to choose from.

Straps on both are easy to swap in and out with quick release buttons and you can change up the look with a wide variety of bands including leather, woven and silicone options.

Each watch can scan for potential signs of a heart condition called atrial fibrillation or aFib with their ECG apps. Place your finger on the digital crown for 30 seconds on the Apple Watch, while you place your index and thumb on the opposite corners of the Fitbit Sense for the same amount of time to take a reading.

You can share results from both with your doctor. See where the ECG is available around the world on the Apple Watch and on the Fitbit Sense. Each watch can also monitor for signs of high or low heart rate and notify you accordingly.

ECG on the Fitbit Sense

Both can also track SpO2, or blood oxygen saturation, while you sleep. Check levels in the Health app on youriPhone for the Apple Watch, or wait for the Fitbit to calculate your nightly average on the SpO2 watch-face about an hour after waking up. It's also displayed in the sleep section within the Fitbit app as a graph, but will only show variations throughout the night and not exact percentages. The Apple Watch also lets you take a spot check of SpO2 and takes background readings throughout the day -- the Fitbit doesn't have an on-demand reading. Neither one of these watches are intended to be used as medical devices and may not be as accurate as a traditional pulse oximeter which is what doctors use to measure SpO2.

Fitbit's watch has two additional sensors that the Apple Watch lacks: a temperature sensor that measures variations in skin temperature throughout the night, and an EDA or electrodermal activity sensor that uses sweat to determine stress levels. Changes in baseline temperature (like what's monitored with the Sense) can indicate a number of different conditions like the onset of a fever or changes in menstrual cycle.

But as interesting as having all this data is, stress detection on the Sense in particular seems more like a work in progress than a fully fledged health feature at the moment. To take a measurement you first place your palm over the watch face for 2 minutes while the EDA sensor analyzes sweat levels. The watch then uses this metric, along with sleep, activity and heart rate variability data to calculate a stress score that can give you insight into how your body responds to stress. The problem is the Sense doesn't give you any indication of what to do with a high or low stress management score, like getting more sleep or holding off on a strenuous workout. There are some guided meditations in the Fitbit app, but I'm not sure how effective they were at reducing my stress levels.

The daily Stress Management Score from the Fitbit Sense

To access these guided meditations, as well as guided workouts, more nuanced health data sleep and temperature variations you will need to pay $10 a month for a Fitbit Premium account. Apple will soon roll out its $10 a month Fitness Plus service that offers workout classes to cast on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV and sync directly to your Apple Watch.

Both also offer native sleep tracking, but the Fitbit Sense has a lot more data about your sleep than the Apple Watch. Premium subscribers can get a breakdown of their sleep stages -- like deep, REM and light -- breathing rate, SpO2 and temperature variations culminating in a sleep score in the morning. The Apple Watch focuses more on establishing a healthy bedtime routine and mostly looks at duration of sleep which shows periods of awake time during the night as well as heart rate and SpO2 data.

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The Apple Watch also has a fall detection feature that can call emergency services and contacts if you remain motionless after a hard fall. It also has noise level alerts, irregular heart rate alerts, VO2 max measurements and mobility metrics. And it's also the only one that you can potentially give to kids or elderly relatives to keep an eye on their daily health data with Family Setup.

Each watch has a range of different exercises that it can track, on top of general metrics like steps and calories. The Apple Watch has over 40 different workouts to choose from while Fitbit has over 20 available that cover all the main options. Both watches also automatically detect certain workouts including walks and runs, so you get credit for your effort even if you forget to start a workout manually. They're also water-resistant, allowing them to track swims.

Both have built-in GPS so you can track the route of your outdoor workouts without bringing your phone, but the Sense takes around 10 seconds to acquire a signal outdoors while the Apple Watch is within 1 to 2 seconds. I did a 4-kilometer outdoor run on both and the distance and route were pretty much the same when I compared the Sense and Apple Watch results on a map.

The Sense can show you what heart rate zone you're in and encourage you to push harder (or back off).

The Sense also shows you heart rate zones such as cardio, fat burn and peak, on the screen in real time. It can buzz as you enter different heart rate zones, which may be helpful if you're trying to train at a particular intensity.

However, when I compared the heart rate tracking on the Apple Watch and Sense for an outdoor run against a chest strap, the standard for this type of metric during workouts, I noticed the Apple Watch kept up while the Sense often lagged behind by about 20 to 30 beats per minute. After around 10 to 15 minutes, the Sense caught up to the strap's readings.

After your workout, the watches break down your metrics in either the iPhone Fitness app (Apple Watch), or the Fitbit app (Sense). I love how clearly the Fitbit app presents your workout data, including splits and heart rate zones. The Apple Watch only gives you your range, splits and heart rate on a graph rather than breaking it down into zones.

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While the Fitbit focuses on health tracking, the Apple Watch is the better package if you also want a designated smartwatch. You'll get more third-party apps, much tighter integration with the iPhone and faster performance overall. On the Fitbit Sense, even minor tasks like changing watch faces or syncing apps can take 30 seconds or more to complete, whereas on the Apple Watch it's almost instantaneous.

Responding to notifications or text messages is easy on the Apple Watch: dictate, send a quick canned response, or scribble on the keyboard. You can also take calls from your wrist because the mic and speaker are decent quality. If you have an iPhone, the Sense won't let you respond to notifications, but if you're on Android you can either send a quick response or dictate a message. The same goes for phone calls -- only Android users can make or answer calls from their wrist with the Sense as long as it's in range of the phone.

The Apple Watch is the only one that has an LTE option for $100 more than the Wi-Fi only model (it costs $499 in the US) to take calls and stay connected without your phone nearby.

Each has the option to use a voice assistant: Siri on the Apple Watch, or Alexa on the Fitbit Sense. Google Assistant support is coming at some stage on the Sense, although at the time of this review it hasn't been activated on my watch. Put simply, Siri can do a lot more on the Apple Watch than Alexa on the Sense, like start a workout, send a text message or start a timer. Alexa is limited in what it can do, and it's a lot slower, but it does let you control smart home devices if you have any. The Apple Watch also lets you control smart home devices with Siri.

Finally, you can't store your own music on the Fitbit Sense. Instead, you're limited to downloading music for offline listening from Deezer or Pandora with a premium subscription. The Apple Watch on the other hand lets you store your own music (it has 32GB of storage) or download music from Apple Music for offline listening with a subscription.

With notifications from your phone, sleep tracking and the always-on display active, I was able to get a day and change out of the 40mm Apple Watch Series 6. You'll need at least 30% battery remaining to track your sleep, so you'll probably need to charge this watch every day to keep it topped up, unless you turn off the always-on display which can extend the battery life to almost two days.

The Fitbit Sense lasts two full days with notifications, always-on display and sleep tracking and can extend it to almost 5 full days by turning off the always-on display.

Each watch charges with a proprietary magnetic puck that snaps on to the back. The Apple Watch charger is forwards and backwards-compatible with earlier Apple Watches, while the Fitbit Sense charger is designed specifically for the watch (so you can't use earlier Fitbit chargers from the Versa, for example, with the Sense). Both charge to 100% in about an hour and a half.

The Apple Watch is the stronger overall smartwatch that blends fitness tracking with an ECG and SpO2 sensor, but only if you have an iPhone. The Fitbit Sense has a lot to offer for Android users, specifically if you want an ECG, robust sleep tracking and are intrigued by stress and temperature tracking.

More:
Apple Watch Series 6 vs. Fitbit Sense: Health, fitness and smartwatch features compared - CNET

Garmin's latest product is aiming to help esports athletes and gamers track their bodies during gaming.

Gaming is something that entertains people for hours, bringing us all sorts of emotions, from joy to stress. During times like these, our bodies tend to go through a surprising lot. That's why Garmin, known for its excellent smartwatches, is introducing a new smartwatch called the Instinct Esports Edition. This new edition is programmed specifically with esports athletes, streamers and gamers everywhere in mind.

To begin, the Instinct Esports Edition has everything that a normal smartwatch would. These include things like notifications if synced with a smartphone and GPS tracking. But the main focus of it is to help gamers monitor their health with a focus on competitive play.

How do they do it? The short answer is through body metrics tracking. This data is taken from monitoring your body's responses to both daily life as well as intense or more casual gaming experiences. The Instinct Esports Edition is equipped with a heart rate monitor that lets the wearer know what their heart rate is while at rest and how hard their heart is working during specific gaming moments. In addition, there is a sleep monitor that gives detailed reports about their sleep cycles. This gives the user precious data, especially considering many have late-night grind sessions!

The Instinct uses this data to evaluate variations in heart rate to track stress levels. Though games are fun, the competitive side of them makes people get invested, and in tense moments, quite stressed. Stress management, as we know, is key to staying on top of the competition. There's also a body battery energy monitor that takes all the info compiled about sleeping habits and daytime heart rate to help users know when to rest after a long day of the grind. With these metrics, wearers can figure out when to relax and keep the mental edge.

To use the tracking features during their games, users simply have to activate the esports activity on the watch. Then the watch will take note of all those data metrics outlined above. Once the user is done playing, they sync their activity to the Garmin Connect app, which stores all of their data to see how they react in gaming situations and long term trends.

Another neat feature of the Instinct Esports Edition is something called STR3AMUP! This PC software is for streamers that want to broadcast their metrics to their audience. With this program, streamers can show their audience things like their heart rate, stress and body battery. Besides just being an interesting thing to see, it'll help streamers and pros show viewers the physical and mental demands of competitive play.

Finally, there are 30+ apps that users have access to that are for the physical side of things. These are preloaded with activity profiles to help people keep fit, even if they have low physical activity lifestyles. In the days of COVID-19 and being stuck inside, these types of apps can be great for staying healthy.

Those interested in the Instinct Esports Edition smartwatch can buy one on Garmin's website for $299.99.

The rest is here:
Garmin Announces Health And Fitness Smartwatch For Esports Pros And Streamers - ESTNN Esports

BOSTON, Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) released first-of-its kind data from a new national survey* of Americans with gym memberships that addresses their physical and mental state throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The full results from the study, which was conducted in collaboration with leading international insights company Kelton Global, a Material Company, are published in "The COVID Era Fitness Consumer" IHRSA report and delve into how Americans feel about the pandemic overall, what effects it has had on their overall health and fitness, how the virus has shaped their personal wellness outlooks, their overall comfort levels returning to the gym and more.

As gyms closed due to COVID-19 in March, members were forced to change up their routines. While some got creative with at-home workouts, others struggled to find a comparable fitness solution. The study overwhelmingly found that gymgoers look forward to returning to their gym and at least one aspect of physically being in their gym (95 percent), plus the routines and sense of community they associate with it as they push to reach their personal fitness goals. In fact, when asked what they missed most, the only thing Americans miss more than going to the gym (59 percent) is visiting their loved ones (65 percent) more so than going to concerts or games (55 percent), bars or restaurants (51 percent) or even seeing movies in theaters (46 percent).

Not only do gym members feel positively about returning to the gym many feel ready and motivated to do so they look forward to enjoying the physical and mental benefits of working out at their gym again, from building strength and their immune system to releasing mood-boosting endorphins. Notably, exactly half (50 percent) of gym members express dissatisfaction with at-home fitness efforts and changes to their routine, primarily because those new routines are less challenging (54 percent), less consistent (53 percent) or just simply worse (51 percent) than their gym-going routines.

The study reveals a number of additional insights regarding how people feel about going to the gym amidst the pandemic, including:

"The data confirms the essential role health clubs play in promoting and maintaining the wellbeing of consumers," said Jay Ablondi, executive vice president for global products for IHRSA. "With 70 percent of members relying on their gyms to maintain their overall health, Americans are looking at getting back to, maintaining and even improving their exercise habits and noting nothing but confidence in their gyms to be safe, comfortable and clean. Clearly, there's no replacement."

The full results from "The COVID Era Fitness Consumer" IHRSA report study and report are available at IHRSA.org/the-covid-era-fitness-consumer.For additional details on the study and how the fitness industry is committed to keeping its members safe, healthyand moving, visit IHRSA.org.

*Online survey conducted by Kelton Global, a Material Company, to 1,171 people aged 18+ in the United States who currently have a gym membership, or recently canceled their gym membership due to COVID-19. The survey was conducted online during the period of August 24-28, 2020, and has a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percent.

About IHRSA

IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, is a not-for-profit trade association representing the global fitness industry of over 200,000 health and fitness facilities and their suppliers.

IHRSA maintains a leadership role in advancing physical activity, which is critical to peak health and the battle against obesity and chronic lifestyle disease. As one of the world's leading authorities on the commercial health club industry, IHRSA's mission is to grow, promote, and protect the health and fitness industry, while providing its members with benefits and resources. IHRSA and its members are devoted to making the world happier, healthier, and more prosperous through regular exercise and activity promotion.

About Kelton Global

Kelton Global, a Material Company, is a leading global insights firm serving as a partner to more than 100 of the Fortune 500 and thousands of smaller companies and organizations. For more information about Kelton Global please call 1.888.8.KELTON or visit http://www.keltonglobal.com.

Media Contact Meredith Poppler IHRSA, International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association VP Communications & Leadership Engagement [emailprotected]

SOURCE International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA)

http://www.IHRSA.org

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National Study Reveals The Current Fitness Habits Of The American Gymgoer - PRNewswire

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