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Two-time World Long Drive champion Tim Burke didnt know there was such a thing as long drive championships when he was pitching for the University of Miami. He tried going deep for the first time on a whim a few years after college in 2011.

Somebody convinced me to do it. I had no expectations and I realized I actually do hit it farther than all these other guys, said Burke, who took second place at the World Championship in 2012. I made 75 grand finishing second and I had no idea what I was doing.

Burke had a full-time finance job when he won his first championship in 2013 with a 427-yard drive at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His practice routine consisted of hitting balls in the morning, going to work and working out at night using fitness regimens he found on Google.

After (winning the World Championship), I knew I had to step up to the next level, Burke said.

Enter strength and conditioning specialist Trevor Anderson, who owns the Better Every Day Performance Institute in Orlando and has worked with dozens of pros from the PGA Tour and LPGA. Burke was introduced to Anderson through a mutual connection and, after a lunch meeting at Panera Bread, began training with Anderson the next morning.

Burke is an imposing figure at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and had plenty of power when he started the new workouts. What he lacked was stability, which Anderson believes is the most important place for golfers at any level to start in order to gain more distance off the tee.

Youve never seen somebody shoot a cannon from a row boat, right? Anderson said. Because the foundation is not strong enough to support what they have to be able to do. Anybody that comes to me and says, I want more distance, the very first thing regardless if theyre a world long drive champion or a junior golfer that wants to play better golf, it is about connecting to the ground with stability.

Improving stability is something anyone can do with a few simple exercises from home or at the gym, and Burke said its essential to have the right attitude toward fitness and overall improvement.

You have to (embrace it), especially if its part of your life and what you do for a living, Burke said. If you dont find enjoyment in it at all, youre not going to have success in my opinion.

Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports

THE PLANK

A plank is not something that you just put your body into a position and get on your bows and toes and hold it for as long as you can, Anderson said. Being able to hold a nice, solid, firm, correct, 15-20 second plank and just take a little rest and do it again is absolutely the most effective way to do that. The plank by nature should resist rotation and resist a side-to-side bending. If youre doing those things in your plank and your plank is not correct, thats why youre able to hold it for more than a minute. If you do it correctly, its very challenging to hold it for more than 15-20 seconds without compensation.

STEP 1:Lay down and place your forearms on the ground with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders.

STEP 2:Squeeze your quad muscles, which will extend your legs to straighten at the knee.

STEP 4:Spike your toes into the ground and squeeze your glutes as hard as you can.

STEP 5:Stay completely still and hold the position for 15-20 seconds. You should be stable enough so that you remain still if someone were to lightly push your sides.

STEP 6:Rest and repeat.

MEDICINE BALL THROW

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The reason we do this is so we make sure we understand loading patterns, Anderson said. How to load into your backside properly and how to sequence into the front side and finish in full balance. The average person, I would say start out with a 4-pound medicine ball.

Burke uses a 10-pound medicine ball, but even heavy lifters should start with something lighter that they can throw under total control.

STEP 1:Pick up the medicine ball and stand near a wall or an open area with enough space to throw it.

STEP 2:Hold the ball underhand at waist level and assume a golf stance, but with your feet touching.

STEP 3:Step out with your left leg and simultaneously move the ball to your right side in a loading position.

STEP 4:Using your left leg as a plant leg, bring the ball across your body while rotating and release it as your right foot leaves the ground, not trying to replicate the golf swing but finishing in a follow-through position.

STEP 5:Hold the position through the release and focus on remaining totally stable and balanced.

STEP 6:Repeat five times, then switch sides and throw the opposite way five times. Do three total sets of 10 throws each.

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Fitness: Stability is key for long drive champ Tim Burke - Golfweek.com

Crain's Detroit Business

Live Cycle Delight fitness center set to open in Detroit's West Village Crain's Detroit Business A new fitness center that offers classes in cycling, yoga and TRX weight training is expected to open late next month in Detroit's West Village. Detroit native Amina Daniels, 32, said she founded Live Cycle Delight to promote a socially interactive ...

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Live Cycle Delight fitness center set to open in Detroit's West Village - Crain's Detroit Business

This article is not meant to diagnose or provide medical advicethat responsibility lies with physicians. The author is not a licensed medical professional.

In America, health seekers pound out solo gym time, mindlessly hefting on weight machines or clocking miles on the dreadmill. We treat daily fitness like a sprint with workouts like high-intensity interval trainingand are sure to track it with wearable tech. But in those lonely reps and the go-big mentality, we can lose the play (remember when fitness meant kickball during phys-ed class?), companionship and lifelong habits that many Chinese capture with street-corner square dancing and hacky sack games in the park. Sure, Chinas population struggles with the twin Achilles heels of smoking and pollution, and chronic diseases like tuberculosis that create a cap in Chinese life expectancy, but theyre also getting a lot right in their efforts to remain healthy.

Heres what we can learn from the Chinese about fitness.

You Dont Have to Kill Yourself to Make it Count

When trainers or your mental drill sergeant push you to give 110 percent, you may be doing more harm than good. The growth of CrossFit and similar regimes in the U.S. has caused concerns about the number of injuries limping out of the boxes. Many Chinese build strength a different way: with Tai Chi, Kung Fu and other martial arts.

Tai chi, a martial art valued for its defensive practices and health benefits, creates lithe strength, physical flexibility, and balance through fluid, repetitive movements. (Not to mention the mental health value of this moving meditation). Think its easy? Try dropping into a squat for several minutes while you appear to effortlessly move the chi (life force energy) with your hands. The practice may not burn a thousand calories an hour like a spin class, but it builds flexibility, which can help prevent injuries and balance problems in the long run.

Work Out in Groups

Donning noise-canceling headphonesand zoning out for solitary workouts may be a U.S. standard, but the Chinese emphasize the power of (1.4 billion) people. In China, fitness is communal. Public squares and sometimes even street corners become studios for ballroom dancing or square dancingthere are no clogs here, the square refers to the localewhere women do synchronized routines, sometimes with props like in drill team, sometimes in Zumba-esque sessions to the latest pop music hits. No one seems to care theyre dancing next to rush hour traffic in one of the most populous countries in the world; theyre truly dancing like no one is watching. These groups make fitness social, with the participants holding each other accountable and keeping to a schedulequalities that have been shown to bust boredom and help people stick with a fitness routine.

Make it Fun

Playing hacky sack is a workout? To the Chinese, yes. In Jianzi, a national sport, players aim to keep a weighted shuttlecocklike in Badminton but with grander feathersoff the ground with their bodies (any part except their hands). They scramble, sprint and contort for the perfect pass, enough of an effort to get players breathing hard and using muscles many of us have long forgotten. And theyre enjoying themselves. Fumbled passes send them laughing and chiding the errant player into the next round. Experts say picking a fitness routine you enjoy, or even several of them for variety, helps you stick with anregimem. Weve all seen it: gyms are flush in January with New Years resolution makers, then wastelands by spring. Avoid that pitfall by finding something you likeeven if it isnt the latest fitness craze.

You Dont Need to Be a Gear Head

We Americans love our gearI write as I check my heart rate on my watchbut sometimes that devotion becomes an obstacle. Not having the right tracker, shoes or clothes can become an excuse for ditching a workout. Before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the city installed a 4,000-strong fleet of calisthenics machines in public parks across the city. Today, Beijing residents build workouts into their daily routines, stopping off on their walks to work or during lunch for light resistance training on the primary-colored machines. I spotted numerous women doing leg presses in pencil skirts and heels, and men setting down their briefcases to do a few pullups. The locals dont wait for the right outfit or prioritize joining the hottest gym, they just get moving.

Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ashley M. Biggers is a freelance writer with a taste for travel and fitness. When she isnt writing, shes running with her dog (and attempting not to trip over him).

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4 Lessons China Can Teach Us about Fitness - Paste Magazine

If youre trying to build the Instagram for exercise, it helps to have the guy building Instagram for Instagram. Thats why Strava has added Instagram head of product Kevin Weil to its board of directors. Formerly SVP of product for Twitter, Weil has proven his skills through a rapid set of launches at Instagram, including its surprisingly successful Snapchat Stories clone.

Now Weil will lend a hand to Strava, which lets runners and cyclers post maps of their routes, track their physical activity and connect with potential workout buddies. His expertise around social networking could help the startup become popular enough to drive a big funnel into its premium features subscription business. Strava Stories, perhaps?

Why did Weil want to get on board, literally, with Strava? He tells TechCrunch, I actually wrote my own software back in high school to track my training, and made it freeware so others could use it. I got maybe 10,000 downloads, which seemed like a lot back in 1999 🙂 So Im passionate about the space.

As for where he sees growth opportunities for the app, Hundreds of millions of people exercise every day, and for almost everyone its a social activity whether youre running or cycling with a group, or just meeting friends for a class at the gym,Weil says. Strava has the opportunity to expand upon these existing real-world communities, to deepen the connections you have in real life and also help you make new ones.

Stravas new board member Kevin Weil

Strava was founded in 2009 and has raised well over $40 million, including an $18.5 million Series D led by Sequoia in 2014. Its recently been expanding the range of activity-tracking gadgets it syncs with, and added a real-time safety feature so athletes can sweat with confidence out on the mean streets.

Strava informed TechCrunch of Weils appointment over the weekend. He joins CEO Mark Gainey, co-founder Michael Horvath, Madrone Capital Partners Jamie McJunkin, Jackson Square VenturesGreg Gretsch and serial entrepreneur and investor Ariel Poler on the board.

Weil says hes been a user for years and is actually running partners with Gainey. He says, Ive always been passionate about the idea that everyone can be an athlete if they want to be. Its a market the big athletics brands are trying to compete for. ASICS bought FitnessKeeper last year, and Under Armour acquired Endomondo in 2015.

But Strava isnt trying to subtly sell people shoes. Its sole purpose is to make exercise a social activity so its fun and people stick with it. Now it will have the expertise to make getting healthy more viral.

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Instagram VP Kevin Weil joins board of social fitness app Strava - TechCrunch

New York Times

Wearable Fitness Devices Don't Seem to Make You More Fit New York Times Well, here we go again because some of those folks also believe that fitness devices Fitbit, Vivosmart, Apple Watch must be helpful in losing weight. Unfortunately, evidence doesn't support this belief either. For some time, people have been ... Don't Rely On Your Fitness Tracker To Lose WeightHuffington Post all 2 news articles »

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Wearable Fitness Devices Don't Seem to Make You More Fit - New York Times

Address: 2280 Paseo Verde Parkway, Suite 160, Henderson

Phone: 702-550-0459

Email: henderson@cyclebar.com

Website: henderson.cyclebar.com

Hours of operation: Varies

Owned/operated by: Gregorio and Maria Serrata

Gregorio and Maria Serrata recently opened the 60th U.S. location of CycleBar, a boutique cycling studio that features a theater with 50 bikes that is designed for riders of all levels (though they must be 5 feet tall to fit on the equipment).

Describe your business.

CycleBar is an indoor cycling experience, offering a sense of community in state-of-the-art studios, concierge-level service and premium amenities.

What is your business philosophy?

Its not just about awesome exercise, its about building a community and an environment where all feel welcome and embraced to work out in a luxury, boutique fitness studio. We want to take away the intimidating feeling of boutique cycling while still being exhilarating and having a fun workout.

What obstacles do you expect your business will need to overcome?

There are so many people who have never tried boutique cycling, or theyve only tried it in the big-box gym environment. We need to make sure we always have a steady stream of new riders. CycleBar is a national cycling brand, but it is locally owned and operated. People appreciate local businesses with the quality of a national brand.

How can Nevada improve its business climate?

When the state takes time-consuming requirements off owners hands, we can spend more time taking care of customers and providing a better experience.

What has been your hardest lesson in business?

Time management. Maria and I have four kids under age 11, and I still have a day job to take care of. Luckily, we get a lot of support from the franchise and our staff, who help us sleep well at night.

Why is your business called CycleBar? Do you sell special workout drinks?

We offer water bottles (chilled or room temperature), fresh fruit, cycling shoes, towels, lockers and two private showers among a couple-dozen other amenities, all complimentary. We use a weighted bar for an upper body workout portion of the 50-minute ride, hence the name CycleBar. The name also associates with a fun, social atmosphere.

How do your instructors keep everyone motivated?

All of our CycleStars underwent a four-day, all-day intensive boot camp with one of CycleBars master CycleStar instructors. Training included technology mastery, playlist building, proper form, tempo and CycleStats training. We do not try to change the instructors. We want them to be unique. We give them a format to follow, but we never try to change their style or personality. We encourage theme rides that accentuate their unique personalities such as genre rides, mashups, throwbacks, etc. These rides help riders really see the CycleStars personality shine.

Fitness tech has exploded in popularity. In what ways does CycleBar combine fitness and technology?

Regardless of class type, riders get an email after each ride with their stats and music playlist for free download. Flat-screens are used to create in-class competitions and team competitions.

How does a beginner get involved with CycleBar or indoor cycling in general? Any tips on getting started?

We are holding free rides until March 5. Go to our website and view the schedule. Any class that is available on the schedule is open for you and your friends to try us out.

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Cycling studio's aim: Build a fitness community - VEGAS INC

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If you've already given up on your new year's resolution to hit the gym, you can still get in shape by working out at home. Consumer Reports latest tests of ellipticals and treadmills reveal some good news. You can get a good workout on machines that cost around a thousand dollars.

With elliptical machines testers measure each one to see how well it fits a broad range of people. The Diamondback 1260Ef for 2,000 dollars earned top scores. But for a fraction of the price the 800-dollar Schwinn 470 is also a good choice. Its well-made, easy to use and is a good fit for most people.

When it comes to treadmills a sturdy frame and construction is a must-have, especially for runners. Testers liked the downhill feature on this Sole TT8 for 2300 dollars. If youre not concerned with downhill running and walking this 1,000 dollar Sole F63 is also a good choice and costs half the price. Its large buttons and display make it easy to use and is a good option for runners or walkers. And folds up to save space!

No matter which treadmill or elliptical you buy, Consumer Reports says its a good idea to try it out in the store to make sure it works for you. Also, measure before you buy your machine to make sure you have enough room. Most treadmills are 77 inches long by 35 inches wide. Ellipticals are about 6 feet long by 2.5 feet wide but can range in length from 50 to 84 inches. You'll also be elevated so make sure youve got clearance above you, too.

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Consumer Reports: New fitness equipment - wtkr.com

Juliana Goodwin, For the News-Leader Published 4:25 p.m. CT Feb. 18, 2017 | Updated 4:56 p.m. CT Feb. 18, 2017

Laura Rush, left, and Cathy Russell outside of the businesses they own: Art Zone and Studio Fitness in Nixa.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

When Cathy Russell opened Art Zone in Nixa, in May 2014, she only planned on a part-time gig hosting childrens birthday parties.

Russell is an art teacher in the Clever school district and already has a full-time job. But 14 months after opening, she found herself taking on a business partner Laura Rush and expanding. Now the venture has morphed into two distinct businesses that share the same space: Studio Fitness, which offers a variety of fitness classes; and Art Zone, which hosts birthday parties, monthly clay projects, paint your own pottery and more.

In December, they moved into a new space at 107 W. Aldersgate more than doubling their size and business has been booming ever since.

We get walk-in traffic all the time. We never got walk-in traffic at the old location, Russell said.

They are still in the middle of an expansion, and once it is complete, they will dedicate separate spaces to each business. As it stands now, if Art Zone is open for a party, then they cant offer a fitness class and vice versa, so they have to plan accordingly. With nine different fitness instructors at Studio Fitness, and only the two of them at Art Zone, they juggle a lot of schedules.

Laura Rush, left, and Cathy Russell outside of the businesses they own: Art Zone and Studio Fitness in Nixa.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Monday through Friday, the fitness side of the business is busier; weekends are mostly dedicated to the art side because of classes and birthday parties. In winter, both aspects of the business are busy, but in summer, the birthday parties slow down as people spend more time outside, and the same goes for the fitness classes. However, they compensate by offering summer camp art classes, which keeps them busy.

Theyve added homeschooling classes, which have been popular, and they plan to expand those.

Also, once the new space is complete hopefully in April they will add wheel throwing classes.

It seems an odd fit for an art business and fitness business, but that evolved as well. Several years ago, the Clever school district encouraged its teachers to get fit, so Russell took a Zumba class and fell in love with it. Soon she was teaching Zumba, and that is where she met her best friend and business partner, Laura Rush.

When the owner of the studio where Russell taught developed health problems, she wanted to sell it, which is when the friends teamed up to become business partners.

Rush has a background in social work and is the former community outreach coordinator for Victory Mission, but she left that job to pursue this business full time. Rush says she brings marketing experience to the table and did not expect this to turn into a full-time job so quickly.

That seemed like a pipe dream, said Russell.

Studio Fitness offers a host of classes, and its only $5 to drop into any class. Theres yoga, a hula hoop fitness class, Zumba, Pound, REFIT, which is a Christian-based exercise class, RIPPED and more.

This summer, Rush is getting certified to teach additional classes, including a mother-daughter Zumba course, which they will add to their roster in late summer.

Russell is currently qualified to teach 10 different classes.

The days are long. They are at the studio at 5 a.m. to register students and help the teachers. Then Russell works a full day in Clever and comes back to the studio and teaches an 8 p.m. class.

We get about five hours of sleep a night. We love coffee, said Rush.

These are examples of projects created at Art Zone, which offers birthday parties, home-school events and more.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Weekends are packed with Art Zone activities.

At Art Zone, two-hour birthday parties start at $60. Theres a monthly clay project for $5 and paint your own pottery every Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. (the cost ranges by project selected).

Russell says they have tried to keep prices reasonable on both sides of the business because she was raised by a single mom and they couldnt afford to do much as a family, so she wants families to be able to afford to let their children explore creativity at Art Zone. While they have opportunities for all ages, children 8 to 12 tend to be most involved in the activities.

The concept for Art Zone evolved from an after-school club. Several years ago, Russell had an after-school art club with more than 100 student members, but budget cuts eliminated the extracurricular activity.

Still, Russell had many parents asking about birthday parties and private art lessons, which is why she eventually opened Art Zone, expecting it to be a side business.

A table full of figurines which are available to paint from noon to 5 p.m. each Sunday. This table has $9 items, but theres a variety of others to chose from, too.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Everything I did in art club, I did in my business, she said.

For birthday parties, there are a variety of options from mosaic, papier-mch, paint your own pottery to painting a picture. The child picks the theme, and then Rush and Russell design a project for them. In the front window are examples of previous works.

If its art, we can do it, Russell said.

Russell received her B.S. in Education with an emphasis on K-12 Art Education from Missouri State University in 2004; she earned a Masters in Studio Art and Theory from Drury University in 2013.

Throughout her career, Russell has been active in the Missouri Art Education Association, holding the Elementary Art Teacher council position from 2010-2012 before transitioning to District 10 council position in 2012-15.

While Rush previously had no art education, she wanted to be an art teacher growing up.

Working together has been a pleasure, they say. The only fight theyve had so far is what color to paint the walls, laughed the ladies.

Coming from an art background, Russell thought the walls should be colorful; Rush thought the walls should be more neutral more fitting for a yoga class. In the end, they compromised.

They hope the businesses continue to grow.

Its been fun, said Russell. But it takes passion to keep this going.

Art Zone and Studio Fitness are located at 107 W. Aldersgate Drive, Suite 6, Nixa. Call 417-861-0338. Art Zone has monthly $5 clay projects; birthday parties start at $60; theres paint your own pottery from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Studio Fitness has a variety of exercise classes from yoga to Zumba to hula hoop fitness. Cost: $5 to drop in to any class. Online: http://www.artzonenixa.com; and http://www.studiofitnessnixa.com

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Art and fitness make successful combination - Springfield News-Leader

Watches that rock Android Wear 2.0 include plenty of new fitness tracking features.

Google's Android Wear 2.0 watch platform is the company's biggest shot yet at jumping into the fitness tracking world dominated by companies like Fitbit. Is it there yet? Not quite.

The company's revamped smartwatch operating system improves upon many of the problems that plagued Android Wear watches for the past two and a half years. I've had a chance to try out some of its features on both the LG Watch Style and the LG Watch Sport.

The good news is the interface is cleaner and easier to navigate, with an on-watch Play Store for downloading apps, and watch faces that can be customized to include app shortcuts and widgets -- including Google Fit stats like steps and calorie count for one-glance use. Shortcuts to start Google Fit workouts are easier to make, too.

When the update arrives on existing watches over the next few weeks, along with newly updated apps, the revamped fitness experience could possibly rival your Fitbit. But at this point, it still has work to do.

Android Wear watches always had some basic fitness-tracking features. They could track steps, distance, calories burned and active minutes. Google Fit will also automatically log workouts. It's similar to what we have seen from Fitbit and Samsung. The watches know when you are walking, running, biking and even doing aerobics. The workout will then be logged automatically in the Google Fit app.

Fitness data gets organized into the Google Fit app.

Automatic workout tracking is helpful, but sometimes it can get confused. A moderate walk with my dog was recorded as a bike ride, for example. The lack of on-watch indicators was also frustrating. It's unclear when exactly an exercise is being recorded. You won't know until you open the Google Fit app on your phone. On Samsung's Gear S3, the automatic recording happens more clearly and with better heads-up stats on recent accomplishments.

Android Wear 2.0 now comes preloaded with a new and improved Google Fit workout. The app gives you the ability to view all of your fitness data right on the watch. It also lets you set a specific fitness goal, such as walking 10,000 steps or running three times a week. Unfortunately, the app still doesn't support all-day heart-rate tracking or sleep tracking, although there are some third-party options available in the new Wear app store that do. But with Android Wear's challenged battery life, I'm still probably going to keep mine charging at night.

In addition to tracking daily activities, the new Google Fit app now includes on-watch workouts. It's similar to what we saw on the Fitbit Blaze, but a little more advanced since it can actually count your reps. You can choose from three different exercise challenges: push-ups, sit-ups and squats. The watch will then give you tips on how to do the exercise and show you the proper form.

Workouts to follow along with can be seen on the watch's display.

The idea is to do a little more each day. If you did five push-ups on Monday, you should go for six on Tuesday and then maybe seven on Wednesday.

Overall, I found the rep counting to be accurate, as long as I kept the proper form (itching my nose during a squat gave me an extra rep). The workouts were fine, although I wish there was more of a coaching aspect. I did 20 push-ups, great. Now what? Should I really be doing 20 each day or should I only do it a few times a week? I wish the Google Fit app could provide feedback and recommendations on other workouts I should be doing, rather than simply logging my exercise.

Another new (and preinstalled) app is called Fit Workout. The app is used to track a variety of exercises, such as walking, running, biking, treadmill running, stationary biking, aerobics, stair climbing machines and strength training (if your watch has a heart-rate sensor).

The Fit Workout app can track a variety of exercises.

The watch can show real-time data for each of these workouts, but it's not great. The data is broken down into three live stats that can be customized with a specific metric, such as heart rate, pace, distance, elapsed time, calories, steps or time of day. That's it. A lot of other watches, such as those from Garmin, let you customize each metric across multiple workout screens. I like to view pace, distance, elapsed time and heart rate when I run. This wasn't possible with the Fit Workout app.

There are a lot of smartwatches and fitness trackers out there, all at varying price points, but few do fitness tracking better than Fitbit. The app is easy to use and has the largest social base. If one of your friends owns a fitness tracker, there's a good chance it's a Fitbit.

Even though Android Wear's fitness tracking has improved, but your mileage may vary if it's important to have friends also using it.

The benefit of this is being able to compete with friends and family members in a variety of competitions, which helps keep you motivated and more likely to reach your goal. Fitbit will also soon be adding a Facebook-like News Feed for even more social interactions.

There are no social features in Google Fit. You can't see how friends are progressing and you can't compete against them. There is no motivation factor whatsoever. The Apple Watch made small strides with social features in WatchOS 3 fitness. They're not as good as Fitbit, but they're better than Android Wear 2.

While Android Wear is cross-platform, Google Fit isn't. Even though you can use an Android Wear watch with an iPhone, at this time there isn't an iOS app to view your fitness stats. Your only option is to view them on the watch or on the Google Fit website.

Meanwhile, Fitbit offers a web interface and apps for iPhone, Android and even Windows. Granted, Apple Watch has the same issue with its Activity and Workout app, but then again the Apple Watch doesn't support Android. Samsung S-Health, by comparison, can also run across Android, Samsung and iPhone.

If you use the watch with an iPhone, you will have to use either the watch or a web app to check your workout stats.

Running perfectly on an iPhone isn't a deal breaker. But not working as well as a Fitbit could be. Google Fit has gotten better, but it's still oddly bare-bones on Android Wear and sometimes sluggish when syncing data. Automatic fitness tracking should happen more obviously on-watch and more social connections are a must.

Fitness is one of the reasons people are buying smartwatches. At this point, I would opt for a Fitbit Blaze or Garmin watch for fitness tracking and smartphone notifications. Android Wear is moving in the right direction, but Google Fit isn't the killer feature it needs to be.

Tech Culture: From film and television to social media and games, here's your place for the lighter side of tech.

CNET Magazine: Check out a sampling of the stories you'll find in CNET's newsstand edition.

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Google is finally taking fitness seriously with Android Wear 2.0 - CNET - CNET

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

This old adage often rings true. Apples are chock-full of vitamins and antioxidants, and some medical research suggests that fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. However, diet is not the only ingredient needed for cardiac health.

Exercise is the cornerstone of every heart-healthy lifestyle. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise, which comes out to about 30 minutes of exercise a day, five times a week.

In the United States, 1 in every 3 deaths is from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, according to AHA. Heart disease and stroke were the top two killers worldwide.

Fortunately, there are many ways to get the heart pumping and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Buying a fitness tracker or app is a good place to start. Scott Wohl of Fitness 1440 in Fredericksburg said the wide range of smart devices and apps available today have taken heart health to a new era, and technology has been one of the biggest areas of growth in the fitness industry.

Wearable devices provide a convenient aid to help people transform their habits and monitor progress, Wohl explained. Users can set heart-smart goals, like 10,000 steps a day, which pushes them to increase daily activity levels. These devices can also provide accountability, increase motivation and help users train more effectively.

What the average person is looking for is whether or not he or she has made progress day to day and trackers and apps definitely help, he said.

Fitness trackers typically measure the number of footsteps a person takes, distance traveled and specific type of movement (e.g. walk, run, etc.). More sophisticated devices also display a users heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels; track calories burned; and monitor sleep.

They are available in a number of forms including as wristbands, pendants and clip-ons.

Starting slowespecially for those with a sedentary lifestyleis often the best way to begin to make healthy changes. There are many programs and training plans available that can help individuals set realistic goals.

For example, Couch to 5K is a beginners running program that gets people off the couch and ready for a 5k over a nine-week period. Participants start by alternating running and walking, and as the weeks go by, they gradually build up to running 3 miles non-stop.

Keone Pierce of Fredericksburg Fit Body Boot Camp advises his clients to create small goals. This makes exercise less overwhelming and eliminates some of the pressure associated with starting a new workout routine. These incremental changes are the building blocks of a major lifestyle change.

Setting small goals keeps them coming back to the gym, Pierce said. It makes exercise a long-term lifestyle choice instead of a fleeting New Years resolution.

Sarah Jennings, a certified personal trainer in Fredericksburg, advised starting with a 20 minute walk and gradually moving up to a longer sweat session. The key is to set realistic goals, and then stick to the plan.

You must remain patient and consistent with your fitness goals no matter what they are, she said. We all want instant results, but that is just not realistic. Hard work and dedication are key.

Building exercise into ones lifestyle is important for consistency. Wohl said an overzealous approach can lead to injuries that will thwart even the best of ambitions. More importantly, that approach begins with a tremendous amount of failure, which can also defeat the best of intentions.

This understanding, alone, can overcome most I dont have the time arguments, Wohl said.

There are a number of creative ways people can sneak physical activity into their daily routine when the idea of reserving 30 minutes or more a day for exercise seems overwhelming. Wohl recommends parking far from your destination and taking stairs instead of the elevator.

Parents, teachers and caretakers can try joining children for a game of tag, jumping on the trampoline and playing on the playground instead of sitting on a bench.

Breaking exercise into small segments throughout the day can also be effective. Ideas include jumping jacks and high knees during commercial breaks while watching TV or performing squats and lunges while waiting on the microwave or brushing your teeth. Another good habit is doing a few exercises before bed each night and after waking in the morning.

According to AHA, some evidence suggests that too much sedentary time increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and death. So staying active in little ways throughout the day can play an important role in improving overall health.

A common misconception is that running is the only way to lose weight and build a healthy heart. But medical professionals and the fitness community have been working to dispel this myth for years.

AHAs weekly exercise recommendations include anything that gets the body to move and burn calories. This could be something as simple as climbing stairs or going for a walk.

The best way to maintain consistency and make exercise a habit is to choose an exercise you actually like doing. There are many creative options including trampoline parks, dance classes, swimming and sports.

Wohl said education and enjoyment often go hand-in-hand. He recommends exploring different exercise options and then trying to understand the benefits of the chosen exercise to improve awareness of why you are doing it.

The best bet is to first find something appealing for you to undertake while, simultaneously, you are pursuing an understanding of where you are and how you are going to get to your destination, he said.

At the end of the day, just as an apple a day is only one ingredient in a healthy lifestyle, fitness is not a magic solution to achieve perfect health. It is important to avoid smoking, overeating and other lifestyle choices that could undermine your efforts in the gym.

At some point, everyone gets off track. Jennings said that no matter how long it has beena day, a week, a month or even yearsthe important thing is to get moving again.

She also noted that guilt is the enemy of progress.

Get those awesome exercise endorphins rolling again and stop putting so much pressure on yourself, she said. Guilt sets in when people fall off the wagon. Crush any guilty feelings that rush into your mind. Just hop back on that wagon and continue to move forward.

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Cardiac Health: Five fitness tips for heart attack prevention - Fredericksburg.com

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