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I have a TomTom multisport GPS Watch. I can use it to track my workouts (running/biking/swimming/freestyle) and I really enjoy it. I like to see how I am or am not improving since I typically run and bike the same courses. I only wear it when I am working out and it isn't one of the 24 hour type activity trackers. Another thing I like is that I often run/bike trails so it is hard to judge distance and my watch does that pretty accurately. Then it uploads automatically into MapMyFitness so I have a record of my workouts which I find to be motivating.
I don't think they really give you much of a better workout (though they may help a little bit here and there)... but they probably do help to motivate people. Break your "high score" kind of things. You can see your progress in the first couple weeks which may be the positive reinforcement some people need to keep going when their bodies aren't changing overnight.
You're asking two different questions. Do you know what to know if its helping us, or if its necessary?
Only you would nit pick a post like this.
And to the other poster who said this is the 3rd thread about this subject you are probably right. But my point was because there are other posts about these gadgets I wanted to know from the people who are devoted to exercise if these are useful or not. Not what brand, or what certain ones provide.
I find it to be informative for me. I only have a step/sleep/basic activity tracker.
I find it helpful to see how many steps I am taking on a daily basis. I really like to know how much I am sleeping (and hopefully I can eventually correlate it to other patterns in my health).
I do not have a HR monitoring device, but I think if I were to train really seriously for something, I could see how it would be informative if I really wanted to measure and improve my performance.
But I think the best thing is that mine chirps if I have been sitting too long, and it is a good reminder to get up and walk around a bit at work. I don't use it to estimate calories burned or even track my workouts.
They can nudge you if you want them to, and I think it is the real use. Seeing a tracker on your arm, doing a challenge on who gets the most steps with friends - all of this are little encouragements to get you to be more active.
I think the advent of cheap and accurate gadgets to monitor health-parameters (blood sugar, pulse, etc) can be very helpful. But the workout-gadgets, beyond a stopwatch, I have never had any real use for them.
I'm a runner for the last 6 years I logged possibly over 4,000+ miles.
I spent this in running watches
Garmin Forerunner 110 - $ 80 (refurbished) then band broke. VERY VERY basic watch
Garmin Forerunner 220 - $120 (refurbished) - Band is breaking but I'm still using it.
You don't need expensive gadgets, use what you only need. Will a watch with altitude help? Yes! Do I need to spend $300+ for it? Not really.
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