Workout tapes and spring-loaded novelty gadgets are in the past, while digital fitness tools are taking over in their place. So far, three main product offerings are leading the charge.
1. Interactive Fitness Games
The first true breakthrough in fitness gaming came in 2008 with the introduction of Wii Fit, which has since sold over 20 million copies and spawned two sequels. Nintendo’s movement sensing controllers and companion pressure-sensitive balance board allowed Wii Fit to track effort in a whole new way.
Competitors Sony and Microsoft wasted little time introducing physical feedback controllers of their own. A recent step forward came in 2010 with the introduction of the Kinect device, a camera that tracks complex human movement. It allows Xbox games like Nike+Kinect to assess exercise technique and offer real-time feedback with no other controller besides your body. There are many similar games and each can store your results to encourage progress.
A new generation of home consoles arrives this holiday season, which means two things. First, a new round of upgraded fitness games, and second, that the fitness games and hardware of the past generation will become vastly cheaper.
2. Wearable Fitness Trackers
With recent buzz about Google Glass and the Samsung Galaxy Watch, it’s clear the tech industry sees wearable devices are a future growth sector.
Here in the present, the wearable fitness device is already a marketplace hit. These clip ons, wristbands, and watches, constantly monitor steps taken, distance and locations traveled to, calories burned, heart rate, activity level, quality and quantity of sleep, and much more.
All fitness trackers, such as the Nike+Fuel, Fitbit Flex, and Jawbone Up writstbands and the Misfit Shine medallion, wirelessly transmit well-organized data to be accessed, analyzed, and shared online.
3. Mobile Fitness Apps
Downloading mobile applications is familiar to most of us in 2013. Though we often use apps as time-wasters, did you know a number of great fitness apps are also available?
Most are free with the option to pay a small fee for added features. These apps can be used for everything from monitoring your diet (MyFitnessPal) and connecting with fellow fitness enthusiasts (Fitocracy, Gympact) to designing exercise routines (Workout Trainer, iMuscle) and tracking the distance, elevation change, pace, and path of outdoor runs (GarminFit).
There are even apps to help you prepare for specific goals like completing a 5K run (CouchTo5K). Now that’s what we call personalized innovation.
When used in support of well-designed exercise and nutrition routines, digital fitness aids from any of the three product sectors above can elevate your fitness to a new level and into the current millennium.
Think you could benefit from more fitness advice or coaching on entering the digital fitness age? Consider booking a session with a personal trainer today.
Shaun Karp is a certified trainer and owner of Karp Personal Training in Vancouver, B.C. For further information call (604) 420-7800 or visit his web site www.karpfitness.com.