{"id":51800,"date":"2016-08-18T07:15:52","date_gmt":"2016-08-18T11:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=51800"},"modified":"2016-08-19T11:50:20","modified_gmt":"2016-08-19T15:50:20","slug":"sports-watch-tracking-pros-cons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/tech\/sports-watch-tracking-pros-cons\/","title":{"rendered":"Sport Watches: Do You Really Need One?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Sports
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wearable fitness trackers can drop serious knowledge. From how many minutes you\u2019re pushing it and the number of miles you\u2019ve slayed, to your intensity (thanks, heart rate monitors<\/a>!) and average pace. For many sweat seekers, sports watches have\u00a0become an accessory staple. But, like many tools of the wellness world, they\u2019re not for everybody or for every workout<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How to Make Better Use of Your Tracking Data<\/a><\/p>\n

Tech Talk: Sports Watches<\/h2>\n

One person who should probably keep a sports watch\u00a0around at all times, though: Someone looking to score a PR<\/a> at their next race. \u201cAs a running coach, I am big on monitoring training pace,\u201d says Matt Wilpers<\/a>, RRCA Certified Running Coach and founder of CoachCasts<\/a>. \u201cLooking at performance data, I learn what my clients\u2019 pace should be so they reach a certain desired intensity. Then, by monitoring their pace during a workout, I know if they\u2019re under or overtraining<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can gain that same knowledge with your own fitness tracker, but it\u2019s not always necessary. Here\u2019s when to keep an eye on your stats and when you should get sweaty, sans technology.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Tweaks That Took an Hour Off My Marathon Time<\/a><\/p>\n

When to Sport Your Fitness Tracker <\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A sports watch\u00a0does provide some serious pay-offs, even if you\u2019re a beginner exerciser<\/a>. Check these reasons, explained by Wilpers, why you might want to wear one:<\/p>\n

1. It replaces a manual training log. <\/strong>Of course, wearable devices take the work out of recording your runs. So if you want to assess your progress, including the speed you\u2019ve gained and how many miles you\u2019ve tackled, an electronic log is the way to go. No pen, paper or calculator required.<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong>\u00a0It helps you stick to a training plan. <\/strong>Many plans provide pace targets, like running<\/a> 20 seconds slower than your goal race pace or going at your average 10K race pace. A GPS watch will make sure you hit that mark. Plus, the closer you stick to your training plan, the closer you get to meeting your goal, which leads us too…<\/p>\n

3. It may get you to the finish line faster. <\/strong>Leading up to race day<\/a>, you\u2019ll have a constant reminder of how far you\u2019ve gone and how speedy you\u2019ve gotten. This often gives users the confidence to keep pushing forward, getting stronger and increasing speed<\/a> during training runs. Also, if you track your stats during the actual race, you can easily check that you\u2019re on target to snag a PR.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The Easiest 5K and 10K Training Plan Ever<\/a><\/p>\n

A GPS watch will guide you through both distance-based intervals and time-based bursts. This lets\u00a0you take your stride anywhere.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. It allows you to focus on distance. <\/strong>A GPS watch will guide you through both distance-based intervals and time-based bursts. This lets\u00a0you take your stride anywhere \u2014 track, road, trail<\/a>, mud pit<\/a>, you name it \u2014 without having to do some math on mileage. Even better, you can think less about numbers and concentrate more on running efficiently through every type of training, whether you\u2019re doing strides<\/a> or tempo runs.<\/p>\n

5. You can join a community. <\/strong>Sync your run (or ride) results to cool apps like Strava<\/a>, RunKeeper<\/a> or MapMyRun<\/a>\u00a0or FitBit<\/a> and befriend other users so they can see your activity feed. This way, you\u2019re likely to get encouragement and praise from your peers \u2014 along with some solid bragging rights \u2014 which often helps users stay the course.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Hey Runner, Are You Doing Strides?<\/a><\/p>\n

When to Stash Your Fitness Tracker<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sometimes a constant reminder of your progress can be more of a distraction than a motivator<\/a>. Here\u2019s when to avoid watching your watch, according to Wilpers:<\/p>\n

1. You just want to get up and go. <\/strong>You may prefer to exercise based on how your body feels \u2014 pushing harder on days when you feel you could go forever or cutting a run short when you\u2019re super tired or sore. If that\u2019s the case, leave the arm candy at home.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0You have a recovery run<\/strong>. You killed a 10K<\/a> or 13-miler and a day or two later, you\u2019re ready to get back out there \u2014 without worrying about how fast your feet are moving. This is the time to embrace a casual run, without a tech buddy.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 50 Best Half Marathons in the U.S.<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Seeing the data makes you tense<\/strong>. For some people,\u00a0data reminders can get overwhelming. If you check your watch at every step, get super frustrated when you slow down, stress<\/a> out about the time or think about how little you\u2019ve traveled, perhaps it\u2019s time to step away from the tracker. Notifications aren\u2019t for you if they make you want to give up.<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s Keeping You from a Good Workout. <\/strong>Every now and then\u00a0technology fails us and a tracker dies or stops recording info. That doesn\u2019t mean your run isn\u2019t worth it or you should skip a few exercises in a group class while you try to fix it. If it becomes your excuse for not moving, toss it to the side.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>9 Trainer Tips to Get More from Your Fitness Classes<\/a><\/p>\n

Just like choosing a certain type of exercise, different people have different preferences when it comes to fitness trackers<\/a>, so test what\u2019s best for you. Typically, \u201cType A\u201d personalities like to know all of their info to make sure they\u2019re training efficiently, says Wilpers. On the other hand, some runners like to use the open road as a time to disconnect.<\/p>\n

\u201cI coached an athlete that ran 10 to 15 miles a day, mostly alone,\u201d Wilpers says. \u201cHe liked to run based how he felt. That said, he still used a GPS watch because when he finished, he wanted to know how far he went and his pace during the run.\u201d Sound like something you\u2019d be into? Look for an option in your app<\/a> to turn off updates. That way, you won\u2019t receive constant reminders of your mileage and pace, but you can still check when you get home.<\/p>\n

Remember, there\u2019s no right or wrong way to record your workouts (if you do at all!). A tracking tool can certainly help improve your performance, says Wilpers, but it\u2019s not a requirement for a successful workout. The most important thing: Listen to how your body feels, then get out there and enjoy the movement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you never leave home without a fitness tracker or still don\u2019t own one, read this. We explain the pros and cons of that sports watch on your wrist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,25,10,16],"tags":[157,322,133,108,341,421,283],"class_list":["post-51800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apps","category-gear-gadgets","category-tech","category-tracking","tag-biking","tag-gadget","tag-gear","tag-running","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2health-tech","tag-tracking"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51800"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51800\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}