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Home » Fitness » The Best Fitness Trackers for All Types of Activities – New York Magazine

Senior writer Karen Iorio Adelson has covered everything from stocking a medicine cabinet to adopting a pet. She's especially passionate about running (she worked in a running store) and cat furniture

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Just as its changed how we work and socialize, the COVID-19 pandemic has likely forced you to switch up how you exercise. Maybe youve ditched the treadmill for trail runs, spin class for outdoor bike rides, or in-person yoga classes for on-demand sessions. With more time at home, youre possibly working out more than ever before. If youre looking for a way to measure all of your progress, a fitness tracker or smartwatch can give you important information on how hard youre working and how far youve come. There are lots of options out there, though, so we asked fitness professionals from Pilates instructors to marathon swimmers about their favorite trackers. Based on what type of data youre looking to track (like distance and speed for running or heart rate for interval training), their recommendations below should cover all types of workouts.

Recommended by athletes across multiple disciplines, the Apple Watch is likely your best bet if you plan on doing a mix of different activities. Lucy Kapell and Joe Kaufman, competitive swimmers with the Westchester Masters Swimming Association, rely on the watch for tracking their laps both in the pool and outside. It calculates lap swims accurately, and the settings can be easily adjusted for the length of the pool, says Kapell. Since it measures heart rate and calories burned, its also useful for workouts where you dont need to carefully track metrics like speed or distance. Gustavo Padron, a yoga instructor with the on-demand workout platform Glo,Leada Malek, a fitness instructor and sports physical therapist, and Equinox group fitness instructor Amanda Katz all use the watchs heart-rate function to measure the intensity of their workouts. Padron says, Paying attention to my heart rate can help me decide if I need a chill or more intense class.

Other users, like Corrie Alexander, founder of The Fit Careerist, and fitness blogger Michelle of Bliss From Balance, like how the watch syncs with other iPhone workout apps for following along with specific workouts. For example, Michelle says Peloton addicts will appreciate how the watch links to the Peloton app for feedback during classes. No matter what type of exercise theyre doing, fitness pros agree that the Apple Watch keeps their workout progress on track. As Katelyn DiGiorgio, vice president of training and technique at Pure Barre, says, The activity rings [on the Apple Watch] have kept me more engaged than other fitness trackers Ive used. I love the visual of closing a circle on each of the three simple activity ring tracks standing, moving, and exercise each day. It becomes addicting. Anthony Guidarelli, CTO of CITYROW and Mindbody, and Pilates instructor Meredith Simmons agree that meeting goals on their Apple Watches keeps them accountable.

Like the Apple Watch, the Fitbit Versa 2 syncs with your phone and can support other apps, including Amazon Alexa. Corey Lewis, personal trainer and co-founder of the digital wellness platform 1AND1 Life wears his Versa for a range of activities including hiking, yoga, bike riding, and weightlifting. He likes how the Fitbit community motivates him to train harder. They provide a leaderboard with challenges and awards, and the ability to set personal goals, he says. Personal trainer Sean Alexander, founder of Model Trainers, uses his Versa 2 for lifting weights, swimming, tennis, and hot yoga. One of my personal favorite features is the built-in HIIT timer that allows me to preset intervals for resting and working times before my workout, and then it will automatically start a timer for my active and rest moments at the push of a button, he says. Its much cheaper than an Apple Watch, so its a good one to try if youre just dipping your toes into the world of fitness trackers.

With modes for tracking elliptical workouts, rowing, daily steps, and more, the Garmin Vivoactive is another worthy contender for an all-around fitness tracker. Shannon Curran, a Westchester Masters swimmer, uses it for running, walking, and pool swimming. It has GPS good for walking and running and it will map your walk via the Garmin App, she says. I particularly like that it follows the number of laps that Ive swum in real time so if I lose count during a longer set, I can check my watch. If youve taken up roller-blading during the pandemic (which many have, as seen in the number of sold-out skate models), Mike Grebinsky, an instructor with Empire Skate Club, says the watchs cycling mode works well for tracking speed and distance while skating. He likes the extra-long battery life and how he can lock the screen so it displays just the metrics he needs. When I skate, I have to pay a lot of attention to the roadway so I dont have much time to look at my watch, he says. A newer version of this watch, the Vivoactive 4S, is this writers own personal pick for tracking everything from running to sleep, and Peter Reynolds, who runs the cycling style blog the Discerning Cyclist, calls the 4S a stylish everyday watch with good tracking and really strong battery life.

Magdalena Boulet, a member of the Hoka One One running team and winner of several 100-mile trail races, needs a tracker with a battery life that can stand up to her intense training schedule. While shes tried other brands, nothing has come close to the long-lasting Coros Apex watch. I love being able to wear it all day and charge it about once a week, despite putting miles on the trails or bike-commuting to work daily, she says. It even charges really quickly. Besides the battery life, shes impressed by the Apexs accuracy and how quickly its GPS picks up a satellite signal. It also tracks swimming and cycling if those are part of your routine, too.

Like Boulet, fellow Hoka One One athlete Joseph Gray the first Black American runner to win the USA and World Mountain Running Championships looks for a watch with generous battery life. Thats why he wears the Casio G-Shock Move, which is actually solar-powered so it wont quit on him during a run (you can charge it from an outlet, too). As for its functionality, Gray tells us, It pairs with the new G-Shock Move app, which helps you measure your VO2 max, build training plans, and even plan your recovery.

Since handlebar-mounted bike computers are easy to see while riding a bike and track tons of cycling-specific metrics, cyclists tend to prefer them over watch-style activity trackers, says Neile Weissman of the New York Cycle Club. Weissman and the clubs treasurer Bob Gilbert agree that Garmins computers are among the most popular because of their range of functions, large screens, and frequent firmware updates. Besides tracking speed, time, distance, and altitude, this model gives you turn-by-turn navigation on a preselected route and even has an alarm you can set to prevent your bike from getting stolen. When paired with a heart-rate monitor (on your wrist or around your chest), itll also give you feedback on VO2 max and recovery.

Even if your Ironman race or local triathlon race is canceled this year, this multisport Garmin watch will help you train in all three disciplines so youll be ready to go when things open back up. Paul Johnson, founder of Complete Tri, says, It tracks everything you can imagine, and looks stylish enough to wear when dressed-up, too. Billy Ferguson, founder and CEO of Trivelo calls it the daddy of triathlon watches and a masterclass in multisport smartwatch technology, adding that the current iteration is lighter and thinner than any previous edition.

Several swimmers mentioned that they love the Garmin 735XT, a slightly more affordable version of the Forerunner 945. Its accurate counting my laps in any distance pool, says Janine Serrell of the New York Open Water swim club. I also use it in the open water its accurate for distance and speed and its fun to see the maps of where you swim. Westchester Masters swimmer Serafina Sumargo likes how it tells me in real time how many laps Ive gone, and that it syncs up with the Garmin Connect and Swim.com apps for logging workouts. Its also a favorite of accomplished marathon swimmer and New York Open Water member Abby Fairman.

If you dont want to keep looking at your wrist while swimming, Westchester Masters member Andy Feldman recommends these smart goggles. The heads-up display is great for feedback while youre swimming, he says. They track total distance, lap splits, stroke count, and average speed, and they seem to accurately distinguish one stroke type from another. The goggles link up to a smartphone app that syncs to other popular tracking apps like Training Peaks and Strava.

To gauge how well theyve recovered from workouts, lots of top athletes (including professional basketball player Sue Bird) use the Whoop strap which measures stress, rest, and sleep. Its also a good choice for weekend warriors looking to maximize their fitness. Rex Chatterjee, creative director of the digital media firm Dune Road Lifestyle and a former competitive bodybuilder, says Whoop gives him a holistic view of his bodys current state, and Rachel Lapidos, beauty and fitness editor at Well+Good, likes how, compared to a tracker that only measures steps or distance, Whoop provides more personalized feedback on her workouts. With the recovery score, I feel like Im doing my body more of a favor, since I know that if my score is low, I should take it easy rather than push myself, and vice versa, she says.

Anthony Chavez, a master trainer at CorePower Yoga, is also a Whoop fan and, like Chatterjee, he appreciates the focus on overall health and behavior. Ive even begun to notice trends in the metrics based on how hydrated I am or how a glass (or two) of wine will affect my sleep and overall recovery the next day, he says. Andrea Fornarola, founder of the barre and dance fusion studio Elements Fitness calls the Whoop her newest obsession, and Nathan Forster, CEO and founder of the on-demand workout platform NEOU, says its also his tracker of choice. Both Jenna Arndt, director of instructor operations at Swerve, and SoulCycle master instructor Maddy Ciccone, mention Whoops strain coach, which, as Arndt explains, guides you how hard to push based on your recovery level. The Whoop strap doesnt have a display (youll have to view all your data on the app) so its better for evaluating and planning your workouts rather than getting real-time feedback.

[Editors note: In order to use a Whoop strap, you must first sign up for a monthly $30 subscription.]

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The Best Fitness Trackers for All Types of Activities - New York Magazine

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Home » Fitness » The Best Fitness Trackers for All Types of Activities – New York Magazine