Greetings friends,
Ever since the first generation iPhone was launched, I have been fascinated by its design and usability. I have owned all the models except the 4S and 5. I currently own a 5S and I am loving every single second of it. In this post, I shall focus on fitness and my personal journey towards being a better and fitter me, thanks to the intervention of technology.
In 2008, Apple/Steve announced the App Store. This was the beginning of my love story with what is otherwise commonly known as ‘software’ for a PC or laptop. Ever since the app stores have landed on our ubiquitous smartphones, it has taken a new meaning altogether. It is no longer something one has to go to a shop and look for or download from a site and pay thousands of dollars for it. It is anywhere between $0.99 and a few hundred dollars these days to gain access to the most sophisticated applications one needs to accomplish a lot of their daily tasks. The App Store has been a revelation and one that has changed the usability of a device which was otherwise used as a calling and texting machine into something that is used lesser for those two purposes and increasingly for a lot more.
‘Fitness’ is one of those things/activities that smartphones are used a lot these days. I for instance have always had my smartphone in my pocket or an armband whenever I have gone out for a run. It has not only helped me track my runs but also has helped in giving vital information to better my performance as a runner.
Ever since my running habits and statistics have changed a lot, for the better. However what remains consistant is the fact that I still use something mobile to track my runs and activities.
Here’s the list of things I use to track my runs and other fitness related activities:
Here are the direct links to download these apps if you choose to use them:
There are loads of other fitness products/apps out there in the markets and app stores, yet few of them come close to satisfying my requirements. However this does not hold true for everyone. Everyone has different needs from their devices and apps that run on them. So I strongly advise that you do your own research on what motivates you the most. For some, it is social pressure that keeps them going and for some it is spousal competition etc.
A simple description of how I use the above mentioned apps and devices is as follows:
Step 01: I launch both RunKeeper and Nike+ Running apps on my iPhone;
Step 02: keep both of them ready to hit the road;
Step 03: put the iPhone in its armband and wrap it around my arms;
Step 04: just before I start running, I hit “Start” on both these apps so they start tracking almost simultaneously;
Step 05: once I begin my run, I also keep the button on my Nike+ Fuelband pressed for a 3-7 seconds for it to begin tracking this event;
Step 06: this triggers a “session” on the Nike+ Fuelband;
Step 07: I keep a check on the device every now and then to make sure they are tracking my run;
Step 08: once I am done with my run, I make sure I end the tracking on both apps and see if they are almost the same. There is bound to be a difference cause it takes at least a couple of seconds between starting the event on both apps;
Step 09: immediately after this I make sure my Fuelband session is ended by pressing and holding the button on it until it says “End” and then starts giving me the stats for that session;
Step 10: I usually ignore the stats as I can see them later as well on the iPhone app for the Nike+ Fuelband. I then make sure I launch one of the heart rate sensing apps and measure my heart rate to log it into RunKeeper.
Bonus Step for those social media fanatics (me included): use the Nike+ Running app to click a selfie and load it onto the app along with sharing it on ‘Instagram’…
So that is it folks, this is how my running and tracking of the runs is done and I hope this helps you decide what apps/tools to use and begin a journey to a better you. Go for it and be a fitter person daily…
Regards,
SiD…
The Gadget Obsessed! 