Under Armour has taken fitness monitoring in a new direction with its newly announced Armour 39 system, the first-of-its kind performance monitoring. This reportedly tracks “willpower,” providing a score that tells users exactly how hard they’ve worked during a training session. This take the usual calorie counter to a new level.
The system, which will be available next month, utilizes an algorithm that can track activity duration, body position, heart rate, intensity, calories burned and then determines what level of willpower was reached. It could allow athletes to further arm up during training.
There have been no shortage of fitness apps to help users stay fit while on the go, but the Obstacles XRT app goes to the extreme – and XRT even stands for Extreme Reality Training. It provides instructional videos based on high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, which can be done from the home. While that might not sound particularly extreme the works promise otherwise. The only thing not extreme is that this only is available for iOS.
There are plenty of wearable devices that can track activity as well as calorie intake. However the actual tracking isn’t actually accurate because these devices – including heart rate monitors – can’t determine an individual’s specific metabolism and thus can’t really determine how fast one is really burning calories. While the devices aren’t technically guessing, the results aren’t 100 percent accurate, and this is why some users don’t see the results they think they should be getting. 
It was three years ago at CES that KineticShift officially launched. In that time we’ve filled more than 220 pages of news, show reports, reviews and interviews. We’ve logged countless miles running, on bikes and on the slopes. We’ve tested several dozen products and hopefully have gotten healthier and fitter for it all.
The New Year means New Year’s resolutions. According to the 2013 Outlook Survey organized by TD Ameritrade, Inc., 42 percent of Americans are making health-related resolutions this year. That’s compared to 32 percent opting for financial-oriented goals. Kendal Perez, frugal fashionista and bargain shopper, offers hassle-free ways to save money. And for the New Year Perez offers some tips on keeping those fitness resolutions. 
While many people may “supersize” all aspects of their lives and like the idea of a “supersized” waist belt, the folks at SPI had another idea. Small Personal Item Belt as these are called are exactly that, small for taking the bare essentials. The company has introduced a line of SPIbelts that can hold ID, some cash and some keys. In other words leave everything else at home!
Another year is (almost) behind us. Here are look at the best and worst of 2012 in fitness and well-being.
Strava apparently had a very good year. The activity tracking system released some details on usage for 2012. According to the company Strava athletes rode and ran 500 million miles, or 85 percent of the length of Earth’s annual trip around the sun. Strava cyclists ascended over six million meters, equal to the entire peloton in the Tour de France climbing Alpe d’Huez 30,000 times!
Time and tide wait for no man and when the snow falls you can either wait until spring or hit the treadmill to get in a run. Or you can add some layers and endure a run in a winter wonderland. But what if you prefer the barefoot running? That doesn’t seem to mix with ice and snow.