One of the drawbacks of adding a heart rate monitor, cycling computer and other devices to your workout is that you have to take your focus from the road ahead. With a heart rate monitor, you have to look at the watch for heart rate, calories and time. A separate cycling computer requires you to look at the screen by your handlebars to find out your speed, cadence and other measures.
(Video after the jump)
Continue reading Sportiiiis Gives Visual Feedback to Workout Stats
Whether you are jumping out of an airplane or drag racing, a chute is designed to slow you down; but in the case of the Speed Chute, it is designed to actually make you go faster. The Speed Chute, from MuscleDriver USA, is a chute that attaches to your waist and is to be used while running sprints. The concept behind the Speed Chute is that you are building strength through resistance – wind as opposed to weight resistance. Strap the waist band on, face the wind and sprint. It is a pretty simple concept, so we had to give it a try.
Sports and GPS go hand-in-hand. That is unless you’re swimming or going off to remote areas where tracking often poses a challenge. Innovations in GPS technology now make it possible to track your workouts, and races, when swimming. Garmin is among the sport watch manufacturers to leverage this new technology.
The company’s new Forerunner 910XT is a multisport watch, an all-in-one GPS-enabled device that provides detailed swim metrics and tracks distance, speed/pace, elevation and heart rate for running and cycling. The 910XT has an on-board barometric altimeter for improved elevation data.
A smooth, low profile allows for athletes to slide tight-fitting wetsuits over the watch. This makes it possible for use with water sports. It also facilitates quick outfit changes necessary for triathletes competing in races where a wetsuit or other protective and warmth gear is necessary.
(Video after the jump)
Continue reading New Garmin Forerunner Goes for a Swim; Ready for Kona
This morning I got up and realized I had nothing for breakfast. Then I remembered the Honey Stinger Waffles I picked up at Interbike a few weeks ago. Problem Solved! Normally I don’t grab an energy bar unless I plan on a really hard workout. It’s got the protein, carbohydrates, fat and calories to feed you and get you going. But this waffle bar is a bit smaller and I figured , whether or not it’s true, it seems like an appropriate breakfast.
Even when I’m on a hard workout, I think about whether I need an energy bar, again because of all that comes with it. It’s a commitment. It’s saying “I am going to burn 1,000+ calories before I’m through.” It’s more than I need. Enter the Honey Stinger: Stinger waffle. I tried the strawberry flavor. It was yummy.
The bar is roughly three-inches in diameter. It’s very thin. It’s a wafer sandwich. Densely packed inside is a strawberry jelly. Though don’t expect to do the Oreo thing and separate them, it’s pretty solid. Stinger Waffles are light, sweet and you hardly believe you’re eating an energy bar. Continue reading Hands On: Honey Stinger Organic Stinger Waffle
httpv://youtu.be/ZsCYc1bXi7Y
Love it or hate it, cardio workouts are a must if you’re trying to tone up or lose weight. But if you’re like most people, the thought of spending 30 minutes on a treadmill is a motivation zapper. Fortunately for iPhone users, there’s an app that can help.
Created by Beau Taillefer, Forumla 55 ($4.99) is an iOS-based app designed to keep your cardio sessions fresh by pushing you out of your comfort zone. Formula 55 workouts incorporate squats, sprints, hills, and more to ensure you never get stuck in a cardio rut. Just plug in your measurements, select your goals, and the app automatically does the rest.
The app also lets you import playlists so you always workout to your favorite tunes, and once you’re done you can blast your workouts through cyber space thanks to the app’s built-in Facebook integration.
Formula 55
[via ABC Action News: Group of amateur athletes get ripped using unique app]
The company that brought you a cycle computer on your iPhone via ANT+ now has a run and gym solution. The Wahoo Run Pack from Wahoo Fitness is ideal for cyclists looking to cross-train in the colder winter months. Of course it also works quite well for those who simply run or go to the gym, even if they don’t ride a bike as part of training. Continue reading Interbike 2011: Wahoo Fitness On the Run
Back in January 2010 we posted, Newton Almost Defies Gravity, where we highlighted one unique shoe from the Boulder based company Newton Running; but it seems that they have one-upped themselves with a new shoe. The 5.8-ounce MV2 (pronounced ‘M V squared’) is Newton’s current answer to the other natural running shoes that are appearing on the market.
The new MV2, which will hit the ground running later this month, is super lightweight, zero-drop shoe that encourages a natural-running posture, provides protection and energy return. They are being advertised as “a unique solution for runners who want to run faster, perform better and avoid injury by adopting a natural running stride, but not sacrifice protection.” Typical ‘barefoot’ running shoes do offer some protection from road debris, but the MV2 is a little thicker giving even better protection while still not raising the heel. Continue reading Newton (once again) Almost Defies Gravity
If you love running on the beach, but don’t have a beach right out of the door you don’t have to settle for running on a regular treadmill to get that same style of soft on the feet running. Occupying just a little more space than a commercial grade treadmill, Sproing is a new soft platform training machine that promises a lower impact ‘run’ while burning more calories and providing a more intense workout. It is thus ideal for anyone who suffers from consent knee pain that might otherwise also keep you from running.
Though the Sproing appears to be a treadmill at first glance, this new machine has no moving parts. Instead, Sproing has a soft pad ‘running’ surface and uses bungee resistance instead of a moving platform to hold the user in place. The resistance of running against the bungee forces you to run on the balls of your feet instead of landing on your heels; and with no moving platform, the risk of falling off of the platform is virtually eliminated.
(Video after the jump) Continue reading Sproing Into a Lower Impact Workout
You may imagine your run as a form of art. You go out, push your body’s limits, brave the elements, and sweat it out a few miles. But when you get home, the run fades. What if you could display a print that marked your tracks?
Nike, working with YesYesNo in collaboration with DualForces, produced the project Nike+ City Runs. Participants wearing Nike+ went on runs around New York City. Runs were then plotted on a lithograph-esque map of the city. A line representing the runner’s path is brighter and wider depending on the speed and intensity of the run.
For a SoHo store location installation, the project tracked a year’s worth of runs from the Nike+ website. YesYesNo created software that palyed back runs throughout New York, London and Tokyo. The runs showed tens of thousands of people’s runs, which animated the city in a black and white relief.
OpenStreetMaps created the maps used for the project.
This was part of the launch of the Nike Free Run+ 2 City Pack Series.
[Via psfk]
Shoe maker SKECHERS, currently the number two athletic footwear brand in the United States, is looking to take it up a notch. The company announced this week that it has signed an agreement with distance runner Meb Keflezighi to endorse SKECHERS Fitness performance footwear and appearl.
The former New York City Marathon winner and Olympic medalist will be running in the World Marathon Majors (including the 2011 ING New York City Marathon), road races, and Olympic Trials through August 2012 exclusively in SKECHERS Fitness performance footwear featuring the Company’s innovative SmartShoe mid-foot strike technology for serious athletes and active enthusiasts. Keflezighi will also be consulting on the development of performance product and SKECHERS expects to coordinate the launches of exciting new competition-ready running lines with his professional racing appearances.
“SKECHERS’ new performance shoes change the way I run for the better,” said Keflezighi. “I’ve been a heel strike runner my entire life, but I am now wearing SKECHERS to maximize the efficiency of my foot strike. My shoes are my most essential piece of equipment and right now SKECHERS has the footwear I need to succeed. I’m excited to be partnering with this groundbreaking company.”
SKECHERS Fitness’ campaign with Meb Keflezighi is planned for a Holiday 2011 launch, and will include print, television, outdoor, in-store and online marketing as well as event appearances for SKECHERS fitness footwear and apparel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8g5kaszKMY&feature=player_embedded
Though you may not be familiar with the name, the BH Group has been around since 1909. The Spanish company has many different product lines that fall under the BH name; BH Fitness, BH Bike and BH HiPower to name a few are all dedicated to producing bicycles, fitness equipment and gear for all levels of athletes.
Recently BH has created a website to help people get into the sport of triathlons and guide those who all ready compete achieve their goal of performing better. BH’s website is full of information regarding the gear required for a triathlon; training techniques; BH sponsored events; training programs; race results; videos; and much more. The website is for both amateurs and professionals in mind, with one goal in mind – to help you achieve your tri-goals!
Along with the triathlon website, BH also has an online group named Club BH Tri where users can participate in discussions, enter contests and be notified of upcoming events. The only shortcoming of the BH Triathlon website is that you might have to brush up on your Spanish… though most of the information is in English; there are still quite a few sections and buttons in Spanish.
The new BIOM running shoes from ECCO are designed with durable materials to last up to 1.5 times longer than EVA, which is currently used in many other shoes. As a result the BIOM can go the distance, and thanks to the innovation that utilizes biomechanics with the help of University of Cologne, these shoes might help you go the distance as well.
These shoes are inspired by barefoot runners, and ECCO worked on the concept for more than three years, scanning foot profiles of more than 2500 runners to create a replica of the human foot. To date the BIOM is the only shoe on the market that uses a “direct-injection process” to increase the durability of the shoe. Additionally the BIOM features a wide “toebox” design to ensure that the wearer’s toes can spread naturally making for a comfortable fit. The BIOM feature high-traction rubber outsold components to improve grip while making for a lightweight shoe.
Currently there are two models available with a third in development. The BIOM A is produced using traditional textile mesh that allows for greater ventilation and is thus a great “summer” shoes; while the BIOM B utilizes breakable yak leather that offers increased durability. We’ll be curious where the C model fits in, as it could go the distance and more.
This week in Los Angeles Ubisoft offered a peek at its upcoming Kinect fitness title for the Xbox 360. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012, the sequel to the original Your Shape game, promises to provide more user feedback along with more than 90 hours of new content. The game will track a user’s movements, and provides more detailed feedback to help you work out.
The game will include a variety of workout routines including the ability jump rope and do basic aerobic exercises. But the really cool part of this one promises to be the “Run the World” mode, which allows players to virtually run through the streets of New York, Paris or London – given that this reporter has actually run in those cities I can’t wait to see this in action when the game is released this November, exclusively on Kinetic for the Xbox 360.
Video after the jump: Continue reading E3 2011: Your Shape Evolves From Ubisoft