experiencelifemag.com

Print › | Back ›

Explore New Tools

While prepping for a 405-mile cycling trip through Colorado, Daren Williams used technology to take his fitness level up a notch: He started training with the Garmin Forerunner 301, a wrist unit that calculates heart rate, speed, distance, pace and calories burned, and includes an embedded GPS sensor and virtual training partner.

“I’d download my training rides to the computer and compare my heart rate with what I was doing at the time, like climbing a hill or sprinting on a straightaway,” says the 41-year-old from Olathe, Kan. “I also tracked the time I spent training in different heart-rate zones, which was critical to improving my endurance.”

Now the Forerunner (www.garmin.com/products/forerunner301) is an integral part of Williams’s training as he prepares for a half–Iron Man distance triathlon. “I like tracking speed and distance, competing against the virtual training partner, and then going online to replay events, compare workouts and track improvements in performance,” he says.

Something to Try: The market is packed with affordable new tools for fitness enthusiasts. Boost cardio and strength with kettlebells, (www.dragondoor.com). Available in various sizes and weights, these irons balls — equipped with a handle bar — will make you never want to lift another dumbbell. Spice up your walking workouts with Nordic Walking poles (www.nordicwalking.com). For a high-energy fitness class, Cardio Tennis (www.cardiotennis) morphs tennis drills with cardio and can be adapted to any fitness level.