3 ways technology has changed the world of sports and fitness

By: ARRC

July 29, 2016

Over the years, technology has managed to change a little portion of every part of our lives.  We experience these changes when we sleep, when we relax, work, eat, socialize, travel…

You name it, and technology has probably changed it… and only stands to change it more.

One facet of life technology has changed immensely would be the world of sports and fitness.  It’s given us instant access to personalized fitness data.  It’s shown us how to approach exercise in a more effective manner.  And it’s allowed us the opportunity to interact with games on a different level with a different mindset adopting different expectations.

But how is this all happening?  Here are a few examples.

Apps

Smartphone applications have turned the fitness world upside down.  From tracking and monitoring to personalized workout suggestions and ongoing motivation, there’s a fitness app on nearly everyone’s phone.

• The Johnson & Johnson’s Official 7 Minute Workout will start you off at a customized fitness level, give you access to a library full of workouts, and walk you through a perfectly balanced 7-minute session.
• MyFitnessPal won’t just track your workouts and calories burned, but it will also provide you with a database of foods and drinks to help you manage what you eat.
• Pact wants you to track your workouts and food consumption; however, if you don’t reach your daily goals, you’ll be forced to pay up. On the flip side, if you do reach your goals, you’ll get paid.

Wearables

Wearables like Fitbit, Garmin, and Jawbone are well known by the general public.  Many people use wearables like these to track their daily activities, but nowadays, wearables go above and beyond high-tech watches.

• The Welt is a belt made in the name of wellness (hence the term Welt), and it will monitor the steps you take, as well as any overeating that you may partake in.
• The Sensoria smart sock is a sock that can track how fast you run, how far you go, and well you do it.
• A Misfit wearable can be worn like a typical watch to track your swimming, running, and activity levels, but it can also be worn as a necklace, tucked into a diamond encrusted bracelet, slipped inside your pocket, or attached to your sock.

Gadgets

Technology in sports and fitness isn’t all about monitoring how far you go and how much you lose.  Technology also aims to help you become a better player at your game of choice and to help you stay safer in the process.

• FitGuard is an intelligently designed mouth guard that can be used to sense the likelihood of a head-injury from high impact sports like Football.
• VERT is a jump monitor that allows people involved in sports such as basketball and volleyball to understand their jump loads and effectively prevent injuries.
• 94Fifty is a smart basketball that pairs with a smartphone application to show you how to shoot better, dribble harder, and improve follow through.
• SmartMat is designed for a better experience with yoga. It detects alignment and connects with your smartphone to give you real-time feedback.

These aren’t the only adjustments technology has made to the sporting world.  Just take a look at the Levi’s Stadium.  This high-tech stadium combines super modern Wi-Fi technology with smartphone applications and colossal LED TVs.  You can order food from your seat, check on the wait times at any nearby bathroom, and watch live replays right from your phone.  Technology has done some rather exciting and extremely useful things to the world of sports and fitness.  It’ll be interesting to see where it takes us next.