Strength In Numbers

ZARELDA MARIE GOH finds out that the Apple Watch, soon to be packed with even more cool features, truly has everything you need to achieve your health and fitness goals.

- Zarelda Marie Goh

Activity trackers are all the rage these days, and it’s no surprise why. People from all walks of life find them useful. Generally speaking, they record your steps and calories burned through movement. What’s great is that a wide variety of activities can be captured, from brisk walking to boxing. Trackers can also monitor your heart rate, food intake, and even sleep.

The Apple Watch checks all the above, and then some. During a recent trip to Los Angeles, I learnt about exciting developments for the device from the folks at Apple. For instance, an updated operating system – the watchOS 4 – is expected to be launched this fall.

“We know people love to work out with their Apple Watch. With watchOS 4, we’ve made it more powerful and easier to use than ever before with enhanced features, like the ability to switch quickly from one workout to the next,” says Jay Blahnik, director for Fitness for Health Technologies at Apple.

Just how does the brand continually improve the watch and its operating system? Well, by acquiring data – and lots of it – in the Apple Fitness Lab in Cupertino, California.

So far, more than 10,000 unique participants (all company employees), have worked out in the presence of 13 exercise physiologists and specialists, as well as 29 nurses and medics. Over 66,000 hours of data was collected over 33,000 sessions.

Of course, there are many compatible third-party apps that can be used with the watch, but let’s focus on its built-in features. Here are the ones you’ll likely find most handy in helping you get healthier and fitter.

THE ACTIVITY APP This is Apple Watch’s fitness-tracking element. Unlike other trackers, it doesn’t record step goals. Instead, it has three targets: Move, Exercise, and Stand. Each is represented by a coloured ring, and you should aim to close all the rings daily.