The world we are living in is changing at an exponential rate, and at the center of all the big changes is the evolution of technology. Think about what was happening a decade ago. It was an age of smart apps. Every day, it seemed, an app was being launched which was making people’s lives easy. Now think about today’s world—it’s all about Artificial Intelligence (AI). Now, we are at the age where we are talking about things such as smart fabrics and implantable sensors which can diagnose or monitor a condition. That’s insane.
The sports field is no different. Now the athletes are leveraging the technological advancements to improve their overall performance. There are gadgets that can track an athlete’s sleep pattern, his food habits, his stress level, and much more.
In simple words, technology is revolutionizing the sports industry. There are tools that can enhance performance, prevent injuries, and optimize training. These days, an athlete, at all levels, from beginners to professionals, must use these gadgets, if he is to improve his performance. Here’s a guide to some of the most impactful gadgets in wearable sports tech.
Also Read: Essential Strength Training Equipment Every Athlete Needs
Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches
Fitness trackers are changing the way athletes are training these days. Everything can be tracked with the use of technology. Devices like the Garmin Forerunner series, Fitbit Charge 6, and Apple Watch Ultra provide real-time data on heart rate, step count, distance, calories burned, and even oxygen levels. Then there are some advanced tools that can monitor recovery times an athlete take after a match or an intense work out, and then these tools can suggest training routines to as per performance data.
Why an athlete should use Fitness trackers and smartwatches?
- Sleep Tracking
- Stress Monitoring
- Skin Temperature
- Step Counting
- Calories Intake and Burn count
- GPS Tracking
Heart Rate Monitors
Heart rate monitors are advanced tools that an athlete can use to measure and track heart rate in real-time. These heart rate monitors are wearable devices that can be used by anyone. Some of the best heart-rate monitors are Polar H10 and the Garmin HRM-Pro. These gadgets are especially designed to maximize performance in endurance sports like cycling and running. They can analyze heart rate variability, and can provide insights into stress levels and recovery needs.
Why an athlete should use Heart Rate Monitors?
- Track Real-time heart rates
- Help optimize work-out intensity
- Monitor Recovery
- Detect Abnormalities in heart-beat
- Improve performance
- Track Calories Burned
Types of Heart Rate Monitors
- Chest-Strap Monitors
- Wrist-Based Monitors
- Arm or Hand Monitors
Smart Rings
Smart rings are in high demand due to their compact wearable design and the impact they can have on an athlete’s day-to-day activities. They are small in size and come with a variety of features. Oura Ring and the new Amazfit Helio are amongst the best in terms of keeping a track on track sleep patterns, readiness scores, and physical activity. While some Smart Rings such as Evie Smart Ring offer AI-driven insights to help athletes optimize workouts.
Why an athlete should use Smart Rings?
- Menstrual Cycle Tracking
- Body Temperature Monitoring
- Stress and Recovery Tracking
- Blood Oxygen Monitoring
- Sleep Tracking
- Goal setting and feedback
GPS Sensors and Motion Trackers
If you are into teams sports than using GPS-enabled gadgets like the Catapult Sports PlayerTek Vest and Garmin Enduro 2 could be the ultimate difference maker. These gadgets can track location, speed, and movement patterns of an athlete and teams. Velocity-based training (VBT) devices are also gaining popularity as they can monitor training efficiency.
Why an athlete should use GPS Sensors and Motion Trackers?
- Real-time data collection
- Technique Improvement
- Positional Awareness
- Load Monitoring
- Recovery Insights
- Biomechanical Feedback
- Fatigue Monitoring
Sleep Trackers
Forget about the diet and the intense work-out, if an athlete is not getting quality sleep, then he won’t be able to give his 100%. Sleep is essential for keeping mind stress free and during recovery. It’s as essential as the diet. Sleep depends on a variety of factors like the environment, stress and habits. But thankfully, devices like the Withings Sleep Analyzer and sleep-focused features can monitor sleep cycles and quality. With the help of Insights from these gadgets, an athlete can improve recovery and overall performance.
Why an athlete should use Sleep Trackers?
- Track Sleep Stages
- Monitor Sleep Duration
- Detect Sleep Disruptions
- Measure Heart Rate
- Monitor Respiratory Rate
- Analyze Sleep Environment
- Can Wake Gently
Recovery-Focused Gadgets
Recovery plays a huge role in the life of an athlete. Irrespective of the sport an athlete is playing, the way sports calendar is constructed, with games every 3-4 days, athletes have to recover fast in order to remain at the peak of their powers. Now with the help of gadgets like the Whoop Strap, athletes now can track heart rate variability, sleep quality, and strain to to keep a track on their recovery cycle. Gadgets such as Hyperice Normatec Boots, use air compression to enhance circulation and reduce muscle soreness.
Why an athlete should use Recovery-Focused Gadgets?
- Real-Time feedback
- Improve Muscle Recovery
- Enhance Circulation and reduce swelling
- Monitor Recovery Metrics
- Relieve tension and pain
- Boost Relaxation and mental recovery
- Optimize Training Cycles
Biomechanical Analysis Wearables
With the help of Biomechanical Analysis Gadgets, athletes now can monitor and analyze their movement patterns and based on the insights, they can improve their performance. These devices can track if an athlete is over-running, or needs more recovery time before hitting the field or the zym. These gadgets, such as RunScribe Pods, are equipped with accelerometers and gyroscopes, that can analyze running mechanics like stride length, and ground contact time.
Why an athlete should use Biomechanical Analysis Wearables?
- Motion Tracking
- Offers performance metrics such as running, cycling
- Load and force monitoring
- Injury Prevention
- Rehabilitation and recovery
- Sport-Specific insights
Injury Prevention Devices
Lebron James and Cristiano Ronaldo are still playing at the top level because they have managed to look after body better than their compatriots. That means, they had less injury issues during their career. Injuries can never be predicted but an athlete should be prepared for the setbacks related to injuries. Thankfully, we are living in an age when there are wearable tech that can hep in this regard.
Why an athlete should use Injury Prevention Devices?
- Monitor and Analyze Movement
- Reduce Impact and Stress
- Manage Training Loads
- Support Recovery and Muscle Protection
- Environmental Adaptation
Future Trends in Wearable Sports Technologies
Indeed, technology is making life way more easy for everyone than what we might have envisioned a decade ago. The technological evolution started with apps in smart phones and now it’s shifting towards the next wave of technology, which is the AI. With improved biometric analysis, the data generated from AI would be a game-changer.
Now, we are living in an age where the gadgets we are wearing can make the biggest of the difference. Improving performance and inculcating new habits that bring positive impacts in your sport is possible by choosing the devices that fit your needs.
