Tech Tuesday: A Look At the Smart Watch Options and Their Benefits (Take Our Survey!)
Technology can be found in almost every aspect of day-to-day life. While some my point out its inconveniences, it’s hard to deny the positive impact that technology has on sports. Whether it’s measuring home-run trajectory in a baseball game, tracking the speed of a wide receiver in football, or counting your intervals in a swim practice, the innovation in the world of sports technology is something to be admired.
If you were to tell somebody 50 years ago that their watch would be able to track their swim workout, they would think this tech came from a James Bond story. Now, we can look at calories burned, laps swam, intervals, strokes per lap, as well as so many other useful aspects of your workout. Smart watches have become popular in the swimming community, mostly because they serve a purpose and are relatively unobtrusive to your workout.
One of the reasons these watches have gained popularity is that they let you accomplish goal-oriented workouts. Similar to a Peloton, which will track your calories burned, these smart watches inform the swimmer on just how hard they pushed themselves. Many find that looking at these watches after a hardy swim practice gives them an extra sense of achievement. Those who workout outside of the water also like to be able to compare and contrast an hour on a bike and an hour in the pool.
Which smartwatches are swimmers using?
Apple Watch: This watch is water resistant up to 50 meters (in-case you’re into scuba diving), and has a built-in app that tracks laps, strokes, and splits. This watch also allows for GPS tracking if you are interested in open-water swimming. These Apple Watches are on the higher end of the price spectrum, but are worth using as the connected apps work to near perfection.
Garmin Swim 2: The Garmin watches have become popular for athletes of all kinds. They seem to have figured out a respectable way to track swim workouts, whether that be in the pool or in the open water. Tracking calories, distance, and timed workouts is among many of the necessary utilities of the Garmin watches. These watches are also on the more expensive side when it comes to smart watches. However, they have great reviews for those who want to track their workouts.
Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch: While this watch isn’t the best for counting laps or strokes, it will serve its purpose for those who want to track their overall swim workout. It features traits such as calories burned and the overall expenditure of effort. The Fitbit is also much more affordable.