Over a half of UK Virgin Active gym members now use wearable technology
More than a half of UK gym goers are now using wearable technology to keep track of their health and fitness.
This is according to Virgin Active, one of the biggest gym chains in the country. Its survey of 2,000 members showed that 54% use some kind of technology while they sweat it out. A slightly smaller proportion, 40%, said they use these types of gadgets to actively track their workouts and monitor whether their fitness is improving.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
Members said heart rate monitoring was the most popular way (23%) of using tech to measure their fitness. All top athlete’s heart rate train, as they know this will help them to reach their top potential in the shortest amount of time possible. Heart rate sensors typically come in one of three forms. The chest strap style, the wrist band style and more recently the armband style. There are pros and cons to each type of sensor.
This was followed by calories burned and distance travelled. Bottom of the list was counting steps, perhaps wise considering a recent study from UK consumer group Which? showed inaccuracy of distance calculated based purely on steps.
Viergin active has been quick to embrace technology and latest innovations. Its London branch was the first gym in Europe to offer Apple GymKit compatibility on Technogym equipment. This enables the Apple Watch to interact with gym equipment via NFC. Customers are able to pair their device directly to treadmills, ellipticals, indoor bikes or stair steppers with a simple tap.
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