Timex Ironman Target Trainer Watch Review

Product Review: Timex Ironman Target Trainer Watch

Company: Amazon

Price Range: $150 - $200

Consumer Feedback: Read Amazon Consumer Reviews on the Timex Ironman Target Trainer Watch

Who Would Buy This: Those shopping for a midrange, large screen heart rate monitor for assisting them in their fitness goals.

Pros:

The Timex Ironman Target Trainer is noticeably larger than standard HR monitors, giving you an extra large display to see all the data at a glance without squirming. Indiglo backlighting allows you to light the display for easy vision in low lighting. The watch is water resistant up to 100 m.

Thanks to innovative TapScreen Technology, the user is able navigation through the functions by simply touching the screen. Alternatively, you can use the large buttons if you prefer.

The user can set their maximum heart rate. This is a good feature which many HR monitors are phasing out.

Aside from the heart rate functionality, the Ironman Target is also a fully featured watch with calander.

The battery is user-replaceable thus extending the life of the watch compared to non-replaceable units.

Cons:

One consumer said it doesn’t have downloadable memory despite this being mentioned on the Amazon product description.

Operating the watch takes some getting used to.

Guarantee: 1-year limited warranty

Summary

The Timex Ironman Target Trainer Watch is a very well featured heart rate monitor which has a very nice large display that makes it easy to read on the go. Other notable features are its excellent memory and lap time functions.

The lack of a GPS maybe off putting for some who need to monitor their speed and distance, but as long as you don’t need this feature then this Timex heart rate monitor should suit you fine.

MIO Motion Fit Petite Strapless Heart Rate Watch Review

Product Review: MIO Motion Fit Petite Strapless Heart Rate Watch

Company: Amazon

Price Range: $50 - $100

Consumer Feedback: Read Amazon Consumer Reviews on the MIO Motion Fit Petite Strapless Heart Rate Watch

Who Would Buy This: Those shopping for a low-cost, entry-level heart rate monitor which detects your heart rate without needing use of a chest strap. Ideal for walkers and runners with small wrists.

Pros:

The MIO Motion Fit Petite as the name suggests is compact and petite so it’s comfortable to wear for extended periods even if you have a small wrist. The use of a Smart Touch intelligent sensor means you don’t need to wear a chest strap around your body. Simply strap the watch onto your wrist and your good to go.

A digital pedometer is built-in the watch which provides accurate counting of your steps in addition to giving you real time feedback on pace, distance and calories burned.

The built-in luminescent backlight can be used to light up the display for 4 seconds at the push of a button. This function is very useful for early morning or evening runs when it’s dull outside.

This watch can be programmed with your own personal metrics such as your age and weight to get highly accurate feedback. With this level of customization you’re not limited by the default settings.

Programmable target heart rate zones feature upper and lower heart rate zones so you can work out to the right intensity depending on your training goals.

The included lithium battery provides about 1 year worth of usage.

Cons:

Some users found the setup of the watch a little finicky. However, overall usability is very user-friendly.

Guarantee: 1-year warranty.

Summary

The MIO Motion Fit Petite Strapless Heart Rate Watch is one of the best entry-level HR monitors we’ve come across. It’s compact, accurate and very easy to use plus has a good level of functionality to monitor different metrics aside from your heart rate.

Highly recommended.

Polar RCX3 GPS Review

Product Review: Polar RCX3 GPS

Company: Amazon

Price Range: $200 - $250

Consumer Feedback: Read Amazon Consumer Reviews on the Polar RCX3 GPS

Who Would Buy This: Those shopping for a user-friendly, heart rate monitor with GPS tracking for receiving workout feedback to enhance their training.

Pros:

The Polar RCX3 has a lightweight, slim design with a comfortable thin wrist strap, making it suitable for marathon running. It comes with a Polar GPS sensor, belt clip, Polar WearLink transmitter and Polar DataLink data transfer unit.

The WearLink transmitter is waterproof so you can wear it when swimming. The wrist watch is water resistant up to 30m.

Unisex – The Polar RCX3 is available in black or white so there is a color to suit both men and woman.

Polar have designed this HR monitor to be user-friendly. It has four main buttons on the watch plus a red button for simple control of the functions.

Using three sensors (W.I.N.D speed sensor, G5 GPS sensor plus an S3 stride sensor), the Polar RCX3 is able to tracking your route, speed and distance.

By upgrading with optional accessories you can get precise feedback on your performance. The S3+ stride sensor is available for runners to get accurate feedback on their speed, distance and Running Index. Cyclists can get the CS speed and cadence sensors to gain precise feedback on speed, distance and cadence when cycling.

The RCX3 allows you to upload your workout data to Polar’s website by using the included USB DataLink stick which works wirelessly to transfer data from the watch. This enables you to track and monitor your workout progress to take your exercise regime to another level. To use this service, you simply need to create an account on Polar’s website and install the connectivity software to your computer.

Cons: 

The GPS unit is a separate device. However, is it very compact and light so it isn’t awkward to hold.

The light is a little too dim so it isn’t too effective in low lighting conditions.

Guarantee: 2-year limited warranty.

Summary

The Polar RCX3 GPS is a great midrange HR monitor with plenty of good features to track your fitness whether you’re a runner, a cyclist or a fitness buff. Its slim, lightweight build makes it more comfortable than most other watches in its class.

Mio 53P5C2L3 Alpha Strapless Continuous Heart Rate Monitor Review

Product Review: Mio 53P5C2L3 Alpha Strapless Continuous Heart Rate Monitor

Company: Amazon

Price Range: $150 - $200

Consumer Feedback: Read Amazon Consumer Reviews on the Mio 53P5C2L3 Alpha Strapless Continuous Heart Rate Monitor

Who Would Buy This: Those shopping for a continuous heart rate monitor which can be comfortably worn on the wrist without the discomfort of a strap. Its unisex design makes it suitable for both men and women.

Pros:

The Mio 53P5C2L3 Alpha sports a lightweight, strapless design which allows you to wear it on your wrist for continuous heart rate monitoring without wearing a sweaty strap around your chest. Its water-resistant design allows you to use it whilst swimming.

Using patented innovative technology developed in research labs at Philips Electronics, the Alpha is able to display accurate heart rate readings while you run at up speeds of 12 MPH (20km/h).

The two button navigation makes for user-friendly operation so there is no steep learning curve needed to get the most out of the device. The user settable heart rate zones allow the user to set the minimum and max heart rate targets, plus give you both visual and audible alerts. The data review function allows you to view your stats including Total exercise time, Average heart rate, Time "in zone". There is also a Timer/Clock so you can time your runs and view the time.

The watch uses Bluetooth Smart technology to connect with compatible smart phones and sport and fitness devices to transfer data to exercise apps so you can overview your workout progress overtime.

The Alpha runs on one lithium rechargeable battery which is included with the watch. Battery life is reasonable, between 20-30 hours from one charge. It is rechargeable via USB using the included charging dock.

Cons:

There are some limitations to the Bluetooth connectivity as it doesn’t connect to certain Bluetooth smartphones.

Data feedback is limited; there are no stats for distance or speed.

Guarantee: 1-year warranty.

Summary

The Mio 53P5C2L3 Alpha is an excellent alternative to using a chest band style heart rate monitor. It provides highly accurate heart rate monitoring at high speeds using optical sensor technology so advanced it actually senses the volume of blood under your skin.

If you’re ready to say goodbye to the wristband and you can live without in-depth tracking, the Mio Alpha is a good heart rate monitor to go for.

Tips for a Better Work Out

1.Stop and Go

If you play a sport that requires a full sprint, remember that a full sprint strains the muscles of the lower body. To combat this, do stop-and-go exercises. For example, run 30 meters at about 80 percent of your effort, slow to a jog for five to 10 meters, then run again for another 30 meters. Repeat this process five times.

2.On bended knees

Almost 3 out of four ACL injury occurs when players are landing or turning. If your knees are bent instead of straight, the risk of injury is greatly reduced according to a report in the JAAOS (Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons).

3.Cool down

Heatstroke is not something that can be easily cured like headache. To avoid it, stay cool and hydrated. Be sure the combined temp an humidity is less than 160. This is according to Dr. Dave Janda of the IPSM.

4.Get the proper equipment

Badly fitting gears or ill sized equipment can be a cause of  training injuries. The extra money spent on proper equipment goes a long way.

5.Do it the right way

Bad technique is just as bad as, well, bad equipment. Seek advice from pros and trainer, this advice are invaluable to your exercises or training.

6.Go West (or whichever direction)

If you're playing or training in multiple directions, your warm up should also. Move sideways, backward, forward and all the motions you might be doing. This allows your body to be prepared.

7.Have yourself filmed

The camera doesn't lie. Show your video to a person well verse in your training, so he can give a critic of your fitness regimen.

8.Loosen the shoulders.

Even a slightly injured rotator cuff can shut down the function of a shoulder. You might want to include stretching to protect your rotator cuffs.

9.Take An early dip

Schedule your swimming sessions early. The less people in the pool means less of everything in the pool.

10. Protect yourself

Wearing custom-fitted mouth guards reduces the risk of  injuries by as much as 82 percent, according to a study at UNC at Chapel Hill. Plunk out the cash for a custom-fitted mouth guard and it'll last for years including your smile and teeth.

11. Smooth out your tendon

Inquire about ultrasound needle therapy. These procedure is minimally by using ultrasound to guide a needle. The needle smoothens the  bone, breaks up calcifications, and fixes scar tissue. Thirteen out of twenty patients saw improvement, and the session takes only about 15 minutes of your time.

12. Buy your running shoes after work.

Shop in the evening, the feet are swollen after a day of work. It approximates how your feet will be after three miles of running.

13. Do off road running.

If the surface is unstable, it trains the ankles to be stable.

14. Know where you're going.

Whether its biking, or skiing, be sure to have a dry run down any path first. A lot of injuries can be avoided when you're familiar with the route taken.

15. Train hard.

Anxiety reduces your peripheral vision by three degrees and slows the reaction time by almost 120 milliseconds, according to an article of the Journal of Sports Sciences. When the going gets difficult, the veteran athlete rely on skills they've trained for and practiced. It keeps them cooler under pressure, widening their vision so they can see react much faster.