Sports-And-Fitness

The fitness bracelet

Definition - What is a fitness bracelet?

In its simplest form, a fitness bracelet is just a Pedometer- so a pedometer. Nowadays, acceleration and GPS sensors are also part of the standard equipment of fitness bracelets.

They are used to store and display "activity-related" data of the wearer, such as the number of steps, the distance covered and the resulting energy expenditure.

Who is a fitness bracelet for?

There is no general category of people who in principle cannot benefit from a fitness bracelet. In general, the bracelet is designed to make health-promoting behavior visible and thus continues to encourage athletic behavior.

Most of the time, the fitness armband is interesting for amateur athletes, as it can already be coupled with a variety of sports equipment such as a heart rate belt or a real step counter.

In general, however, it is above all people who strive to "improve" their everyday life. By monitoring sleep behavior and a pulse profile, changes in sports or sleep behavior can be made and personal fitness can be compared with previous values.

In summary, one can say that fitness wristbands are interesting for people who use the data recorded by the fitness wristband to analyze their lifestyle and sports style.

If the heart rate measurement is seen as a nice "gimmick", the purchase of a fitness bracelet is not absolutely necessary.

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How exactly do fitness bracelets work?

As already mentioned above, the functionality of the fitness wristbands is based on their built-in sensors. There are sensors for straight and rotating movements in all three spatial directions; as well as GPS sensors and sensors for heart rate measurement. Since a separate section is devoted to heart rate measurement and most people are familiar with the GPS method, only the motion sensors will be dealt with at this point.

With the help of these movement sensors, every movement of the bracelet and thus of the arm can be recorded. Every movement has a different combination of acceleration and extent of movement. Slowly raising the arm - for drinking, for example - means that there is little acceleration but a large range of motion. The arm swing when jogging, on the other hand, is faster, but the arm has a different range of motion.

The aim of the manufacturers is now For every arm movement, if possible, to store the activity involved and how great the physical exertion is in order to indicate the calories burned.

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Which fitness bracelets are there?

On the whole, the range of fitness watches could be divided into three categories:

On the one hand, there is an “activity tracker”: they are, so to speak, the simplest form of fitness armbands. These models are aimed at people who mainly focus on Everyday activities lay. Calorie and step count are more in the foreground than the current heart rate. This is why these devices usually get by without a display. The essential data can be looked up and analyzed in the app supplied.
Secondly, a “fitness tracker”: These are most suitable for committed amateur athletes. As a rule, they have a display that offers the option of showing the current pulse, etc. The associated app provides more precise data in this context. With GPS trackers, running routes can be traced and better comparisons can be made.
The third category consists of the real "sports watches": These are most suitable for Competitive athlete and very committed amateur athletes. These clocks can often be directly pair with heart rate belts and other fitness equipment and can thus serve as a control center for the collection of fitness data.

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What should I look out for when buying a fitness bracelet?

This question always depends on the demands that the wearer makes on his fitness bracelet. The first point that catches the eye is the broad price range within which the various products move. More expensive here usually also means a better connection option with other fitness equipment, such as heart rate belts, certain treadmills, etc. The more expensive products also come mostly from well-known manufacturers, so that you don't have to worry about support and problem questions.

Secondly, you should pay attention to whether the functions offered by more expensive fitness bracelets are needed or used in full. Other important points that should be considered are, for example, water resistance. If the fitness bracelet is also to be used for swimming training, this point is crucial.

The standby time and the storage space of the fitness bracelet are also important. How often are you ready to take off the bracelet in order to have it charged and how often are you ready to transfer the data you have gained to your computer or tablet?

In short: You should be clear in advance about how professionally you want to use the fitness bracelet and whether the potential features are really needed or a model with less equipment meets the requirements.

Cost of a fitness bracelet

The costs incurred for the bracelet are as different as the fitness bracelets themselves. The first models can be purchased in discount stores for around 20 euros. However, the products from well-known manufacturers start at around 50 euros and can also be purchased for just under 300 euros.

The decisive factor for the price is usually the range of accessories that are included in the fitness bracelet. But a more expensive model is not always better.
As a rule, behind a well-known manufacturer there should also be a decent support service that is available to customers with advice and assistance in the event of problems, which can justify a certain factor in additional costs.

Before you buy it, you should be clear about what you want to use the fitness bracelet for and which functions are superfluous and would only unnecessarily burden your wallet.

Heart rate measurement

The heart rate measurement of the fitness armband is based in the majority of the models on a measurement of light reflections. The bracelet's sensors are able to send out light pulses that penetrate the skin layer. The light rays then hit the blood, which flows through the smallest superficial blood vessels.

The light radiation used is completely harmless to the human body. Due to the reflection of the light, the bracelet is now able to assess whether the superficial blood vessel is filled with blood to a high or low level.

Since the human heart as one Pressure-suction pump can be understood, there are two phases in the body. One in which blood is pumped into the body and there is a little more blood in the vessels. And a second, in which the emptied heart sucks blood out of the body again and the vessels appear a little emptier.

The fitness armband is therefore able to differentiate between the two phases based on the volume of blood in the superficial vessels and equate each new “filling” of the blood vessels with a heartbeat.

Can fitness bracelets also measure blood pressure?

Yes, various manufacturers already offer fitness bracelets with this function. A blood pressure measurement simply consists of measuring the pressure that is needed to initially and completely cut off blood flow through the arterial vessels. For the most accurate measurement possible, the measuring device should be at heart level, since fluctuations of a few centimeters can shift the values by up to 10mmHg. The measuring device should also sit tightly on the forearm before the measurement in order to provide the most accurate values possible.

All in all, there are a number of circumstances that are decisive for a good and accurate blood pressure measurement. Some of them can be influenced, but others depend on the fitness bracelet. Overall, it can be assumed that today's bracelets are not yet able to deliver results that are just as accurate as special blood pressure monitors can. In addition, blood pressure at rest should only be measured after a period of physical rest and then relaxed while sitting. A real measuring device can also be set up during this time.

All in all, the blood pressure measurement function of fitness bracelets must be critically questioned and the opinion of is not yet fully developed to deliver reliable values.

What do you need GPS for?

To begin with, a little digression: GPS stands for Global Positioning System and is a technique with the help of which an exact localization of the GPS device - in this case the fitness bracelet - is possible. The more satellites the GPS device can control, the more precise the localization, sometimes down to a few centimeters.

The fitness armband is equipped with a GPS transmitter to enable running distance recording. After a walk or an endurance run, the device can easily calculate the distance covered. In addition, various devices are also able to assign a respective average speed to certain sections of the route and to create or display a height profile of the running route.

With the help of GPS, routes that have been run - depending on the linked app - can also be posted online and run by friends of yours. This means that you can compete for a best time without a direct comparison.

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Are fitness wristbands always waterproof?

No, not all fitness wristbands are waterproof. While higher quality models can dive water depths of up to 30 meters, there are other models that are only splash-proof. The splash protection also makes it more or less dangerous for the bracelet to use it when you sweat heavily. When buying, you should therefore take a closer look at the water depth up to which the fitness bracelet is considered safe.

Which useful apps are there for the fitness bracelet?

Every fitness armband is supplied with the corresponding manufacturer's software, which includes at least one app and, in some cases, additional software for installation on the computer.

Apps are a useful addition, with the help of which runs can be documented and evaluated. Runtastic or Runkeeper such programs are for example. In addition to the distance run, they also provide information on speed and offer the opportunity to compare your results with those of other users.

Additional apps that not only relate to running, but also enable tracking of any sporting activity, are for example Endomodo sports tracker.

Another useful addition, especially if you are familiar with the Calorie consumption busy is an app that helps you count the calories you have consumed. There are both free and paid apps that are largely similar in structure. With many of these apps it is now even possible to scan the barcode of the products so that the nutritional values are transmitted directly to the smartphone without having to be laboriously typed in.

More information can be found here: Calorie-conscious diet

How well does the calorie consumption / calorie counter on a fitness bracelet work?

Similar to the step counter on a fitness bracelet, the calculation of calorie consumption only works indirectly. By entering your height and weight in the app, the software can calculate the calorie consumption for certain activities.

As a rule of thumb, heavier people consume more calories and men consume more calories than women. The manufacturer's software assigns the movements of the fitness bracelet to a specific physical activity.

This inevitably implies that the calorie count is more of an estimate based on the interpretation of arm movement as part of physical activity. So this is also the criterion with which the accuracy of the calorie count stands or falls. The potential wearer should therefore seek advice on the assessment of the calorie count of a particular bracelet from experience reports.

also read: How can you reduce your body fat percentage?

How well does the pedometer work on a fitness bracelet?

As mentioned in one of the sections above, the bracelet is not able to count the steps directly. With the help of acceleration and movement sensors, only the movement of the arm or wrist is registered. With the help of movement algorithms from the manufacturer, the movement of the arm is assigned to a movement of the rest of the body.

This inevitably leads to the conclusion that the step count of a fitness bracelet is prone to errors. The step counting function stands and falls on the one hand with the quality of the motion and acceleration sensors and on the other hand with the manufacturer's accounting software. As an interested customer, it is best to read through the appropriate threads in forums to assess the pedometer in order to form your own picture based on experience reports.

Can a smartwatch replace a fitness bracelet?

This question depends on the needs of the wearer and the money the buyer is willing to invest. Smartwatches also offer a variety of functions that make it possible to track the level of activity. In addition to the functions of a fitness bracelet, every smartwatch has a real operating system, which means that it can have significantly more functions than a bracelet.

Smartwatches are aimed at a different target audience than fitness wristbands for ambitious athletes. Accordingly, smartwatches usually only have the sporty features of a mid-range fitness bracelet, but are significantly more expensive.

So if you really only care about the functions of the fitness bracelet, a smartwatch is not a real alternative. However, for those who are open to the increased functionality of a smartwatch and for whom the tracking of their fitness activities seems to be of secondary importance, a smartwatch can be a real alternative to the fitness bracelet.

Review of - Do you need a fitness bracelet?

can answer this question with a clear "No“Answer. At no time is there a need for a fitness bracelet. You can in the first place useful gimmick in the second place, however, they can also be one motivation represent. Many people feel comfortable by counting their steps encouraged to increase their daily activity level. In addition, the Sleep assessment also lead to healthier sleeping habits. However, maintaining the level of activity can also degenerate into stress, so that the wearer should not let his or her daily routine be dictated by the fitness bracelet.

For amateur athletes, fitness wristbands are now a convenient way of recording and saving their sporting activities. The bracelet can help these people to live out their sporting ambitions in a better and more controlled manner, to optimize their sporting behavior and to motivate themselves based on previous sporting achievements and to want to improve themselves.

However, every buyer should be aware that from a medical point of view there is no indication for wearing a fitness bracelet. It is not essential for anyone to permanently see their own pulse. Should there be a medical need, the pulse would be recorded using a long-term EKG or similar device.