Best Sports Watches to Elevate Your Exercise
These tried and true timepieces take your workout to the next level
The sports watch of today is a different beast than it was five or 10 years ago. No longer is it just a timing device—a simple stopwatch with start/stop and lap/reset functions—with a rugged rubber strap and cartoonishly bright buttons.Nowadays, as technology is refined and squeezed into smaller packages, sports watches have essentially become wrist-worn, go-anywhere computers with rugged yet stylish housing,
navigation features, advanced multisport functions, Bluetooth capability and quickly expanding memory banks to store training regimens and backcountry journeys. Sport-specific apps allow us to tailor watches to our uses and, thanks to GPS, can do everything from automatically take mile-splits to guide us back to journey's start.
- Taking the stairs or parking far away
This shouldn't be your only cardio activity, but the results will definitely add up. Instead of the escalator or elevator, take the stairs. Get in the habit of parking your car at the back of the lot so you have to walk farther. Try taking 15 minutes of your lunch to walk. It all adds up to more burned calories every day.
- Lifting weights
Weightlifting workouts are fairly brief if done properly, so the total number of calories burned tends to be on the lower end of the scale. But the feelings of satisfaction and well-being from the endorphin release, caused by the high-intensity activity, are wonderful motivators in themselves. Furthermore, lifting weights builds a good foundation for all other activities.
- Walking
You should try to turn your walking into "power walking," because in order to really burn the calories, you have to significantly increase the intensity. You can also do this by adding hills or walking intervals of differing speeds. This is an activity that can be done any time of the year, even while traveling. Therefore, it is the easiest exercise to stick with for a lifetime. If you walk at a brisk pace, you can burn around 180 calories in just a half-hour.
- Using stair & elliptical machines
Stair machines are still very popular and the newer elliptical machines are also great. The elliptical tends to be more of an all-around workout, especially if the machine has moving arms (this makes it quite similar to cross country skiing). These machines are also beneficial for runners who want to protect their joints from impact, and they're a great way to add variety to your routine. These machines burn around 300 calories per half-hour.
- Rock climbing & rowing
Want to get a great upper body while getting in the cardio, too? Then rowing and climbing are for you. Both activities require great upper body strength and give you the cardio activity you need to burn fat. Try either of these and burn anywhere from 300 to 380 calories every 30 minutes. You do need special equipment for the climbing and a rowing machine (or a lake!) for rowing.
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