Walking is often the first workout level attempted. As the walker advances to jogging, then running, he often wants to use sophisticated technology to plan, monitor, and improve the effectiveness of the workout. Often this means graduating from a simple sports watch to a GPS watch with GPS capabilities.
These advanced sports watches are designed to give accurate measurements of speed, distance, elevation, and incline. Many GPS watches can plan routes, compare alternate routes, and even coordinate with mapping software to map routes.
Advanced features may include memory, graphic comparisons, interval timers, heart rate monitors, heart zones, speed, pace and distance alerts. These features have all been designed to be useful for serious athletes, but each athlete has different priorities, so it’s important to know which features will be most important to you.
Which type of GPS watch user are you?
There are two basic training types: sport/fitness and health/rehab. The sport/fitness type looks to consistently improve to reach the top level of achievement; while the health/rehab type looks to improve general health or recover from illness or injury. Each type will use different features in a different manner. While the sport/fitness user may use zone alarms to pace the intensity of the workout, the health/rehab user may use zone alarms to avoid injury. The health/rehab user may find planning features especially useful in plotting a challenging course that isn’t too strenuous.
What information do you require from your GPS watch?
One common complaint among GPS users is signal reliability, especially among older models. The sport/fitness user who is monitoring exact pace will want a highly reliable signal, and may want to use a foot pod device that measures stride in conjunction with the GPS to avoid problems from signal obstruction. Indoor users will also want to consider foot pods. Some GPS watches are less reliable in wooded areas or near tall buildings, so consider where you will be running.
If you want to compare your statistics with others, or transfer data to your PC, you’ll want a watch that makes data sharing easy.
What is your preference in a GPS – style or comfort?
While the technological features may be your biggest reason for buying a GPS watch, style and comfort are important. You may not want to feel weighted down by a bulky unit on your wrist. Some units have a separate clip-on device for GPS, which make the wrist unit more lightweight and comfortable. Some units feature different viewing angles enabling cyclists to see the watch fact without needing to bend the arm. You won’t want to wear a unit that isn’t comfortable, so it’s advisable to try it on before buying.
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