New Exercise Equipment & Technology

The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that all U.S. adults get at least 150 minutes of exercise a day in order to keep their bodies healthy and strong. If while striving for this goal you get tired of your regular gym routine, you might consider investing in some of new exercise equipment and technology. This might help increase both the quality and enjoyment of your workout.

Musical Tracking Shoes

The Nike Co. has joined with Apple to provide those who like to run and listen to music at the same time with a piece of technology to make this practice even easier. With the Nike kit, runners can wear a special armband that holds your mp3 player. A receiver is plugged into the mp3 player that corresponds through Blue Tooth technology to a pedometer that is placed inside specially designed Nike shoes. As you run, you can listen to your Mp3s while at the same time the pedometer tracks information such as your mileage, calories burned and your pacing, and wirelessly sends the results to be recorded into the Mp3 player. The results can then be uploaded and tracked to the corresponding Nike website.

Video Games

The video game market is continually growing toward the fitness-conscious gamer, or even just the basic consumer who wants to get fit while being entertained at the same time. Most new generation gaming consoles now have motion tracking controllers or cameras that allow you to actively take part in games. This increases physical activity for basic video games, as well has opened up the market to titles specifically geared towards fitness that act as a personal trainer, teaching exercises and watching form, while tracking your progress at the same time. Fitness video games also can get kids more involved in exercise.

Virtual Reality Equipment

Virtual reality is no longer just a technology of the future or only used for pursuits such as flight training. Advances in exercise technology now have combined the idea of virtual reality with equipment you might already be familiar with. After success in the student fitness center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, virtual exercise has begun to spread throughout the United States. An example of virtual reality equipment are treadmills that are synced to video screens. As you run, the screen changes, allowing you to follow an outdoor trail from the comfort of indoors. Multiple treadmills can also be connected to give the sensation of running with a group of people or racing.

Other Equipment

Several pieces of exercise equipment have entered the market which promise to increase results, increase comfort, or both. For example, Perfect Fitness, the makers of Perfect Pushup developed by former Navy SEAL Alden Mills, has expanded its research and technology to other devices for devices ranging from pullup bars to equipment that assists with sit-ups. Exercise machines continue to evolve, such as with the Arc Trainer, which mimics the movements of an elliptical, but with less stress and workload, according to research by exercise experts at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.