Modern smartwatches are small fitness trainers on the wrist. The wearables have many useful functions, such as displaying notifications or accepting calls - and they can also display the time. However, the small computers on the wrist are primarily used as health gadgets. The market leader among the current smartwatches is the Apple Watch. How is it doing Apple Watch in sports and fitness in the test? We tested the smartwatch extensively.

I'm jogging on a mild summer evening in Hamburg on the Alster. A look at mine Apple Watch tells me: At 19 p.m. it's still 28 degrees and my heart rate has risen to over 160, even though I've only covered 2,6 kilometers. My daily form is not that good. The smartwatch confirms this. Based on the wearable's fitness data, I decide: Today I'm going to run a little slower on my run through the city, drink a little more - and finally decide that I'd rather walk fast than do a sprint.

A wise decision that has a positive impact on my health because after running I am relaxed and feel fresh. I feel good because I kept an eye on my health data and listened to my body. With the Apple Watch When it comes to sports and fitness, you can not only record your training, you also receive vital data in real time and can adjust the workout if necessary. When traveling and on vacation, the smartwatch can be used wonderfully to do high-intensity interval training or exercises with your own body weight.

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Apple Watch is indispensable in sports and fitness

The Apple Watch – and now that Apple Watch Incredibly – I cannot imagine sports and fitness without it. I wear them all day. In the morning at 6 a.m. I do my high-intensity interval training with it on my wrist and other workouts like jogging throughout the day Fitness trainingto collect as many activity calories and steps as possible.

This pays off in many ways. First and foremost for my health, of course, but even financially - the steps collected with the smartwatch are transferred to my health insurance company's app on the iPhone. And when I collect enough steps, I get a financial bonus.

Overview – What can it do? Apple Watch in sport and fitness?

• can Apple Watch has various sensors and apps to record and analyze workouts
• the smartwatch can record the heart rate directly on the wrist
• Numerous workouts are pre-installed in the training app
• there are also numerous third-party apps for recording activities
• the smartwatch can record workouts of all common sports
• the activities are evaluated using the iPhone
• can Apple Watch in fitness and sport can also be used without a smartphone
• Advantage: the Sport Watch has an ECG function and, if necessary, generates warnings of dangerous atrial fibrillation (must not be used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a visit to the doctor)
• Disadvantage: the Smartwatch does not yet have a pulse oximeter, the values ​​for oxygen saturation are only estimated

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Precision of the measurement results – Apple Watch Use it for tracking in sports and fitness

The basis of most smartwatch measurement results is the recording of the heart rate directly on the wrist using the optical heart sensor. How precisely the activity data can be recorded during training or in general in everyday life depends very much on the precision of the optical device heart sensor away. Many other factors, such as the data from the gyro sensor or the algorithms used, certainly also play an important role - but without the recorded heart rate, the smartwatch, to put it simply, does not know how hard the wearer is pumping.

And here she does Apple Watch an extremely good figure: the independent Stiftung Warentest selects the smartwatch models from Apple regularly too test winners. The testers particularly praised the precision of the gadget - when it comes to measured values ​​such as heart rate. Accordingly, you can be relatively safe if you do this Apple Watch Used for tracking in fitness and sport, that you get reasonably precise measurement data - the best prerequisites for a successful evaluation of the training.

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For which sports is it Apple Watch particularly suitable for training?

The Apple Watch Amazingly, it is not listed in many sports watch rankings - I don't understand why. Since the Apple Watch It is ideal for training in a number of sports and is also advertised by the manufacturer as a health gadget with numerous training functions.

Sports such as jogging and running, cycling (outdoor and indoor), swimming (pool swimming indoor and open water outdoor), strength training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), cross trainer, stepper, rowing, surfing and SUP, hiking, fast walking, yoga, Pilates and meditation (“Body and Mind”) and a number of other fitness programs can be recorded with the smartwatch.

Many workouts can be done directly using the integrated Apple Watch Record training app and are then transferred directly to the Activity app and Health app on the iPhone, where they are included in the activity balance.

Depending on the application and sport, the Apple Watch use them in different ways during exercise and fitness. For most sports it makes sense to install a third-party app. On the other hand, the training app can also be used. We have important information about the most popular sports in the Apple Watch for your convenience. 

1. Apple Watch while jogging and running

In particular, with the Apple Watch while jogging and running have had very good experiences. On the one hand, you can simply use the smartwatch with the integrated activity app, leave your iPhone at home and use GPS to record precise distance and activity data while running outdoors. I can use it to see the elapsed time while jogging, the kilometers covered, calories burned, elevation gain and average pace time/kilometer, stride length, number of steps per minute, maximum and average heart rate and fluid requirements.

I've been using a running app for years - Runtastic in my case - with which I record all my sporting activities such as running and jogging, cross training (elliptical trainer), strength training, stand up paddling and cycling. I've been using the program since 2011 and have collected statistics about my sporting activities and the development of my fitness in the app for over nine years. I can see exactly how many kilometers I've covered per month and per year, how many calories I've burned and how my fitness has changed over time - improved in my case.

2. Swimming with the Apple Watch

When swimming with the Apple Watch I use the built-in training app because it gives better results than Runtastic for this sport. Indoors, you have to enter the length of the pool when swimming in the pool so that the smartwatch can measure the distance precisely via the sensors. I've often asked the lifeguard about the length of the pool.

This is only necessary indoors. The smartwatch uses the integrated GPS to record the exact route when swimming outdoors. There are also numerous third-party apps that you can use as needed Swimming familiar with the Apple Watch can use. These include MySwimPro, which delivers the best results when recording swimming activities.

3. Riding a bike with the Apple Watch

The Apple Watch in sport and fitness, of course, cycling also records. When biking, you often have your smartphone with you and of course you can also record the route with a corresponding app. However, in order to track the heart rate, you also need the when cycling Apple Watch. Distance, speed, average speed and calories burned are easily recorded. I record my cycling activities with Runtastic because I don't ride my mountain bike that often and the data I have gathered is enough for me.

However, there are also numerous other third-party apps in the App Store that you can use to record your bike tours more precisely. However, if you are an ambitious racing cyclist, you should possibly use another sports watch such as the Garmin Fenix ​​6 or the Suunto 7, as they collect even more precise data on cadence and the like when cycling. Alternatively there is for the Apple Watch also optional, external cadence sensors from third parties.

4. With the Apple Watch Track yoga, pilates and meditations

Of course, you can also use the Apple Watch Record yoga, pilates and meditation. These trainings are even available in the pre-installed training app. In particular, there is also a wealth of third-party apps that you can use to get even more out of your exercises. In meditation, the timer is in the foreground, while in yoga and Pilates, the correct execution of the exercises for many Apple Watch Apps is displayed precisely. Meditation exercises can be logged as mindfulness minutes in the Health App.

5. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and bodyweight exercises

High-intensity interval training and exercises with your own body weight that deal with the Apple Watch record. There are, for example, the Seven Minutes, Freeletics or Runtastic Training programs that focus on the Apple Watch Record high-intensity interval training and training with your own body weight. I do HIIT and exercises with my own body weight, especially on vacation when I don't have any weights available.

6. Regeneration through breathing exercises

Before after training you can use the Apple Watch Do wonderful breathing exercises that can certainly improve performance in sports and fitness. During the course of the day, the smartwatch reminds you to think about correct breathing more often. If you want to reduce your stress or optimally supply your cells with oxygen before exercise, you can explicitly do a few minutes of breathing exercises. 

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The best training apps for Apple Watch in sports and fitness

Fortunately, one of the best workout apps is for the Apple Watch directly integrated into sports and fitness. If you don't want to make too much effort and are happy with simple measurements, you can use the integrated training app for all recordings. Settings for several dozen different sports are available. However, if you want to have more precise values, especially for indoor sports, you should use a third-party app such as -

• Runtastic
• Strava
• Jogging Running Walking Goals
• Nike Run Club
• RunKeeper
• Freeletics
• Daily yoga
• Gymondo
• 30 days of fitness at home
• Women fitness for weight loss

who specialize in the particular sport or sport in general. There is now an abundance of all-rounder sports apps that users can use on the Apple Watch and can use them on the iPhone to reliably record and evaluate their activities. When choosing the app, I would recommend trying out several apps and using the ratings from other users as a guide. Because once you have started recording your workouts with a certain app, it is often not that easy to switch to another program and import existing workouts or export them from the old app. 

Apple Watch Do sports on vacation

I use them on vacation and when traveling Apple Watch also to record my sporting activities. When I go jogging, I use them just like I do at home with Runtastic to record my runs on vacation. In addition, you can use the integrated "walking" workout to record your discovery tours and track the steps and kilometers you have covered in leisure activities and sights.

Since many travel destinations do not necessarily have a fitness center, I often use the smartwatch on vacation for high-intensity interval training and bodyweight training to at least partially compensate for the strength training in the fitness center. Apps like Seven Minutes or Freeletics make it easy to do a workout on vacation that has similar effects to strength training in the gym.

Disadvantages of the Apple Watch in sports and fitness

The disadvantage of Apple Watch When it comes to sports and fitness, the main thing is that the smartwatch obviously patronizes you to a certain extent - but that's okay. If I haven't collected any activity calories by lunchtime, the smartwatch tells me - as a proper fitness coach should: Now let's get started and collect calories and steps. Come on, get up! This may be a bit annoying, but it can also be very useful if you have worked for a few hours without getting up.

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Apple Watch in sports and fitness test & experiences - ultimate sports watch for training?

My conclusion

I've been doing sports with the since 2015 Apple Watch and have tested the watch in all imaginable situations. From the first version to the Apple Watch Series 5, the manufacturer has made a real quantum leap in just four years, which is reflected in both the further development of the hardware and the software.

In particular, the recording of the heart rate directly on the wrist with the optical heart sensor has been proven to be pleasingly precise and enables deep insights into one's own health (should not be used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a visit to the doctor). The smartwatch is still the ultimate health gadget that is the first choice for all athletes and fitness fans.

I regularly draw my workouts with the Apple Watch and thus get a detailed overall picture of my sporting achievements. And if things aren't going so well with the day, such as when jogging on a warm summer evening, the smartwatch helps to adjust the pace accordingly.

Who his data he with the Apple Watch has won, correctly analyzed and interpreted, can make significant progress in training with the help of the smartwatch. The Apple Watch for sports and fitness is therefore recommended throughout and will certainly continue to improve in the upcoming hardware versions and software updates of watchOS.

How do you use the sporty smartwatch? Do you use one? Apple Watch in sports and fitness? Share your experiences in the comments.

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