Saturday, December 20, 2008

Pedometer Watches - What To Look For

By Ron Packardy

If you're thinking about buying a pedometer watch, you're probably serious about keeping track of your fitness and activity. Here are a few things to check before you decide which pedometer watch you're going to buy.

1. Think about accuracy. If you're not too worried about the accuracy of your times, distances ..etc, then you'll have more pedometers to choose from. More accurate pedometer watches are fewer on the ground so you'll be slightly more limited in your options.

2. Does it use one of the more modern sensor mechanism? This will affect accuracy too, so make sure you're not getting a pedometer that uses the old type technology. Keep an eye out for mention of accelerometer and you'll be safe.

3. It might sound obvious, but make sure the pedometer can tell the difference between walking and running. As well as that, make sure it tracks both types of exercise separately. Good pedometers usually wait until you've done a small amount of the same kind of exercise before they begin counting it.

4. Is the pedometer watch customizable? It's important that you can customize your pedometer watch so that it tracks your specific body type and movement style. If it also allows you to put in your weight, then that's even better. This information is used to calculate accurate distances and calorie burning.

5. Can it store enough information? It's unlikely you're going to use it for one day and then not need the information it collects again. If you're a keen walker or runner you'll almost certainly be keeping track of your performance over the course of several days, weeks or months. Check your pedometer watch can store at least the amount of information you need to work out how much you are improving.

Those are the essentials, but it's not the only thing you need to check. You'll obviously want to shop around and make sure you're getting a good price. Check if there are any special deals, especially around holiday times.

Personally, I've all but stopped using a normal pedometer. It's not that there's anything really wrong with them, but I've found the convenience of a pedometer watch, especially if it comes with a normal time function, has got me well and truly hooked. I think you'll be hooked too. - 16650

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