High-tech workouts

Keeping those New Year’s resolutions can take a high-tech turn, thanks to the latest and greatest fitness goodies on the market. Even Apple has gotten into the act, offering a new device that lets one’s shoes and IPod Nano “talk” to each other.

No device can guarantee a flatter stomach or a smaller waistline, however. What they can do is make tracking weight and fitness gains easier and, for some tech junkies, make working out a little more enjoyable.

Doug Murphy, who runs Fitness Training Consulting in the District, says new devices aimed at the workout crowd are hitting the market constantly.

“Some are very useful, others are not quite so useful,” Mr. Murphy says. “Time will tell, like everything else with technology.”

Ask a personal trainer what gizmo to get for the new year, and the answer is simple: a heart-rate monitor. These devices aren’t cutting-edge, but they come with a variety of new features and offer helpful information.

The monitors measure heart rates in real time and generally include a chest-strap transmitter and a wrist receiver where the rate can be displayed.

“They can go to the gym and take the guesswork out of it,” Mr. Murphy says. “They don’t have to worry if they’re going at a high enough speed.”

Most people do cardio work, but many fail to track their heart rate. To get the best benefit from all that sweat, it’s best to stay within your target heart range, Mr. Murphy says.

Monitors range in price and features, and it’s a personal choice as to which model works for each person. Some sound alarms when a heart rate exceeds a set level, while others keep a record of the past 30 or so workouts, which can be downloaded to a computer.

Even body calipers, which measure body fat, have had an electronic makeover. Exercisers can use a hand-held device that uses sensors to gauge body-fat levels, Mr. Murphy says.

The devices can offer an accurate body-fat assessment and are easier to use than the traditional method.

“It’s much faster and, when used correctly, it’s a great aid,” Mr. Murphy says.

Gadgets can offer a number of useful tools, but the bottom line is establishing health benchmarks, he says. Mr. Murphy gives his clients a fitness test every six to eight weeks to help track their progress.

Sometimes progress is being made but can’t be detected easily in the mirror or via the scale.

“It’s hard to notice some changes, but a body-fat monitor can tell you if your body fat is going down,” Mr. Murphy says. “Anything you can do to make getting in shape easier and easier to track can be great motivation, too.”

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