PERSONALISED WORKOUTS
As we seek a greater understanding of how our bodies function in order to get the most out of our workouts, wearable tech is gaining in sophistication and affordability at a startling rate, and gym equipment is becoming smarter, too. ‘This is less about recording your workout and more about tailoring your health and fitness routine so that it’s hard working and individual,’ explains Michelle Dands, head of fitness product and programming at David Lloyd Clubs. ‘Clever features are on the horizon. Among the most impressive will be the ability to tap into gym equipment to bring up your relevant info and tracking for that specific machine.’
PERSONALISED WORKOUTS Photo Gallery
We can also expect to see an increase in the adoption of artificial intelligence to deliver fitness advice: new app Auro (auro, fit) is billed as the ‘Al personal trainer in your ear’, boasting all the personalisation and benefits of having a real PT, but with data-driven analysis to adapt fitness programmes individually for the user, allowing you to choose from a range of world-class trainers, such as Jane Wake, so you can listen to their expertise and advice without having to look at screens for demos.
And don’t be surprised to find yourself swapping your smart phone and FitBit for stick-on sensing patches in the future. Scientists at Standford University are working on wearable sweat sensors that measure cortisol levels in perspiration to monitor the functioning of the pituitary and adrenal glands, and provide insights into emotional stress, blood pressure and metabolism to evaluate sporting performance.
