Atlas Wristband review: Finally, a fitness tracker for the gym rats among us

This $250 rep tracker is for those who do more than just run all day.

Read the whole story

 

[jnik]

"monitors muscle exertion" --any details on this? Oxygenation sensor? "heart rate fluctuations" --does this mean they're taking HRV (heart rate variability) measurements with an optical sensor? Or do you just mean "heart rate"? Any idea who makes the optical HRM they're using, incidentally?

 

[LordEOD]

I'm not hip enough to want to invest in fitness tracker... I use the old school ones...
Having fun? No.
Feel good? Yes.
Losing weight and keeping it off? Yes.

Success!

Your soul.. the best, FREE, fitness tracker.

(Though as a gadget guy, I can see the value in these devices)

 

[Penguin Warlord]

Nice to finally see a product for strength trainers but it sounds like this is still too limited to really be useful. When I go to the gym I choose my exercise by what makes sense for my program, and what equipment is available. Until it can work with 99% of gym exercise I don't see this being super useful...

Of course that being said it would be really cool to see them add super popular programs to it like Starting Strength or Greyskull. Maybe gen 2 or 3 ...

 

[Galeran]

The missing reps reminds me of my frustration with EA Sports Active on the Wii. Even the second version where they added their own pair of sensors on the thigh and upper arm had issues. I was willing to chalk a lot of it up to presuming my form was bad (or at least different from their model, as suggested in this article), but then there were times it couldn't tell the difference between standing and squatting which really made me wonder. Sounds like this device manages to do better with only one position sensor which is encouraging for the concept in general.

 

[Maury Markowitz]

Yet to see one that works on a stationary bike.

But of course the solution to that one is the solution to EVERY one, a sensor on the equipment and a BT transmitter. Pair up with a tap when you go to the equipment and you're done.

 

[Calavaro]

I'm interested to see how it actually stacks up when your average Joe hits the gym and works out at his pace, bad form and general farting around (we are not all elite athletes you know).

If it picks up on Joe slacking off and sends a notification ... I'm Joe's all in.

 

[JustQuestions]

What a load of bullshit.

There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

This is why people who study biomechanics need to put people in what amounts to a full bodysuit covered in sensors to acquire useful data...

This product is just another useless toy for posers, like fitness bands in general.

 

[jon_l]

The best actual 'rep tracker' out there is the Push Band. Its arm mounted and just measures the velocity of each rep. Its amazing for powerlifting and weightlifting and it blows my mind that it hasnt gotten bigger.

 

[Smaug12345]

JustQuestions[/url]":1sf2pcfu]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

 

[JustQuestions]

Smaug12345[/url]":2ishywk9]

JustQuestions[/url]":2ishywk9]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

1) You don't speak for "most people."

2) "Most people" don't have trouble counting.

Can you count to 12? Congrats! You're good enough at counting to keep track of reps and sets yourself.

Sorry to be blunt, but $250 is a shitload of money to replace the knowledge of counting to 12.

 

[mmiller7]

...still wishing there was a non-wireless fitness tracker (aka use a plug) so I could actually use one where I work...

I had a Jawbone UP (the original one that used a headset plug) and loved it for a while but after 3 of them died under warranty I gave up. Everything since that has at least bluetooth if not other functionality.

 

[Exelius]

JustQuestions[/url]":3dnetwqs]

Smaug12345[/url]":3dnetwqs]

JustQuestions[/url]":3dnetwqs]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

1) You don't speak for "most people."

2) "Most people" don't have trouble counting.

Can you count to 12? Congrats! You're good enough at counting to keep track of reps and sets yourself.

Sorry to be blunt, but $250 is a shitload of money to replace the knowledge of counting to 12.

It's more about having a device that automatically tracks the data for you and stores it over time. I can count to 12, but I can't always remember if I did 12 reps per set last time or 10. Maybe this week I want to bump it up to 15. Could I do this by keeping a notebook? Sure, but then I would have to keep track of a notebook and remember to write things down when my brain is oxygen-deprived.

I'll agree it's a niche device for weight lifters, and $250 is pretty expensive for a niche device. But I could see one of these devices used in combination with a virtual personal trainer - it would allow them to track your progress better and manage your fitness plan through a large set of time-series data.

I'd be more concerned that this product doesn't have a promising life ahead of it: it doesn't seem to have much in the way of proprietary sensors, which means it could likely be replaced by building some better software for a more mainstream device like the Apple Watch. Strength training is not exactly a small niche within the overall fitness market, so it's not a stretch to imagine Apple (and everyone else producing fitness trackers) building a comparable platform and erasing any advantage this product would have in the market.

 

[wgn_luv]

Progression app + Android Wear. That's working out really well for me

 

[AnotherSoutherner]

jon_l[/url]":3exhcz3r]The best actual 'rep tracker' out there is the Push Band. Its arm mounted and just measures the velocity of each rep. Its amazing for powerlifting and weightlifting and it blows my mind that it hasnt gotten bigger.

I had never heard of this until now and just checked out their website. All I can say is wow! That thing looks seriously impressive. If you've used one I would love to hear your impression and feedback on it.

It definitely seems like it's marketed more towards sports team training rooms (collegiate or professional level), and from what I garnered from the site, there's a subscription to use the software but I couldn't find out much along those lines.

 

[wangstramedeous]

Is there somewhere you can look up the whole list of exercises it tracks before purchasing?

 

[StvnW]

Unless the accelerometer, heart rate, and gyro sensors they are using are that much better than what's in the major smartwatches, the value here is in the software algorithms and their movement pattern database.

I can see the longer-term market potential for specialized uses (groups, teams), but for the general public I can't imagine how this won't be soon eclipsed by smartwatch software. These guys seem to be betting on that.

 

[OmniWrench]

Interesting.

I assume when doing things with kettle bells (specially something like a clean and press where you switch grip midway) that one needs to be careful not to whack the screen with the kettle bell? (as I assume it wouldn't react well to repeated impacts).

I guess it would also (obviously...) only count reps for the arm you're wearing it on (so couldn't be used to make sure you're matching strong-side/weak-side if you lose count).

 

[Penforhire]

The evolution of this device should be one where you perform an exercise your own way, it tracks your personal motion, and you can then define that exercise rep as anything you want, like "Joe's get-up-and-twist." It doesn't seem like a big step to me, just a little more horsepower and memory.

Also, imagine how much more could be auto-tracked with a sensor on both a wrist and an ankle (2nd sensor being much smaller, hopefully).

 

[thebaldgeek]

I was a backer and have used (attempted to use) one for a few weeks now.
It has been a pretty big time sink as we tried very hard to work with the Atlas, but for now, it is in the top draw waiting for a firmware update.

For the most part I agree with your review. But it sounds like you only used it very briefly.

Pros.
The band is very comfortable and lightweight.

Cons.
The display is very soft. I scratched mine by wearing a long sleeve jacket that (unbeknownst to me) had exposed nylon threads on the inside.
The display is just about impossible to see in sunlight. Even overcast is too much.
The unit really can not track the motions, even when you slow down and try to emulate their 'perfect' form.
When the unit does track it and count it, that rep count or activity name will not always be synced to the app. If this happens, when you manually enter it, there is no data for that workout.
Syncing is very very very slow.
Syncing is very hit and miss. Requires many phone reboots and force closing app etc. (Stock Android).
If you reboot the device to get it to sync, you lose any un-synced workouts.
App does not tally calories or other data. Get friendly with a pencil to add up your workout.
Their support is very slow and lackluster. (Got a problem? Reboot your phone).
All social media channels are invite only.
No API. All your data belong to them.

I love the concept. I think they might be close, but for now it is clearly a work in progress.
Looking forward to seeing if they can rescue the idea and make it work.

 

[Smaug12345]

JustQuestions[/url]":11vjij16]

Smaug12345[/url]":11vjij16]

JustQuestions[/url]":11vjij16]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

1) You don't speak for "most people."

2) "Most people" don't have trouble counting.

Can you count to 12? Congrats! You're good enough at counting to keep track of reps and sets yourself.

Sorry to be blunt, but $250 is a shitload of money to replace the knowledge of counting to 12.

Could you answer the question please? I really would like to know what metrics you use - after all, then I might be able to use them too.

 

[KGFish]

It's only water-resistant up to 30 meters, which makes it splash-safe but not pool-safe

.
While technically correct (and certainly promoted by manufacturers to limit liability, it's not really true in practice. Just as a reference, 30 meters is about as deep as people go on a compressed air dive. Water resistant to that depth requires significant amount of engineering to prevent water intrusion. Something that's rated for 30 meters won't flinch at a pool.

If you're really keen on figuring out whether something is rugged enough for your activity, check out http://www.cnet.com/how-to/water-dust-r ... explained/.

It goes into some detail about why companies rate their gadgets the way they do, and what it actually means.

From personal experience, anything rated 30 meters or more is perfectly fine for pool activities... just stay away from the buttons while underwater. And maybe don't cannonball onto the gadget from the 10 meter platform.

 

[popnwave]

LordEOD[/url]":3c8hydh1]I'm not hip enough to want to invest in fitness tracker... I use the old school ones...
Having fun? No.
Feel good? Yes.
Losing weight and keeping it off? Yes.

Success!

Your soul.. the best, FREE, fitness tracker.

(Though as a gadget guy, I can see the value in these devices)

Trackers are like workout buddies, anything to help keep folks motivated is a good thing. For some it's looks of the device, others it's stats (oh boy I love stats). We are too varied as humans to just be told our soul can do it all. If that was the case we'd ignore junk food, ads for stuff that was bad for us, and never be addicted to drugs/games/sex/whatever.

 

[jæs]

tri-axis accelerometer, tri-axis gyroscope, and inertial sensors

I think the accelerometers and gyroscopes are the inertial sensors, as opposed to there being additional "inertial sensors".

 

[Penguin Warlord]

JustQuestions[/url]":28mvp89d]

Smaug12345[/url]":28mvp89d]

JustQuestions[/url]":28mvp89d]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

1) You don't speak for "most people."

2) "Most people" don't have trouble counting.

Can you count to 12? Congrats! You're good enough at counting to keep track of reps and sets yourself.

Sorry to be blunt, but $250 is a shitload of money to replace the knowledge of counting to 12.

You're not being blunt, you're being kinda a dick. You've completed ignored his point about counting rest time.

And regardless if this can automatically recognize the exercise I'm doing, count reps and keep track of my timing, that's already way easier than having to enter everything into my tracking app, not to mention that I would never time myself without something this convenient.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

LordEOD[/url]":1e1qearx]I'm not hip enough to want to invest in fitness tracker... I use the old school ones...
Having fun? No.
Feel good? Yes.
Losing weight and keeping it off? Yes.

Success!

Your soul.. the best, FREE, fitness tracker.

(Though as a gadget guy, I can see the value in these devices)

Ars reviews niche items. A niche item won't appeal to all.

If it doesn't appeal to you, move on, don't question the wisdom, intelligence, et al of those it appeals to.

 

[Galeran]

JustQuestions[/url]":13d9xz6j]
Can you count to 12?

Hmm... I majored in music, so I'd probably break that down into four groups of three ;-)
I do frequently get distracted and lose count when I'm going for 30 or 50 with lighter weights.

 

[Da Truff]

What about an ankle version for leg work? Oh, right, real gym rats don't work legs.

 

[kimbo305]

Did Li say anything about expanding to sports like judo or kickboxing?

 

[atlaswearables]

jnik[/url]":37f44iqz]"monitors muscle exertion" --any details on this? Oxygenation sensor? "heart rate fluctuations" --does this mean they're taking HRV (heart rate variability) measurements with an optical sensor? Or do you just mean "heart rate"? Any idea who makes the optical HRM they're using, incidentally?

We're tracking heart rate with our partner Valencell. We get chest strap level accuracy during running walking and many activities.

We analyze muscle exertion patterns and show a muscle heat map based on your exercise motions, resistance, and more. Shown here: https://www.atlaswearables.com/product/

 

[JustQuestions]

Penguin Warlord[/url]":dzzlyvnt]

JustQuestions[/url]":dzzlyvnt]

Smaug12345[/url]":dzzlyvnt]

JustQuestions[/url]":dzzlyvnt]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

1) You don't speak for "most people."

2) "Most people" don't have trouble counting.

Can you count to 12? Congrats! You're good enough at counting to keep track of reps and sets yourself.

Sorry to be blunt, but $250 is a shitload of money to replace the knowledge of counting to 12.

You're not being blunt, you're being kinda a dick. You've completed ignored his point about counting rest time.

And regardless if this can automatically recognize the exercise I'm doing, count reps and keep track of my timing, that's already way easier than having to enter everything into my tracking app, not to mention that I would never time myself without something this convenient.

Look, I understand that it comes off as harsh, but I feel it's important to look at these types of devices with an extremely critical eye, given the problems we have with obesity and fitness in the USA.

Counting reps will never be a bottleneck to resistance training for anybody. That's trivially easy, and requires only the barest amount of discipline. If it's hard for you to stay disciplined enough to count reps, I have a hard time believing that you will have the discipline to maintain a resistance training program for any appreciable length of time.

Now, there is the argument for saving time. Well, there is a rest period between sets anyways. You might as well utilize that time to jot down the reps. Done.

In terms of measuring the length of time between reps, this isn't even a useful metric in general! You can very easily alter these types of times yourself by just putting some focus in. The wrist device is not going to make this any easier.

Earlier, somebody asked what I spend most of my focus on while doing reps and sets...The answer is my form. And good form is something that you need to actively focus on. A wristband can't do it for you or even help you. You can use technology to assist, and that's generally done by filming yourself.

I can imagine that in the future we will wear smart-exercise-clothing that is absolutely filled with sensors, and that is when truly interesting doors will open. Sensors are a long ways away from being cheap enough for this to be practical, though. Wrist bands alone just don't even come close to cutting it.

To drill matters home, an owner and investor in this item above already made the claim that it's not even very accurate! So you might as well keep counting yourself, unless you want your data to have massive error bars.

And lastly....

$250 is a shitload of money. If you want some alternative ideas on better ways to spend that money to assist in your resistance training program, I would say food.

That amount of money could buy over 80 pounds of organic chicken or nearly 150 pounds of conventional chicken. Or some variety of whatever your favorite lean meats are. $250 buys plenty of meat unless you have absurdly expensive tastes.

In terms of produce it could buy well over 100 pounds of conventional vegetables...Or, I would recommend saving the money for farmers market produce. Even at farmers market prices, $250 buys quite a lot of produce, and it will be the ripest, freshest, tastiest, and most nutritious produce you will eat of the year. Remember that freshness is highly correlated to nutritional value, and also flavor...

Sufficient meats and vegetables will provide a real measurable improvement to your health and performance, unlike a fitness band.

If you already have sufficient qualify food under wraps, $250 can buy some quality time with a highly qualified personal trainer or physical therapist, which can also provide concrete benefits rather than meaningless, inaccurate data.

 

[atlaswearables]

jnik[/url]":39hd2zsb]"monitors muscle exertion" --any details on this? Oxygenation sensor? "heart rate fluctuations" --does this mean they're taking HRV (heart rate variability) measurements with an optical sensor? Or do you just mean "heart rate"? Any idea who makes the optical HRM they're using, incidentally?

We're tracking heart rate with our partner Valencell. We get chest strap level accuracy during running walking and many activities.

We analyze muscle exertion patterns and show a muscle heat map based on your exercise motions, resistance, and more. Shown here: https://www.atlaswearables.com/product/

 

[atlaswearables]

Penguin Warlord[/url]":2cn6whe6]Nice to finally see a product for strength trainers but it sounds like this is still too limited to really be useful. When I go to the gym I choose my exercise by what makes sense for my program, and what equipment is available...

Penforhire[/url]":2cn6whe6]The evolution of this device should be one where you perform an exercise your own way, it tracks your personal motion, and you can then define that exercise rep as anything you want, like "Joe's get-up-and-twist." It doesn't seem like a big step to me, just a little more horsepower and memory.

Yea! Right now you can access popular WODs, HIIT, and other workout programs.

With our next feature push will enable users to add custom exercises (free upgrade available to current users)!

jon_l[/url]":2cn6whe6]The best actual 'rep tracker' out there is the Push Band. Its arm mounted and just measures the velocity of each rep. Its amazing for powerlifting and weightlifting and it blows my mind that it hasnt gotten bigger.

With Push you must first identify what exercise you are doing on the app. With Atlas, our motion recognition platform automatically recognizes your 3D form so you have the freedom to focus on your workout!

Da Truff[/url]":2cn6whe6]What about an ankle version for leg work? Oh, right, real gym rats don't work legs.

Don't skip leg day! You can see our exercises here: www.AtlasWearables.com/exercises . You'll notice plenty of leg exercises like Barbell Calf Raises, Squats, Deadlifts, and more.

thebaldgeek[/url]":2cn6whe6]I was a backer and have used (attempted to use) one for a few weeks now...
I love the concept. I think they might be close, but for now it is clearly a work in progress.
Looking forward to seeing if they can rescue the idea and make it work.

We're working on an Android update that will speed up the sync time by 4x.

 

[qasimq]

SoI have this device as a result of the crowdfunding campaign participation. I have been using it for a few weeks now. I like it so far. It has its pluses and minuses but is a far superior product then currently anything on the market. Here are some general observations / improvements I would like to see.

. Exercise detection works great for the most part.
. The library of exercises is limited. However, I think there are plans to expand it.
. Would like the have the ability to design and upload workouts from a web based interface as opposed to mobile
. Would love to see advanced dashboards (again on the web)
. There are still a few exercises that the device fails to recognize. (However I think that I may be at fault with less than proper technique)

Overall a solid product.

 

[Penguin Warlord]

JustQuestions[/url]":3t4drj1g]

Penguin Warlord[/url]":3t4drj1g]

JustQuestions[/url]":3t4drj1g]

Smaug12345[/url]":3t4drj1g]

JustQuestions[/url]":3t4drj1g]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

1) You don't speak for "most people."

2) "Most people" don't have trouble counting.

Can you count to 12? Congrats! You're good enough at counting to keep track of reps and sets yourself.

Sorry to be blunt, but $250 is a shitload of money to replace the knowledge of counting to 12.

You're not being blunt, you're being kinda a dick. You've completed ignored his point about counting rest time.

And regardless if this can automatically recognize the exercise I'm doing, count reps and keep track of my timing, that's already way easier than having to enter everything into my tracking app, not to mention that I would never time myself without something this convenient.

Look, I understand that it comes off as harsh, but I feel it's important to look at these types of devices with an extremely critical eye, given the problems we have with obesity and fitness in the USA.

Counting reps will never be a bottleneck to resistance training for anybody. That's trivially easy, and requires only the barest amount of discipline. If it's hard for you to stay disciplined enough to count reps, I have a hard time believing that you will have the discipline to maintain a resistance training program for any appreciable length of time.

Now, there is the argument for saving time. Well, there is a rest period between sets anyways. You might as well utilize that time to jot down the reps. Done.

In terms of measuring the length of time between reps, this isn't even a useful metric in general! You can very easily alter these types of times yourself by just putting some focus in. The wrist device is not going to make this any easier.

Earlier, somebody asked what I spend most of my focus on while doing reps and sets...The answer is my form. And good form is something that you need to actively focus on. A wristband can't do it for you or even help you. You can use technology to assist, and that's generally done by filming yourself.

I can imagine that in the future we will wear smart-exercise-clothing that is absolutely filled with sensors, and that is when truly interesting doors will open. Sensors are a long ways away from being cheap enough for this to be practical, though. Wrist bands alone just don't even come close to cutting it.

To drill matters home, an owner and investor in this item above already made the claim that it's not even very accurate! So you might as well keep counting yourself, unless you want your data to have massive error bars.

And lastly....

$250 is a shitload of money. If you want some alternative ideas on better ways to spend that money to assist in your resistance training program, I would say food.

That amount of money could buy over 80 pounds of organic chicken or nearly 150 pounds of conventional chicken. Or some variety of whatever your favorite lean meats are. $250 buys plenty of meat unless you have absurdly expensive tastes.

In terms of produce it could buy well over 100 pounds of conventional vegetables...Or, I would recommend saving the money for farmers market produce. Even at farmers market prices, $250 buys quite a lot of produce, and it will be the ripest, freshest, tastiest, and most nutritious produce you will eat of the year. Remember that freshness is highly correlated to nutritional value, and also flavor...

Sufficient meats and vegetables will provide a real measurable improvement to your health and performance, unlike a fitness band.

If you already have sufficient qualify food under wraps, $250 can buy some quality time with a highly qualified personal trainer or physical therapist, which can also provide concrete benefits rather than meaningless, inaccurate data.

No one has said this a great device for a beginner to use to become an expert strength trainer or bodybuilder. But guess what? Some of us do work out regularly, and do track sets and reps already, but would prefer if we didn't have to type those into an app or write them down every time.

And I'll never sit there with a stop watch and time myself, but if I could see the data on my rest times it would give me a better idea if my current program is working and I'm actually going up in strength, or whether I'm really just lifting more weight because I'm taking longer to recover between sets. Long run I'll figure this out anyways, but having the data would let me see this much more quickly.

And yeah, I agree $250 is pretty damn expensive for something that makes rep counting a little easier, but it's a first gen product, and there's a niche audience of rich weight lifters for whom it will make rep counting easier. I'm still happy to see someone working on the problem, since virtually all fitness trackers to date have focused solely on running and cardio activities. If gen 3 is $40, and a little more flexible with it's exercises you can bet I'd probably buy one.

 

[qasimq]

JustQuestions[/url]":2w7lhv12]

Penguin Warlord[/url]":2w7lhv12]

JustQuestions[/url]":2w7lhv12]

Smaug12345[/url]":2w7lhv12]

JustQuestions[/url]":2w7lhv12]
There is no conceivable way this can track any useful metrics while doing resistance training, since it is located on your wrists alone.

The biomechanics of human motion are far too complex to be tracked simply via wrists.

Clearly your idea of "useful metric" is somewhat different from most people's. I personally want to know rep count, set count, rest times, and weight. Weight, of course, is a stated "we don't do this" area. Do you think the other three are not useful? If so, what metrics do you use?

1) You don't speak for "most people."

2) "Most people" don't have trouble counting.

Can you count to 12? Congrats! You're good enough at counting to keep track of reps and sets yourself.

Sorry to be blunt, but $250 is a shitload of money to replace the knowledge of counting to 12.

You're not being blunt, you're being kinda a dick. You've completed ignored his point about counting rest time.

And regardless if this can automatically recognize the exercise I'm doing, count reps and keep track of my timing, that's already way easier than having to enter everything into my tracking app, not to mention that I would never time myself without something this convenient.

Look, I understand that it comes off as harsh, but I feel it's important to look at these types of devices with an extremely critical eye, given the problems we have with obesity and fitness in the USA.

Counting reps will never be a bottleneck to resistance training for anybody. That's trivially easy, and requires only the barest amount of discipline. If it's hard for you to stay disciplined enough to count reps, I have a hard time believing that you will have the discipline to maintain a resistance training program for any appreciable length of time.

Now, there is the argument for saving time. Well, there is a rest period between sets anyways. You might as well utilize that time to jot down the reps. Done.

In terms of measuring the length of time between reps, this isn't even a useful metric in general! You can very easily alter these types of times yourself by just putting some focus in. The wrist device is not going to make this any easier.

Earlier, somebody asked what I spend most of my focus on while doing reps and sets...The answer is my form. And good form is something that you need to actively focus on. A wristband can't do it for you or even help you. You can use technology to assist, and that's generally done by filming yourself.

I can imagine that in the future we will wear smart-exercise-clothing that is absolutely filled with sensors, and that is when truly interesting doors will open. Sensors are a long ways away from being cheap enough for this to be practical, though. Wrist bands alone just don't even come close to cutting it.

To drill matters home, an owner and investor in this item above already made the claim that it's not even very accurate! So you might as well keep counting yourself, unless you want your data to have massive error bars.

And lastly....

$250 is a shitload of money. If you want some alternative ideas on better ways to spend that money to assist in your resistance training program, I would say food.

That amount of money could buy over 80 pounds of organic chicken or nearly 150 pounds of conventional chicken. Or some variety of whatever your favorite lean meats are. $250 buys plenty of meat unless you have absurdly expensive tastes.

In terms of produce it could buy well over 100 pounds of conventional vegetables...Or, I would recommend saving the money for farmers market produce. Even at farmers market prices, $250 buys quite a lot of produce, and it will be the ripest, freshest, tastiest, and most nutritious produce you will eat of the year. Remember that freshness is highly correlated to nutritional value, and also flavor...

Sufficient meats and vegetables will provide a real measurable improvement to your health and performance, unlike a fitness band.

If you already have sufficient qualify food under wraps, $250 can buy some quality time with a highly qualified personal trainer or physical therapist, which can also provide concrete benefits rather than meaningless, inaccurate data.

I am an owner of an Atlas wearable as well. I can tell you that though it is not the most accurate device out there in detecting all exercises it works with almost all the exercises advertised.
This is NOT a beginners device. A beginner should focus on form and technique as you have mentioned.
I think the real advantage of this device is two fold:
a. It combines hear rate monitoring with your exercises. This has great potential in measuring and honing in on intensity of ones workout. Now granted that is a feature only an experience gym goer could benefit from.
b. Second advantage is more indirect. A device such as Atlas will eventually open up doors for other players to enter the market and come up with better device.

So that being said, I can see people not wanting to invest in this device. Personally I like the device and would like some improvements made to it which I have mentioned in my earlier post.

 

[JustQuestions]

qasimq[/url]":39atzn37]This is NOT a beginners device. A beginner should focus on form and technique as you have mentioned.

This is an extremely misleading comment, because even extremely experienced professional athletes should be putting the majority of their focus on their form.

 

[JustQuestions]

Penguin Warlord[/url]":1b6rhfpi]No one has said this a great device for a beginner to use to become an expert strength trainer or bodybuilder. But guess what? Some of us do work out regularly, and do track sets and reps already, but would prefer if we didn't have to type those into an app or write them down every time.

Now I have to ask -- what are you going to use your rest time between sets for that is so precious that you can't even be bothered to jot down "6" in your notebook?

Scratching your nuts? Flexing in the mirror? Staring rudely at the one woman in the room?

The time savings here is not low-hanging fruit. You need to rest in between sets anyways, and it's not like the time spent resting could otherwise be paid time.

Penguin Warlord[/url]":1b6rhfpi]And I'll never sit there with a stop watch and time myself, but if I could see the data on my rest times it would give me a better idea if my current program is working and I'm actually going up in strength, or whether I'm really just lifting more weight because I'm taking longer to recover between sets.

This seems like an imaginary concern.

I assume the room you exercise in has a clock on the wall. At a minimum there is one on your smartphone. So, glance at the time, and aim to do identical rest periods. Obviously this is not always possible because of equipment bottlenecks at the gym, but it's not like you're going to have to wait 20 minutes to do squats.

And even if you do, it's extremely unlikely that this will have a large impact on your training. Most studies show that volume (total reps across all sets), is one of the key variables. So, time between sets isn't super critical.

There is some studies that show that if your rest time between sets is too short, you end up building endurance rather than hypertrophy/strength, but that's usually not a concern for your average gym goer since adequate rest of 2 - 3 minutes is easy enough to achieve...

Penguin Warlord[/url]":1b6rhfpi]Long run I'll figure this out anyways, but having the data would let me see this much more quickly.

Sigh, you're not going to see patterns this subtle anyways because the human body is too noisy. People have good days and bad days for seemingly random reasons. It's like trying to track weight loss across days. The noise of water weight, how full/loaded your digestive system is, etc, provides too much noise.

Unless you are looking at your strength at a resolution of weeks or months, you are unlikely to see any real patterns.

Needless to say, whether or not you are gaining in strength doesn't have to do with the exact rest time between sets, but rather the consistency and quality of your program, adequate sleep, adequate protein intake, adequate total energy intake, and adequate hydration. These are far and away the key variables.

Exact rest time between sets and heart rate are variables that are so far removed from the key elements that even if you are a top tier professional, they are unlikely to matter all that much. And if they did matter (unlikely -- there are plenty of more important things to focus on), a $250 wristband is unlikely to provide data reliable enough to be useful.

 

[katorga]

It looks problematic to me. First, the size and location means that I am highly likely to break it in the weight room. Second, if I get distracted and lose track of reps or sets, I just to more, no need for something to remember for me. Finally, I cannot recall a time when I could not remember the past two weeks' exercises, sets, reps and weights and what I planned to do today and the next few days.

Any distance related sport is another matter. Anything that can tell me how far I have gone, my time per increment, my total time and give me programmable spits is a god send.

 

[qasimq]

JustQuestions[/url]":1iye370t]

qasimq[/url]":1iye370t]This is NOT a beginners device. A beginner should focus on form and technique as you have mentioned.

This is an extremely misleading comment, because even extremely experienced professional athletes should be putting the majority of their focus on their form.

I was not trying to mislead anyone. I assumed that experts would already know that and won't know or care about my opinion in the matter. I am sure no expert is going to read my post and stop paying attention to form.