How to Solve the Biggest Problems With Fitness Motivation with Nike+ SportWatch GPS
Getting fit isn’t easy, and once it isn’t easy or a great deal fun, it’s difficult to find the motivation to get yourself moving. Wristband activity trackers are more popular than ever and the know-how used to power them is constantly improving. In fact, seeing how many steps you have taken in the direction of your fitness objective encourages you to push harder. If you notice empty data in your results chart where training sessions should be, you then make an effort to do better. Nike with Nike+ SportWatch GPS has taken these components of motivation and physical activity information and put it all together in a wristband tracker.
Fitness motivation is usually a problem when people exercise, particularly if exercise alone. If you would like to improve results from your fitness program, measure how you’re progressing — literally. If you need motivation for a goal, choose something connected to the goal for which you can monitor statistics, like your excess fat, your waist size or the distance you can easily run. Take measurements regularly and save them down, so you can evaluate precisely how near you are to your goal. This method has been proven to improve motivation, as it helps people rely on the reality of their accomplishments.
The benefits of Nike+ SportWatch GPS go in this direction, it tracks and stores your distance, speed, time, pace, calories burned and allows you to share details online with your friends or virtual training community. Once you are running, your distance is plainly shown on the screen, and you can use the scroll buttons to get a variety of data, such as pace, elapsed time, and calories expended, on the upper third of the display. You can program the Nike+ SportWatch GPS watch to mark runs around based on distance or time, or you can just tap the screen when you are out running.
Overview of Nike+ SportWatch GPS
The Nike+ SportWatch GPS activity tracker allows you to gather data on your run/jog/walk such as distance and pace. Great information if you’re in training. With regards to sport watches or activity trackers , the Nike+ is usually oversized and a bit cumbersome for the wrist. The Nike+ looks a bit heavy having a large wristband and large display. It may look fine on a man’s wrist but can be a little over-bearing on a woman.
The watch screen displays the time, date, and battery life and a button on the left of the display allows you to scroll through its functions. Functions include tracking your time, distance, pace, heart rate and calories burned. You can view your route as well as changes in elevation. The battery charges via USB and needs to be charged about every 8 hours if you are using GPS and sensor. The Nike+ is also water resistant.
Specifications and Features of Nike+ SportWatch GPS
• Weight 2.2 ounces
• 1.5 x 1.5 x 1 inches
• Lithium battery
• Display size 0.72 inches
• Battery life 9 hours
• Track Time, distance, pace, heart rate
• Track Calories burned
• View route via GPS
• Transfer workout data to PC/Mac and view summary
• Water resistant
Using the SportWatch during a workout is simple. When ready to start press and hold the yellow button until it begins looking for a GPS signal and off you go. It uses the GPS to track your location, speed, and distance. When you want to check your progress tap the screen to see the data. When you have completed your workout, press the yellow button again to signal you have finished.
Like all products, there are some Pro’s and Con’s to the Nike+ SportWatch.
Pro’s
• Easy to use
• Accurate tracking
• Long battery life
• Attractive design
• Good Website for tracking workouts
Con’s
• Expensive
• Problems with GPS connectivity
• GPS not always accurate
• No auto-pause/stop mode
What Others are Saying about Nike+ SportWatch
Users either really like the Nike+ SportWatch or they’re just unsatisfied with it. Those who like it, like the point that runs are tracked showing mile splits so that you can set tests, goals or perhaps a training plan for yourself. As for the GPS feature, it maps your run showing you your route and where along it you ran the fastest and the slowest. Connecting to the website to track your progress over time has helped many users stick with their fitness program. It has helped motivate them to not give up and many express that their running time has improved significantly.
Then there are many who have bought the device and are unhappy about the shortcomings of it, the first of which is the price tag. Consumers are saying that the Nike+ SportWatch should be more reliable at a price of 200.00. A common complaint from all consumers was the inordinate length of time it took for the GPS to connect with the satellite, and once connected it sometimes lost the connection throwing off the entire route. Many, Many reviews have complaints with the reliability of the GPS working at all. The SportWatch appears to age out very quickly, meaning that after one year it begins to malfunction and battery life is greatly diminished.
The SportWatch can also be used with the Nike shoe sensor to record distance and pace.
The Nike+ pod is included in the box and though they’re designed to work with Nike shoes, it’s not necessary. You don’t even have to use it at all, but it’s a good backup in case the watch loses the GPS signal, as it continues to track your distance, pace, and calories. We placed it under the removable padding in our sneakers. We should also note that the Nike SportWatch is also compatible with the Polar WearLink+ heart-rate monitor. You can link them by going to Run > Options > New sensor, but you’ll have to buy this separately. Once the sensors are linked, you’re free to run like the wind.
When you’re done, just press the bottom button again to end your workout. The SportWatch will even give you a little pat on the back by displaying encouraging messages like “Great job!” or “Personal best!” It will also give you a friendly reminder if you haven’t run in a few days as a little motivational nudge.
Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/products/nike-plus-sportwatch-gps/review/
Conclusion
While the Nike+ Sport Watch with TomTom GPS is a fantastic concept, it is expensive for the features it provides and the heavy feel of the band on your wrist is not a selling point. The largest complaint is that the device won’t connect to the satellite most of the time, if it does it takes between 10 and 30 minutes and often drops the run half way through. It is unreliable.
The design of the Nike+ has been well received, many like the color and the placement of the scrolling buttons. For others the band was on the small side for men and a bit masculine looking for women.
Runners that want to keep track of their workouts by transferring data to the computer will like the user friendly interface. It is a simple way to keep track of your stats over time as long as you aren’t relying on GPS.
Check the price here.