Workout trackers (fitness tracker) are great devices which can monitor your workout activity. You can use heart rate training with them, by tracking your pulse. Also, new top devices can be a smartwatch, music player and even a phone. Some even can be as good looking jewelry or branded watches. Most of the workout trackers (fitness trackers) cooperate with the newest mobile systems like iOS 12 and Android Q.
So, we want to describe to you what are the best workout trackers (fitness trackers), their pros & cons, why do you need them and also what is heart rate training. We have reviewed a huge amount of different smartwatches and workout trackers, so these are the ones we liked the most.
The Fitbit Charge 3 is the newest workout tracker which has some benefits compared to the old model. It also has a nicer design than the previous generation. Why it is first in our ranking? It has a nice price, and it offers a lot of insight into your overall health.
It has a nice clear display and it is better than a lot of other workout trackers on the market. Also, it benefits that it works with all systems and has its own app for android and iOS.
- Nice screen with a really well visible text
- Beautiful design
- Good price
- Sleep tracker
- Nice battery life
- Black and white screen
- No GPS
Samsung made a device with a gorgeous design. It also can be for you as your smartwatch, because of its nice colorful AMOLED screen. Also, it can stream music, built-in GPS and water resistance. So, it has nice features plus a really good price.
With GPS, you can leave your phone at home while you are going for a walk, hike or run. Also, it can measure your swimming process.
With smartwatch function, you also are capable to send notifications for social media, answer for phone calls, text messages, and also make quick responses.
- Nice big AMOLED screen
- Beautiful design
- Good price
- Smartwatch function
- Water proof
- GPS
- Offline Spotify support
- Installation process is difficult
- Battery life could be better
For users of iOS and for people who can afford it, there is no question the Apple Watch Series 4 is the best fitness tracker available on the market. It has the biggest functionality of all competitors. It also has a new beautiful design, with a huge amount of changing wrist belts. Besides, it includes such things as the electrocardiogram (ECG) app, which was certified by the Food & Drug Administration. So, that makes it the first wearable ECG device. Also, it gives you all-day battery life and a huge amount of features that are difficult to find in other workout tracker devices.
Apple Watch is really well fitness-oriented and has such things as GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring and it’s also waterproof down to 50 meters, and many more.
And the only one reason, why we do not recommend Apple Watch Series 5 is, that the only difference is all time on display. And the Apple Watch Series 4 is cheaper now. So, possibly it is not worth to pay more just for one function.
- Beautiful big screen
- Beautiful design
- Available in different size and colours
- Water proof down to 50m
- GPS
- Supports huge amount of third party app
- ECG function
- All day battery life
- Works only with iOS devices
- Quite expensive
Xiaomi Mi Band 4 – It is the cheapest Fitness Tracker which is worth it. Xiaomi Mi Band 3 was a perfect budget-friendly workout tracker, but now the new Xiaomi Mi Band 4 came out! It is much better than the old one, with just one thing, AMOLED color screen.
Also, as an old one, it is a waterproof workout tracker that can do much more than you are expecting from it for this price. It includes such things as heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, sports tracking, and also smart notifications. It is also waterproof, sow what can be better? With AMOLED screen you can see everything even on the sunlight. The only minus is that it has no GPS, but let be realistic, we can’t expect it from the device for 35 dollars.
If you have a limited budget, this device is definitely for you!
- Small and functional
- Very affordable
- Water proof down to 50m
- 15-20 days battery life
- Smaller screen
- Has not GPS
This is one of the best fitness trackers you can buy if you want something more advanced and you still have a small budget.
The Band 3 Pro has GPS, it is also water-resistant and it has a color screen to display all of your data on your wrist. The heart rate monitor is quite accurate, but GPS is a little bit slow at locking on, but for this money, it is good that it just is there.
So, if you are looking for an affordable and nice device for your first, which can track your activities and will look nice on your wrist, just get it!
- Color screen
- Affordable
- Water proof
- Long battery life
- GPS
- Slow GPS at locking on
How did we rank our workout trackers?
So, this was tricky, but we decided to base on a few main points:
- Comfort – Well, not all workout trackers are comfortable, some of them are really fancy, with different bands, etc. But we were looking at how it sits on the hand, is the hand sweating or even if you can have any allergies.
- Design – It is not a secret anymore, that currently, most people choose a workout tracker instead of the watch now. So, everyone wants a nice beautiful everyday wearable device.
- Features – We want to get more for the money we pay. Now we can have a multifunctional device, that is not just showing time, but can measure your heartbeat, playing music, could replace your cell phone, etc.
- Price – this one was the most difficult one. As the price is really different, so we just chose the best one in each different categories. So, you can choose the best choice for your pocket!
Who is this ranking for?
Firstly it is for people who like to have control of their lives. It can sound a little ridiculous, but it is true. You want to know how much you move your body throughout the day and night. You also, want to know how much calories you are burning, to control your diet.
They are also people who want to set goals to increase daily movement, exercise more often. Also, you can improve your sleep habbits, hydration, and even menstrual cycles. Usually, the main difference between workout trackers is the number of sensors and apps availability. Currently, you can count not only the steps but navigate with, track where you were hiking or running, etc. There is such a huge amount of possibilities in such small devices.
Some people want to have just a beautiful design with extra new features. The Apple Watch or Samsung can provide a nice choice with a variety of functions, apps, and models.
Some people just prefer a simple fitness tracker for a few reasons. Usually, the size is smaller and it is much cheaper. Also, the battery lasts much longer usually. Unlike smartwatches, they can run for up to a week between charges (usually you need to charge a smartwatch daily or once in two days). And now the workout trackers can do much more than a few years ago. They can have similar features like smartwatches, but they look cheaper, the design is specified for sports more. Also usually, workout trackers have one app, which is on the phone. But they can have a sleep tracker, which is usually useless in smart watches because you need to charge them almost every day.
What is the best watch overall?
Possible this choice will not make android users too happy, but most of the criteria Apple Watch is number one. Of course, they are the most expensive ones too, but the price is worth it. It has so huge functionality, beautiful large screen, ECG function and many more.
Also, Apple Watch is waterproof, has e-sim support and is a much more powerful device than anyone on the market. It also has the biggest choice of applications on the market and you have a big choice in sizes, body, belts, etc. They also have a beautiful design, good looking for casual or business.
Yes we know, the con is that it is only for iOS users, but unfortunately, any Android or other OS watches can compete with them. Of course, they are quite expensive, but hey, you can use them longer than any other. My brother is using the first series and he still is happy with them.
What is a fitness tracker?
So, a fitness tracker (workout tracker) is a type of electronic device that can help you to monitor your activity, like walking or running, sleep quality or also heart rate. Besides, it can be a smartwatch or other small device which will be connected to your phone or linked to some kind of system. Workout trackers can show you the number of steps you have walked, heart rate and some other data.
Should I use heart rate training?
Heart rate training can be a good way to control the intensity, but, you also need to know what are your heart rate limits.
Heart rate training can be useful for you on your weight lifting when you are making gains or try to cut your fat, just because while doing exercise your heart rate can raise a lot and it needs to calm down before you will take the next set, so workout tracker can help you here. Also, it can be really useful with your cardio, or such type of workout like LISS or HIIT where intensity is really high.
What's a normal and maximal heart rate?
A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. But for well-trained athletes, it can be lower, even about 40 beats per minute.
To measure your pulse, place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. When you will be able to feel your pulse, count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply this number by four (1).
Your maximum heart rate can be estimated this formula: 220 minus age. It is not a perfect formula for people who are working out a long time, but you still can use it. Or you can use a heart rate calculator (2).
What are the benefits of heart rate training?
Heart-rate training prevents you from running too hard on your easy or recovery runs. It is reducing the risk of fatigue and overtraining, which also helps you to recover a little faster.
So, if you will recover properly between your runs, you will be able to be more productive. Heart-rate training is more useful for runs with different intensity. You can control your intensity depending on how high the heart-rate you have.
Just remember that the change doesn’t happen in one moment. Be patient results are coming slow, but when you will see them you will be more motivated to reach new goals!
Bottom line
We hope you know more about workout trackers now, and you can choose one for yourself if you need it. There are plenty of products on the market, but some of them are just useless. Anyway, we hope the devices we presented for you will satisfy you and will make your choice easier.
So, above were the main points, it is only your choice of what to choose. What kind of person are you? Are you the smartwatch fan, or maybe a workout tracker fan?
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