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The Olympic Road To Success With adidas

written by Stephen Morrison

As we settle down to watch the Olympics this summer in Paris, we won’t fail to notice the number of nations and athletes kitted out in the iconic three stripes of adidas. Much like with the footballers involved in Euro 2024. As a brand, adidas is synonymous with excellence, but adidas doesn’t only kit out Olympians and international football players. Everyday athletes like you and I can emulate our favouriite athletes and not just in how we dress, but also in our approach to training and keeping active.

Since starting this blog, I have been very lucky to have trained with and been coached by several World, Olympic and Paralympic Champions. From the very first with swimmer Robbie Renwick there has been a constant theme (no, not me being their “Star Pupil”, although that too is a constant). One of the keys to their success is to focus on incremental gains. Improving each element of their performance with the culmination of improvements taking them to podium finishes.

And this is how I (and you, should you choose) can improve your health. We might not end up on a podium, but we might enjoy a longer and healthier life. 

By taking small steps, I am aiming to regain my fitness, slow down my aging, and prepare for an active and enjoyable retirement (yes, it’s a long term project).

In the past 3 months, I have lost 20lbs,  improved my sleep, and slowly reduced my knee pain. I’ve written about how I have improved my sleep, and in future blogs I will write more about some of the other measures I am taking and some of the experiments I am undertaking. I’m not quite Bryan Johnson, but I share his belief in testing and evaluating protocols. 

But today it is all about how I have prepared and made changes

My first step was to take more steps. Knee pain has limited my walking but I have tried to add more steps to my day. I have to learn to walk before running again (yes, I have decided that one of my goals is to start running again). Maybe not another marathon (have I ever mentioned that I have ran a marathon?), but I’d love to be able to just lace up and head out for a wee run. And I will!

Reducing my knee pain has been my priority with a consistent approach to my physio prescribed exercises. I am not sure if or when I will be pain free again but as time passes and weight drops, the pain does feel less (or I am maybe becoming habitualised to the pain).

I’m also booking an appointment with a podiatrist as my shorter right leg and my fallen arches possibly require some orthotics. With this in mind, I reviewed my shoes and noted the worn away soles adding to my supination. 

While I have drastically reduced my obsession with running shoes and now try to limit my purchases, adidas kindly gifted me a pair of adidas Response CL shoes which even my boys approve of. It might be a placebo effect, but walking does feel better. With a sturdy build and a scuff resistant Cordura finish, I have picked these to last.

For the gym, confidence has been an issue for me. I know that nobody is looking at me or cares about what I am doing or how I look, but I do feel better when I am dressed appropriately. And dressed appropriately usually means simply wearing some breathable and loose fitting and belly covering tracksuits. I am partially fond of my adidas tiro tracktop. In a stylish and slimming (I tell myself) black, it’s my go to top.

I am going 3 times a week and focusing on all over body strength and cardio. Usually 30 – 40 minutes resistance training and 20 minutes on a bike. I have a longer term plan, but I am focusing on my weaknesses first.

I have also adressed my diet and reintroduced a few protocols which have worked for me before, The recent passing of Dr. Mosley was a somber moment, but his legacy lives on in the 5:2 diet that he popularized and which I am using as part of an Intermittent Fasting (IF) approach. Two days of mindful eating, five days of culinary freedom (well, maybe not complete freedom) is working for me. 

I am also keeping myself more hydrated and with the upcoming #PlasticFreeJuly (see my other new blog this week) I am making use of my gym and work water fountains. Whenever I feel hungry, I check if drinking some water helps, and so far this is proving to be an effective strategy.

Success won’t come down to any one of these things, but together and in combination to my other protocols. I am seeing progress and with consistency I can lay the foundation for the future. We cannot all be Olympians but we can all adopt the tools and techniques that will give us healthier and happier lives. We just need to find our starting point, plan our race, and give it our best.

#gifted #adidasbloggercommunity

The Olympic Road To Success With adidas was last modified: July 3rd, 2024 by Stephen Morrison
July 1, 2024 0 comment
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Kit and Tech ReviewsPhysical Activity

Sit Stand Desk Guide for On Your Feet Britain Day with Sit-Stand.Com

written by Stephen Morrison

Smoking Kills. Obesity Kills and now, it seems that Sitting Kills.

That is right. Spend too much of your day sitting down and you might find yourself lying permanently prone sooner than you wish due to an array of unwelcome associated risks.

Screen Shot 2018 04 15 at 23.12.43

 

A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology   concluded that the average person spends about 7.7 hours a day sitting down and this does lead to increased mortality rates, even for those who are otherwise relatively active.

In fact, according to a 2016 Meta- Analysis of over 1 million people, you need to exercise daily for 60-75 minutes at a moderate intensity to offset the risks of sitting too much.

Moderate intensity activity is brisk walking, gardening and slow cycling (under 10 miles an hour). Finding time to do that for at least an hour EVERY day can be challenging, so instead, can we sit less…..and stand more?

In addition to being a blogger, I am a civil servant and a Netflix fan, so my hours spent sitting add up, so when Sit-Stand.com emailed me to review their YO-YO Mini Sit-Stand Desk, I jumped out of my chair (see, instant result) with excitement (yes, I am sad, I know).

I have longed for one of these for some time (told you I was sad) and every year, my departmental staff survey return has suggested that we provide them for staff.

For using a sit stand desk brings many benefits

Firstly and most importantly, I am sitting less. At home, I am now spending at least two hours a day standing at my computer as I write, answer emails and watch TV shows whereas previously I would have been sitting on my backside.

Sit Stand Desk Guide

Stand Up for your Love..Handles

 

I am also burning more calories (although it is debatable whether this is significant) as I not only stand, but I also wobble (and not just because I am fat, cheeky) on my Steppie Balance Board.

My Steppie allows me to shift my weight and move while standing and it helps reduce some of aches and pains that you might encounter when first using your Yo-Yo Sit Stand desk.

Rather than being hunched over a desk, I now find myself standing straighter, with less rounded shoulders and less curving of my back. I also feel that I am being more productive. Although I will watch some Netflix standing, I have noticed that I am using it to write blogs and answer emails without the distraction of social media. It might be my posture, but I am standing up and getting down to business.

And posture when using a standing desk is important. While my Yo Yo Sit Stand desk is really simple to put together and operate (two levers elevate it to your desired height) and requires no technical skills, if you are to make the most of it and make it a permanent change to how you use your computer, then there are some additional points to consider

And for this, I called in Posture Expert, Sarah-Jane Walls of The Yoga Pilates Place, for a Sit Stand Desk Guide. The first thing she advised was that it is essential that you do not simply transfer your bad sitting habits to your standing desk.

Sit Stand Desk Guide

Sarah-Jane advised that you need to set up sit stand desk the same way you would set up any desk for proper ergonomics. Many office spaces have what they call “Hot desk” standing desks. The idea being you take your laptop over to the standing desk when you feel you want to stand – this doesn’t work… it is simply not set up to your requirements and over time you would notice gripes with your neck and back amongst other areas.

Instead, ensure that the ergonomics of your desk and everything is within good reach, and the right height for you and that you get the balance right.

To get the most out of your sit to stand desk it is ideal to have a 3:1 standing to seated ratio. Meaning you stand 40 minutes, then sit for 20 minutes. With an adjustable workstation, like the Yo-Yo Mini, you can easily shift from sitting to standing and back again.

Don’t forget that your body is made to move. Problems arise when we do not move and this equally applies to standing at a sit-stand desk.

With any standing desk, you need to consider your feet (if you have read my #feetforlife blogs, you will appreciate that I do have a slight foot fetish). Standing on a hard surface all day can cause strain to the lower limbs and in addition to my Steppie, I also have a very comfortable (especially in bare feet) Yo-Yo anti-fatigue mat. However, an ergonomic footpad is highly recommended if you are going to make the most of your new desk.

Place the footpad under your feet to cushion and support the soles of your feet. Now, bare feet are possibly not welcome in the workplace, so it is vital that you also consider your footwear – ideally supportive athletic shoes that do not restrict your feet and provide arch support. Now, I know that trainers might not be possible, but you really do need to consider what you are wearing especially if you are at a standing desk. If you are wearing high heels at your standing desk, then that is going to change the forces, and thus how your pelvis and body reacts, and tilts. You could consequently end up with lower back pain.

My Steppie has an optional soft top that encourages my feet to make simple but dynamic movements and Sarah Jane advises that you should also stretch the back of your legs or roll your feet on a small trigger point ball. The key is to keep moving while standing.

Sit Stand Desk Guide

The Steppie Board and anti-fatigue mat are a perfect pair up (unlike my socks)

 

Sarah-Jane also stresses how important it is to regularly stretch throughout your time standing. Set posture reminders (could be on a post-it note) to make sure that you are moving your lower limbs and your pelvis, and that you are reminding yourself to do this on an hourly basis.

You could make it fun, and get your colleagues involved (we do team squats), and all just do it together. It does not need to be anything weird and wonderful, it is just about moving more and a Sit-Stand desk is a great step in the right direction.

To celebrate #ONYOURFEETDAY, Sit-Stand.com are offering you the opportunity to win a Yo-Yo desk of your own (yes, you REALLY do want one!).

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Disclaimer: I received a Yo Yo Sit Stand desk to review but my review is objective (I really do love me desk).

 

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Sit Stand Desk Guide for On Your Feet Britain Day with Sit-Stand.Com was last modified: April 27th, 2018 by Stephen Morrison
April 26, 2018 2 comments
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HealthKit and Tech Reviews

Win a Naipo Massage Cushion

written by Stephen Morrison

Hands up!

Who all decided to embark on a New Year, New You fitness drive and went all in?

You might have emptied your cupboards of junk, stopped eating carbohydrates and signed up for the gym, where you have given your all.

IMG 20171103 175346

And now, as we near the end of February, the weight loss has slowed down, you are hangry and you are sore.

For moving more comes at a price (especially if you normally sit hunched over a keyboard for most of your day), even if the rewards are well worth the cost. You are using muscles that you might have previously underutilised and you are putting extra load onto your joints.

Now, while I do not subscribe to the “No Pain, No Gain” approach, there is something appealing and reassuring about waking up stiff (oi you lot with the dirty minds) following a good workout (not that kind).

It can make walking down stairs almost a mission impossible and doing simple things like lifting jars and opening doors a stretch

And quite often, having a post exercise stretch can help, alongside a warm down.

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Far too often, we (I am guilty as charged) ignore the need to warm down and ignore the benefits. It can reduce the pooling of blood (helps prevent you from fainting), the buildup of lactic acid and also helps your heart rate and blood pressure to recover (1).

It also helps to treat your body to the occasional massage and while this will not prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), it can help you relax and recover from soreness and injury while it can make you feel a lot better too.

I have medical insurance that allows me to have regular massage treatments, but what if you do not or what if time is a factor?

While it can never replace the sensation of a masseuse’s skilled hands (will you filthy lot give it a rest?), a good alternative is a home massage machine. Now, I know many of you will have wasted money on inferior and relatively useless massage machines in the past, but I have been conducting some testing.

And in Naipo, I have discovered https://healthylivinguk.org/2017/02/28/viagra-from-canada-without-prescription-online-drugstore/ some massage tools that really hit the spot and really help alleviate my aches and pains.

The first is the  heated Naipo Back and Neck massager  which has been a godsend for my very tight shoulders and upper back (bad posture and months of stress will not have helped).

Not ME!

 

While it  (and acupressure) is effective (2), it is quite bulky and needs mains supply to power it, so when Naipo told me about their cordless and very comfortable heated shiatsu massage cushion, I thought of everyone driving to work or sitting in an office or at home with aching bodies and I did what I often do best.

I blagged

But not for myself, I already have  a great Naipo massager, so I managed to convince them to do two things.

Firstly, I asked them not to send me one to test and to instead send one to one of you.

81hnkV54WoL. SL1500

That’s right, you can win one of these Naipo Cordless Shiatsu Massage Cushions by simply commenting on why you need this Naipo Massage Cushion. Everyone who does so will be entered into a random pick generator and one of you will be sent one of these cushions that have an RRP of £99.99 by Naipo.

Also, everyone will be able to buy doxycycline one of these for £33.74 using the code SARH5VZQ at this AMAZON LINK (not affiliate).

I say everyone, but there is one condition. This competition and offer is only open to those resident in the UK,US,Spain,France,Italy and Canada. If this competitions prove popular, I can and will be able to run more Naipo giveaways.

THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING PART. THE WINNER WAS ALLISON ROSS

References

  1. Warm Down : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3588693/
  2. Shiatsu & Acupressure: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3200172/

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Win a Naipo Massage Cushion was last modified: December 30th, 2019 by Stephen Morrison
February 19, 2018 30 comments
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Kit and Tech ReviewsPhysical ActivityRunning

Treadmill or Dreadmill: The Technogym SkillMIll Review

written by Stephen Morrison

I really want to participate in the Men’s 10K again this year, but more importantly, I want to run all of it. Crossing the finish line meant so much to me as you can see in the image below, but I also walked too much.

 

SkillMill Review

There was a time, not too long ago, when running 10km would not have phased me, but even though my knee is stronger and I am losing weight, there are still doubts that prevent me from hitting the road.

So, I have a confession to make.

I have been taking advantage of my Glasgow Club membership and I have been running on a dreadmill treadmill at Bellahouston Sports Centre. Not only is it less impact on my bad knee, but it helps me avoid the worst of the winter weather.

 

SkillMill Review

Oh, I so want to Return to OZ

 

I had thought of investing one for the house and I had looked at comparison sites but I would never be able to afford the treadmill that I really, really want.

The TechnoGym SkillMill

SkillMill Review

It is no ordinary treadmill and with an RRP of £9,000 I would not expect it to be. So what makes it so special?

The first thing that you notice is that it is not flat like most other treadmills. Instead, it curves. This seemingly encourages you to run on the balls of your feet and as a self confessed heel striker, this caught my attention. You also cannot but help notice that it is steam powered. No, not with some James Watt inspired contraption, but instead powered by your own steam. The faster and further up the curve you run, the faster the belt moves.

And you feel it. Running on the skillmill is not easy. My first attempt was less than graceful.

However, once I got used to it I began to feel more comfortable. My pace, gait and rhythm all felt much better and I quickly began to feel more comfortable running faster and slowing down, just by simply running faster and slowing down (it’s a kind of magic). It felt more gentle and more natural and I would like to read more about Technogym’s  research into the benefits of the SkillMill on the joints and muscle contractions.

The SkillMill requires you to use your glutes and hamstrings more than a traditional treadmill as you drag the belt with your feet and in this it resembles running outside more. It also means that after only a few minutes, I was tiring and that a few days later my glutes were on fire. Not so much no pain, no gain but more that I was using muscles that had been ignored for far too long.

The SkillMill has become one of the highlights of my visits to Glasgow Club Bellahouston and I am looking forward to incorporating it the FT fitness class that seems to be booked solid every day, where it is used like a sledge to great effect, but it is not the only attraction.

The Bellahouston Fitness Suite has undergone a transformation that puts it on a par with many of the more expensive gyms in the city ( I have been a member of many). With a whole range of Technogym equipment, including the SkillRow, synchronised to a mywellness app on my phone, I can easily plan, follow and review my training while there are Kinesis stations that I am slowly starting to love.

SkillMill Review

With Swimathon in 14 weeks and the Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon in 15 weeks, I am going to be spending a lot of time in the Bellahouston swimming pool, on the SkillMill and in classes such as the legendary Monday night Circuit Class (where I am going tonight).

And with monthly membership only £34 per month with no joining fee in January and nothing to pay until February , now is the time to Join Glasgow Club

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Treadmill or Dreadmill: The Technogym SkillMIll Review was last modified: January 22nd, 2018 by Stephen Morrison
January 22, 2018 2 comments
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CyclingKit and Tech ReviewsTriathlon

Bike Light Guide from Cycle Republic

written by Stephen Morrison

The Winter Solstice has passed (for us in the Northern Hemisphere) and the days are finally growing lighter, but the mornings and early evenings are still dark and often the rain can impact on visibility.

So, if you were lucky enough to receive a new bike for Christmas or gifted a bike to a younger family member, you might be wondering about how to keep safe while cycling in the dark and winter weather.

Thankfully, Cycle Republic have created a very enlightening (couldn’t resist the pun) post to help you decide your lighting requirements.

Bike Light Guide

In their post, you will see that the brighter you are, the more safe you are, but that it doesn’t alway mean that you have to spend a small fortune to achieve this.

By thinking about what you want to achieve i.e. avoiding being hit by vehicles, pedestrians and the occasional pot hole, you can focus on what lights suit you without breaking the bank.

Attach a wee light to your backpack and /or helmet (or even shoes) and make yourself seen without the need to look like the Blackpool Illuminations while some strategically placed and cheaply purchased Lezyne Strip lights will make you visible to all.

Mini Bike Light Reviews

Earlier in the year, I got to test the awesome Garmin Varia Smart lights which react to your speed and to the level of darkness and while I was blown away by their functionality (I could switch them on using my watch as I approached my bike), for someone cycling short distances in a well lit city, the price of £280 for the set dulled my enthusiasm.

Bike Light Guide

Instead, I have fallen (thankfully not literally) for the Ryder Alumia 650 Lumen light that also functions as a handheld torch.

Bike Light Guide

Very handy when my pipes burst at Christmas and my power went out!

Easily charged by USB, it is bright, waterproof and durable (I am a tad clumsy) while at £35, they are very reasonably priced (I received a pair to review and could have asked for a more expensive set, but I genuinely felt that these were more practical and a better fit for me).

While it does take up to four hours to fully charge them, the time to fit them to your bike is minutes. No tools are required and with the main body being small and removable, it is ideal for city journeys and stops.

At the moment, Cycle Republic are offering £15 off an £100 spend and with a great sale on, you can brighten up your day and ride.

 

Bike Light Guide

 

Bike Light Guide from Cycle Republic was last modified: December 28th, 2017 by Stephen Morrison
December 29, 2017 0 comment
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Forerunner 735XT
Kit and Tech ReviewsTriathlonTry-Athlete

Garmin Forerunner 735XT Multisport Watch Review

written by Stephen Morrison

This summer, I headed off to Australia with a spring in my step and a new Garmin Forerunner 735XT  on my wrist. It had been a winter of discontent , disappointment and disconnection, but I had decided that by autumn, I would branch out into new sports and activities and leave my troubles and negative thoughts behind.

Armed with the Garmin Forerunner 735XT, I was equipped to track several new activities in addition to the staples of outdoor and indoor running, cycling and swimming which are more than adequately tracked by almost every other Garmin Forerunner watch.

These included  Rowing, Stand Up Paddle (SUP) boarding and Hiking. All activities that I hoped to undertake while on my Australian travels.

There is also the option of adding other activity profiles,  such as Strength and Cardio, but these basically operate like a stopwatch with heart rate based calorie burn, which don’t, in my opinion, add much value, although you can download HIIT training apps, which could be fun (please note that perceptions of what constitutes fun may vary).

The watch itself is smaller than the Forerunner 620 and similar in shape and size to the Forerunner 235. This makes for a comfortable fit and more likely to be “borrowed” by my training partner and partner in life, Teresa. It is quite light and given my knack for falling off of bikes, I have concerns about how durable the plastic  casing and screen are. My first 620 (it was stolen during a burglary) suffered a few scrapes and some might prefer a more rugged watch, such as the new Suunto  Spartan Ultra, but I do like how light it is and the fact that I can customise it and wear it as an everyday watch  (more on that later) at work.

It also lacks the touch screen ability of the Forerunner 620, but I have a confession. While I loved my 620, I prefer using buttons. More reliable, especially in wet conditions  (I do live in Glasgow) and a slightly faster and more accurate  response than the touch screen , although that might be down to my fat fingers.

 

Outdoor Swimming with the Garmin 735XT

While in Oz, I went swimming in oceans,  lakes, creeks and even under a waterfall and can attest to it being waterproof (and shockproof seemingly).  The optical heart rate monitor doesn’t work in water, but Garmin do provide a chest strap for swimmers and another for triathletes with the Tri Bundle. I never tested these as I had left them at home, but when I start my swimming lessons (pool and sea), I will use this to measure my performance and progress.

Garmin 735XT

Garmin probably didn’t have swimming in waterfalls in mind when designing the 735XT

Currently, I am more of a try-athlete than a triathlete, so the Forerunner 735XT is probably a tad advanced for my needs, but the Ironman within me is eager to test it in triathlons and I did manage to test while hiking through a few rainforests and on a kayak in the Whitsunday Islands

Kayaking with the Forerunner 735XT

Forerunner 735XT

I went “get in the sea” with this pic, as I was about to get in the sea

The activity profile on the Forerunner 735XT is actually for rowing and I am not sure just how universal stroke speed and distance are, but on reviewing my performance back on land and comparing it against average kayaking metrics, the numbers seemed about right. For someone not very good at kayaking, that is.

Forerunner 735XT

Seemingly this is at the low end of average.

 

And here is my main issue with the all singing (only activity it doesn’t measure) and all dancing Forerunner 735XT.

Post kayak or row, I love looking at the stats, charts and maps on both the Forerunner 735XT and the Garmin Connect App on my mobile phone and reflecting on my performance. While running, I can lift my arm and see how I am performing in real time, and make adjustments, but just try that while kayaking (and even swimming). You are dependent on two arms and monitoring your performance is impossible, using only the watch (feel free to correct me) without interrupting your flow.

However, the GPS does certainly work well enough, even at sea. It is very quick at acquiring satellites and much faster than my old Forerunner 620. I especially like the Garmin Connect maps.

Garmin 735XT

My Garmin Map of Shute Harbour using my Forerunner 735XT

 

Hiking with the Forerunner 735XT

In Hiking mode, it also adds elevation and as we climbed Mt Ngungun in the Glasshouse Mountains (read my post about it) and Mt Cannibal (given the Australian tradition of naming every place literally such as “To The Beach Road”, I was relieved to find it was clear of cannibals ), my boys were elated to hear at regular intervals how high we were climbing. One caveat worth noting is that the Forerunner 735XT relies on GPS.  For some reason,  known only to Garmin, it doesn’t have a barometric altimeter that you can find in the likes of the Vivoactive HR .

Forerunner 735XT

Elevation (both in altitude and heart rate)

In addition to measuring our elevation, it also measures distance,  pace, calories burned and of course heart rate, which seemed to elevate in pace with our ascent of Dunk Island. The dips were undoubtedly selfie and scenery stops. Not rests. Honest.

And that brings us neatly to the wrist based optical heart rate monitor (hrm). For me, chest straps found on sports watches are a pain. Literally. They are often too tight and I have often found it difficult to keep them in place. The addition of an optical hrm attracted me to both the Forerunner 235 and 735XT and there is something addictive about checking your heart rate while walking to work, climbing stairs, watching television  and even while sitting on the loo. Possibly too much information, but I was only doing so for research purposes. Honest.

But the optical monitors are not without their detractors. Fitbit are currently battling a class action lawsuit for the inaccuracy of their optical heart rate monitor watches and I do have some reservations about the Garmin Elevate system. It is a proprietary technology and over the courses of several updates, Garmin claim that it has become more accurate and for the majority of time, it does seem to be. I have a very low resting heart rate and recover relatively  quickly from exertion (it must be all the yoga and meditating) and the Forerunner 735XT seems to be unable to react accurately to sudden changes in heart rate, although it does eventually respond and for my purposes , the readings are accurate enough.  While wearing it 24/7, I really like how it uses my heart rate to determine my daily basal metabolic rate.  I.E. how many calories I burn each day (otherwise referred to as how much food I can eat in a day).

You become addicted to checking if your heart is still beating

I also quite like the customisable watch faces via Garmin IQ (their App centre) and the smart notifications that show me weather forecasts, social media updates, and even text messages and incoming calls (handy at work). However, these are also available on the Forerunners  235 and 635, and on their own, they are not a reason to upgrade to the Forerunner  735XT. However, the watch does come into its own with some key and rather exciting features.

Forerunner 735XT

Just call me Universal Biker

The Forerunner 735XT is the only Garmin watch order viagra
that supports the Garmin Varia range and having picked up the Vision In-Sight display headset, I can confirm that they pair together quickly. As I train for triathlons and get out on my bikes more, I will fully test the Vision and report back.

The Forerunner  735XT also improves upon the 235 by adding a function that would please my Chi Running coach (see my review of Chi Running).

A Metronome. 

I am guilty of a long stride (even with my short legs) and a low cadence and the Metronome tool is set to pulse at the recommended  180 steps per minute, although this can be tailored to each runner. This helps you run at a more efficient pace.

For the sports scientists among you, the Forerunner 735XT is equipped with all manner of performance indicators. From the standard training tools, race predictor, VO2 max (premium Forerunners) and recovery adviser to more advanced Lactate Threshold (requires the chest  strap) and Functional Threshold Power readings. I will be honest, these mean little to me at the moment, but I intend on finding out.

You might think that all of these functions and the constant use of GPS, heart rate and bluetooth might be battery intensive and in comparison to the seemingly never ending battery of the Garmin Vivofit, it is.  While away for four weeks, and using the heart rate and GPS, I have charged it three times with a very quick charge time.  I should point out that Garmin state that it will last 14hrs in full race mode, so any budding Ironmen might want to consider their expected finishing times and an alternative watch, such as the Fenix 3.

However, the Garmin Forerunner 735XT is a stunning sports watch that combines many of the best features of Garmin’s Forerunner and Fenix ranges and it equally works well as a physical activity tracker  (like other models,  it reminds you to move) and smart watch.

All of this doesn’t come cheap (Garmin Forerunner 735XT Tri Bundle costs £435 at Wiggle , but you can pick up the Run Bundle for £335 at Millets) and for the average runner or cyclist, I might recommend the less expensive options of the Forerunner 235 or Vivoactive HR, but then, who wants to be average and who would much rather be an Ironman (or at least a half Ironman)?

The Garmin Forerunner 735XT is a watch for Triathletes and Try-Athletes. It is the watch for me.

 

Disclaimer. Garmin provided a Forerunner 735XT for this review, but I loved it so much, I bought one for myself.

Garmin Forerunner 735XT Multisport Watch Review was last modified: December 30th, 2019 by Stephen Morrison
August 24, 2016 2 comments
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Kit and Tech ReviewsTry-Athlete

The Hub Pro. First Impressions and Interview with its Creator

written by Stephen Morrison

The Hub Pro completely underpins the Faster training philosophy. It allows complete freedom for my clients to express themselves through movement, in an environment that easily lends it’s to task driven exercises to promote skill development with enough distraction to hit the right energy systems to smash their physical adaptation goals –

Scott Devenney,  Faster Trainer. 

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The Hub Pro. First Impressions and Interview with its Creator was last modified: October 26th, 2017 by Stephen Morrison
April 28, 2016 0 comment
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Once 354lbs, I now use physical activity to add years to my life and life to my years

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