Everything you need to know about the local fitness scene.
What’s happening right up to what’s new and what’s hot (and what’s not!)
Join me as I give you the industry wrap up, news and reviews of events and new products.
Flow with Fitbit
Track your Period with the New Fitbit Versa
The Fitbit Versa is Fitbit’s lightest metal smartwatch. It offers a comfortable design and a new dashboard that simplifies how you access your health and fitness data. Advanced health and fitness features like 24/7 heart rate tracking, onscreen workouts, and automatic sleep stages tracking meet smart features like quick replies on Android, wallet-free payments, and on-device music – all with 4+ days battery life.
Fitbit also announced new female health tracking to help women track their menstrual cycle, view holistic health data in one place, and better understand connections to their overall health. Female health tracking will be available on-device for Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Ionic™ users, and to all Fitbit app users.
Fitbit Versa is available on Fitbit.com and select online retailers for R3,199 in black with a black aluminum case, grey with a silver aluminum case, or peach with a rose gold aluminum case; accessories range from approx. R499 – R1,499. Versa will be available in stores worldwide mid-April 2018 at Makro, Incredible Connection, Dion Wired, Dis-chem, Totalsports, Due South, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cape Union Mart and Takealot.
Fun with Fitbit
Fitbit Ace Inspires Healthy Habits for Kids and Makes Fitness Fun for the Whole Family
Fitbit Ace is an activity tracker that makes fitness fun for kids while inspiring the entire family to build healthy habits together and help fight decreasing levels of activity in children. Designed for kids ages 8 and older, Ace automatically tracks steps, active minutes and sleep, has up to 5 days of battery life, features an adjustable, showerproof wristband in two bright colours, and provides encouragement to be active. Plus, with the new Fitbit family account, parents can control who their kids connect with in the Fitbit app so they can safeguard their kids’ privacy and stay on top of their activity.
Fitbit Ace is available on Fitbit.com for R1,499. Ace will be available in stores worldwide in Q2 2018.
Run Baby, Run
Thule presents the new and improved Thule Glide 2 State of the art three-wheel stroller for active parents
No more skipping runs to look after the baby! Now, you can enjoy a much-needed run and take your baby with you! The Thule Glide 2 is fast, lightweight, and designed for parents who enjoy running on all different types of terrain. Packed with intelligent design features, the Thule Glide 2 keeps children comfortable and safe. The fully adjustable, padded harness delivers a perfect fit and the ventilated canopy protects from the elements, while the integrated twist hand brake offers improved security and braking control on steep terrains. The rear suspension also means your child can relax and enjoy the ride, while the padded seat reclines to allow on-the-go naps.
Thule Glide 2, RRP R11 999, is available as a single stroller in Jet Black.
Get Your Ohm Run On
Nike and Headspace Collaborate to Bring Runners Audio-Guided Running Sessions
Nike’s ability to inspire and equip athletes to meet their goals and enhance their performance continues thanks to its expanding partnership with guided meditation and mindfulness app Headspace. This partnership serves to reward athletes throughout their journey — and the more active someone is in the Nike Run Club (NRC) app or Nike Training Club (NTC) app, the more they get rewarded. It’s all part of the exciting new benefits available with a NikePlus membership.
When Headspace first began developing sports meditation content, they worked with top sports psychologists to determine exactly how athletes might benefit from mindfulness. They found that training mindfully will ensure an athlete is preparing, performing and recovering in the most efficient and effective way possible — no matter what activity they’re doing.
Audio-guided runs (AGRs), which you can find in the NRC app, provide step-by-step expert coaching from Nike pros and elite athletes to help you improve pacing, speed and endurance, making them a great way to take your running to the next level.
Now, Nike is adding-audio guided mindful runs — the first of their kind — to NRC’s arsenal of AGRs. The first three are in the app now and feature Coach Bennett, Headspace’s Puddicombe, and Olympic steeplechaser and Nike athlete Colleen Quigley. What sets these apart from Nike’s other guided runs is that in addition to getting effort-based running instruction, you’ll also learn how to unlock strength and peace from within.
Each mindful run falls into one of the same three categories every NRC run does (long, speed or recovery), but even though you may run fast during one, running fast won’t be the focus of the session. Instead, you’ll be coached in ways that help you feel like you are in control of your run, your outlook on your running and even your life.
Practising mindfulness can enhance your time in the gym, too, so you’ll also be able to find additional expert tips and stories throughout the NTC app from Headspace on how to use mindfulness to improve your workout and overall performance.
Try the first three audio guided mindful runs on the NRC app and look out for stories and tips on the NTC app now. New content will continue to roll out on both apps and beyond in the future.
Author: Tanja Schmitz
Founder and Editor of Fitness Magazine. You’ll find her behind her computer or on her bike, dreaming up new ways to improve or create content for you.
