Trying to reach a step goal? Aiming for a specific calorie burn? Trying to beat a sleep score from the previous night?
These are health and fitness milestones that have gained popularity due to the wearable device craze sweeping across the globe. People are more obsessed than ever with collecting as much data as possible about their health, and they’re doing so with the help of watches, rings, eyewear, and chest straps.
- These trackers provide personalized data ranging from heart rate variability and sleep quality to the number of calories burned.
Wearables can tell competitive athletes about workout intensity, when they need to rest, when their bodies are fully recovered, and when they are performing at their peak.
But what data points should people focus on to become healthier and fitter? And are we all using them the “right” way?
Chris Hinshaw, the founder of Aerobic Capacity and one of the most well-known endurance coaches in the sports world, says people should use wearable data as a guideline, not as an absolute rule.
- “I was always trained as an athlete to use the wearable as a secondary piece of information on how you were doing. [At] the end of the day, what’s important is how fast are you moving, and the heart rate was just that guide, and we see that now in Zone 2 training,” Hinshaw told Morning Chalk Up in an interview.
Some of the more popular wearable options include Garmin, WHOOP, Oura Ring, Amazfit, Fitbit, and Apple Watch. All of these brands provide various data points depending on the device model and their intended use. For example, a Garmin or Amazfit watch is designed for endurance athletes.
It’s not just runners, either. HYROX racers are rarely seen without a watch that monitors their heart rate during the 8k race, which can last over an hour.
When it comes to the everyday athlete, however, Hinshaw says the biggest mistake is letting the heart rate guide the pace and ignoring muscular fatigue.
- “The mistake is that people are focused on only one aspect of training,” Hinshaw says. “The performance is dictated by what your muscles are capable of doing. The heart rate is just a guide.”
It’s best to prioritize the workout’s intended purpose, he added. And remember, harder isn’t always better.
- “Use heart rate to maintain consistent intensity, and use muscle feedback to target speed and stamina when determining performance,” Hinshaw says.
A good example is a Zone 2 run.
During this exercise, it’s best to focus on maintaining the heart rate within the prescribed zone, which can usually be monitored with a wearable device if worn consistently.
During a Zone 2 run, if the athlete’s heart rate enters Zone 3, Hinshaw recommends walking until it drops back into the lower part of the target zone, then resuming running once your muscles and heart have recovered.
- “Use heart rate as an insightful training guide, not a rigid rule,” he added. “Modern wearables provide a simple, reliable, and accurate way to track and maintain a consistent Zone 2 heart rate while simultaneously monitoring real-time speed and volume, the primary determinants of performance.”
James Kennedy, senior product manager for the sports business unit at Amazfit, says the wearables provide useful information daily and empower users, even if they don’t have specific fitness goals in mind.
- “It’s putting the information in front of people that maybe they already deep down knew. But when you bubble it up and put it in front of their eyes, they recognize the impact,” Kennedy told Morning Chalk Up in an interview.
The question of whether the information wearables provide is making people more anxious about their health has come to the forefront as the health and wellness era continues to skyrocket. However, Kennedy believes that for most people, wearables are putting their health back into their own hands.
- “To me, the more data the better, but really at its core it’s about what you do with that data,” adds Kennedy.
At Amazfit, the focus is exactly on that. One of the primary missions, according to Kennedy, is to find ways to make that data clear and valuable to individuals.
The wearable industry is growing quickly and shows no signs of slowing down. The global wearable technology market was valued at $84 billion in 2024. It is expected to reach $186 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. The wrist-wearable segment is anticipated to generate most of the revenue in 2025.
New products are released daily, expanding options, but ultimately, the industry is working toward the same goal, says Kennedy.
- “I really hope that collectively, as an industry, we are making a strong impact to make people healthier because people are craving it.”
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Featured Image: Scott Freymond
