Integrating tech into a weightlifting routine

If you’re in the market for a fitness tracker, it can be disheartening to see a lot of options for running, cycling, swimming, and other cardio activities. If your passion is weightlifting, it’s easy to feel like you’ve been forgotten about.

And yet, beneath the surface, there are a lot of ways you can use technology to hit new personal bests, add an extra rep to your set, or even plan out entire new routines to keep your body guessing.

Here are some ways to integrate tech into your weightlifting routine. Some you may know, but some may be new.

‍

Picking the right earphones

If you’re anything like us, the right playlist, or even the right song, can inspire you to push just that little bit further than you even thought possible.

While wireless headphones have grown more common, and a lot smaller and less intrusive, it can be tricky to find some that hit the sweet spot between clear audio and the kind that’ll stay in your ears.

For our money, we’d recommend looking into something like the PowerBeats Pro from Apple, the SoundSport Wireless from Bose, or anything else that hooks into, or onto, your ears.

While AirPods and the like have grown in popularity, they tend to slip out of ears when you sweat – particularly on exercises like bench press where you’re laying back. The examples above will still hang, and many will offer swappable tips to get the fit just right

‍

Emerging technologies

Everything in this article is based on what you carry – a phone, earphones, or a fitness tracker. But there are exciting new things on the horizon for fitness fanatics that like to try new tech.

One such idea is that of a body sensor outfit. The idea is that as your muscles struggle while lifting, the clothing you’re wearing will essentially map out which muscles need extra work and give recommendations on how to adjust your body to accommodate.

It’s not quite ready for mass market production, at least not yet, but it’s an intriguing prospect.

As far as fitness tech has come in the last ten years, it’s likely to go even further in the next ten.

‍

Picking the right app for the job

There are plenty of apps that track workouts, but it’s worth looking into weight-specific options. For example, popular running app Strava can import a workout, but the data just kind of, well, sits there – it’s logged, but it can do so much more.

Here are some of our favorites:

‍Liftr: A fairly recent entry to fitness apps, Liftr essentially lets you set goals, track workouts, and spot patterns. It’s got over 240 workouts to pull from in creating your routines, too.

‍Strong: Strong is a workout tracker that replaces the dusty notepad you’ve been carrying around. It’s not just a way to look at all of your data, including reps and body fat percentage, but it’s also a gorgeously designed app.

‍Fitbod: Fitbod uses AI tech to build bespoke workout plans for users. It’ll also show which muscles you’re working, and how regularly, essentially showing you where you can take a rest or focus elsewhere.

‍

Logging your progress

While the apps above are all great, there’s something to be said about diarising things in your own way – no, you can put the notepad down.

Day One is a great option, because it’s a great way to log events quickly while also letting you come back to add more detail. Maybe you want to log a selfie for your progress highlight reel, or maybe you want to record how your mental state is after training – after all, there’s nothing more empowering than that new PB, right?

There are other options out there, though, but it’s worth experimenting to find one that works for you.

‍

Which of these ideas have you tried? Be sure to let us know how you’re using tech while working out.

‍