Dan, why did you decide to use Glass during your CrossFit workout?
Well, I really try to work out as much as possible. That said, I find every possible excuse NOT to hit the gym. You name it, I’ve murmured it to myself driving AWAY from the Y and CrossFit gyms without ever stepping out of the car. As a bit of tech nerd as well, my ears perk up when I hear about any new tool that will help hold me accountable in working to achieve my fitness goals (or at least stop watching Netflix on my couch for 3 hours in a row).
Considering what's already happening in wearable tech, my imagination ran wild considering the possibilities of combining Glass and exercise. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to try Preston Kelly’s Google Glass at the Y.
So, what's the verdict? Do you think Glass could be useful during CrossFit?
The toughest part about a CrossFit workout is remembering what the heck you're doing. Some of the workouts are simple. For example- 5 pushups, 10 pull ups, 15 squats—as many as possible in 10 minutes. Even then, sometimes it’s difficult to keep track of how many rounds you’ve done while you’re gasping for air. At some gyms, you can use chalk to make tally marks on the floor to keep track. That’s time consuming, and also not allowed at the Y.
There are many different CrossFit workouts (oddly enough, all with female names), and many are a little complicated. For example, Linda is 10 – 9 – 8 – 7- 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 reps of 1.5x Body Weight deadlift, Body Weight Bench Press, and 3/4x Body Weight Cleans. See what I mean? Not only would I need a piece of chalk for this one but a calculator as well.
The heads up display on Glass would be great to help out with this. It could keep the workout details in the top right of my vision for me to look at when I need it. I can do it on my phone, but phones aren’t allowed in most gyms and it’s really tough to stop working out to grab my phone, pull up the CrossFit website, and look at the workout every time I forget.
What else could it do?
It's best to have a coach, but when he's not around, a camera is the next best thing to make sure your form is good. It was really easy to tell Glass to take a picture or video into the mirror while I was working out. I’ll show the footage to my trainer later to get pointers. It could also be a great tool for new gym members who could walk up to a complex machine and ask Glass for an instant tutorial and what to watch out for in terms of injuries. Virtual facilities tours could be another cool use for Y staffers.
Cool! Do you think Glass has a place in the future of fitness?
I wouldn't propose that everyone work out with Google Glass on. In fact, people seemed a little wary of ONE guy in the gym with a camera on his head. I got some stares, some people asked me what I was wearing and a few people even gawked at me for a few seconds and then left the area completely. Maybe I smelled bad. That said, it was a great tool to have at the gym and could be even more useful with some added features. All in all, it was a cool experience and I look forward to seeing how wearable tech is used in fitness moving forward.
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