Technology in Sports for the Active Hobbyist  

Most people who actively engage in some sort of sports are not professionals – they are hobbyists. They’re not people who make a living playing baseball or football, rather, they’re simply people who occasionally like to go outside and throw the ball around, or maybe play in some sort of recreational league. However, just because they aren’t pros doesn’t mean they can’t have access to some of the technology that professionals use. Here are a few gadgets and pieces of gear that you can consider if you want to up your skill level at your sport of choice.

Use GPS Tracking Devices Creatively

Are you a skier? If so, then you know that when you are at the top of that mountain when you’re enjoying your ski vacation, all you see is the slope that goes down, and the slope that goes up. It’s very difficult to get a very good overview of the path that you’ll be taking when you drop down the slope. If you have any kind of a GPS tracking app on your phone, turn it on when you go down once. When you get to the bottom, check your path! You’ll be fascinated how accurate GPS can be, and it might give you some ideas of how you can expand your skills simply by looking at different routes you can take on your way down.

Heart Rate Monitors for Runners and Cyclists

You might feel like you’re working hard on your run or out on your bike path, but how do you really know? Get a good heart rate monitor, pair it with your phone, run a diagnostic, and rock and roll. Once you understand what it feels like to have your heart rate in certain zones, you’ll be able to tell via actual data and metrics if you’re working to your body’s capability or not. It’s a huge advantage knowing how hard you’re working, and there are even apps that will tell you to push harder if they know you’re slacking!

Video Games for Balance and Control     

There is some really amazing video game equipment you can buy to check your balance, and some great games that utilize this ability. Whether it’s for a yoga game, sports game, or fitness game, having the right equipment to sense when your weight is balanced or not can very quickly help you fix your body mechanics and muscle memory, which means that you can train smarter and harder at whatever pace you want. Never before has it been so inexpensive to get this kind of data, and it will only get better as more applications and equipment is released in consumer and prosumer quality.