[March 27, 2013] Dress for fitness: Wear the right gadgets Tweet Mar 27, 2013 (Mint - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- For 31-year-old Arvind Bharathi, who likes to run in marathons, his Garmin Forerunner wristwatch gives him added motivation to work out and track his fitness levels. "I have been running for a while and my training regime is structured, so it makes this device all the more relevant. At some point, it starts making a huge difference," says Bharathi, who has been part of a Bangalore-based running community called Runners For Life since 2006, and has been using the Garmin watch for almost three years. The device comes armed with a GPS receiver and a heart-rate monitor (HRM) feature that helps the user track distance and running pace. The user can then link it to a website where the data can be uploaded and analysed. The Garmin Forerunner is one of numerous wearable devices that can help fitness fanatics and the calorie-conscious track what they eat and analyse how much they need to work out on a daily basis. Other popular devices in the market globally include the likes of Fitbit Wireless Activity Tracker, the Nike+ FuelBand and a host of heartbeat-monitor watches manufactured by companies like Puma and Garmin. In India, the market is still at a nascent stage, but it's beginning to grow. The big question is how effective these devices actually are. Some might argue that writing down the details works just as effectively in recording workouts and calorie consumption. Some, however, feel that these devices have actually evolved into necessities and are more than just gizmos hyped for marketing purposes. "Pen and paper work fine for tracking, but wearing these devices is a visible reminder to move more. You can set an 'idle alert' on the Jawbone UP to vibrate every 30 minutes to remind you to get up and move, which you can't do with pen and paper. In addition, the apps that come with these devices often have positive psychology built into them, with goals, achievements and progression, like a video game," says Sarah Rotman Epps, a senior analyst at US-based firm Forrester Research tracking wearables, says in an email. photo Cycling enthusiast Rajesh Dhuddu has been using a Puma heartbeat monitor to keep a check on overexertion. Photo -- Priyanka Parashar/Mint "It helps me not to overdo it. Writing out details is a noble thought, but it can get messy tracking data that way," says 39-year-old Rajesh Dhuddu, vice-president at Quatrro Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Gurgaon, who has been using a Puma heartbeat-monitor watch for two-and-a-half years and is a long-distance cycling enthusiast. "When you are cycling up an incline, your heartbeat increases exponentially. People who are enthusiastic about outdoor physical activities often keep pushing themselves and don't listen to their body. This leads to fatigue and that can cause harm to the body. Previously, when I used to go uphill, I often pushed beyond the limit. Is it dangerous No. Is it risky Yes," he says. Not everyone agrees on the need for these devices. Some users, for instance, say popular Android apps like Strava, which analyse jogging pace and heart rate, and the Endomondo Sports Tracker, which can track running, give audio feedback, map your routes and calculate heart rate based on the duration and intensity of exercise, can be just as effective. Sherwin Noronha, who works at the Singapore-based commodities firm Kawamin Pacific Pte. Ltd, has been using both apps for about a year now and feels they work just as well as any other fitness tracker. He uses a Bluetooth HRM device from Zephyr that he connects to both his apps to get readings on heart rates, running pace, etc. "These basic free apps do the job for me," says Noronha, who is based in Mumbai. There is little data available on the Indian market for fitness-related gadgets. But Mumbai-based Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at information technology research and advisory firm Gartner Inc, says "more such devices are going to emerge and have already started coming into the market". He adds that non-fitness wearable devices like the new Google Glass are also going to get traction from consumers. "The big challenge is reaching out to consumers...these devices are not affordable for a lot of households," says Gupta. Most are priced upwards of Rs.5,000-10,000 in a market that prefers spending more on devices like smartphones, tablets and computers. "People buy these devices because they have a goal, like getting more active or losing weight, but they also may be influenced by seeing what their friends are using. When it comes to which device they buy, my hypothesis is they look for reviews on what's reliable, look at what's fashionable and actually wearable. Once they buy it, they discover the apps and specific features," Epps says. Rajiv Mehta, managing director of Puma in South Asia, says India is likely to offer big opportunities for manufacturers targeting a niche audience of fitness enthusiasts, like marathon runners, cyclists, and regular joggers who like to listen to music while working out. "Devices that come with a music option are the most popular in India," says Mehta. "For example, a jacket with attached headphones that allows you to listen to music would definitely sell here. On the other hand, heart-rate monitors are also popular but come at a cost. Most people wouldn't want to shell out Rs.7,000-10,000 for a high-end HRM device. People would find more value for money spending just Rs.1,500-2,000 on a less expensive heart-rate device that can be plugged to your jacket," he says. Fitness wearables are still gaining numbers even in the US. According to a Forrester Research report, "Fitness Wearables -- Many Products, Few Customers", only 4% of US-based adults actually want them. Perhaps firms looking at a niche market in India and at multipurpose designs, are already on the right track. ___ (c)2013 the Mint (New Delhi) Visit the Mint (New Delhi) at www.livemint.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]