The rise of fitness watches
It may be difficult to believe, but the first fitness tracker was released in 1965 in Japan. The name of it ‘Manpo-kei’ or ‘10,000 steps meter’ translated in English. It was created when two Japanese doctors were researching how to combat obesity. Their studies showed that getting 10,000 steps a day and a proper caloric intake is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Since the 1960s, fitness trackers have developed at a rapid pace. It was only 16 years later, in 1981, that athletes began to wear heart rate monitors when exercising to measure their workouts.
In the 2000s, fitness suppliers began integrating them with their fitness equipment, making it more readily available to the average consumer and not just pro-athletes. In that time, they didn't stop at just equipment, though— they made the technology smarter and more accessible by putting it into smaller devices and at a lower price point— which brings us to 2021, where this cutting-edge technology is readily available to consumers around the world in the form of smart bands.
In today's market, you can get a multitude of fitness bands— it's so saturated with different types of bands that it can be overwhelming trying to choose the right one. With so many to choose from, what sets Myzone apart from the rest?
Continue reading, and we'll bring you through how Myzone has combined fitness and community and reinvented the way we track our workouts!
What is Myzone?
Let's start with who and what Myzone are. Created in 2011 by Dave Wright, Myzone combines getting fit and coming together as a community. There are five different zones to choose from, and each one represents the percentage of your maximum heart rate (MHR).
It focuses on effort rather than ability, and it begins to calculate your MHR the minute you start training. The more you train, the more fit you will become, meaning your MHR will change, but that's not a worry as Myzone will update it automatically to ensure your data stays tailored to you.
How does it tie into the community?
Well, depending on your MHR, the harder you work out, the more MEPs (Myzone effort points) you earn. It adds fun to the workout as you can go up against friends and family that also have a Myzone band. Having a sense of competition will ensure that you meet your goals each month.
The benefits of Myzone
Tailor your workouts with the point system
As previously mentioned, there are five different zones to represent your maximum heart rate (MHR). They are colour coded to grey, blue, green, yellow, and red — or if you want to go by percentages, it goes from 50-59%, 60-69%, 70-79%, 80-89%, and 90-100%.
Forget the rules of fitness
If you have any experience with fitness, you know that it is usually the fastest, strongest, and fittest person that comes out on top. Myzone looked at those rules and decided to change them, meaning that you can still come out on top no matter your fitness level. As it uses your heart rate to rack up points and not distance travelled or strength used, a beginner will be able to take the lead easily by working out.
Nearly 100% accurate
Well, 99.4% accurate, to be precise. Myzone can measure your heart rate with the same level of accuracy that an ECG does. Health professionals use an ECG to see the rhythm and health of your heart. Accuracy like that is difficult to find outside of a professional scope. As Myzone uses your heart rate to log your workout, the technology used is leaps and bounds above its competitors. The accuracy of their bands is what makes them so popular.
Earn badges
Everyone loves earning something for a job well done; sometimes it's a verbal acknowledgement other times it's a cup of coffee. Myzone has made sure that you earn badges in response to your commitment. They have set up different badges that you can earn, which elevates your status in the app! Of course, it takes time and many workouts to earn these badges; otherwise, it wouldn't be a challenge. The badges break down into seven different types you can earn:
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Iron: 1 month
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Bronze: 3 months
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Silver: 6 months
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Gold: 12 months
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Platinum: 24 months
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Diamond: 36 months
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Hall of Fame: 48 months
Getting these badges is no easy feat, though! The most points you can earn per workout are around 200-240, and to earn a badge, you must log at least 1,300 MEPs within a single month. If you constantly log 1,300 MEPs for 48 months straight, you’ll enter the Myzone hall of fame! If nothing else, it will give you bragging rights to your friends.
Make sure you’re using the Myzone belt regularly and logging your workouts each time. With options to see your live progress, history, and enter challenges with your friends and family, the Myzone belt is a great motivator to help you get fit in a fun way.
The new kid in town
Myzone has come out with a new product this year, which is very exciting! The MZ-Switch accurately tracks your heart rate from your wrist, forearm, or chest, giving you options on how you want to wear it! Cleverly named Switch for its ability to move between the three locations, it is ideal for people who like to incorporate many different workouts such as swimming and CrossFit, or those that simply want the option of wearing it where they want. There are three belts to choose from; let's look and see which one may benefit you more, depending on your goals and needs.
Buying Guide
Myzone MZ-1
The MZ-1 is the first version of the belt available and is ideal for someone who attends a lot of fitness classes. It comes in a chest strap and has a Bluetooth 4.0 option to connect to your phone if you want to stream your workout live on the app or in the gym. Bear in mind that this watch is not suitable for swimming as it does not have a waterproof resistant face available.
This version also can't store data, so it will need to be used simultaneously with your phone. It does have an analogue communication protocol— this connects to cardio equipment in the gym so you can record an accurate workout. It has smart watch integration including Apple Watch and Android Wear.
This basic strap is excellent if you want a simple yet effective workout without any of the bells and whistles added.
Myzone MZ-3
The MZ-3 is the next up on our list, and this one has a few beneficial changes than the MZ-1. With the MZ-3, you can store up to 16 hours of workouts before needing to upload it to your phone. With this band, you will know instantly if it is active or not, as it will beep to inform you.
The battery life on this is impressive, with up to 6 months before a charge is needed. It is waterproofed up to 10 metres but keep in mind that it is not swim-friendly. This means that getting it wet is not an issue, but don't keep it in the water for a prolonged amount of time as it can damage it. Like the MZ-1, it uses a chest strap to record your data.
It has Bluetooth 4.0 and can connect to your phone, but with this band, you don't need to use them simultaneously as it can upload your workout when you are finished.
This is great if you are looking for a more advanced option of the Myzone bands and like the freedom of workout without a phone near you.
Myzone MZ-Switch
The newest product introduced into the Myzone family is the MZ-Switch. As mentioned previously, the Switch has three different ways you can wear it: your chest, arm, and wrist. This band has an extended memory of 36 hours, which is double the amount of MZ-3.
The rechargeable battery has up to 140 hours when worn exclusively on the chest and up to 40 when worn exclusively on the wrist. Unlike the other two, this band is waterproof up to 10 metres, and it is also swim-friendly. It features Bluetooth 5.0, which has three differences to the 4.0:
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Pairs twice as fast
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More extended range— 40 metres indoors or 200 metres line of sight
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Transfers data at eight times the speed of the 4.0
It has a hand-up display, meaning simply raising your wrist will light up the screen and show you which zone you are in. Another excellent benefit of this is that the strap for the arm and wrist comes in six different colours— Aqua, Grey, Purple, Black, Orange, and Khaki Green.
This band is the all-rounder. It is slightly more expensive, but if you are looking for a high durability fitness band that will give you quick results and even faster pairing, then this is the one for you!
Myzone Case Study
We recently did a case study with the Westpark Hotel. Be sure to check out our YouTube video that brings you through everything the Myzone belts can do!
