Buying Guides
One flaw with traditional fitness trackers is that the numbers they record mean different things to different people. Finishing a 5km run in 25 minutes would result in some people clocking massive personal bests and others barely breaking a sweat, so the effect of the exercise on their overall fitness would be different.
The MZ-3 solves this problem by tracking your heart rate and awarding MyZone Effort Points (MEPs) for your exercise. Those effort points are calculated via the MZ-3 chest tracker, which MyZone claims is over 99% accurate when it comes to recording heart rate. It also records the calories you burn, and streams all the data live to your smartphone.
The MZ-3 uses five coloured zones to quantify your efforts. Your heart rate determines which zone you are in during exercise, and for every minute you spend in each zone you are given a certain amount of MEPs. In the grey zone, you’ll only rack up one point per minute, but once you reach the heights of the yellow and red zones, you’re rewarded with four points per minute.
Once you’ve put in your personal details, your zones will be calculated, and these will adapt over time as you get more or less fit. Instead of tracking reps, weight or duration, you can see exactly how much work you’ve put in, so you can make the aim of each session beating your own past efforts. The app also provides real-time feedback in that you can easily see what zone you’re in. Keeping a watchful eye on your zone should ensure you don’t ease back.
The MyZone trackers are also becoming popular in group classes that broadcast your heart rate and effort zone to the rest of the class. No longer can you secretly ease off while wearing the grimace of a man working far harder. Your effort levels are there for all to see, and no one wants to be the only one in the class in the green zone.
The Coach Says
The MZ-3 is a very easy way to motivate yourself. Whatever your workout, simply strap it on and try to reach the red zone. The extra accuracy of a chest strap is especially appreciated during high-intensity interval training or weights sessions, when even the best wrist trackers can sometimes get confused.
It’s also designed to be as little hassle as possible. If you don’t want to have your phone with you when exercising, the tracker can store 16 hours of data internally, keeping all your MEPs on file until you can sync with the app. Even better, it runs for seven months on a single charge.
MyZone MZ-3 Physical Activity Belt, £129.99, myzone.org
This content is from the experts at Men's Fitness magazine.
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