The Healthy Slice

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Pear Sports Coaching

I’m pretty good about getting the runs on my half marathon training plan done. But when it comes to filling in with strength and cross training, I tend to plan inadequately, fall in a rut, and often end up doing the same set of exercises Every. Damn. Time. 

Recently I had the opportunity to check out the Pear Sports Real-Time Coaching Program. Can I just say, it’s the coolest of cool.

pear

In a nutshell, Pear Sports is a multitude of workouts you download to your smart phone and use with headphones and a heart rate monitor. As you follow the coach’s instructions while your own music is playing in the background, your heart rate is monitored so you get real-time feedback. Your coach tells you when you’re working too hard, not hard enough, all of it so there’s never any guessing. Afterward your workout is rated, based on how well you stayed in the desired heart rate zones.

So far I rocked a Tread ‘N Shred 28 minute HIIT workout, a medicine ball blast and a week’s worth of workouts called the Dirty Thirty. Some are cardio, some strength, all of them are no freaking joke. These puppies are challenging. I’ve learned new exercises too: who knew what hindu pushups, pike pushups and squat jacks were? Not this girl. But I wasn’t in the dark for long because there are video demos of all the moves involved.

There are literally hundreds of workouts available: HIIT, tabata, cardio using a treadmill, cardio using bands, bike trainer workouts, abs, fat blasters, yoga, from fitness walking to marathon training, truly the sky’s the limit, all as close as my phone.

Rest assured this will be traveling with me in a few weeks (did I mention I was going away for spring break? About a hundred times?). It’ll be like taking my coach with me. Overall I was very impressed with Pear Sports Coaching. Super easy to setup and use, the coaching was crystal clear and the real-time feedback and followup stats at the end were awesome. This one is a must-try.

Do you use workout apps? How do you stay fit when you travel?

Note: I was sent this product free of charge for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Comments

  3. Okay, seriously – what on earth did we do before all this amazing technology!!! I try so hard to think back to the days when the internet was NOT the focal point of my day, lol – it’s so weird to think about!

  7. I’ve tried the NTC app, and I liked it. I hated having to download the workouts when they upgraded the app and ended up deleting it. I’m not sure there was as much variety as with the Pear app. Might have to look at that!

  11. I have yet to get on board with any fitness apps (or many apps period!) but this one sounds really great. I think I’d use that constantly.

  12. I don’t use any workout apps, since really all I do is run. When I travel, I usually get up earlier than everyone else and hit the gym or explore on a run. Either that or I give myself my rest days during travel.

  13. I’ve downloaded a few and I never use them–I guess I find it so much easier to put my running shoes on and head out the door. Yes, I am that tired and lame, I don’t want to have to think, pull something up on my phone, or follow directions– I just want to run away. 😉

  14. Very cool. I don’t use apps. I used to rely on DVDs. Honestly, they were a great teaching tool. When I’m traveling I try to find place to run and, if possible, get the hotel with the better gym 😉 I will sometimes take my resistance bands with me and even weighted gloves. Hubby loves that one carrying my suitcase!

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  18. Body weight exercises are definitely THE best option for staying fit on the road. For most of my clients, I tell them up front that first and foremost, we are going to get them to work on doing air squats and push ups in good form. Otherwise, compound moves are where it’s at: step work while holding a medicine ball overhead, lunges with bicep curls and shoulder raises, yoga-style “vinyasas” with pushups and single-leg planks, etc. Fun (evil) stuff like that 😉

  20. I don’t usually listen to workout apps, since i don’t even have a phone. 🙂 But… I like the idea of it 🙂

  24. This sounds right up my alley, as I LOVE when people tell me what to do – hence, the reason I sign up for so many barre classes. I think I’d dig the HIIT workouts, too.

  27. OMG! You already have me addicted to Wello and it’s costing me a fortune. LOL But it’s well worth it. This would be great for when I”m out and about and don’t know what to do. Plus I like constant feedback.

  29. Janice you need to buy the Pear Sports HR monitor & headphones ($99.95), which is 30% off until the end of the month using code Fitfluential.

  30. Nice review, Marcia. One point of clarification: it is no longer necessary to use the Pear HR monitor and/or headphones. The Pear Mobile app will work with any low energy Bluetooth 4.0 HR monitor, and any earphones that work with your particular phone or ipod. Depending on the earphones, you may not have access to the on demand update, which is activated by clicking on the ear button.

    I just received confirmation of this yesterday in an email from Pear support. They said, in short, that they want to provide the products as many people just want the simplicity of one stop shopping, but it is not necessary for using Pear Mobile.

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