Jill Schneider, Manager, Fitness Centers Chesterton when asked, “What sorts of technologies or devices do you encourage individuals to use to track their health and fitness? Why do you recommend these specifically”; says
“There are many other gadgets out there on the market that track heart rate and different aspects of your workout. Any device that helps increase your awareness and keeps you motivated to stick to a regular workout routine is good. We feel that Myzone offers the best product on the market because the accuracy and science far surpass what other gadgets have to offer”. -Jill Schneider, Manager of Fitness Centers Chesterton
Myzone is an innovative wearable heart rate based system that uses wireless and cloud technology to accurately and conveniently monitor physical activity. Myzone devices deliver a fully connected solution for anyone who wants an accurate (equiv. to an EKG at 99.4%), gamified and motivating wearable experience. Myzone monitors heart rate, calories and duration of exercise that convert into Myzone Effort Points (MEPs), with a focus on rewarding effort rather than fitness. (Check out who is on our leaderboard)
Myzone provides a comprehensive look at your overall workout.The Myzone app allows for engagement, motivation, and communities to flourish. With built-in challenges, personal goals, gamification, commenting and sharing workouts through social, users are motivated to sustain physical activity. The support from friends, our personal trainers and other Fitness Staff help hold members accountable and encourages them to be active.
According to Carrie Fleming, former Manager, Fitness Centers Schererville, ”we hear time and time again from our members who use the Myzone system to track their workouts and energy expenditure that when not wearing their Myzone they almost feel as if their workout didn’t count. The accountability and motivation that comes from wearing the Myzone belts in and of itself has been a huge benefit to our members she says.
“From a clinical stand point we have had a few success stories as well. An employee at our Chesterton facility, while teaching a group exercise class, noticed irregularity with his HR while it was displayed during classes on the large display screen” Schneider says. “He addressed this with his Cardiologist and showed the physician his workout through the Myzone App which in turn led to diagnostic testing and ultimately a heart ablation.”-Carrie Fleming, former Manager of Fitness Centers Schererville
Fleming adds, “while taking a cycling class at our Schererville club, the instructor noticed that a member’s tile was red meaning the member was working at 90%+ of his maximum heart rate through the duration of the class; even when the expected level of exertion should have been at a minimum. After the class the instructor pulled the member to the side and shared her concerns with his heart rate remaining at 90%+ for the majority of the class, even when it should not have been, and strongly suggested he follow up with his physician. The member reached out and informed us that he did in fact follow up, he did have a significant amount of blockage and it resulted in immediate surgery. He was very grateful that we were able to detect the issue through the monitoring with the Myzone system.
We also have members who will regularly share their Myzone workouts with their Cardiologists and primary care physicians during visits with them. This allows the physicians to also monitor and detect any irregularities. In doing so, they can detect a potential need for further testing and/or referral through EPIC to a specialist. In some cases, it is simply a matter of the member/patient needing to build up their cardiac endurance at which time the physician would refer them, through EPIC, back to the fitness centers for continued exercise as part of their preventative care plan. It is also a great way for physicians to see the positive gains made in their patients as they can monitor their effort and increased energy expenditure/calories burned through the Myzone app.
Wearable devices such as Myzone really have the ability to transcend simply communicating results to the user. This technology now allows for patients to have an accurate way of reporting their health numbers in an interactive experience with their physician, through the app Fleming reports.
Depending on how involved a physician would like to be in relation to monitoring their patients progress they can also download the app and follow/monitor their patients in a social setting and also encourage them along the way in the same way that our instructors and personal trainers follow their clients and participants.
As a whole, Myzone is an incredible way to keep members motivated and accountable. It is a great tool for our instructors and trainers to monitor their clients and look for irregularities and areas for concern all the while pushing them beyond their comfort zone, which is where results happen. It is a very comprehensive system with global challenges and social connections.
And what might possibly be the newest and most important aspect, a way for patients to report their health numbers and metrics in an interactive session with their physician, through the app, allowing for essential conversations to take place with referrals to and from necessary services to assist the members of our community in getting and staying well. Self-efficacy is greatly improved when physicians refer their patients to exercise as part of their wellness prescription. We highly recommend the Myzone monitoring system for anyone who is concerned about working out or for anyone looking to re-energize their workouts. After all, you cannot monitor what you don’t measure.
Website for additional information: https://www.myzone.org/myzone-user
Special thanks goes to Jill Schneider Manager, Fitness Centers Chesterton and Carrie Fleming for providing and writing this article.
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