We were fortunate enough to be sent a MOOV NOW to try out and to tell you guys what we think!
First things first, I think we should tell you what MOOV NOW is. According to the makers:
MOOV NOW is not just another step tracker. It is more like a coach that you can wear on your wrist or your ankle, helping you to work out better, safer and smarter.
The MOOV NOW can make a big difference in your health and fitness. It can analyze your every movement, talking you through how to improve, so that your next step can be better than your last. Also, unlike most other activity trackers, the MOOV has a 6 month battery life, and therefore doesn’t need to be charged. This means that you can wear it all the time in order to monitor all of your activities. In addition the MOOV NOW gives you the option of integrating a third party heart rate monitor so if you are really interested to see how hard you are working out you can!
Key Features: Tracks running, cycling, walking, swimming, boxing, sleeping and daily activity; Real-time coaching; Counts reps; Vocal feedback; 12 guided workouts; Third-party heart-rate monitor support; Water- and dust-proof; Six-month battery life; Uses Omni motion 3D sensor to track movement; Works with iOS and Android; Manufacturer: Moov
But is what the MOOV NOW makers say really true? Here is what I think about the MOOV NOW. I will be 100% honest.
After 2 weeks of wearing the MOOV NOW I have tried it out on runs, in the gym, in the pool and on my bike. I have also committed to wearing the MOOV NOW at all times of my day so that I can see how much activity I get, the calories that I burn and how much sleep I get per night. I found all this pretty cool to begin with.
I would say that as an activity tracker it is not really on the same level as say a FitBit. For example it does not count your steps and it cannot judge whether you are running or walking unless you start a ‘workout’. I found this slightly annoying as it meant that my activity levels were not as high as they should have been and it also likely meant that my calorie burn totals were not completely accurate. Although such things as calorie burn do not bother me, I can see how not getting an accurate calculation of this could put some people off buying the MOOV NOW. But…..
The makers of the MOOV say that their focus is more on the number of active minutes that a person has per day, as opposed to what is spent doing in those minutes. So, I guess for someone who is hoping to become more active, seeing how much time they spend doing nothing, and how much time they spend moving around, the MOOV could be a great asset to helping them making their lifestyle transformation. Also, for the price (less than $80) the MOOV NOW is unbeatable in terms of what else it offers.
A great aspect of the MOOV NOW is that it does not count typing or moving the computer mouse as ‘active minutes’ like many other activity trackers, and therefore the MOOV can really help those looking to lead a more active lifestyle by encouraging them to really move, and burn energy.
In terms of what the MOOV NOW can do in terms of helping you to exercise better and get fitter the MOOV NOW really surprised me. The MOOV NOW comes with an App which is available to download on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The App allows you to see in real time how you are doing in your workouts, and also allows you to keep track of your activity. The App includes 4 coaching activities: Run/ Walk coach, Cycling, Swimming and one for At Home Coaching (boxing and conditioning).
This is what the App looks like:
The coaching activities were great, helping to give me ideas and tips as to how best to complete the exercises and what to do in order to work out to my best. Although I found it slightly disappointing that I couldn’t do the boxing sessions with the coaches help as you needed two devices to monitor your movements. I would also recommend that if you decide to use a MOOV NOW to train at home, that you use an Ipad, or connect your phone to your TV so that you can see your workout on a bigger screen. Trying to workout by looking at a tiny phone screen was not easy.
As a runner, I really liked being able to see how my cadence, range of motion and pace changed on my runs. Unlike trackers from Fitbit and Jawbone, the Moov Now can measure a far wider range of motion. This helps the MOOV to generate the type of data that can help correct running form, for example. I found this feedback really helpful.
Other feedback that I got during my workouts like what pace I was going was also great as I didn’t have to look at my watch all the time. I also loved having the coach there to keep my goal in check and to encourage me to push when I was struggling to keep the pace. I really think that the MOOV could help me to improve my performances in training, especially when my real life coach is not around.
This is what the App data looked like following a run:
However, I found that having to carry my phone with me on my runs really annoying, and so I would have loved to have had the option of somehow having the MOOV App on my ipod, or on another similar device that is less bulky, and easier to carry whilst running than my phone.
But, saying this, I think for many recreational runners, having the MOOV app on their phone would be ideal. Especially if you get a phone case for your arm! Getting a MOOV NOW would reduce costs of gym fees, and personal trainers. The MOOV coach is really encouraging and the live screens showing how long is left of each effort, and what distance has been completed would be really interesting and helpful things for those wanting to build fitness.
Take a look at the MOOV NOW video which can help to explain a little more about what the MOOV NOW is and what features it has!
Despite some reservations that I have about the MOOV NOW, it really does seem to be the best value and most intelligent and variable fitness tracker/ workout coach, out there at the moment. I mean look at all the things that you can do with the MOOV NOW:
So, do trainandchew recommend the Moov Now? Yes, absolutely. The MOOV NOW is an impressively wearable fitness tracker and training tool. The MOOV NOW is light and compact with a smart design. The long battery life is great because it means you won’t have to worry about replacing it for a while.
But, if we are honest it is the MOOV NOW software and coaching that impressed us the most. We haven’t seen or heard of many other similar products that can deliver the amount of activity and fitness data that the MOOV NOW can- especially considering that it costs less than $80!
So, to conclude, if you are looking for a device that offers really accurate activity tracking, then you may want to look into another device, but if you want to track your activity and you also want to take your fitness seriously, then we really think that the Moov Now is one to consider, we don’t think it will disappoint.
We give the MOOV NOW:
We would love to hear what you think about the MOOV NOW if you have gone out and got one for yourself! Le us know by commenting on this post, or by commenting on our MOOV NOW posts on Instagram or Twitter. We always love to get your opinions!
To learn even more about the MOOV NOW and to buy your own MOOV then take a look at the MOOV website here: http://welcome.moov.cc/
trainandchew 