Top fitness trackers to check out as Cristiano Ronaldo partners with Whoop

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been revealed as the newest ambassador and investor for Whoop, the minimalist fitness strap that counts Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, as one of its loyal users.

“It’s been one of the most important tools helping me elevate my game and monitor my health,” said Ronaldo, who joins other ambassadors including Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps and world number one golfer Rory McIlroy.

Whoop founder and chief executive Will Ahmed said Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, will collaborate with the American company on product development “using data-driven insights”.

Unlike other fitness trackers Whoop has no screen and once worn it connects with a mobile application to record health insights, focusing on three main metrics: strain, recovery and sleep.

Sheikh Hamdan has been seen using Whoop during his workouts.

The partnership with Ronaldo comes as Whoop makes its service available to more countries in the Gulf, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. An annual subscription starts at Dh919 in the UAE.

While Whoop’s technology is one of the more advanced in the market, other fitness trackers exist for all budgets, commitment and health levels. Here are some to check out.

Apple Watch Series 9

The best smartwatch for those who have an iPhone, Apple Watch is now on Series 9, which the company describes as its fastest yet thanks to its new chip set. It also has a longer battery life.

The device has a heart sensor and can measure blood oxygen levels. It can also gather sleep data, from how much time spent in the rapid eye movement stage to exactly when you have woken up.

For women, the watch can also help track the menstrual cycle and uses body temperature to provide a retrospective estimate of when a wearer is likely to have ovulated.

One of the most exciting new features is the double tap functionality, where a wearer can double tap his or her index finger and thumb together to answer a call, play and pause music and more. It also has access to a massive app library to complement built-in features.

From Dh1,599 on apple.com

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro

Perhaps the best budget tracker on the market, it does the job for those who want to take their fitness journey up a notch.

Considering how much it costs, the Chinese-made smartwatch packs some impressive specifications. Its heart rate sensor has been upgraded to compete with more expensive alternatives. It has blood oxygen monitoring too.

But its strength lies in its array of more than 150 sports modes, which makes it a good companion during workouts. It’s especially ideal for runners who want to track their routines. Self-dubbed as “personal trainer on your wrist”, the watch can display an instructional animation of warm-up and cool-down techniques, activated by the lift of the wrist.

The slightly awkward pill-shape design of earlier models has also been ditched for a bigger and brighter screen. Xiaomi wearable devices are known for their stellar battery life, which is definitely a plus.

From Dh240 on noon.com

Garmin Vivomove Trend

For those prioritising style and design, this fitness tracker is a good choice. It looks like a classic watch with an analogue-style clock face. When the user interacts with the screen, the hands move away to show a full-dial display.

It provides the most basic health monitoring, from heart rate and blood oxygen sensors to features that track energy, stress and hydration levels. It also has a sleep monitoring feature.

It tracks steps, floors climbed, calories burnt and so on – while looking extra sleek and less like a out-of-place accessory.

Dh1,343 on garmin.ae

Polar Grit X

Some smartwatches look like they would not be able to stand the great outdoors – but not this one. It is specifically designed for advanced and laborious activities outside with its military-standard durability.

It provides a long battery life so users don’t have to worry about it losing power in the middle of a hike, and weighs a mere 64 grams, making it one of the lighter heavy-duty watches on the market. Its GPS mechanism is top notch, according to many technology reviewers, and provides accurate monitoring of essential health stats, from heart rate to sleep.

One of its exciting features is its FuelWise functionality, which assists athletes with regular reminders for the ideal time to refuel (eat or drink) during a long training or event. Another is the automatic overnight recovery measurement which shows how ready users are for the day based on how well they slept.

Dh1,799 on polar.com

Updated: May 13, 2024, 10:49 AM