Key Takeaways
A timer counts your sets and repetitions during your gym sessions, accurate GPS and heart rate tracking helps guide your training and recovery, and safety features provide a layer of protection while you train.
As a data-loving athlete, I rarely train without some sort of device that can track my activity. That data helps guide my training and recovery, so I have high demands on the technology I use during training. My work involves testing and reviewing countless smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart rings, exposing me to a variety of different platforms and tools for collecting and summarizing data. Using all these different devices has helped me narrow down what I most want in a fitness watch.
There are plenty of nice-to-have features, like headphone connectivity and music storage to make it easier to listen to music at the gym, but there are a few tools that are absolute must-haves for me when choosing a watch for fitness purposes: Thanks to the time I’ve spent testing watches, I’ve become much more picky about the features on a fitness watch, and now there are a few that I absolutely cannot live without.
Count sets and repetitions for your gym session
Tools to help you track your sessions
I spend a lot of time in the gym. Strength training is essential to avoid injury and age healthily, and I simply love lifting heavy. Unfortunately, most fitness watches and smartwatches ignore strength training and instead focus on running. Things are starting to change, but only slowly. As a result, not many watches offer repetition and set counting, one of the must-have features in a fitness watch.
Some watches, including those from Apple, Coros, and Garmin, have automatic rep counting and set tracking. The watch doesn’t always count reps accurately, and exercises that don’t involve arm movement won’t count reps at all, but it’s still better than nothing. Plus, you can manually adjust the repetitions when they’re usually off, so they can be tracked in all conditions.
For deadlifts, squats, bench presses, seated rows, deadbugs, and other arm movements, I’ve found that rep counts on most watches are always pretty accurate, so if you forget to count during a high-rep session, you can just glance at the watch and get back on track. Set counts are also useful for keeping track of how many sets you did of a particular exercise if you lose focus and forget (which can happen when you’re working out at 5:30am).
As an added perk, some watches give you the option to add weight per set, so you can look back at your data and see how your repetitions at a given weight change over time. I’m not currently using this feature as I’m tracking certain exercises elsewhere, but it’s nice to have the option.
Timers for each set and rest period
Reduces mental calculations so you can concentrate on your training
One of the reasons I rely so heavily on set tracking is so I can know how long I rest between sets and how long I’m doing per set. Some of my exercises are time-based (like planks) and not rep-based, so being able to see my set times is extremely helpful. I’ve used watches that count sets, but they only show the total time of the workout, not the specific time per set, so I have to pay special attention to when I start my sets in order to know when to stop.
There are many different ways to strength train, but multiple studies have shown that resting for three to five minutes between sets is ideal to prevent injury and get the most out of your training.
Rest time is also an important factor for me when it comes to strength training. There are many different methods for strength training, but studies have shown that 3-5 minutes of rest between sets is ideal to prevent injury and maximize the benefits of your training. Once you’re comfortable starting and finishing sets, you’ll know the time between sets and be able to rest appropriately.
Again, if the watch only showed the total time, I’d have to look at the watch after the set to remember that number and know when to start again. When I finish a heavy, difficult lift, checking the time isn’t the top of my mind, so most of the time I end up forgetting to check the time and guessing. It’s not a huge deal, especially at my level, but it is frustrating.
Accurate GPS data for outdoor activities
Accurate distance and speed data is important
Of course, when thinking about fitness watches, one of the first things that comes to most people’s mind is GPS data. If you’re running, cycling, hiking, or doing any other outdoor activity, accurate GPS data is a must. Location data goes beyond simply mapping your activity, providing distance and speed information, and plays a key role in determining training intensity, training effectiveness, and recovery needs. So a fitness watch without accurate location data is not much use.
Some watches allow you to adjust GPS settings to balance accuracy and battery life, depending on what’s most important for your particular workout.
Accurate Heart Rate Tracking
Or the ability to pair additional sensors
In training, even more important than distance and speed data is heart rate data. I train based on heart rate zones in all my cardio activities, so I need to know my exact heart rate during training so I can adjust the intensity accordingly. If the watch can’t provide that, it’s not much use for training.
Fortunately, the optical heart rate sensors found on most modern watches are very accurate, but only for certain types of activities. For example, swimming and cycling pose challenges for these types of monitors, making accurate measurements difficult or impossible. In those situations, pairing with a standalone heart rate monitor (HRM) on a chest strap or armband is a must. Most HRMs use Bluetooth and/or ANT+ connectivity, but not all watches allow pairing with external sensors. If you’re looking for a watch specifically for training, don’t buy one that isn’t HRM compatible.
Great battery life for extended activities
Keep it as far away from the charger as possible
I’m not currently doing any extremely long activities, but many people are, and I’m working towards doing longer days as well. Most smartwatches only last a little over a day of battery life in normal smartwatch mode, so they can’t handle long activities. GPS and continuous heart rate tracking put a strain on battery life, so tracking activities will drain your battery faster than using your smartwatch every day, so having a watch that can handle activity tracking is important.
Similarly, if your watch doesn’t have a great battery life, you’ll naturally have to charge it more frequently, which means you’ll have to remember to charge it or, like me, you’ll end up finding the battery nearly dead just when you try to start an activity. It’s much more ideal to be able to go for a while without needing to charge, so you don’t have to head out to a workout without your watch.
Emergency contacts and accident detection are essential
Finally, if your training takes you on roads, sidewalks, or paths, it’s important to be able to call for help immediately if something happens. Unfortunately, I recently experienced firsthand how important a watch is as a safety tool. I was hit by a car while walking my dog, and my Garmin watch detected the accident and texted my husband with my exact location. Only after my husband checked in was I able to text him what happened. If I were to lose consciousness or be injured too badly to respond, my husband would know how to call for help and could call emergency services with my specific coordinates.
If your watch has Accident Detection, don’t forget to set up your emergency contacts, otherwise no one will be notified if something happens.
