Getting active can have all kinds of benefits – from a healthier heart to a more positive outlook – but getting started can be tough. Especially with cold, dark nights ahead.
So, we caught up with national hero and all-round ray of sunshine Sir Mo Farah, Double Double Olympic Champion, World Champion and 6-time European Champion to get a few pointers. He’s also the most successful male track distance runner ever, and the most successful British track athlete in modern Olympic Games history. Plus, he’s now the Huawei Wearable Ambassador, so knows his fitness tech. If you’ve got fitness questions, there’s no better person to ask.
Get your trainers on, take some tips from Mo and find out how fitness tech can help you go from couch to 5K or just from sitting down to stepping up.
Mo’s top 5 training tips
1. Set yourself a goal
For me, it’s always important to have a goal. It doesn’t matter what that goal is – it might be a specific run or it might be a weekly challenge. Whatever it is, it’s always important to try and hit that goal. Then when you achieve it, you tick it off. And that doesn’t mean having to run a marathon. Even if it’s just setting a target of how many steps you can do, achieving the goal has a positive impact and encourages you to keep going.
Tech tip:
In order to stick to your goals, you need to find a way to measure your progress. The phone in your pocket can probably be used to count your steps or measure a run, but they’re not the most convenient things to carry around. For more accuracy, a smartwatch is a great step up. The Huawei Watch series, like the Watch GT 3 or Watch GT Runner, can track your steps for you and lets you set a daily goal, so you’ll know if you’re hitting your target.
2. Catch up on your sleep
As an athlete, sleep is really important and I’ve been using my HUAWEI Watch GT Runner to track my sleep properly, including how many hours of deep sleep I’ve been getting. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you are not recovering properly and it takes a lot out of you. The GT Runner is great too as the battery lasts for two weeks, so I never have to worry about charging it in the evening.
Tech tip:
Fitness trackers and smart watches often let you track your sleep. They’ll tell you how much deep sleep you’ve been getting, when your sleep was disrupted and what time you got to bed and got up. You’ll sleep better once you get into a regular routine.
3. Find the activity that’s right for you
Running isn’t for everyone, so find something you enjoy and track your progress doing that instead. I always wear my Huawei watch no matter what I do. Even if I’m going cycling with my kids. And when I take them swimming, I wear my watch to track my heart rate.
Tech tip:
Fitness trackers aren’t just for running. You can track 100s of different activities – from rowing machines to mountain hiking. So, you can find the work out that works for you.
4. Take care of your mind too
Training is a mental battle, not just a physical one. If you can, get outside for a run and enjoy exploring your surroundings. Where possible run with friends as you’ll help to keep each other motivated. Realise you’re not going to achieve everything overnight. You’ve got to be patient, enjoy it and keep believing that you can do it. Keep trying day by day and you’ll get through it. When you see the results of your efforts over time, it’s a great feeling.
Tech tip:
Meditation apps like Calm or Headspace are great for helping you to relax. You can also monitor your stress throughout the day on smartwatches – so you’ll know when you need to take a moment to get centred.
5. Don’t give up
The secret to my success is hard work and dedication. Keep believing in yourself, keep pushing yourself and anything in life is possible! Use the tech available to help you train better than ever before – like the HUAWEI Watch GT Runner – monitoring and tracking your progress will motivate you to keep going.
Tech tip: Need some motivation on a rainy day? Set a regular exercise schedule with a smart assistant (like Siri or Google Assistant) and you’ll be reminded when it’s time to get active.
Need more help getting active?
Our Smart fitness buying guide will put you on the right track. And if you like the personal touch, why not chat to an in-store tech expert on ShopLive?
