The fitness tracking industry is officially flooded with options. Yet, which wearable you buy depends largely on how you plan to use it. Most fitness trackers focus on daily activity tracking which is usually some combination of active calories burned and time spent exercising. Moov Now ($79.95) takes a unique approach with guided workouts and real-time corrective coaching. This feature alone got me excited, so I decided to test it out and see if the device could become my new personal trainer.
When it comes to people, you should never judge a book by it’s cover. However, when it comes to products, I definitely do. I love the Moov Now’s packaging and couldn’t wait to unbox it when it arrived. Upon doing so, the package included the Moov Core and two different bands. The small band will fit most wrists and the large band most ankles. This is important to the Moov Now apps’ workout options, which use motion sensing technology to track repetitions and provide real-time feedback. Some of the workout programs require you to wear the Moov Now on your wrist while some require it be worn on the ankle.
The first thing I noticed when wearing the Moov Now is how quickly I forgot it was on; it’s extremely lightweight and comfortable. It can be a little annoying to put on because of the double prongs which snap into the meshy wristband, but I feel secure that it will stay on my wrist thereafter. I’ve realized, since buying an Apple Watch, that I am absolutely spoiled when it comes to synced information. Whenever I want to update my daily tracking information (or begin a workout) in the Moov Now app, I have to turn on my Moov Now by clicking it, which activates a small, red blinking light and causes the device to sync it’s collected data with the app. Although I innately dislike this process, Moov Now makes it very easy by syncing quickly.
When it comes to daily tracking, the Move Now tracks your active minutes and sleep time. It doesn’t calculate my steps and generally, Moov Now’s daily tracking abilities are lackluster. Luckily, this isn’t what I wanted to try the Moov Now for anyway. What excited me about the Moov Now was the guided workouts and real-time feedback. I’m a fan of the seven-minute workout, especially since beginning an office job. The Moov Now app also has workout programs for biking, walking, swimming, and cardio boxing. I tried a few different variations, but I use the 7 Minute + workout within the app most often. The best part about it is the motivation. The device plus app removes any excuse you may have to avoid working out by providing everything you need to get started and track progress. The only frustrating bit about using the device to track my repetitions, is that sometimes it wouldn’t count a lunge or push-up. So even though I had completed the reps, it would tell me, “That’s okay. We’ll keep working on it.” Which would make me angry since I had indeed completed the set amount of repetitions. None-the-less, I still enjoyed the overall workout immensely, and despite the device sometimes missing a rep, I quickly saw an improvement in my ability.
If I could make one change, I would request a less ‘robotic’ artificial intelligence to instruct me. Overall, I think the Moov Now provides a lot of ‘bang for your buck’ as they say. The price is much lower compared to other fitness trackers but provides one of the better aids in getting a full workout. Is it the best tracker for daily activity? No, certainly not. However, it is the best for getting you to move now, pun intended.
Pros:
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Guided workouts with real-time feedback
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Lightweight; I forget I’m wearing it
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Moov Now app w/ multiple workout options
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Waterproof, can be used for swimming laps
Cons:
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Not great for daily activity tracking
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Misses reps now and again
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Irritating AI robot voice
Final Verdict:
Moov Now is one of the best fitness trackers I’ve tested for actually getting you to workout. While some trackers focus on tracking what you do throughout your day, Moov Now focuses on getting you to move more throughout your day. With various options for workouts and activity, Moov Now becomes a personal trainer you can wear on your ankle or wrist.
