Wearable technology tops the American College of Sports Medicine’s list of fitness trends for 2026. Smartwatches, rings and fitness bands now track far more than steps: heart rate, sleep, recovery and much more. But more data doesn’t automatically mean better workouts. Here’s how to make your device work for you.
The numbers that matter
- Heart rate during exercise: the easiest way to understand how hard you’re working. Use it to keep easy sessions truly easy and hard sessions genuinely challenging.
- Resting heart rate: best measured first thing in the morning. If it stays above your normal for several days, it can be a sign of fatigue, stress or illness.
- Heart rate variability (HRV): the variation in time between heartbeats. A higher value is generally a sign that you’re well recovered, but only compare it with your own baseline, never with other people.
- Sleep: total sleep time and a regular schedule are more useful than the detailed breakdown of sleep stages.
Using heart rate zones
Most watches split your effort into five zones based on your maximum heart rate. You don’t need to obsess over them, but a simple approach works well:
- Zones 1–2: easy effort where you can hold a conversation. Great for warm-ups, recovery days and long walks.
- Zone 3: moderate, steady effort. Useful, but don’t let every session drift here.
- Zones 4–5: hard intervals you can only sustain for short periods. Use them sparingly, once or twice a week.
Keep in mind that the maximum heart rate your watch estimates from your age is only an approximation, so treat the zones as a guide rather than an exact science.
Take these with a pinch of salt
- Calories burned: estimates can be well off, so don’t use them to decide how much to eat.
- Daily scores: readiness or strain scores are handy summaries, but how you actually feel matters just as much.
- Heart rate while lifting: wrist sensors are less accurate during heavy lifts and grip-intensive exercises.
Make the data work for you
Pick one or two metrics and follow them over weeks, not days. Use your watch to log workouts, spot patterns and stay consistent – then put notifications on silent and enjoy the session. At our rooftop gym, the only screen you really need is the view of Florence through the glass.