Wahoo Fitness Integration with Apple Watch

Interesting link up between the super awesome Wahoo Fitness and that other company…Apple and their watch ! I probably need to look into this more as Microsoft ABND went down the route of integration with STRAVA (and others). My interest lies mostly in whether real GPS (which the Apple Watch does not have INBUILT hence why Strava might not like the data) and HR data and laps gets properly sent to the receiving Sports Data Platform and then how accurate it is in comparison

Anyway here is the Wahoo press release

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Wahoo Fitness, the leader in workout apps and smartphone connected devices, has a variety of integrations with the Apple Watch.

First up is the TICKR X Workout Tracker and the 7 Minute Workout App with the Apple Watch. Wahoo’s 7 Minute Workout App can be activated on the Watch and users can then complete the full workout with audio and on-screen prompts guiding the way. The TICKR X connects to the Watch via the 7 Minute Workout App. It must initially be synced via the 7 Minute app on your iPhone. Once paired, users will also see reps automatically counted during the workout and heart rate displayed on the Watch. When using your TICKR X with the 7 Minute Workout App, your iPhone must be nearby for rep counting and heart rate to be transmitted.

Secondly, Wahoo’s line of TICKR heart rate monitors (TICKR, TICKR Run, and TICKR X) can connect directly to the Apple Watch and used in the Workout app as an alternative method for collecting heart rate data. According to Apple Support, “to pair an external heart rate monitor with your Apple Watch, tap the Settings app on the Home screen, then tap Bluetooth and select it under Health Devices.” The only data available via this connection is heart rate. Apple also recommends keeping your iPhone nearby for the Workout app in order to get the best measurement.

“Wahoo Fitness was the first company to bring heart rate training to the iPhone with our entire line of sensors we are excited to continue bridging the gap between iOS devices and fitness”, says Chip Hawkins, CEO of Wahoo Fitness. “With so many people using their iPhone and now the Apple Watch to track fitness data, we’re focused on continuing to research and design products and apps that promote a happy and healthy lifestyle.”

The 7 Minute Workout, first published in the American College of Sports Medicine Journal, consists of 12 bodyweight exercises, each performed for 30 seconds with a 10 second interval in between, and the only equipment required is a chair and a wall. The TICKR X pairs with the app via Bluetooth and prompts the user for each exercise, timing the effort and counting the reps before moving on to the next.

Data generated from the 7 Minute Workout, such as calories burned, can then be integrated into Apple’s HealthKit on the iPhone. The user simply selects what metrics to include from the 7 Minute Workout and the data contributes to the user’s 24-hour view of calories burned and intensity of the workout itself.