How devices like InBody (Bioimpedance Analysis) work?

With events like the Transformation Challenge coming to an end in the OTF world I have seen many questions and concerns regarding accurate measurement of body composition. Specifically, the Inbody that OTF uses. Tools that use bioimpedance analysis (BIA) can be very accurate and very inaccurate based on many factors that surround using the device. 

This article will provide a basic understanding of BIA and what will result in the most accurate reading and why. 

First, let’s discuss how bioimpedance works. Such scales work with the help of sensors underneath your feet and in handles that use bioelectrical impedance. When you step on the scale and hold on to the handles, a small electrical current runs up through your leg and across your pelvis, and through your arms and across your torso, measuring the amount of resistance from various body tissue. Fat, blood, skeletal muscle, and bones all have different densities and therefore create different levels of “resistance” that is detected when performing a BIA. The devise then reports these different resistance and fat, muscle, and body water. For example, your muscles contain a high percentage of water, resulting in less resistance. Body fat, on the other hand, contains very little water and presents much higher resistance compared to muscle mass or body water. 

  

 

There are several underlying factors that can and will cause an inaccurate reading. Here are a few of the most common

1.     Dehydration: Water is a conductor of electricity, so when our bodies are dehydrated it causes electrical resistance when the device performs the scan.  This resistance is read as “fat” since fat contains less water than muscle. This is why proper hydration is vital to an accurate reading. As a side note, it is safe to presume that most people live in a state of dehydration.

2.     Implants: Implants (breast) also create higher resistance to the BIA scan and will results in a higher body fat percentage. I am not sure if there is a difference between saline fill versus silicone fill? The good news is that your scans should remain consistent. Which means, your initial scan will show that you have higher body fat than you actually have, but when you re-scan after taking part in a resistance/ exercise training program, if your scan now shows a decrease in body fat you have indeed lost fat. So, continue to base your future results/ success off that initial base line scan. Just understand that your body fat reading will still read higher than you actually have.

 

There are other factors that you should consider as well when scanning.  Clothing, time of day, and possible water retention due to foods consumed or menstrual cycle.  These will have a lessor effect on body composition but may be considered for consistency and the most accurate reading.

 

 

How to get the most accurate body composition reading? I recommend that you seek out a DEXA Scan. A DEXA scan is a non-invasive test that measures bone mineral density to assess if a person is at risk of osteoporosis or fracture. DEXA stands for dual energy x-ray absorptiometry—in short, with this procedure two X-ray beams are aimed at the bones. This great devise also happens to measure body composition as well.

When getting this scan for purposes of osteoporosis detection it likely will be covered under most insurance.  However, if you are getting this scan for body composition purposes you will likely need to pay out of pocket without insurance reimbursement.  If you are fortunate to live in or near a college town, you can likely get this scan at a very low cost if not free.  Often times, colleges and universities will use DEXA as part of a research project or for student practice/ experience.  

 

I have included a few resources below to allow you to dig a little deeper so you can make the best most informed decision on what type of scan you should obtain.

 

My recommendation:

Under the right conditions, the InBody will give you a very accurate and convenient scan that will allow you to track results over time for the average person

 

Be well and as always, WIN THE DAY!

Scott

 

Sources:

https://inbodyusa.com/general/technology/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5841670/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5659281/

11 for 2021: 11 Tools and Tips to keep your fitness levels moving forward in 2021

Note: Best viewed on a tablet or computer

Happy New years friends,

I hope 2021 finds you all safe and well as we continue to navigate the COVID19 situation.

For me, for the first time in 23 years I find myself in a very different professional situation. This is the first time in 23 years that I am not actively working in a sports medicine or fitness environment day in and day out.  Truth be told, it is much easier to get fit and stay fit when you work in a fitness facility and are around exercise equipment and motivated people all day ever day.

I have recently left the daily grind of the fitness world to launch a new business, KidSTRONG Auburn (www.kidstrong.com).  Stay tuned for more information on this.

Due to this, I have had to become much more intentional about my fitness plan. So today I wanted to share with you some tools you can use to help track your fitness progress.  Many of these tools are free (with an option to pay for more features) and a few of the tools require an investment in your health... and the best part is, they can all be done at home.  Also an important note, I am NOT a paid promoter for any of these apps, equipment or services... shoot, I am not against being paid to promote them, I have just settled on them after trying several different apps and services and these are the one I currently utilize.

The Home Gym:

This part requires the investment, so I figured I would knock this out first. Personally, I enjoy and prefer to workout at a traditional gym or fitness facility such as Orangetheory Fitness.  After my wife passed away in 2017 I did not want to leave my then 12 year old and 6 year old home alone at 5 am while I went to work out (early mornings typically work best for me due to after school sport activities). So, I turned my garage into a gym with the following equipment:

1. Wall mounted rack/rig (Rogue)
2. Barbell (Rogue)
   
3. Bumper plates (Rogue)
   
4. Bench (Rogue)
   
5. 1 Medicine ball (Perform Better)
   
6. resistance/ assistance bands (Rogue)
   
7. TRX suspension trainer
   
8. Yoga mat
9. A few DB's ( I want more)

 

All this fit into my garage and I can still pull the Jeep in as well.  The initial investment was a little over $1,000.  Not too bad really and I can do absolutely everything I need to. 

Wish List:

1. Heavier DB's
2. KB's
3. Landmine attachment for rig
4. various size plyo boxes

Fitness Tracking:

I use several tools to help me track my fitness progress.  I am firm believer that if your are not tracking your fitness you are not actually training. How do you know if you are improving if you are not tracking. Below is a list of the tools I use and how I use them.

• Iron gains app- I use this app to track my strength training. I create my own programs, utilize their exercise library, and add new exercises if needed.  It is very basic but it allows me to track my strength gains from session to session. Some of the others I have tried recently are Iron Pro and Fitbod
  

• Apple watch and OTF Burn- I am obsessed with closing my circles.  I use my heart rate monitor from OTF and link it with my Apple watch to get a more accurate (real time) heart rate reading.  This also tracks my calorie expenditure as well. Important note regarding tracking calorie expenditure... the are all gross estimations.  Do not treat these as anywhere close to 100% accurate.  It does however help me "ball park" my caloric needs.
  

• Elite HRV- I am fascinated by Heart Rate variability (HRV). I will discuss this more when I talk about the Whoop band below in my "Sleep/ recovery" section.  Elite HRV is a great free app that can be utilized with most hear rate monitors.  I find that chest straps work best.  They also sell there own devises, But I have not used or purchased these.  HRV is a great tool to measure recovery.  This will key you in on how hard to should be training and when there is potential of a negative impact on your body due to lack of recovery or illness.  The following was taken directly for the Elite HRV website. In short,  HRV is an accurate, non-invasive measure of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) – which responds to everything: how you exercise, recover, eat, sleep and perceive stress.

  Unlike basic heart rate (HR) that counts the number of heartbeats per minute, HRV looks much closer at the exact changes in time between successive heartbeats (also called inter-beat intervals, RR intervals, NN intervals, etc).

  

  By trending short HRV readings on a daily basis, our adaptive algorithms learn what your “normal” Autonomic Nervous System patterns look like, help you gain insights into your nervous system, stress and recovery activity, and then automatically guide you in improving those patterns over time.

• Pedometer- I utilize the pedometer app on my iPhone to track my daily steps.  It links to my Apple watch so I don't have to have my phone glued to my body all day.  Now that I am working from home I find myself sitting much more than usual.  It is generally accepted that most people should walk at least 10,000 steps per day. Doing this will help you body fight off common conditions and diseases that can be attributed to inactivity (heart disease, stroke, depression, etc.). There have been several occasions where I have strapped on the shoes at 10:30 pm to take a long fast paced walk to get my 10, 000 steps.  My 10,000 step streak was at 147 straight days until I went on an 11 hour road trip that broke my streak.  My goal for 2021, is a streak of 365 days.
  

Nutrition:

 

"The secret Sauce".  You have likely heard the saying, "you can't out train a shitty diet"... and the saying is true. I, like many of the people reading this have busy lives.  I am a single father of 2 with all the things this entails (being a personal Uber, afternoon and weekend sports, tutor, etc) .  I am a business owner (launching a new business).  At the end of the days these things are still excuses and not reasons for not being nutritionally successful. Here are the tools I use to keep me on track:

1.  Weekly meal planning. I know everyone has heard this, it is an absolute must.  When I neglect to do this I easily will end up ordering out 3-4 days per week.  This is not only expensive, but can also be challenging from a nutritional value standpoint.
1. Command station: I have a area right off my kitchen that I call my command station. Here you will find our weekly meal plan and schedule.  You will also find our weekly "responsibility" chart that the kids use to earn "commissions" for task they can do around the house (My version of chores). This has nothing to do with nutrition but I figured I would throw in a pic.
   
2. Meal planning and shopping is usually done on Sunday or Monday morning.
3. Family involvement- This is important to me. I was taught how to cook at an early age and this has greatly benefited me as an adult.  The method is simply, I simply explain everything I am doing as I cook and this has lead to several positive unintended results:
1. My kids ask me if they can help... I rarely ever ask them if they want to cook or help me cook.  They just do.
2. Both my kids read nutritional labels when we go grocery shopping.  They know what to look for and what to avoid.  I never actually taught this to them, they just watch me, and again ask questions.  
3. This has led to great nutritional conversation, such as why processed foods should be avoided. And, why do we look for items that have no added sugar and why we limit our sugar intake.  Why does our body need protein... and healthy versus bad fats.
   

Tracking nutrition progress and seasonal intermittent fasting.

I don't believe in counting calories for the long term.  In my opinion it is not sustainable for daily use and if often very inaccurate.  People typically grossly underestimate their caloric intake. With that said, most people are creatures of habit and eat the same things throughout the week.  Because of this, occasional and short term nutritional tracking is important to be sure you are eating the correct types of foods and amounts to help you reach your goals.  I will typically track my meals for about 2-4 weeks.  This allows me to learn and adjust.  And then, like I mentioned earlier will rely on my habits to sustain for a while.

Intermittent Fasting:

I experiment with intermittent fasting occasionally throughout the year.  There is a lot of data out there in regards to the benefits of intermittent fasting for various reasons. From improving cell function, weight loss, lowering insulin resistance... leading to decrease risk of diabetes, to improved heart health, reduced inflammation and many more. But I dont experiment with intermittent fasting for any of those reason so I will not dive into that today.

So why do you experiment with intermittent fasting? For me it is simply for discipline. I practice a 16-8 fast.  I use the "Life" app to help me track my fasting time, but I typically fast from 8 pm until 12 pm.  The great thing about this schedule is I am asleep for a large chunk of it.  Eating is often habitual and emotional, and I find myself snacking late at night, typically after the kids go to bed while I am watching TV or working on the computer.  I am not necessarily hungry... I have just formed a habit of eating during this time. And as you can imagine, the foods I snack on have little to no positive nutritional value. Fasting helps me remain disciplined with my meals.

 

So, on occasion throughout the year I will practice intermittent fasting.  This is also the time that I do most of my nutritional tracking.  Since I am only eating (read: fueling) for a specific 8 hour period I need to be sure I am refueling with the appropriate amount and types of calories.  This is important as all calories are not created equal!

Nutrition Tracking:

There are several really good apps for this. I have been using the "Lose it" app. 

• It is free (paid options available)
  
• Very easy to track
• has a bar code scanning option for tracking foods
  
• Links with my exercise apps to include calorie expenditure and steps (remember, just am estimate)
• Gives you an easy to understand breakdown of your macros (proteins, carbs, and Fats)
  

Sleep/ recovery:

Sleep and recovery are probably the biggest missing link in most people fitness plan... and probably the most important, maybe behind nutrition. As a matter of fact I dedicated an entire blog post to this topic, you can find it here. Here are the tools I use to track my sleep and recovery.

• Halo Band: I recently started using the Halo band about 2 months ago.  The Halo band is Amazons entry into the world of "fitness wearable". My hopes is that it would be similar to the Whoop band which I really liked. Although it does not quite live up to the Whoop band (yet), here is some of the cool things it will do
• track activity
• Track heart rate 24/7
• Perform picture based body fat scan. I am not completely convinced in the accuracy of this.  I have access to an "Inbody" device and there is a large difference between the two and I am very confident with the accuracy of results from the Inbody.
  
• Measure tone of voice.  This is a little questionable as well.  Are your conversations positive? Concerning? Angry?, etc.
  
• Educational resources
• ~$3/ month after the initial purchase of the band.  I purchased before it was released and paid $69.
  
• Whoop band: I absolutely loved the information that the Whoop band gave me... however, I no longer use or wear the device. The only reason I discontinued this was the monthly price. To me it was a little steep at $30 a month for a 6 month commitment.  You can lower the monthly price by committing to a 1 or 2 year agreement.  You can decide if the price is too steep for you, lets talk about the great features. In short, it utilizes HRV to measure sleep, recovery, and strain
  
• As I stated earlier, I am a big fan of HRV to help predict proper recovery and potential illness. The whoop band does a great job of this in an easy to understand format via the app.
• How much sleep do you really need to recovery based on strain and HRV?  Whoop will tell you.  Maybe its 6 hours for me and 9.5 hours for you.
• Sleep. Whoop measures quality, efficiency and consistency of your sleep.  This all ties back in to recovery and how hard you can or should train

Click the link above to learn more. I highly recommend this product if you feel the price fits within your fitness budget.

• Sleep cycle app: I have been using this app for about 10 year to track my sleep and I really enjoy it.  You will get much of the same data from Whoop and the Halo band so you really don't need them both.  I continue to use both, mainly because I like the gentle wake alarm feature of the Sleep cycle app.  This might be a paid app now, but I have been using it for so long it is free for me??  Great sleep app though and I also highly recommend this one. Here are a few cool features
  
• measure quality of sleep (deep, REM, awake)
• tracks snoring
• weather, and how it affects your sleep
• resting HR
• Many many statics and how you rank among other Americans and those from different countries (sleep quality, regularity, time you went to bed, wake time, time in bed, time asleep, how long it took to fall asleep, etc)
  

Mindfullness:

This is something very new for me. Practicing mindfulness by keeping a daily journal.  I have only been using this app for 7 days now so not much to report.  I am using an app called Day One journal app

So welcome to 2021.  I know as a country we are off to a rocky start, but using these tools will allow you to take personal responsibility for your health.  There is still mixed information regarding COVID 19 in general, but there is sound research on how the effects of exercise can help reduce the likelihood of several diseases including COVID 19.

Be well, and as always... Win The Day!

Scott

The NOT so Shocking reason why Colin Kaepernick has been unemployed

 I actually wrote this article in 2017 and for some reason I never posted it.  But recently I have been preparing to open a new business and revisiting/ creating my mission, vision, values, and team culture is part of the process of launching my new business.  Even though this is a little dated regarding Kaepernick, the message is still very current.

Jan 2017:

I listen to a lot of sports talk radio, ESPN tv and other various sports shows and I can't understand why so many of the sports "talking Heads" are so surprised by Colin's lack of employment at this point in his career.

At the end of the day the process of him making an NFL roster is just another job interview.  It has nothing to do with the NFL owners "black listing" this applicant.

Hiring process's vary from employer to employer, but there are some common things that employers look for in an employee.  The big catching point for many of these football talking heads is his technical ability... or his ability to play quarterback.  Yes, Colin has many of the physical attributes to be an acceptable quarterback in the NFL, but does that make him a good employee or teammate?

My industry, of course is NOT NFL football and I would never consider myself an expert in identifying NFL caliper talent.  But, I have been very successful in building teams and that all start with the hiring process.  There are several characteristics that I look for when interviewing a potential new employee, but technical skill set is probably number 5 or 6 on the list.  And it would be safe to presume many employers share similar hiring criteria.

Criteria #1 is always Core Values.  Does the applicant share similar core values as our team.  Experience has taught me that if you select skill set over Core Values, the relationship will be rocky and not last long.  #2 is Culture.  Does the applicant want to be part of the culture we have created.  #3 is Passion.  Is the applicant excited about what they are getting ready to join.  True passion is contagious and created excitement among the team... misdirected passion can cause division. #4 is personality.  I can teach the new employee everything they need to know about our industry... but I can't teach personality.  My business is about building relationships and personality is important. More time than not, you either have it or you don't.  #5 is Potential.  Does this applicant have the potential to grow within our organization... do they want to grow in my organization?  Finally at #6 we get to skill set.  Now, don't get me wrong, it is important to have the technical skill set, but if I am missing numbers 1-4 you are bound to create a divide within your team that will ultimately create a lot of problems.  If they have all 6, they will be a home run hit.  I want the ideal team player, and they must be Hungry, Humble, and Smart

So why is Colin Kaepernick still unemployed? It's simple, he doesn't share similar Core values as the teams he is seeking to join.  He places his personal agenda over the teams agenda which shows he does not want to be part of the teams Culture.  And that is fine.  If his personal agenda is more important than I would recommend he uses that passion to make a difference. But, based on his interviews I have seen, he doesn't have a great public personality that would make any employer (team) proud to employ him. Shocking right! It has absolutely nothing to do with his quarterback ability. 

How do you select your ideal team player? Let me know in the comments below.

Win the Day!

Scott

Knee Pain Got You Down?

Hey Friends.There are MANY causes of knee pain, but this video I created discusses just one potential cause and 2 great exercises to help prevent and ease knee pain.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Win The Day!

Scott

Scott's meaningless thought of the day.

Happy Tuesday!
For the integrity of this fitness related site I will share with you my tip of the day, but first...

Scott’s meaningless thoughts of the Day:
Our political system is crazy... it has evolved to become laughable. It doesn’t matter what side of the aisle you sit on. If one side says the earth is round the other will say, “No, it’s flat!” (and under their breath say, I know it is really round, but I will never agree with “them”).

After over 2 years and nearly 35 million dollars, the Mueller report concluded “Mueller Finds No Trump-Russia Conspiracy, but Stops Short of Exonerating President on Obstruction”... what does that mean? “I Can’t find any evidence, but I still think he did it”? Now there will likely be an investigation of the investigators??? I am sure we can find better things to do with OUR time and money...POTUS aside, you see this all the time. Someone gets accused of something terrible, then gets proved innocent, only to find the court of public opinion has already sentenced you to death due to their ignorance?

Very confusing.

I believe in hard work... always, I believe in helping people be/ get better, I believe “things”, and respect are earned... not deserved or given. I believe there are 3 sides to every story (what one says, what the other says, and what actually happen). I also believe, I must listen to all sides before I make a decision or pass judgment. I believe in doing the right thing ... always, and fighting for what is right. I believe that our futures would be brighter if more parenting was done at home (I was one of the fortunate ones that had excellent parenting). I believe we have a lot of great educators (teachers) out there for our children... many of which do not receive the resources they need. I believe those educators are not the only ones responsible for teaching our children... this also starts at home... I also believe Michael Jackson and Elvis are still alive living an a private island somewhere :) Enjoy your your Tuesday.

Fitness Tip of the Day:
Listen to your body.  Your body talks to you constantly, unfortunately, most of us ignore this.  Are you unusually sore, bloated, fatigued?  Your body may be trying to speak to you.

Today during my 5 am Garage workout, after my 2nd working set (after 2 warm-up sets) I started to feel a twinge in my left hip flexor.  This is the point that you need to listen to your body.  Most of my career has been working with people that did not listen and would have continued to "grind" and complete their prescribed sets.  Today I listened, and cut my squat work a little short.  I continue with the program and replaced my dead lifts with an "accessory movement".

My lesson today is simple, listen to your body.  Change course for the day so that you do not get derailed for an extended period of time.  Results do not occur when you are sidelined due to injury.

Train Smart, and Win the Day!
Scott

Maximizing Results with Post-Workout Nutrition

Maximizing Results

with Post-Workout Nutrition

By Jennette Holzworth

Exercise is one of the best ways to improve health, achieve and maintain a healthy weight and make positive, long-lasting changes to overall quality of life. However, if left unchecked, exercise could very well be the thing keeping you from achieving your ultimate goals.

During intense exercise, several reactions occur that produce the complete opposite results sought from exercise. Muscle damage occurs, energy levels decrease, immune system function deteriorates, cell membranes are damaged and inflammation increases.

Left unchecked, these processes will continue until the next bout of exercise begins, wasting more muscle, further decreasing immune system function, damaging DNA and leaving one susceptible to illness, injury and long-term damage.

While it sounds like intense exercise would be the very thing to avoid, it’s actually the fastest, most effective way to change your body. The way to make the results matter is with nutritional intervention immediately following exercise. In fact, there’s no other time during the day when nutrition is most crucial than the 30 minutes immediately following exercise.

The topic of post-workout nutrition has been well studied in clinical settings, as scientists search for optimal methods to increase muscle tone, decrease fat and prevent damage to immune system function and cell membranes in athletes and active individuals.

Studies have shown that whey protein and fast-digesting carbohydrates in liquid form is the essential equation in maximizing results following exercise.

Generally speaking, fast-digesting carbohydrates should be avoided throughout the day because they cause a spike in insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas to balance blood sugar levels. A spike in insulin, caused by ingesting fast-digesting carbohydrates, causes the body’s fat cells to store sugar in the form of glycogen, resulting in fat gain.

Following exercise, however, it is the muscle cells that become sensitive to insulin. Ingesting fast-digesting carbohydrates during this time, which is a small window lasting up to 45 minutes following exercise, causes the muscle cells to grow, which increases metabolism and promotes a healthy body composition.

It’s this response that halts the deteriorating effects of hormones produced during exercise and shifts the body into a proper recovery mode— and the faster the better.

It was originally thought that these carbohydrates were the secret to recovery, until research emerged at the University of Texas at Austin that showed adding protein to a carbohydrate supplement caused a faster increase in insulin, increasing protein synthesis and making the combination up to four times more effective than carbohydrates alone in recovery and results.¹

Post-workout nutrition benefits don’t stop at fat burning and muscle gain. The health benefits far outweigh any physical gains aided by supplementation. A study of Marine Corp. recruits found individuals receiving protein and carbohydrates over a 54-day period, versus a placebo or carbohydrates alone, had 33 percent fewer total medical visits and 37 percent fewer visits due to muscle joint problems.²

But even if you have the right combination, waiting too long to drink the shake can make it ineffective. A study performed at Vanderbilt University documented the importance of the timing of a post-workout meal and found that timing is everything.

Participants were given a protein and carbohydrate supplement either immediately after 60 minutes of exercise or three hours later, with the former group burning more fat and synthesizing more protein, better equipping them to build muscle. The group receiving the supplement three hours later actually had a net loss of protein, meaning they lost muscle as a result of waiting to ingest nutrients.³

The “perfect” recovery shake involves the following elements:

• 1 g carbohydrate per kilogram body-weight. (1-1.5 g/kg for endurance athletes)
• 1 g protein for every 3 or 4 g carbohydrates.

-   Whey protein is optimal because it includes all 9 essential amino acids and is fast digesting. Whey isolate is recommended for lactose-intolerant individuals. 

• Vitamins C & E can be added during this time to enhance immune system function, as well as glutamine and leucine (amino acids) to boost protein synthesis and recovery.
• Fat should be avoided during this time because it slows digestion.
• Liquid forms are preferred because of their fast-digesting nature. Whole foods can be eaten, but the window of opportunity may be missed due to digestion delay. Animal meats and processed carbohydrates (such as rice cakes, breads, pastas or crackers) can be consumed if whole foods are desired.
• Bring your shake (or food) to your workout and consume it prior to leaving the facility.

Information in this article was adapted from the following studies & sources:

1. Zawadzki, K.M., Yaspelkis, B.B., III and Ivy, J.L., “Carbohydrate-protein complex increases the rate of muscle glycogen storage after exercise,” Journal of Applied Physiology, 72: 1854-1859, 1992.

2. Flakoll, P.J.,. Judy, T., Flinn, K., Carr, C., Flinn, S., “Post exercise protein supplementation improves health and muscle soreness during basic military training in marine recruits.” Journal of Applied Physiology, March 1, 2004 vol. 96 no. 3 951-956.

3. Levenhagen, D.K., Greshmah, J.D., Carlson, M.G., et al., “Postexercise nutrient intake timing in humans is critical to recovery of leg glucose and protein homeostasis,” American Journal of Physiology, 280: E982-E993, 2001

Getting the most accurate reading from your OTBeat Heart rate monitor

Hey OTF’ers,

I have read recently that several members are experiencing inconsistent readings with the “Pulse” heart rate monitor during class. Both styles of monitors that OTF offers are very reliable, but both work very differently. Both also have their unique “quirks” that may lead to a temporary loss of reading.

Let’s start with how the two work.

The “Core”- This is the original OTF heart rate monitor.  This devise basically works by “listening” to your heart beat.  It is worn snuggly across your chest right about at the level of your Xiphoid process.  The closer to the heart the better the reading.  Also important to note, the “Core” can sometimes take 3 to 5 minutes to read your heart rate and sometimes requires movement/ activity.

Common wearing flaws:

•         Worn to low
•         Worn to lose
•         Core attached upside down
•         Loses contact with body when body is “rounded” forward… when on the rower for example.
•         Adjusting to frequently-  If you feel that your “Core” is not reading well, make an adjustment and then let the monitor relocate your heart rate.  This can sometimes take a minute.  Continual adjustment of the strap will not allow the devise to detect your HR

Possible Solutions:

·        Lightly wet the strap to help with conductivity on your body

·        Wash strap weekly to remove accumulated sweat/ salt from band

·        Be sure strap is worn “high and tight”

·        Shift strap and core slightly to the left (more directly over heart).  Let device relocate HR.

The “Pulse”- The Pulse utilizes optical sensors to “look” for your heart rate by reading blood flow under the skin.  Placement of the Pulse is very important for proper reading.

Proper placement:

·        3 finger widths from your wrist. - Wear the “Pulse” approximately 2-3 finger widths from your wrist, toward your elbow (the higher the better). Placing “Pulse” here will allow for optimal contact– allowing “Pulses” sensors to better ‘sense’ the volume of blood under the skin and detect your pulse.

·        Wear the “Pulse” above your ANT+ or BLE watch. - Want to pair your “Pulse” with your favorite ANT+ or BLE watch? No problem! Simply place your “Pulse” above the watch of your choice. Wearing the “Pulse” on the same arm as your watch will allow for optimal communication between devices.

·        When cycling, wear the “Pulse” with the sensor on the inside of your arm. - Want to track your heart rate with the “Pulse” while cycling? Go for it! Simply turn your “Pulse” around, so that the sensor faces the inside of your forearm. This will allow Mio’s sensor to better “sense” your blood flow while you ride on a trail or road.

·        Turn on your “Pulse” about 10 minutes prior to the start of a workout.  This will allow adequate time to detect blood flow.

Common wearing flaws:

·        Band slides down too low on the wrist- When the “Pulse” slides down the wrist, movement of the wrist creates “noise” which causes an inaccurate reading. I recommend wearing a sweat band on your wrist to hold your “Pulse” in proper place.

·        Tightly gripping dumbbells or the rower handle could reduce blood flow to the wrist, which could lead to a temporary loss of reading.

·        Members with low blood pressure could experience an inconsistent reading since there could possibly be less blood flow to the arms while exercising.

Charging note:

•         “Pulse” only takes about 45 minutes to charge completely.  After the charging light goes off, the “Pulse” should be removed from the charger.
•         The Pulse has a “charge life cycles” of approximately 350 charges.  Improve “Pulse” life by only charging when almost completely dead. A complete charge should last 3-4 classes.
•         Do not charge your “Pulse” via your lighter socket in your car. Socket could be too powerful and literally burn the unit… I have seen this happen once!

**Important note- Splat points are not designed to be obtained during the weight room portion.  We design an OTF workout so members will get at least 12 Splat points during the cardio portion of the workout**

Hope this helps!

Win the Day,

Scott