You’ve probably heard of smart watches, fitness trackers, and apps that monitor your fitness goals, heart rate, and even UV exposure. But wearable technology manufacturers aren’t about to stop there. Now, they’ve created what is, essentially, “smart clothing.” These are clothing items with sensors that track real-time data to give you a play-by-play of your workout. The Washington Post recently dished out the scoop on these new fitness wearables—just in time for your annual Turkey Trot fun run or post-Thanksgiving workout:

• A company called Sensoria Fitness has developed smart shirts and sports bras, but their main focus is socks. Their socks have an anklet attached that tracks the wearer’s cadence while running, the number of steps taken, and the percentage of steps that land on the ball or the heel of the foot. Sensoria’s app lets the wearer know if their cadence is off or if they’re heel-striking. The app can also track the life of your running shoes, giving you a heads-up when they need to be replaced.
• Athos is another company in the smart clothing game. They produce smart shorts and shirts geared toward intense workouts, such as weight lifting or interval training. Their clothing contains an oval-shaped sensor, about the size of your palm. The sensor tracks the natural electromagnetic pulses in your body, and the app provides real-time data on your muscle usage and heart rate. The app can even play back your workout to show you when you used certain muscles.

After reading this, you may feel like you’re living in the future, but there is still some uncharted territory left in the smart clothing industry. While this clothing does provide lots of data, it doesn’t necessarily help the wearer utilize that data. Both companies are hoping to take their products to next level by integrating training programs and virtual coaching into their wearables, to help users benefit from and improve their workout stats.

Source: Washington Post