Fitbit launched their ‘#1 health tracker’ – the Fitbit Cost 6 – again in September 2023 and we, at Working Shoe Guru, tried and examined it daily, for over a month to see what sort of runner most accurately fits the health tracker.

We determined that a newbie runner or somebody trying to dip their toe into the well-being world would have essentially the most profit from the Fitbit Cost 6 due to its progressive but considerably simplistic options.

It will possibly completely sustain along with your day-to-day antics and spotlight the place you’re overexerting your self, or equally, suggesting the place you may be extra lively due to its wealth of well being metrics analysed 24/7.

However it additionally falls quick on different options that restrict its useability to the brand new runner.

So let’s dive into the small print a bit extra:

Fitbit Cost 6 Professional’s:

1. Well being Metrics

Straight off the bat, the largest professional needs to be the wealth of well being metrics that this tracker can… monitor.

From weight administration to blood glucose, Coronary heart Fee Variability, stress response all the best way to interval monitoring, sleep analytics and readiness scoring.

If there’s a well being aim you’re trying to obtain this new 12 months then the Fitbit can positively aid you monitor your progress and monitor the way you’re physique is admittedly doing.

This can be a newbie runner’s dream device that will help you perceive how your physique is adapting to a extra lively way of life AND to ensure you’re not overdoing it.

Usually, a beginner feeling the runners excessive for the primary time can’t get sufficient and tries to problem themselves to the hefty activity of working each day, when ranging from scratch.

Working the danger of sickness or harm (no pun meant). However, that is the place the Fitbit Cost 6 can assist you perceive when to relaxation and when your physique is able to go once more. It will possibly aid you study to hearken to your physique simply that little bit extra.

2. In-app exercises

It needs to be mentioned the variety of exercises accessible on the Fitbit app is nice. There’s actually one thing for everybody from power exercises to mindfulness and recipes.

For the brand new runner, discovering a strength-based exercise that may assist profit your working is improbable and there’s no excuse for ‘no time’.

You’ll be able to choose a time-based exercise (from beneath 5 minutes to over half-hour), have it equipment-focused when you have some dumbbells or bands at residence – and it doesn’t finish there!

Low influence to HIIT coaching, to leap rope to yoga, there’s one thing for everybody which retains coaching enjoyable – any of those classes will assist enhance your health when out working too – sure, even the 3-minute ab exercise!

3. Readiness rating

The primary device to assist anybody whether or not you’re already working or simply beginning out. It’s a improbable characteristic that collates very advanced information and serves it up for you in a beautiful score-based dish.

In case your physique may let you know precisely the way it feels, in a single phrase (or quantity) once you rise up then that is it.

You’ll discover comparable variations on completely different health or well being monitoring watches on the market, so it’s helpful to know as you begin this wonderful working journey (okay I’m barely biased).

Basically, the Fitbit Cost 6 measures your latest exercise ranges, latest sleep high quality and Coronary heart price Variability rating and produces a easy ‘that is the extent of exercise you need to do at present’ to relaxation and recuperate optimally.

And sure each runner, it doesn’t matter what degree would profit from this wizardry.

Fitbit Cost 6 Con’s:

1. No working coaching plans accessible

Sadly, Fitbit provide a wealth of exercises and mindfulness classes however working exercises they don’t do. Impressed to run your native 5k Parkrun? Yeah, the Fitbit can’t get you there however it will possibly let you know the way to recuperate over the next days.

There isn’t any set coaching plan so that you can comply with, which is the place it loses out massively to its rivals.

HOWEVER, there are working exercises accessible. No thought the place to start out in your working journey? Nicely, there are a number of outside and indoor working exercises accessible.

From 2 miles in 20 minutes to introduction to intervals. There are classes from 10 minutes as much as 45 minutes for outside classes so you’ll be able to have a superb go at what you take pleasure in.

2. Fitbit has its personal Coronary heart Fee Zone system

Contemplating Fitbit doesn’t really provide coaching plans they’ve now considerably restricted your use of third-party choices, particularly for rookies.

Most coaching classes use Coronary heart Fee zones to watch the hassle and output of any given session, and this often consists of 5 coronary heart price zones. Mild effort zone 1 to maximal effort zone 5, all based mostly on a per cent of your most coronary heart price.

As a result of Fitbit makes use of a three-zone system that is somewhat complicated in the event you resolve to make use of a plan from right here, from magazines or something given to you through a working coach. Fitbit presents a Fats burning zone, cardio zone and peak zone.

This is able to be nice in the event that they supplied coaching plans to stick to their coronary heart price three-zone system, however to everybody else, and runners eager to progress, it’s a big roadblock.

3. GPS monitoring

Sadly, Fitbit has a popularity of missing within the GPS division. Every Cost 6 is loaded up with inbuilt GPS and GLONASS system (identical as different model fashions) nonetheless we discovered that monitoring run distances was just a little off… by half a mile or extra!

You may get turn-by-turn navigation by way of Google Maps however once more getting that connection between mentioned App, Cellphone and Watch is a little bit of a circus.

Once more this may be okay for runners who’re new to the sport, who usually tend to follow locations or parks they know nicely. I do urge you to not run too far-off from residence so that you received’t closely depend on the navigation system – all the time have your telephone with you.

Do you’ve the Cost 6 or are pondering of shopping for one? Tell us within the feedback!