New Delhi: Apple is about to make working out with your Apple Watch a lot more fun and inspiring. With the forthcoming watchOS 26 update, Apple is introducing a new feature called Workout Buddy. Here’s a simple breakdown of what it does, how it works, and what you’ll need to use it.

What Is Workout Buddy?

Workout Buddy is a brand-new feature for Apple Watch users, launching later this year with watchOS 26. Think of it as your own personal fitness coach that talks to you during your workouts. Using Apple’s latest AI technology, called Apple Intelligence, Workout Buddy gives you real-time encouragement and feedback based on your workout data and fitness history.

For example, when you start a run, Workout Buddy might say something like, “Way to get out for your run this Wednesday morning.” As you continue, it’ll let you know when you hit milestones—like running a certain distance or picking up your pace. At the end, it will recap your stats, such as your heart rate and average speed, and congratulate you on your achievements.

How Does Workout Buddy Work?

Workout Buddy uses Apple Intelligence to analyze your workout stats—like heart rate, pace, distance, and your progress on Activity Rings. It then uses a text-to-speech AI model to create a voice that sounds like a real coach, inspired by voices from Apple’s Fitness+ trainers. This voice gives you individualize feedback and motivation throughout your workout, making the experience feel more human and encouraging.

All of this happens right on your device, so your data stays private and secure.

What Workouts Does It Support?

At launch, Workout Buddy will work with the most popular types of exercise, including:

Outdoor and indoor running

Walking

Outdoor cycling

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Traditional and functional strength training

The feature will be available in English first and will expand to more languages in the future.

What Devices Do You Need?

To use Workout Buddy, you’ll need:

An Apple Watch that supports watchOS 26

Bluetooth headphones (for the voice feedback)

An iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence (required for the AI features)

Supported iPhones include:

iPhone 16 series (16e, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max)

iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max

The Apple Watch and iPhone need to be near each other for Workout Buddy to work.

What’s New in watchOS 26?

Apart from Workout Buddy, watchOS 26 brings a fresh new look with the Liquid Glass design, smarter notifications, and more personalized music suggestions for workouts. The Workout app itself is getting a simpler interface with bigger buttons and easier controls, plus automatic music suggestions based on your workout and listening habits.

The Apple Watch’s fitness features have been getting consistently more impressive in recent years, between new running metrics, the recent addition of Training Load, and integrations with third-party apps such as TrainingPeaks. And yet, despite these advanced tools at my fingertips and as someone who tests the best Apple Watches as part of my job, I’m still lacking in the running department.

After a long day of work, as a man in his mid-thirties with a very active six-year-old, the last thing I feel I want to do is get my shorts and underlayer on and head out the door, and that’s even with some lovely running routes nearby.

Jason Droege is a seasoned technology executive and entrepreneur. Before joining Scale, he was a Venture Partner at Benchmark, an investment firm focused on early-stage venture investing in consumer, marketplaces, open-source, AI, infrastructure, and enterprise software. He joined Benchmark in 2021 to collaborate closely with portfolio founders, leveraging his extensive experience in building consumer businesses.

HOLYOKE — This city — with its affordable old mills-turned office lofts, affordable green hydropower and proximity to markets and to educated workers form the Five Colleges — kept coming up during a technology conference in tony Cambridge last week.

And Mike Stone — resident, co-founder and principal of Cofab Design here and an organizer of the upcoming HardTech Holyoke — insists he wasn’t the one bringing his adopted hometown into the conversation.

“Holyoke is on their minds,” Stone said. “There is an energy.” The energy is for Boston- or New York-grown companies looking for a place where they can grow.

CoFab is a five-person engineering consultancy working on designs for manufacturers.

The trendy word is HardTech, hard technology meant to differentiate manufacturing physical things from developments in AI or software.

“We work in atoms, not bytes,” Stone said.

The second-ever HardTech Holyoke event will be held Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Mill 1 at Open Square. More information is available by emailing hello@hardtechholyoke.org or online at hardtechholyoke.org.

A mix of networking, information and making connections, the event provides space for representatives of established companies in Holyoke to meet with firms potentially looking to locate here and learn about all the positive assets Holyoke can provide, said Aaron Vega, director of planning economic development for the city.

The first event — in August 2023 — drew 100 people.

“It was this scene-building activity,” Vega said.

With an admittedly loose definition of “annual,” Stone said he goes for a relaxed vibe without a lot of presentations. There will be food and conversation with displays of technology developed in Holyoke.

“More like a gallery opening, but for manufacturing and engineering,” he said

A buzz, he said, generated by success stories like Clean Crop Technologies which is developing new ways to remove contamination from seeds and foods and is located just upstairs from Stone’s Cofab Design in the Wauregan Building at 340 Dwight St.

Sublime Systems has helped put Holyoke on the map despite the loss of a federal grant supporting its plans to bring an innovative cement manufacturing process to Holyoke.

Sublime says it is moving forward and hopes to recapture the federal money.

Xenocs, with offices in Open Square in Holyoke, uses X-ray technology to analyze nanoscale materials. It will participate as well.

Based in Sunderland, Florrent, a maker of supercapacitors for energy storage, is also part of the event.

PHOTO: Chelsea Ouellet/Pixabay

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The world of sports has been known to change quickly, and one way this occurs is through technology.

There is constantly a new wave of tech on the horizon that can better various aspects of sports, including athletes’ performance.

Pairing the prowess of an athlete with innovative technology can elevate both an individual’s and a team’s performance.

Wanting to better an athlete’s or a team’s performance is the norm for coaches, and all coaches could find this post useful.

Below, you will find out what types of technology are beneficial if you want to improve sports performance, as well as how this is achieved. 

Athlete Monitoring with Wearable Technology

Athletes, coaches, and medical professionals can obtain precise data through wearable technology, which has completely transformed performance analysis in sports. Wearable tech can provide real-time data on various biomechanical and physiological parameters. Watches and other devices have been equipped with GPS and motion sensors, allowing individuals to analyze their performance patterns through their endurance, movements, and speed. 

Coaches can use the data supplied to analyze performance, identify weaknesses, and optimize training routines. This will include distance, endurance, movement patterns, and speed from accelerometers and GPS. 

These devices will also measure the athlete’s heart rate and variability (HRV), which can provide insight into fatigue, recovery, and stress. While HRV helps athletes assess their readiness for training, sensors like electromyography (EMG) will track muscle activation and engagement, helping to identify muscle imbalances. Obtaining this information in real time will allow for immediate adjustments during competition and/or training.

Performance Strategy with Monitoring Tools

The use of monitoring tools in sports can provide valuable data that inform injury prevention, recovery, and training. Such data can be used by athletes and coaches to make data-driven decisions for them, optimize how they perform, and reduce the risk of injuries during training and competitions. This data will include key performance indicators, such as heart rate, movement patterns, and workload.

While wearable tech can also be used for this, the primary monitoring tools used by athletes and coaches include 3D motion capture systems, game analysis software, and video analysis systems. The latter is crucial to identify strengths and weaknesses, monitor performance, provide immediate and visual feedback, and track progress. If you wish to capture this type of data during training and so on, you should research the best sports video systems. 

Video performance systems for sports should include advanced analytical tools, high-quality video capture, and integration capabilities. For example, Endzone Video Systems designs telescoping towers and sports camera systems, and this company has been recognized as one of the best, which means their products must be well-made. 

Virtual Reality in Sports Training

With many advancements made in recent years, virtual reality (VR) has become well-known in some sports training sessions. VR can create an immersive and interactive environment that replicates the real-world game scenario, no matter if it is golf, motorsport, or soccer.. This allows athletes to practice their skills and strategies in a safe and repeatable manner.

There are several benefits to using VR in sports training. As well as providing real-time feedback on an athlete’s performance, this type of technology can enable athletes to better their decision-making under pressure, spatial awareness, and tactical understanding. This can also introduce them to high-pressure situations, assisting them with developing mental toughness and stress management techniques.

To conclude, there are a number of different types of technology that can improve the performance of a sports team.

Wearable tech, monitoring tools, and virtual reality, as discussed in this post, are only a few options that athletes and coaches should take advantage of to up their game in the future.

PHOTO: Chelsea Ouellet/Pixabay

D1 Training, a leading fitness enrichment concept utilizing the five core tenets of athletic-based training, recently opened a new location in Peachtree Corners at 5250 Triangle Pkwy NW Suite 400. The new group fitness facility employs a sports-science backed training regimen led by certified trainers to help people of all ages achieve their sport and fitness goals.

Roald and Marian Richards will join a roster of impressive existing franchisees, including professional athletes like Kylie Fitts and Jordan Gay. Additional franchise partners include notable figures such as Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, Tim Tebow, and Michael Oher

The Richards family has always embraced an active lifestyle. Marian played college basketball, while Roald was a multi-sport athlete in high school, competing in both basketball and track. Their children share that same passion: their oldest daughter competes in varsity basketball and track, and their son also plays varsity basketball. Both have played AAU basketball, along with baseball and soccer. Their youngest daughter is now following in their footsteps as a soccer player. Roald went on to coach basketball at the local YMCA after college and continued coaching his son through childhood. Marian is equally involved, having coached several of their children’s sports teams over the years.

In addition to coaching, Roald has enjoyed a successful 29-year career in finance. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit, he sought business opportunities after achieving financial security. D1 Training aligned perfectly with his interests and values, allowing him to provide youth athletes in his community with the chance to reach their fitness goals and become the best versions of themselves both on and off the field.

“Throughout my journey in sports, I’ve come to understand that athletics provide kids with the opportunity to build solid foundations and learn invaluable life lessons,” said Roald. “It’s about much more than just playing a game; through sports, children gain discipline and discover important truths about themselves, which can be crucial for their development. I’m excited to help the youth athletes of Peachtree Corners and the surrounding communities achieve their goals and cultivate the confidence they need to excel in whatever they pursue.”

D1 Training offers four age-based programs including Rookie (ages 7-11), Developmental (ages 12-14), Prep (ages 15-18) and D1 Adult. Each fitness program is based on the five athletic-based tenets: dynamic warm-up, performance, strength program, core and conditioning, and cool down. Outside of group workouts, D1 Training offers group, semi-private, and one-on-one training with world-class coaches. The goal is simple: to continue to train athletes who are dedicated to their sport or fitness goals, regardless of age, or athletic background.

“The Richards are the ideal candidates to bring the D1 Training experience to Peachtree Corners,” said the brand’s Chief Operating Officer, Dan Murphy. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to the D1 family and are confident in their ability to show the Peachtree Corners area what they’ve been missing out on. D1 is a one-of-a-kind fitness experience that’s built around the individual and meant to help people meet their athletic goals. Our strong network of franchisees embodies our core values to bring the D1 Training vision to life, and we know the Richards will do just that in Peachtree Corners and its surrounding communities.”

Strategically expanding across the nation through franchising, D1 Training has more than 100 performance centers open with over 100 additional locations in various stages of development. The brand is currently seeking financially qualified business builders, former athletes, and entrepreneurs, who share a passion for fitness and youth sports, who are ready to make a positive impact on their community.

For more information on D1 Training Peachtree Corners, please visit https://www.d1training.com/peachtree-corners/, or call (855) 783-7650.

About D1 Training 

Founded in 2001 by former NFL player Will Bartholomew, and based in Nashville, D1 Training began franchising in 2017. The popular fitness brand has grown to more than 100 locations currently open, with over 250 additional locations in various stages of development. The brand was recently ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500, was named a Top 30 Gym in America by Men’s Health Magazine and made an appearance on The Inc. 5000 which ranks the fastest growing private companies in the nation. D1 Training has been endorsed by the NFL Players Association as an approved training facility and is a preferred partner of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. D1 Training is actively seeking qualified, community-minded franchisees with a passion for the fitness industry to continue its growth through single and multi-unit franchise deals. For more information on D1 Training and franchise opportunities, please visit https://www.d1franchise.com/.