Fitbit & Garmin: The Rise Of Smart Watches | Ahead Of Their Time | Full Episode

How did wearables go from a fantasy idea in sci-fi and spy movies to the smartwatches and tracking gadgets we now wear? Pioneers ushered in this new reality of what consumers have come to expect today, like Garmin who turned their GPS prowess into devices for athletes, and Fitbit who led the consumer health movement from clip-ons to our wrists.


CrossFit Health Panel: Wearables

Panelists: Julie Foucher, MD, Family Physician Kristen Holmes, Whoop VP of Performance Science Josh Clemente, Levels Founder and President Nick Nwabueze, MD, SteadyMD Physician Katina Thornton, MD, Anesthesiologist Mike Mallin, MD, CrossFit Precision Care

“Even if I’m coming off a post-call shift at the hospital, and I’m only running on three hours of sleep, in my mind, I should still be able to deadlift 500 pounds. Why can’t I pick up this bar?” asks Nick Nwabueze, MD.
During a panel discussion of healthcare practitioners and data experts speaking on wearables, Dr. Nwabueze shares that being able to quantify health and recovery metrics has been a game changer for improving his athletic performance. The panel was part of a series of conversations hosted by CrossFit Health at the 2021 CrossFit Games, with Dr. Julie Foucher moderating.
The other panelists agree that tracking and managing recovery is a critical part of improving future performance, and the more personalized, the better. “We can actually track recovery, and that’s going to lead to performance down the road, instead of tracking just performance,” says Mike Mallin, MD.
In this conversation, the panelists provide insights on several different types of wearable devices, including trackers for workouts, sleep, recovery, and blood glucose.
They share which metrics they find most useful to track, why personalized data and experimentation is so crucial for improving health and performance, and actionable tips individuals can use to improve their biomarkers.