Health and Fitness – Page 25

Flexispot all in one Deskcise Pro desk bike review

Did you succumb to the recent trend and buy a standing desk or are you still slouching in a chair behind your computer all day? I had a standing desk for a short time but just couldn’t learn to love it, so I gave it away and went back to slouching behind my computer all day at work and then going home and doing the same.

When the folks at Flexispot contacted me to see if I would be interested in giving their all in one Deskcise Pro desk bike a try, I was curious and said yes.

What is it?

The Flexispot all in one Deskcise Pro desk bike is a small low impact exercise bike with a built-in platform for a laptop that has been designed for people between 5’1″ and 6’2″

Product specs

Desktop size: 19.6″ x 22.8″
Bike size: 36″ x 22.8″ x 43.3″- 49″
Height adjustable seat range: 30.7″ – 38.1″
8 level magnetic tension resistance
Weight capacity: 300 lbs

Design and features

The Flexispot is made of white plastic and metal and is compact enough to fit in even small homes. It arrives assembled except for attaching the desktop which requires no tools to attach.

As mentioned in the product specs, the Flexispot is designed for people between 5’1″ and 6’2″. I am 5’6″, so I had no trouble adjusting the height of the desktop to accommodate me.

To adjust the height level of the desktop, you just press the lever on the side of the desk and lift upwards or press downwards till the height is where you like it. Then you let go of the lever to lock the placement.

A lever on the opposite side of the desktop allows you to slide the desktop forwards or backward to bring the platform closer or farther away from you. You can even pull the desktop back as far as it will go and then stand behind the seat to use the Flexispot as a standing desk.

You can do the same with the padded seat to raise and lower it.

The Flexispot has hard rubber pedals that work well when you are wearing shoes. FYI, I find it a little amusing that the pedals have reflectors on them considering you won’t be riding this “vehicle” on the roads.

If you want to ride the Flexispot without shoes, soft rubber covers are included to make riding more comfortable.

You’ll also notice that the Flexispot has caster wheels. This makes it easy to move the desk bike where ever you want to place it. The wheels also lock in place when you’re on the bike so that it won’t move while you’re getting your exercise.

The all in one Deskcise Pro has a large knob that you use to adjust the magnetic tension resistance. There are 8 adjustable settings to choose from so you set things up to be easy or challenging.

An LCD display above the knob will show workout time, pedal revolutions, distance, calories burned and speed. A button below the display is used to cycle through each of the readouts.

There’s even a built-in cup holder so you can stay hydrated during your bike desk sessions.

The desk platform is large enough for magazines, books, tablets, and laptops, and has a padded wrist rest for comfort.

Let’s go for a spin!

When I first jumped on the Flexispot, I thought that pumping my legs while trying to do work on my computer or reading a magazine would be really distracting. It was a little distracting at first, but after a few minutes, I forgot all about the fact that I was riding a “bike” and zoned out on what I was doing with my eyes and brain.

Before I knew it, 20 minutes passed by and I’d “traveled” a couple miles. I was surprised and felt good about myself because I was actually moving parts of my body that are usually sitting still while I surf and read. Getting a little extra movement without really trying is pretty cool.

The Flexispot seat is padded and pretty comfortable, but I did notice my rear end getting a little sore after using the bike for an extended time. I don’t have a lot of padding back there, so I have comfort problems with most bicycle seats but thought I should still mention it.

I like that the Flexispot comes 99% assembled and that it’s easy to adjust and use. There’s no thick manual to read. You just get on and ride.

I also like that the desk bike is small and that it doesn’t make a lot of noise while you’re pedaling it to bother other people in the room.

One thing that I’d like to see added to a future version is a tilt feature added to the desktop platform to make it easier to read or watch videos on a tablet without needing a separate stand.

Positives

Comes assembled
Small and compact
Doesn’t make much noise

Negatives

Expensive
Desk platform doesn’t tilt

Price: $499.99
Where to buy: Amazon

Final thoughts

We all know that it’s not good for our health to sit for hours at a time. Finding easy ways to add movement while still doing the activities that we like and need to do on a daily basis can be a challenge but the Flexispot all in one Deskcise Pro makes it easy and fun to go from sitting to low impact exercising with minimal effort.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Flexispot. Please visit their site for more info.

Oura announces a new sleeker fitness ring and I want one!

Several months ago I had the opportunity to test and review a very slick fitness tracking device that had the form factor of a ring that you wear on your finger like an ordinary piece of jewelry. That was the original Oura ring and I really enjoyed using it but ended up shelving it due to the size. Now Oura is back with the second generation of their fitness and sleep tracking ring and oh boy, I am excited about it.

The new Oura Ring is now sized like a ring that I would actually want to wear because it’s less than half the size of the first generation Oura ring while still allowing for a seven day battery life. The titanium water resistant ring will be available in three styles and a choice of up to four colors depending on the style.

Like standard fitness tracking devices that you might wear on your wrist or clipped to your clothes, the Oura ring keeps track of your activity and steps. But this ring also helps to improve the quality of your sleep.

During the night, the new Oura ring tracks sleep quality, sleep stages (deep, REM, light and wakefulness), ECG level resting heart rate and heart rate variability as well as body temperature. With the new ring, users can also see their resting heart rate and heart rate variability on-demand during the day, for example during naps, meditation or breathing and relaxation exercises.

This is one of the first wearables available to consumers that offers advice on how to improve your unique circadian alignment. The circadian rhythm is your body’s built-in 24-hour clock that affects everything you do: when it would be optimal for you to sleep, rest, eat and move. The new Oura ring helps you find your optimal bedtime so you will have a more restorative sleep and good optimal recovery from daily stresses.

The second generation Oura ring can be preordered for $239 to $899 with shipping in April 2018. Visit ouraring.com for all the details.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Activity tracker, Geek jewelry, Health and fitness

Oura announces a new sleeker fitness ring and I want one! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 3, 2017 at 11:35 am.

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Oura announces a new sleeker fitness ring and I want one!

Several months ago I had the opportunity to test and review a very slick fitness tracking device that had the form factor of a ring that you wear on your finger like an ordinary piece of jewelry. That was the original Oura ring and I really enjoyed using it but ended up shelving it due to the size. Now Oura is back with the second generation of their fitness and sleep tracking ring and oh boy, I am excited about it.

The new Oura Ring is now sized like a ring that I would actually want to wear because it’s less than half the size of the first generation Oura ring while still allowing for a seven day battery life. The titanium water resistant ring will be available in three styles and a choice of up to four colors depending on the style.

Like standard fitness tracking devices that you might wear on your wrist or clipped to your clothes, the Oura ring keeps track of your activity and steps. But this ring also helps to improve the quality of your sleep.

During the night, the new Oura ring tracks sleep quality, sleep stages (deep, REM, light and wakefulness), ECG level resting heart rate and heart rate variability as well as body temperature. With the new ring, users can also see their resting heart rate and heart rate variability on-demand during the day, for example during naps, meditation or breathing and relaxation exercises.

This is one of the first wearables available to consumers that offers advice on how to improve your unique circadian alignment. The circadian rhythm is your body’s built-in 24-hour clock that affects everything you do: when it would be optimal for you to sleep, rest, eat and move. The new Oura ring helps you find your optimal bedtime so you will have a more restorative sleep and good optimal recovery from daily stresses.

The second generation Oura ring can be preordered for $239 to $899 with shipping in April 2018. Visit ouraring.com for all the details.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Activity tracker, Geek jewelry, Health and fitness

Oura announces a new sleeker fitness ring and I want one! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 3, 2017 at 11:35 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

AliveCor’s KardiaBand takes a medical-grade EKG on your wrist in seconds

When the Apple Watches were first introduced, it seemed there was talk of using the watch to monitor a lot of health conditions that weren’t available at release. The Watch has been used to monitor some health conditions and for some clinical trials, but not as many as I had envisioned. Now AliveCor’s KardiaBand is the first FDA-cleared, clinical-grade accessory for the Watch for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) and normal sinus rhythm in an EKG.

The KardiaBand replaces your normal Watch band. It pairs with the SmartRhythm app, and you can take an EKG reading as easily as opening the app, sitting down, placing your thumb on the band’s metal contact, and waiting a few seconds while the band takes the measurements. The app evaluates your readings and determines if everything is okay or if it detects signs of atrial fibrillation. It even monitors your heart rate and physical activity, and it can prompt you to take a reading if it suspects something may be wrong.

You’ll require a Kardia Premium membership to use the EKG band; it’s $99 annually or $9.99 a month, with the first month free. You’ll have unlimited storage of all your readings, and you’ll get a monthly EKG summary report for your doctor. You can also use the app to store your weight, blood pressure readings, and activity.

Just like the Apple Sport bands, you’ll receive three band components so you can achieve a good fit. The KardiaBand is available in black only and sized to fit the 38mm or the 42mm Apple Watch. It’s $199.00 at AliveCor.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Apple Watch, Health and fitness

AliveCor’s KardiaBand takes a medical-grade EKG on your wrist in seconds originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 1, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Santa Cruz Wurf Board review

This is the first time I have written a review while actively using the product I am reviewing. I am in the standing mode of my workstation and beneath my feet is the Santa Cruz Wurf Board and I feel great. The Wurf Board is an inflatable pad for use when standing in one place for any amount of time. When I received a standing desk station from my employer, I went out and bought what I thought was the best available pad for standing on while I work. I thought I had the best there was, that is until I received the Wurf Board. Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with the product, it had everything I thought I needed and I was moderately comfortable using it for long period of time. The Wurf Board has changed my expectations of a pad for my standing desk.

I honestly didn’t know much about the Wurf Board when I agreed to review it. I had a picture in my mind of what one of these pads was and I thought that this was just another one of those with some bold graphics on it…wrong. I hadn’t researched enough to know that it is inflatable. At first, I thought “why would someone want an inflatable standing pad for their desk and how durable can this thing be?”. Those questions were answered as soon as I inflated it in a matter of seconds using the pump that is included and standing on it for the first time. INSTANTLY, I could feel the micro movements in my feet and legs and the pressure on the bottom of my feet was gone.

At this point, I began experimenting with different amounts of air in the board. When I released some air, the board obviously became softer but I immediately noticed that I was moving a lot more while standing in the same place. My weight was shifting and I was engaging my core and leg muscles without thinking about it. I tried it with my shoes on and off, both felt great but honestly, I remove my shoes at every chance I get to use this because of how great it feels. On the website, there is a link called “The Science” that has a number of resources for customers to utilize to learn about the benefits of standing desks, active standing, overall benefits of movement and more. I really recommend you checking it out because I was aware of the benefits of my standing desk since, after all “sitting IS the new smoking” but I didn’t think of my feet or legs getting fatigued while using it.

Included in the package is also a poster with different exercises you can do using the Wurf Board. These are easy motions that you are all most likelyfamiliarr with anyways but using the slight instability of the air filled board helps to further engage those small muscle groups and your core. I cannot say that I do the exercises every day but I am probably doing some or all of them 2-3 days per work week. This is a benefit to this product that is not possible with the first standing pad I bought nor did it ever cross my mind.

Nearly every time someone walks into my office and sees me standing on the Wurf Board, they ask what it is. People have seen standing pads before but never one with a surfboard graphic on it. I don’t mind the surfboard look since that is part of the marketing behind this product but I do wish there were other options in this product. I wear a size 14 shoe so the large was the only good option for me. The Santa Cruz is offered in small, medium and large sizes ($199, $239, $269) for either more space to move on or to accommodate larger feet like mine. All of the Santa Cruz models have a similar surfboard graphic on them. They also offer the Maui Wurf Board, which is currently offered in the medium size ($299) and features a slight curve on the bottom that encourages even ore movement while standing. This product is offered in three different colors and features a water/geometric design.

The large that I have is 32.9″ x 17.7″ and can hold up to 300 pounds. It weighs in at only 2.2 pounds so it is very easy to pick up and move around. The surface features a no slip dimpled design that grips all types of flooring when weight is applied to the board. It is designed to work with or without shoes but not stiletto heals. Every board comes with a 2-year warranty against manufacturer’s defect and offers free shipping within the USA. All Wurf Boards are FDA Class I registered Medical Devices, which may open doors for help paying for this product with your FSA or insurance but please check with your individual policy first, I just thought it was worth noting.

Overall I am extremely happy with the Santa Cruz Large Wurf Board. I use is every day and slip in some desk exercise with it when I can. I would definitely recommend this product to those who have or who are looking to get a standing desk. I do wish it was offered with other graphics options as I am not a surfer and it looks a little out of place in my office but the function it provides makes this something I would buy no matter what the color or design is. The price is definitely more than a vast majority of pads out there but having owned another standing desk pad before that I paid about $150 for, I think this is well worth the money since I am able to stand at my desk for much longer using this than I was able to previously.

The sample for this review was provided by JumpSport Inc. For more information on the model I reviewed, please visit the product page and order from Amazon.

Product Information

Price:	$269
Manufacturer:	JumpSport Inc.
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	300 pound capacity, no stiletto heals.
Pros:	Lightweight; adjustable firmness; engages muscles while you stand; eases foot and leg fatigue while standing at your desk; easy to inflate and get going; FDA registered Medical Device
Cons:	Only one color/graphic option; price may push this out as an option for some.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Desk, Health and fitness, Office

Santa Cruz Wurf Board review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 1, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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