Life and Fitness Coach

Strapping on those iPods, iPhones

MacWorld took a brief break from Leopards and Jobs and 3Gs to look at some sports cases for the iPod family of portable music devices. 

Good idea. We have a young friend who banished his nano from the gym last month after taking a backwards header on the treadmill. 

Who knows how much MacWorld's supergeeks know about workout gear, but these guys know their iStuff. And they have all of the iPod generations and models on hand for testing.

 Here are the sports cases reviewed by MacWorld, along with excerpts from author Dan Moren's comments.

The Incase Sports Armband for iPod nano. "The Sports Armband (pictured) is one of the more comfortable armbands I’ve used, thanks to the fact that it doesn’t use bulky plastic buckle that can pinch your arm. ... The case’s design lets you access most of your iPod nano’s features." Note: Incase also has a sports case for the iPhone. 

XtremeMac Sportswrap for iPod and iPhone."There’s no reason your iPod touch, iPhone, or iPod classic should be left out of the mix. This neoprene armband fits any of those three devices, securing it to your arm with a Velcro strap. ... A comfortable, well-made armband for those that don’t mind running with their larger iPods." View other XtremeMac Sportwraps.

Griffin Streamline Armband for iPod nano. "Made of a hard but flexible plastic case with a elastic Velcro armband, the Streamline features a transparent-plastic face that shows off your nano to good effect and a neoprene pouch to keep your nano safe. ... A perfectly serviceable case, though it doesn’t stand out." View other Griffin Streamline cases.

NEKFIT iPod Sportband. Constructed of a metal bracket with a pair of plastic arms that kind of resemble the ends of eyeglasses, the nekFIT attaches to any iPod shuffle or nano with a stretchy silicone strap, and then rests on the back of your neck. ... A clever idea, though it’s not for everybody.

In synch: your body, your music

Now this is trick. We all have had the experience of getting into "the zone" with the help of music, going farther and faster to the beat.

Now Yamaha has come out with the BodiBeat, an MP3 player that automatically matches the beat to your expercise pace. Or, you can tell it to play faster songs when you go too slow (and slower songs when you're too fast).

The machine measures your pulse and calculates your pace while playing DJ.

The web site is well done and interesting, even if you're not in the market for a new player. Check out the BodiBeat for yourself. The device isn't listed on Amazon yet, so stay tuned.

Yamaha had a Ph.D researcher test the theory behind BodiBeat. The results would seem to hold true for whatever device you were using, however:

Purpose of the experiment: To measure RPE (Rating of Perceived Exhaustion) and comfort level in jogging, under different kinds of song preference and different song tempos. Using those measurements, to examine the importance of song preference on jogging and the importance of matching tempo to the jogging pace.

The findings: Subjects using a treadmill felt more comfortable and less fatigued when the song tempo matched the exercise steps. Even if they didn't like the song all that much. Even if it was Yoko Ono.

Read the music and fitness study (PDF).

When it comes to portable players, Life & Fitness Coach recommends the V-MODA Vibe Earbuds and the Sansa MP3 Player. Here's our music-player review from last spring.

Good Vibrations from these earbuds

The V-MODA Vibe Earbuds exceeded all my expectations. I use a Sansa MP3 Player that is fantastic but sounded just OK with the supplied earbuds. Now, with the V-Moda Vibe earbuds in the mix, it’s a different story.

The sound is wonderful, the bass, the treble. Whatever kind of music, -- rock, rap or classical -- it all sounds great. The noise isolation is just right. These earbuds also look very cool, in high-gloss chrome. They are super comfortable. With a choice of different sized silicone fittings, they'll fit nice and snug. One negative, you have to pull on the cable to get them out of your ear, but that’s minor. Highly recommended for putting in your time on the treadmill.