We highlight the top workout tracker and other options to consider
If lifting weights is the cornerstone of your fitness routine, it’s no exaggeration to say that you’ve been woefully unsupported in the world of wearables over the last decade.
Many startups have valiantly attempted to become the go-to option for strength training in that time, but almost all have failed. So while there’s no shortage of impressive running watches, smart swimming goggles, and dedicated golf trackers, wearables for functional fitness and weightlifting are sorely lacking.
With that said, there is a wearable for the gym that stands above the rest: the Whoop 4.0.
This is the best tracker we’ve tested for any workout that involves lifting weights or tracking functional exercises – and it can also double up and provide accurate insights into almost anything else you want to track in a gym environment (or out of it).
Why Whoop is the best pick for gym workouts
While smartwatches and sports watches will track reps (with varying degrees of accuracy), none view strength training with the same lens as Whoop does with its platform.
The company has many unique exercise profiles for you to tag your workouts – including F45 training, Barry’s classes, Stairmaster, and powerlifting – but these, like most wearables, aren’t massively tailored.
There’s no form tracking or repetition counting involved – it’s just a simple measure of exertion gleaned from assessing your cardiovascular load.
So, if that’s the case, why is Whoop the best gym wearable? Well, because of its dedicated Strength Trainer feature.
Rather than a catch-all workout profile or go-nowhere rep tracking, this platform allows you to build and track custom workouts in real time. You can customize the order of your exercises, create supersets, and even add interval sections specifically for running, cycling, or rowing.
A more holistic view of your strength training
It may not sound much, but it means Whoop is the only device we’ve ever tested that truly grasps the concept of muscular load and places it neatly within the context of your wider training and recovery.
Strength Trainer still adheres to Whoop’s core tracking principle – the 0-21 daily Strain score – but, instead of just looking at heart rate, it will also factor in your workout intensity through the inbuilt accelerometer and gyroscope.
Post-workout, your total tonnage will be displayed alongside insights from Whoop’s AI Coach, as well as a breakdown of how much your workout skewed toward either cardiovascular or muscular load.
It results in the most accurate-feeling assessment of strength workouts we’ve ever tested – and means something like our relatively taxing Push-Pull-Legs routine is now judged more fairly alongside cardio-first efforts such as running, swimming, and cycling.
It’s not just the element of receiving fair credit that’s important here, either. In the Whoop platform, your Strain score is everything, so a correct assessment of your workout today ensures that your Strain recommendation and recovery figures will be more accurate tomorrow.
We should note that Whoop and Strength Trainer isn’t infallible, though.
We’ve discussed the weak points of the tracking and wider platform in our full Whoop review linked above, as well as our in-depth guide to Whoop’s Strength Trainer, but, essentially, the actual ‘tracking’ element here is still fairly basic.
Given the feature only launched in early 2023, however, we do expect Whoop to build considerably on this initial platform with things like progression recommendations, workout plans, and lifting history.
For now, though, if you care about more than just mindlessly logging strength workouts and crave a device that can view your training alongside readiness, sleep, and health, this is by far the best option.
Other gym wearables to consider
The Whoop 4.0 may be our pick for the best gym wearable you can use, but that’s not to say there aren’t also other devices to consider.
None of these picks can zero in on the training and recovery elements quite like Whoop, but, based on our testing, they do have their uses if Whoop isn’t quite right for your needs or budget.
Apple Watch Series 9 – a smartwatch for the gym
If you’re a beginner and iPhone owner who wants an accurate smartwatch to track the heart rate of spinning sessions, HIIT classes, or gym sessions, the Apple Watch and its workout tracking are recommended.
There’s also a wealth of third-party options available in the App Store. Strong is probably our favorite – giving you a Whoop-like ability to manually check off your exercises in real-time – though Gymaholic will provide 3D avatars and some handy instructional steps.
We’ve name-checked the Series 9 here, but remember that any Apple Watch that can update to the latest software (watchOS 10) will track workouts the same way.
Garmin Forerunner 165 – a running watch for the gym
If a lot of your cardio work tends to take place in the gym – be it on the treadmill, watt bike, or otherwise – the Forerunner 165 is a solid pick.
With ANT+ support, it can tap into the machine’s metrics and enrich your post-workout data. For your strength sessions, the watch’s workout profile also affords you rep tracking and the option of loading workouts across from the Garmin Connect app.
This watch is also compatible with Android and iPhone, meaning you’re not limited in the same way as you are with an Apple Watch or Wear OS watch.
Polar Verity Sense – a heart rate monitor for the gym
Many people don’t love lifting weights or performing HIIT with a watch on – and we can see why, having scuffed up a few displays with gym equipment in our time. But there are alternatives, such as Polar Verity Sense.
This won’t analyze your form or track reps, but it is a great way to track your heart rate with accuracy akin to the gold standard, a chest strap. Instead, the Verity Sense is placed on the arm – and the ANT+ and Bluetooth support ensure it can link up with most smart cardio machines.
With it, you also get up to 600 hours of storage for workouts and 20 hours of battery, meaning you can just strap it on and get to work without your phone being nearby.
Wearables for the gym: What to consider
Check what and how it tracks
Many wearables promise to track a range of gym-related activities, but few actually offer the ability to track metrics specific to those activities. A workout profile may hint that it can track a session of push-ups, but very few will log that movement and focus on capturing reps and form alongside heart rate data.
Sharing data
It can be useful to take any data a wearable can record and collate it inside of other training-focused apps like Strava or TrainingPeaks, where you’ll get an alternative breakdown of data and see how it sits with your other non-gym-based training. Check if the wearable can be connected to other apps outside the main one you’ll need to set it up and sync data to.
Share data with connected equipment
It’s also useful to have a wearable that can share and transmit data to other connected gym equipment – and the key to that is having something that offers ANT+ or Bluetooth smart connectivity. Some devices will let you connect to single or multiple devices, allowing you to see real-time stats on indoor trainers or another smart gym kit.
Wearing options
Most wearables designed for the gym will be worn on the wrist, but there are options out there that will let you move the key tracking sensors around the body whether it’s attached with other accessories or you can actually place it inside of clothes and still get that reliable hit of tracking data.
Our top pick, Whoop, for example, can be worn on the wrist or bicep, or be fitted inside Whoop Body garments.
Price and subscriptions
While some devices are available on a one-time purchase fee, like our set of additional recommendations, others (like Whoop) are free but come with an ongoing monthly or annual subscription.
Consider what type of commitment you want to make before making a final decision, and shop around to see what your budget will allow for.
