WATCH WATCHER

Wrist-based trackers are designed to be worn all the time, so buy one of these and you have to do every single activity in the rest of this feature

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APPLE WATCH SERIES 5

Smashing out loads of mid-intensity running is a guaranteed way to plateau your progress. If you’re hoping to shift body shape or improve fitness, and running is your cardio fitness weapon of choice, investing in a heart-rate tracker to guide your workout intensity is a smart step.

Other than the fact that it appears to do everything we want from a wearable, and offers a myriad of personalisation options to ensure it looks the business, if you want a smartwatch with solid heart-rate tracking, good fitness skills and plenty of all-day appeal, the Apple Watch Series 5 is it.

First, it tracks BPM continuously during training and for three minutes after, to show how well you recover. But you also get 24/7 readings beyond workouts, revealing resting heart-rate patterns and any underlying rhythmic abnormalities. You can also take ECG-standard heart readings.

One of the Apple Watch’s biggest strengths is its access to an enormous App Store. That means all manner of third-party fitness platforms are supported, including Strava, MyFitnessPal, Myzone and more.