It is easy to overlook how deeply-embedded technology is with regards to health and fitness. While many people may assume that improving your diet, health and overall core fitness is an entirely physical and mental process that is undertaken by the individual, underlying these principles is an increasing reliance on modern technology that perhaps many of us take somewhat for granted.

In this article, we’ll take a look at two of the ways that many of the top fitness and technology companies are utilising technology, both their own and also technology that is commonly owned by individuals, in order to make keeping fit and healthy easier and safer than ever before.

Training Shoes

It’s easy to think of training shoes as a generic design that are designed first for their looks and appeal in terms of fashion, but also as a lighter shoe that is more suited to exercise. While they have undoubtedly become fashion items, trainers are also one of the most technologically-dependent form of fitness equipment their is.

For example, in her recent success at the Olympics, Heptathlete star Jessica Ennis wore seven different pairs of training shoe, one for each event. Her shoe designer worked with the athlete to ensure every pair of trainer gave her the support she needed for each specific event, while other modifications were made to ensure that each trainer gave Jess the chance to achieve her dream of Olympic glory.

Even off-the-rack shoes have been designed ergonomically to ensure that they are not only comfortable, but offer key support when running or training. Some shoes are designed to grip surfaces better, others to be light and offer support while jogging.

Nintendo Wii

We may think of the Wii as a family games console and indeed that is precisely what Nintendo designed it to be, but when it comes to fitness, the Wii can take on a whole new persona and become the individuals own personal fitness instructor!

Using a Wii Fit board, Wii Fit software and a Wii handset, a user can be taken through a wide range of exercises in their own home that will work all the major fitness areas, ranging from stamina to strength to flexibility.

Best of all, many of the fitness exercises are contained within a game setting, so the mind of the individual playing is also active and they often can complete exercises focusing on the outcome of the game they are playing, without even realising the exercising that they are doing.

There are now several games for the Wii, including fitness games as well as active dancing games such as the Just Dance series, that encourage the player to become far more active. The games are scalable for all levels of physical fitness and are immense fun to play either as an individual, or better still as a family or within a group of friends.

Technology can help with your fitness in many ways, from the direct and obvious, to the more subtle and it is through utilising technology that companies in the worlds of fitness and technology are combining to help society get fitter, stronger and healthier, while looking stylish and perhaps equally importantly, enjoying themselves!