Exercising with GPS

GPS receivers are used for such a wide variety of applications in our modern world. We find them in automobiles, airplanes, watches, cell phones, and various other handheld and built in devices, providing the military, the business world, and individuals with valuable information instantly 24 hours a day. GPS can be used to find addresses and directions, show travel routes, determine the speed of travel, and several other helpful types of instant feedback that can be used for many purposes. The use of GPS with exercise programs has become increasing popular in recent years with the availability of GPS watches, cell phones, and other handheld receivers. These have proved to be extremely useful for biking, hiking, running, walking and many other forms of mobile exercise. Almost every version of GPS receiver (GPSr) has a trip function for instantly calculating time elapsed, time moving, time stopped, average speed, and current speed, which are all very helpful for training and exercise in various sports and activities.Many exercise walkers have heard of, or even use, a pedometer. These simple, inexpensive devices actually count the number of steps and calculate distance by the length of steps, but they are very inaccurate and difficult to set correctly. Compared to GPSr, they produce very primitive results. A GPSr does not know the number of steps or the length of steps, but it does provide your exact location according to multiple satellite transmissions. Trying to maintain a certain speed or keep track of distance is incredibly simple and accurate. The average speed display available with most GPSr's will quickly show how fast the walker is moving. Keeping track of distance is just as simple. If a walker wants to go a certain distance and then return, all they need to do is glance at the receiver to find the distance traveled. If the route needs to be changed or considered, a GPSr map function will display the surrounding area and the walker's current location.For training and racing, GPS can help individuals reach specific points and specific times and help them to accurately pace their route. This is done through another GPSr function called the waypoint function. Waypoints are previously stored coordinates that plot a route in advance. As a runner or biker progresses, the GPSr can show the progress of the person in comparison to the waypoints and provide the distance to the next check point or turning point. After completing a race, training session, or regular workout, the GPSr tracking information can be recorded in order to monitor progress. By recording total times, distances, averages speeds, etc, an individual can easily determine goals and continue steady progress towards those goals. Once most athletes and exercise enthusiasts use a GPSr to supplement their workout, they never go without it again. The kind of information that GPS provides is simply too useful to do without.

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