About a week ago I picked up the Apple watch 4 and sent in my Apple watch 3 for a trade in value. I was pumped to get the new watch because of the bigger screen and the more advanced heart rate monitor. I used the Apple watch 3 daily to track my runs, daily activity, sleep and weight training workouts. I’ve just started doing the same with the Apple watch 4.
I’ve had many different watches that I liked for different reasons most of them I used for running and they just so happen to have some basic features like reading text from my phone. The other watches I’ve used for were the Garmin 235, the Polar m400 and the Apple watch 1. I don’t use any of these besides the Garmin 235 which I still use for races.
I got the Apple watch because it can do so much. It is an extension of my phone and holds its own when the phone is not around. Other watches didn’t do this for me and this is the reason I decided to switch to the Apple watch.
My review of the apple watch 4
The Apple watch 4 is a little bigger than the other Apple watches. The last one I had was 42 mm and this one is 44 mm. The buttons on the screen are much easier to press compared to the Apple watch 3. All the apps are easy to get to which is like. The pace tracker on the watch is great for training runs but I wouldn’t use it on race day because it has limited real time data vs the Garmin 235.
The apps
I love the apps on the apple watch I just picked up Strava and I love seeing the data after the run. The Apple watch 4 has many different fitness apps that I haven’t tried yet but am looking forward to trying.
Using the watch for my tracking my heart rate for strength training is a great way to see when I am ready to do my next set. Having all this workout data helps me stay on track with my fitness goals.
One of my favorite apps for the watch is call sleep watch. It tracks my sleep at and tells me if I slept well and if my heart rate was high during my rest. This helps me improve my sleep habits for better health.
Music
The Apple watch 4 connects to my headphones and allows me to play music from my watch directly to my headphones without the phone. I didn’t get the Apple watch with cell service so I can’t stream music from the watch but I enjoy the music feature. The Apple watch 4 comes with 16 gigs of storage which holds plenty of my music for running.
Heart rate
The heart rate monitor works well from the wrist but sometimes it gives me a false reading which is annoying. It’s a standard problem and if I want a better reading I will need to get a heart rate strap that connects to the watch via blue tooth. The EKG app hasn’t come out for this watch and it the main reason I bought it. I can’t wait to see how it works and what data I get from it.
Tracking while running
When I am running, the watch seems to track everything well even when I don’t have my phone with me. I ran with my wife and the watch stays on pace when she is using her Garmin 235. The battery lasts during long runs and the watch is comfortable when I sweat. The Apple watch 4 is a great watch for training runs but I wouldn’t use it on race day. The real-time data with the Garmin is much better for running.
Conclusion
The Apple watch 4 was an impulse buy for me because of the EKG. I wasn’t super pumped when I got it in the mail. The watch doesn’t seem much better than the old watch but time will tell if I see a big difference. The bigger screen was a plus but at a $349 starting price tag you might be able to skip this one if you’re happy with your Apple watch 3. All in all I am happy with the watch and would recommend it if you don’t have an Apple watch.
Check out our blog on how to improve 5k time
https://www.onthegofitnesspro.com/how-to-improve-your-5k-time/
