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Find out in our OWS Sports review how Oladance has captured the hearts of many athletes in the sports headphones market  PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Music is in the air Like OWS Pro , OWS Sports headphones deliver music through air conduction. The unique open-ear design provides an immersive listening experience without completely drowning out environmental noises. A perk for athletes who do outdoor sports, OWS Sports allow for enjoying the best tunes and remaining alert at the same time. The improved OWS Sports show a more secure and comfortable fit on the ear. The soft silicone rubber of the headphones along with the ergonomic neckband allows users to wear them for hours on end. For the athletes PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG The improved IPX8 water-resistant rating of OWS Sports means the headphones work even in 2m deep water for a good 30 minutes ( not that it is recommended! ). Enjoy rigorous workouts without worrying about the durability of these sweat-resistant headphones.  Meanwhile, the dual noise reduction technologies in OWS Sports reduces wind noise and environmental noise. Whether you're cycling at high speeds or strolling down a noisy street, rest assured the audio quality won't be compromised. With the anti-sound leakage system, the listening experience is also entirely private and unhindered.  Exceptional bass, exceptional charge Oladance’s patented Virtual Bass provides a fuller and deeper bass in OWS Sports . This means clear and crisp sound with less latency for the ears — making it a home theatre system packed into a convenient pair of headphones.  PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG The 15-hour playing time of the OWS Sports now comes with a stronger charge storage. Perfect for those always on the run, a quick charge prolongs the headphones' battery life for the day too. We sat with triathlete Elaine Young , two-time IRONMAN World Championships finisher to find out how the Oladance OWS Sports has helped enhance her long rides and runs. How has the oladance OWS Sports experience been for you?  I’ve been using the OWS Sports headphones for runs and rides and I find them light and easy to use. They're a welcoming companion for my early morning workouts when I'm on my own. PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG I have always been using in-ear headphones (which can get pretty sweaty after a while, especially in Singapore’s humid weather). The Oladance open ear earbuds get rid of that problem without compromising sound quality! Oladance OWS Sports is engineered to withstand the rigours of intense workouts. How comfortable has it been for you during your training?  You hardly feel it’s there! The headphones are light and sit comfortably on my ears, even during the most intense workouts. PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG How do you feel about the battery life?  No complaints from me! I am the worst at charging things but the battery lasts a long time and charges quickly which makes it really low maintenance!  How did you find the water and sweat resistance?  So far so good. It’s good knowing that the headphones are made for the elements and specifically for athletes. It makes maintaining the headphones really easy and makes me confident that it will continue to serve me for many rides and runs to come. What do you feel about its wind noise reduction during your cycles and runs?  It’s quite impressive how clearly I can hear my music or podcast despite the surrounding noises!  PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG What’s your favourite thing about the Oladance OWS Sports?  I love that this pair of headphones combine comfort with functionality, and comes in great colours at the same time (like pink)! Experience OWS Sports now Oladance has never failed to deliver an amazing listening experience with its headphones. From high audio quality to elevated comfort, OWS Sports , currently sold for $269 on weareready.sg , can even be personalised with the OWS app.  Take your training sessions to the next level with OWS Sports today. #OWSSports #CreatingSoundToLiveWith #Oladance

JBL Headphones App customisation, a 24-hour battery life and zero sound leakage are but three of many cool features from JBL's new Soundgear Sense PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG For countless sports enthusiasts and athletes, sports offer a refuge from the pressures of the real world, and music frequently serves as an ideal companion. While that is a commonality, everyone enjoys music in their own way. Crafting your own experience Some may prefer more bass than the other, while others may prioritise equaliser levels.  But then again, even as you create your own listening experience, with many individuals putting themselves at risk by becoming excessively absorbed in the music, how do we strike a balance between safety and enjoyment? PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG Open-ear headphones are swiftly gaining solid ground in the market, establishing themselves as a safe and chic solution for the problem at hand. With the benefit of not covering the entire ear canal, users are not only at lower risk of getting into accidents, but are also able to enjoy the natural sounds of the world while enjoying their favourite workout tunes. Apart from being able to craft your own listening experience, there are a multitude of simpler qualities to take note of when purchasing new headphones. What are they? 24-Hour Battery Life PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG If we are really going to leave wires and cables back in the 2010s, then battery life is probably one of the most important aspects of an earbud. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of an intense workout and hearing the dreaded sound signalling low battery.  Trust that the motivation you felt during the workout will vanish almost instantaneously, leaving no trace behind. Secure Fit and Stability When choosing headphones as a runner, it’s essential to have earbuds that stay in place. Why would you want to have to constantly readjust it when you’re already trying to pull yourself together in those last five kilometers? PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG Easy Controls We may have made fun of our friends when they first started tapping their earbuds to pause a song back when wireless headphones first appeared. Yet now, it has become the expected norm, and we are all after the convenience of not having to toggle through controls on the phone. PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG So, what’s the new ‘It’ product these days that delivers on all these fronts? Listen in comfort securely The JBL Soundgear Sense true wireless (TWS) headphones features JBL OpenSound Technology. With its open air conduction sound delivery, you can enjoy the music with almost zero sound leakage. Yes, now you can listen to that one sad song on repeat without worrying about being judged. While open-ear earbuds typically enhance awareness of your surroundings, the JBL Soundgear Sense goes a step further with its rotatable earhooks that rest on the curve of your ears – providing full comfort as it does not obstruct the ear canal. For those who crave both music and the serenity of ambient sounds, these earbuds offer flexibility, allowing you to curate your ideal workout experience. This also ensures safety out in the streets, preventing accidents as you’ll still be aware of what goes on around you. Enjoying music your way Remember wanting to strike a balance between safety and enjoyment? Now that we have covered the safety of the open-ear concept, we can gush over the JBL Headphones App .  PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG Users can download the app for free, where they will be able to customise their listening experience and touch control gestures. Whether you like vibing to the latest hits with customised Equaliser levels or if you prefer jamming to the classics of the 80s with more bass, you can fine-tune your listening experience to perfection through the app, giving you even more motivation to finish those last three reps. Through the app, users can feel safe with the ‘find your earbuds’ feature. With the adjustable touch control gestures, you can also personalize how you manage your music and calls with a simple touch of the earbud. 24-Hour Battery Life The cherry on top is that you won’t have to worry about your earbuds running out of battery. JBL Soundgear Sense claims that when fully charged, you will be able to listen wirelessly for up to six hours, with the charging case providing an additional 18 hours. We spoke with Team Singapore Marathoner, Serena Teoh and asked about her experience with the JBL Soundgear Sense. PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG How has your experience with the JBL Soundgear Sense been?   It was refreshing! It was my first time not having to stick something into my ears just to listen to music. What are your thoughts on the open sound technology? Does the zero sound leakage make you feel more at ease?   It’s a really comfortable experience with no compromise on audio quality, which is important when it comes to earbuds. It rests on the curve of your ears which allows you to listen to music and natural sound, how does that affect your mood on runs as compared to when you put on headphones that block out all other noise?   Similarly to the OpenSound Technology, the shape of the earbuds provide comfort without compromising on sound quality. It did allow me to still be aware of my surroundings, which was great! PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG What do you feel about the battery life?  It was good enough, and it definitely lasted through my runs, and that's the most important thing. How convenient has the all access touch been and what is one good example of how useful it has been for you?  Honestly, I don’t use it much as I prefer controlling it on my watch. (Fair enough) How important is the stability of the earbuds for you?  It’s one of the most important aspects for me. The JBL Soundgear Sense provides a 60-day money back guarantee as long as you purchase from JBL’s authorized retailers. The earbuds, currently sold at SGD $252 come in black and white, with a neckband included to provide an even more secure fit. To find out more, visit their official website here . #JBL #DareToListen #SoundGearSense

watchOS 8 also features new Cycling, Workout and Health updates and is available in Singapore from 15 October PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE 15 October 2021, Singapore - Apple has announced the launch of its Apple Watch Series 7 in Singapore today, with a refined design, much larger screen and retina display with enhanced durability. The latest Apple watch also carries a number of significant upgrades from its previous Series 6, as well as key updates in fitness and health. Durability the Biggest Plus For Athletes Arguably one of the greatest selling points of the new Series 7 is that it is deemed to be the most durable Apple Watch yet. With front crystal that is 50 percent thicker than series 6, it is also crack resistant, and the Aluminum models have Ion‑X front glass, while the stainless steel and titanium models have sapphire front crystals. Water Resistant and Dust Resistant The fact that Apple Watch Series 7 also has a water resistance rating of WR50 and dust resistance of IP6X makes it a great choice for wearing it out to activities in open water, as well as those in the pool and on the beach or in the sand. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Other new features include faster charging, optimised User Interface, new aluminium case colours, and watchOS 8. The ones that particularly caught our eye in the sports and fitness field are its durability, as well as new cycling, workout and fall detection updates. New Workout Modes Apple Fitness+ is the first fitness service built entirely around Apple Watch, and introduces a new body-conditioning workout type with Pilates and a simple way to practice mindfulness through guided meditation that can be done anytime, anywhere. This comes at a particularly opportune time with extended periods of working from home (WFH) still a majority lifestyle for most adults working in Singapore, that has led to greater pressures on mental health and emotional well-being. There are also new programs that are in the pipeline to be rolled out, including Group Workouts with SharePlay, where users can work out with up to 32 people at once to keep each other motivated. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Cycling and Workout Updates With an increasing number of cyclists on the roads over the past year, cyclists can also take advantage of the all new watchOS 8 feature specially designed for those who ride a bike. Apple Watch Series 7 uses advanced algorithms to analyse GPS, heart rate, accelerometer, and gyroscope data to detect when users begin a ride, and prompts them to start an Outdoor Cycle workout if one wasn’t initiated. And similar to its other automatic workout reminders, you will be able to see your metrics from when you first start your workout. The auto-pause and resume function also allow metrics to more accurately reflect time spent moving versus stationary times, such as waiting at a traffic light. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Apple Watch Series 7 can also more accurately measure active calories when users ride an e-bike, with an updated cycling workout algorithm which evaluates GPS and heart rates to better determine when users are riding with pedal-assist versus leg power alone. New voice feedback through the built-in speaker of Apple Watch, or through AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones, will also automatically announce workout milestones and Activity ring status, helping users stay focused during activities like running or HIIT. Updated Fall Detection Algorithms Having first launched in 2018, fall detection on Apple Watch has proven to be a valuable safety tool, recognising if a user is immobile for approximately a minute if a hard fall is detected, and initiating a call to emergency services right from the wrist. With watchOS 8, fall detection algorithms are updated and optimised for detecting falls during workouts — including cycling — and have been tuned to recognise the unique motion and impact of falls from a bike and other workout types. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Other Cool Workout and Health Features Regular Apple Watch users will be familiar with its three (3) activity rings, with the outer most ring meant to measure "Move", the centre ring meant to measure "Exerise", and the inner most ring meant to measure "Stand". Move Ring : How much movement you make in a day Exercise Ring : Will only be triggered when your heart rate is raised (e.g. at least a brisk walk) Stand Ring : Have you stood up to move around for at least a minute in the past 12 hours? Share Your Activity and Compete with Friends Competition always makes things that much more fun, and with Apple Watch, you will be able to compete with your friends to see who has been the most active, and who has been a couch potato. When your friends close their rings, finish workouts, or earn achievements, you get notifications about their progress. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Activity Milestones Customised for Different Fitness Levels Regular challenges that are customised to users of varying activity levels also make a fitness journey done on Apple Watch more encouraging and rewarding. Not only can users earn badges when they achieve personal goals, they can also worry less about competing with that super fit friend who obviously has a different workout routine or challenge, thus motivating them to improve at their own pace. Some of the challenges available include the recently concluded International Women's Day challenge, users have to exercise for 20 minutes on 8 October in order to earn a badge. There are also monthly challenges such as the 24 workouts of 15 minutes each, for those who are more active to look forward to. Apple Watch Series 7 is available from today in Singapore. Check out the new finishes and bands easily from the comfort of your home on Apple's Online Store at apple.com/sg/store #SportPlusSG #AppleWatch #AppleWatchSeries7 #watchOS8

Introducing Suunto's thinnest, smallest and toughest watch to date File Photo: SportPlus Suunto's latest sports watch may appear to have a smaller screen than its earlier editions, but don't let its size fool you, it is the toughest Suunto sports watch yet while its superior technical features and better app set-up integration will keep you hooked and wanting to try out more activities with it. In fact, making the Suunto 9 Peak a smaller and sleeker watch was largely intentional, with the current design a lot less bulky and a much better fit for a variety of activities throughout the day beyond sports. We had the opportunity to try out the Suunto 9 Peak over the previous few weeks, courtesy of Key Power Sports , distributor for Suunto in Singapore. And having brought the watch out for a number of runs across a multitude of environments: from the trails of MacRitchie, to Singapore Sports Hub, Marina Bay, Seletar Reservoir, Yishun Dam, and the hills of Fort Canning, we're confident that we've explored a good range of the watch's features to give our inputs. While these may not be the harshest of environments or conditions to test the watch in, and we weren't able to try out all of the watch's 80 plus sport modes, we believe this would still be a relevant review for those staying in this tropical climate, and may be considering an upgrade to whatever sports watches they have been using till now. Design This has got to be one of the sleekest sport's watches on the market. In fact, Suunto admitted that improving the design was a huge part of its remodeling efforts in this flagship watch. While the original Suunto 9 looked somewhat bulkier, the Suunto 9 Peak features Nordic-inspired styling, and has stripped away unnecessary weight and material. The new watch comes in at 62 grams, 20 grams lighter than the original Suunto 9, while the thickness has been reduced by 6 millimeters. File Photo: SportPlus Durability According to Suunto's media release, the watch has been tested in the harshest of conditions. Although it may not quite be as unbreakable as Casio G-SHOCK's watches, the fact that the watch face is made of sapphire crystal does add to one's confidence in its ability to withstand damage. While saying it is unbreakable may be an exaggeration, it is significantly more scratch proof than earlier editions as well as a slew of other sports watches out there on the market. Software and Features There is a multitude of software upgrades to the Suunto 9 Peak. If you are familiar with Suunto's watches, you will be well aware of the host of workout modes, health metrics etc and this watch is no different. What really catches the eye however, are the significant improvements in GPS accuracy including the Snap to Route breadcrumb navigation feature, wireless frame updates which allow you to receive updates without plugging your watch to a computer, fast charging which allows the watch to reach full charge within an hour, as well as Ghost Runner mode, which allows a runner to have his or her own virtual pacer. File Photo: SportPlus Also worth mentioning are the fast magnetic charging, wireless firmware updates via Bluetooth and improved sensors across the board including heart rate monitor and ambient lighting. Fitness Tracking This has been arguable the most impressive part of Suunto 9 Peak. While there are already a host of fitness trackers on the market, many have not been able to replicate the kind of accuracy we see here in the 9 Peak, particularly when it comes to GPS tracking. Suunto 9 Peak's 'Snap to Route' feature basically takes your GPS track, which one would normally record and then upload onto Strava or Training Peaks, and maps it onto the route of your choice. The result? A breadcrumb navigation that guides you through the predefined route at much higher accuracy. Image via Suunto This is particularly useful in the city and built up areas where GPS accuracy may usually be affected or obstructed, resulting in inaccurate readings of your distance and consequently pacing. If you are looking to improve on your run timing but do not have the luxury of having friends to pace you, our favourite 'Ghost Runner' mode which can be found under Suunto Plus, would be of massive help too. This data page via Suunto Plus takes the split timing of your first kilometre, and uses it as a pacer for the rest of your run. Plenty of other impressive features, but these are the two which impressed us the most. File Photo: SportPlus Battery Life If you are tired of watches that require daily charging, then you will be surprised at the longevity of the battery on the Suunto 9 Peak. That is of course, if you choose to customise a more conservative use of the watch's battery under its 4-5 battery burn modes. Choose between any of Performance mode (22 hours), Endurance mode (56 hours), Ultra mode (100 hours), Tour mode (162 hours), where basically the higher the GPS accuracy, the poorer the battery life; and the lower the accuracy needed, the longer the battery life. Tour mode basically sees the watch reducing its GPS updates, but is probably only relevant if you are not using it on a day-to-day basis. File Photo: SportPlus Is the Suunto 9 Peak worth its cost? If you are a Garmin or Fitbit user, and are worried that the Suunto 9 Peak won't measure up to its billing, you can be rest assured that it is a worthwhile investment. While the Suunto 9 Peak is one of the pricier options of sports watches and fitness trackers in a very competitive market, ranging from SGD $870 to SGD $1,029, Suunto has made a name for itself as a reliable brand specialising in sports watches, dive computers and precision instruments. With its stylish and sleek design paired with superior intelligence and accuracy, the 9 Peak promises to be a game changer for those who have a heart leaning towards adventure and exploration. #SportPlusSG #ActiveWear #Suunto #Suunto9Peak

Planning for your fitness and wellness journey for the new year? Here are some cool tips on how you can do so with Apple Watch PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE The new year is a time when many start thinking and planning for their new goals, this includes establishing fitness goals and well-being routines. Whether you are looking to improve in the areas of mindfulness, physical activity or quality of sleep, here are six ways you can do so with Apple Watch Series 7 ! 1. Ring in the New Year with a limited edition award Apple Watch users can earn this award and stickers for messages by closing all three rings for seven days in a row starting in January. This is the perfect way to start the 2022 on the right note! 2. Take a mindful moment easily throughout the day no matter where you are Now more than ever, people are recognising the importance of finding small moments in their day to be more mindful and the Apple Watch Mindfulness app features two experiences to help take a moment in the day: Breathe and Reflect. Reflect offers a mindful intention to focus on for as little as one minute that can be done anywhere and at any time. Each session welcomes the user with a unique, thoughtful notion to consider that invites a positive frame of mind. For example, the user may see something like “Recall a time recently when you felt a sense of calm. Bring that feeling into this moment,” or “Reflect on one thing you’re grateful for and think about why you appreciate it so much.” PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Both the Breathe and Reflect experiences also offer tips to help users get more from each session and feature beautiful animations. Third party apps including Headspace, Calm, Endel, Ten Percent Happier and Meditopia also offer unique mindfulness and relaxation experiences directly from Apple Watch Where to find it? a. The Mindfulness app is available on Apple Watch b. You can browse and download apps directly from the App Store on Apple Watch 3. Set a Focus to help you prioritise what matters most Focus is a powerful set of tools for those moments when users want to reduce distractions and get in the zone. Apple Watch users can filter notifications based on what they’re currently doing — like Work Focus can be set during work hours to only allow notifications from coworkers and apps used for work, Personal Focus can be set when taking a break with friends and family, or Fitness Focus can help a user stay in the zone while committing to a workout. While using a Focus, a status is automatically displayed to contacts in Messages (and other supposed apps, like Slack) so others know you’re not able to be interrupted. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Where to find it: a. Swipe up on Apple Watch to Control Center > Focus (moon icon) > choose from a provided Focus b. To create your own custom Focus: Go to Settings on Apple Watch > Focus > tap a focus to customise or add 4. Get active and stay active with Apple Watch Apple Watch is an incredible fitness parter. The Activity rings in the Activity app show you your daily activity (Move, Exercise and Stand goals) while awards, personalised coaching, and Activity competitions can keep you even more motivated. Set goals for yourself: Customise activity goals for your Move, Exercise and Stand rings, and earn Activity awards for personal records, streaks and major milestones in your fitness journey. For example, aim for a Perfect Week of standing, moving or exercising, set your New Exercise Record or go for a monthly challenge. Take on a healthy competition with friends: Turn on Activity Sharing to let your friends or family with Apple Watches keep you on track towards your fitness goals, and challenge them with a one-to-one seven-day Activity Competition. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Track A Mindful Workout: New this Fall, Apple Watch now tracks two popular workout types that are beneficial for both physical fitness and mindful movement: Tai Chi and Pilates. These new workout types are supported by powerful, validated custom-built heart rate and motion algorithms to provide users with accurate metrics. Where to find it: a. The Activity app is on Apple Watch b. The accompanying Fitness app on iPhone shows you your Activity history and trends c. Go to the Workout app on Apple Watch > Select Pilates or Tai Chi or any other workout type! 5. Get active and earn rewards with LumiHealth Unlock personalised health & wellness challenges and be rewarded through everyday healthy actions – workouts, mindfulness, healthy eating and more – using LumiHealth app and your Apple Watch. Personalised Activity Challenges : Track your weekly activity goals and close Activity rings on your Apple Watch to earn LumiPoints. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Wellness Challenges : Take on holistic health challenges like improving your sleep habits, managing stress, and making healthier food choices that all contribute towards earning points too! Just For You : Receive personalised recommendations and health tips – like health screening and vaccination reminders. You’ll also earn points through completing surveys, reading articles, and completing tailored challenges. Rewards : Receive coins in return for the points that you’ve earned, and redeem them for HPB eVouchers that can be used at major lifestyle retailers, F&B outlets, and supermarkets. Where to find it: a. Head to the App Store and download LumiHealth for free. PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE 6. Help Meet Your Sleep Goals With a Consistent Routine Getting enough sleep is important to your overall health. The Sleep app on Apple Watch helps you create a schedule and a bedtime routine to help you meet your sleep goals. Apple Watch also tracks metrics like time asleep, heart rate, blood oxygen and respiratory rate. a. Set up Sleep: The Health app on iPhone can help you set a sleep goal, and track your progress over time. b. Wind Down helps you create a customised bedtime routine. Manage your wind down shortcuts, which appear on your Lock Screen close to bedtime. You can create a routine that includes things like setting up a specific scene in the Home app, listening to a soothing soundscape on Apple Music, or using a favourite meditation app before you fall asleep. c. View your sleep history next to the rest of your health data in the Health app. Where to find it: a. Open the Health app on your iPhone > Tap Get Started under Set Up Sleep, then tap Next > Follow the onscreen prompts to establish: Sleep Goals, Bedtime and Wake Up times, Sleep Screen, Wind Down Shortcuts and Tracking PHOTO: APPLE SINGAPORE Apps to Kickstart your Wellness & Fitness journey Freeletics: Personal Trainer Download Link: https://apps.apple.com/sg/app/freeletics-personal-trainer/id654810212 Compatible with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS Whatever your fitness level is, you can achieve your goals quickly and build healthy habits with personalised HIIT workouts and audio coaching from Freeletics. With training journeys, workout variations and mindset coaching, you’ll be able to smash your goals and transform your body wherever, whenever you want. The free version of the app contains 20 HIIT bodyweight workouts, 25 exercises, 20 audio sessions, workout spots and a community of millions. Meditopia: Sleep, Meditation Download Link: https://apps.apple.com/sg/app/meditopia-meditation-breathe/id1190294015 Compatible with iOS, macOS, watchOS Reduce your stress and anxiety everyday by making meditation a habit with just 10 minutes. Meditopia offers over a thousand deep-dive meditations that cover topics from stress, relationships, loneliness, sexuality and more, as well as stories and relaxing sounds to promote good sleep. Build up your mental resilience and enjoy peace of mind while accessing the guidance and tools you need. I am - Daily Affirmations Download Link: https://apps.apple.com/sg/app/i-am-daily-affirmations/id874656917 Compatible with iOS, macOS, watchOS Rewire your thoughts, build self esteem and change negative patterns with daily self-affirmations using I am. With many daily intentions to choose from, you can set reminders to be delivered throughout the day. These positive affirmations aim to help make major shifts in your mindset but also remind you of what you are capable of, empowering yourself by verbally affirming your dreams and ambitions. #SportPlusSG #ActiveWear #AppleWatch #AppleWatchSeries7

John Yeong gives his take on the much talked about Apple Watch Ultra, and which group he feels it may be best suited for PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG Branded as the Apple Watch that pushes boundaries for athletes who do the same, the Apple Watch Ultra hit shelves in Singapore and was made available online from last Friday (23 Sep). But if you are runner, triathlete or fitness enthusiast you may be wondering just how reliable are the new features that are being talked about so extensively, and whether its worth considering if you have already grown accustomed to other elite sports watches for your races and training that you have found to be reliable. Here I will attempt to share my thoughts on what has been branded most rugged Apple watch yet, what I love about the new watch, how it compares to other sports watches in two key areas - battery life and GPS tracking accuracy, and which target group this is actually a sweet spot for, so read on. While the Apple Watch Ultra is definitely a huge upgrade from the previous line of Apple Watch series watches, and a very welcome addition for both athletes and Apple fans at that, it doesn't score perfectly in every aspect - but then again which sports watch does? PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG Battery Life Having 36 hours of battery life is huge for Apple's watches, which aren't exactly known for having the best battery life particularly in its earlier editions from the Apple Watch Series. Even better news is that this 36 hours can be extended to 60 hours with software updates coming later this year, or if you are using the watch in low power mode. Apple Watch Ultra has also been tested to have enough battery life for most users to complete a long-course triathlon, consisting aswim, bike ride, and full marathon, although I have obviously not done this myself! The challenge for Apple though is to meet the industry benchmark for quite a few competitor brands, whose sports watches can easily last a week to even 10 days on a single charge. That being said, with the multitude of apps and depth of integration with many other key features and functions, it is understandable the watch is unlikely to score as high in this area since most other sports watches are hyper-focused and serve the primary purpose of tracking performance. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG GPS Tracking One of the huge announcements this time round is that the Apple Watch Ultra boasts dual-band GPS for the first time. This is due to the fact that Apple managed to integrate Apple Maps into the equation to improve tracking accuracy even in more built up areas such as urban jungles like Singapore or most cities in Southeast Asia. The precision dual-frequency GPS integrates both L1 and the latest frequency, L5, plus new positioning algorithms, to help the Apple Watch Ultra deliver the most accurate GPS of any Apple Watch to date. This in turn provides users with the most precise distance, pace, and route data for their training and competing needs. That being said, several established sports watch brands like Garmin have already been using multi-band satellite systems far longer. As such this is far from being a conclusive debate, and for some the jury is still out there and for others Apple may still be playing catch-up in this area. I would need to wear my Apple Watch Ultra for manymore runs across different environments before I can give my final assessment on the accuracy of the watch against other trackers I usually wear for my runs. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG What I love about Apple Watch Ultra While there are some features which may not be as hyped up as the watch is made out to be, there is an entire slew of other features about the watch that I love and that has gotten me addicted to the Apple Watch Ultra . Action Button For one, the action button that allows you to customise your workouts and serve as a shortcut to apps is very intuitive and enhances the overall experience by allowing greater control over your watch while exercising without having to go through too many steps. From instantly starting workouts, customising an interval training or the next leg of a Multisport workout, marking workout segments and a new Track running experience that automatically provides the ultimate pacing and distance estimates for runners at a track, it's easy to get blown away by so many upgrades! If you aren't a runner like me, you could consider using the Action Button to set compass waypoints if you like to hike or trek or begin a dive if you like open water sports or diving. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG 3 Built-in Microphones If you are taking a call while on the go, and suffer from windy or rainy conditions, or if you are doing so while running this is news that you will love. The Apple Watch Ultra has three built-in microphones that has significantly improved sound quality in voice calls under any conditions. How Apple did this was through an adaptive beamforming algorithm using the microphones to capture voice while reducing ambient background sounds. This includes advanced wind noise-reduction algorithms, including machine learning, to deliver clear and intelligible audio. Advanced Workout Metrics Arguably the most significant upgrade that I see in the Apple Watch Ultra , which is powered by watchOS 9, are the new advanced running metrics to measure performance, including Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, Vertical Oscillation, and Running Power. Thanks to a larger display as well, you get new workout views, such as segments, splits, and elevation, which provide important metrics at just a glance, with the ability to see six metrics at once. Users can take their training to the next level with features such as Heart Rate Zones, Custom Workouts, Pacer, and, coming later this year, Race Route. For triathlons, duathlons, or activities with any sequence of swimming, biking, or running, the new Multisport workout includes autodetection to easily switch between workouts. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG 3 New Bands for Athletes of Different Sports Whether you are an endurance athlete such as a runner or triathlete, an adventurer who loves to go hiking or exploring, or a diver and water sports athlete, the Apple Watch Ultra boasts new bands for each endeavour. The Trail Loop band is the thinnest Apple Watch band to date that is designed for endurance athletes, with the lightweight woven textile making it convenient for quick and easy adjustment. The Alpine Loop band meanwhile is said to be designed for explorers in mind and features two integrated layers made from one continuous weaving process that eliminates the need for stitching. The titanium G-hook fastener also makes it more secure overall. Lastly, the Ocean Band is designed specifically for extreme water sports and recreational diving with a titanium buckle and corresponding spring-loaded loop. Arguably the most important part is that it comes with an optional extra-long tail that allows users to comfortably wear over a wetsuit. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG So is it worth the investment? If you are an active person who loves running, swimming and hiking and also an Apple user, I would definitely say go for it. While I can also understand why some elite athletes may be apprehensive about making the switch and are likely to stay with their prefered sports watches that are forcused more on performance, the Apple Watch Ultra is great for citizen athletes and those who are looking for a more seamless experience toggling between their daily or weekly trainings with other daily and lifestyle activities. Apple Watch Ultra Key Features - Up to 36 hours of battery life - Action button: customisable and can do things like control a workout, mark a Compass Waypoint or begin a dive. - Wayfinder watch face with Night mode. Specifically for Apple Watch Ultra - 2,000 nits display - GPS: new precision dual-frequency GPS provides accurate location for calculating distance, pace and route maps. - Endurance Fitness, find out more about running with Apple Watch here. - Heart Rate Zones: Quickly see your intensity level. Training zones are automatically calculated and personalised using your health data, or you can create them manually. - Running form: add stride length, ground contact time and vertical oscillation to your view - Running power: an instantaneous measure of your effort, Running Power helps you stay at a level you can sustain. - Reimagined Compass app: find out more on our support page - New depth gauge, up to 40 meters, EN13319 certified - Oceanic+ App, turn your Apple Watch Ultra into a dive computer, coming later this fall. #SportPlusSG #AppleWatch #AppleWatchUltra #watchOS9

Having recently completed the BMW Berlin Marathon, SportPlus.sg's Cheryl Tay gives her take on Apple's latest watch that pushes boundaries for athletes who do the same PHOTO: JOHN YEONG, SPORTPLUS.SG I might, or I am, actually the first, or one of the first, in the world to run a World Marathon Major with the brand-new Apple Watch Ultra . This is not just any Apple Watch, it is the most rugged Apple Watch built for adventure and endurance. I love that they have taken feedback from athletes and built this watch for sport enthusiasts who need more specific performance data. I was full of excitement when I toed the BMW Berlin Marathon two weeks ago – excited about my first World Marathon Major and excited about having new tech to test. Read about Cheryl's Berlin Marathon experience here . PHOTO: JOHN YEONG, SPORTPLUS.SG The screen is bigger now – at 49mm, 4mm larger than the usual 45mm Apple Watch Series – and that makes it easier to look at the data while I’m running. A bigger screen also means being able to display up to six metrics at one time. I do rely on the watch a lot to monitor my pace during the race so this bigger screen is a great help. This is also the brightest Apple Watch – at up to 2,000 nits (twice as bright as the Series 8) – so I could see the screen in the bright daylight with no issues. Some people have asked if the watch is heavy because it looks bulky to them. The answer is no, the watch is fine and throughout the 42.195 kilometres, it did not feel heavy on my wrist at all. The watch now has a flat sapphire crystal face framed by a titanium case housing, both of which give added protection and durability, in turn reducing my anxiety and offering more security because I don’t have to worry about smashing it or cracking the screen. I am not the best with fragile things! PHOTO: JOHN YEONG, SPORTPLUS.SG The superior microphone array and speaker system in the Ultra leads to a 40 percent increase in volume (compared to the Series 8), so I can hear the watch reading out my data to me at every kilometre. This might sound funny but it helps me feel less lonely, like I have someone accompanying me on the run. My favourite feature of the new Apple Watch Ultra is, hands down, the new built-in Action button. This is on the left side of the watch and you can assign your preferred feature or app to it. I chose to assign Outdoor Run to it, so I can simply press on it and start my run immediately. It does not have the 3-2-1 countdown anymore, making it more accurate when starting the clock for your run. It is a rolling start for the Berlin Marathon so once I crossed the timing mat, I just pressed the Action button and off I went! PHOTO: JOHN YEONG, SPORTPLUS.SG The Action button can also be used to mark segments for your run. As you’re running, pressing it once will give you the split time for that part of your run. For example, during the race, I marked my splits for every 5km. This helps me later, when I analyse my data, to understand things like which 5km block did I start to slow down. I would probably be using this more for interval runs or tempo runs in training. Pressing both the Action button and the side button (on the right below the digital crown) pauses the run, instead of having to swipe the screen to look for the pause button. I didn’t pause my watch during the race, but this will be useful when you need to stop for the toilet or grab a drink during your runs. You don’t even have to look at the watch and can simply just press both buttons simultaneously. One feature that deserves much credit is the improved GPS. The GPS is something that we runners rely a lot on because it will help us to monitor our pace correctly. Let me explain – the GPS measures the distance you have ran and when divided by the time you took to run this distance, it gives you your pace. When we set a target time for our runs, we rely a lot on the current pace to see if we are on track. So if the GPS is not accurate, it will cause us to mess up our pacing and not achieve our overall target time. PHOTO: JOHN YEONG, SPORTPLUS.SG For example, if the GPS inaccurately measures a longer distance than what you actually ran, it will mean your pace is faster (over the same time taken). When I see that my pace is fast, I will slow down BUT I am actually going slower than that and slowing down more will mean I am behind my intended pace to achieve my target time. This is why having an accurate GPS is so important! The Ultra now comes with dual-frequency GPS, integrating both the L1 and L5 frequencies, and also new positioning algorithms that will work around trees or buildings blocking the satellite signal, to give a much improved GPS. Most wearables only have the L1 band, thus this is truly the most accurate GPS of Apple Watches of all time. The other thing that impressed me is the battery life. With the larger 49mm casing, a larger battery now sits in the watch and it can last up to 36 hours on a single charge, depending on how you use it. It also has a low power mode to save more battery. At the end of the marathon – which I took 4 hours 15 minutes and 49 seconds – I had 80 percent battery left! That’s amazing. It is said to be able to last a full Ironman (3.8km swim, 180km bike, and a 42.195km marathon) and this is something I have to test! (I’m doing a full Ironman race next year!) PHOTO: JOHN YEONG, SPORTPLUS.SG The Ultra comes with watchOS 9, the latest version of Apple's wearable operating system. It monitors heart rate, tracks sleep, has a redesigned Compass app, takes ECG readings, monitors blood oxygen, and has all of the features in the Series 8 including things like car crash detection and overnight body temperature measurements. The Ultra comes standard with cellular connectivity and can withstand temperatures from -20° C to 55° C. I had a great experience using the Ultra for the Berlin Marathon and I’m now keen to try the Ultra for triathlons next, which is my main sport. To sum it up, a bigger and brighter display, more durable build, longer battery life, more accurate GPS and an Action button for an easy shortcut to start a run make the Ultra an amazing watch to work out with. #AppleWatchUltra #WatchOS9

The Apple Heart and Movement Study and Apple Women's Health Study highlighted some of the many challenges people living with diabetes face every day, including maintaining a target range throughout a menstrual cycle PHOTO: APPLE Singapore, 15 November 2023 - As part of raising awarness for World Diabetes Day (14 November), Apple shared new findings from two of its landmark studies conducted since 2019, in the hope of raising awareness and encouraging action. On the new findings, researchers from Harvard and Brigham & Women’s Hospital saw: On Activity: — As participants increased either the average duration of exercise or the average number of steps taken on a given day, there was a corresponding increase in the average percentage of time glucose fell within the target range of 70-180 mg/dL. — People who exercised more than 30 minutes per day spent 78.8% of spent in the target range of 70-180 mg/dL — Participants who identified as female and walked more than 10,000 steps per day saw the most time spent in the target range of 70-180 mg/dL, compared to 76.4% of participants who identified as male. PHOTO: APPLE On Menstrual Cycle: — Analyses of glucose levels across 1,982 menstrual cycles highlighted a slight increase in time spent within the target range of 70-180 mg/dL during the follicular phase when progesterone levels are lower (68.5% of day) compared to the luteal phase (66.8% of day). — Participants also spent slightly less time above range during the follicular phase (28.9%) when compared to the luteal phase (30.9%). — Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and a body mass index greater than 30kg/m2 can also increase resistance to insulin and subsequently glucose levels. Researchers analyzed a subset of participants with these conditions and found less time within the range of 70-180 mg/dL during the follicular phase than participants who did not report these conditions 63.9% vs. 72.1%. This trend was also seen during the luteal phase 62.7% time in range vs. 69.9%. Researchers reinforce that early detection of diabetes and intensive glucose management can reduce the risk and severity of many complications. You can read more about diabetes here from Beyond Type 1. Based on these new research insights — as well as additional input from people with diabetes — Apple is highlighting five features on iPhone and Apple Watch that can be useful for those with diabetes, including Activity, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Medical ID, and third-party apps. Apple introduced the advanced new Apple Watch Series 9 In September 2023, Apple announced the new Apple Watch series 9 , featuring breakthrough capabilities for the world’s most popular watch and Apple’s first carbon neutral products Apple shared that its Watch Series 9 is more powerful than ever with the new S9 SiP, which increases performance and capabilities; a magical new double tap gesture; a brighter display; faster on-device Siri, now with the ability to access and log health data; Precision Finding for iPhone; and more. PHOTO: APPLE Powerful New S9 SiP Apple’s most powerful watch chip yet, the all-new S9 SiP, delivers systemwide improvements and brand-new features, including a new double tap gesture and on-device Siri with the ability to access and log health data privately and securely. Apple Watch Series 9 also has a new 4-core Neural Engine that can process machine learning tasks up to twice as fast, when compared with Apple Watch Series 8. The power efficiency of the S9 SiP allows Apple Watch Series 9 to maintain all-day 18-hour battery life. Double Tap Gesture Innovations such as the Digital Crown and Taptic Engine — along with gestures like tap, swipe, wrist raise, and cover to mute — make Apple Watch simple and intuitive to use. With a new double tap gesture, users can easily control Apple Watch Series 9 using just one hand and without touching the display. Users can tap the index finger and thumb of their watch hand together twice to quickly and conveniently perform many of the most common actions on Apple Watch Series 9. Double tap controls the primary button in an app so it can be used to stop a timer, play and pause music, or snooze an alarm. The gesture can be used to answer and end a phone call, and even to take a photo with the Camera Remote on Apple Watch. Double tap will also open the Smart Stack from the watch face, and another double tap will scroll through widgets in the stack. This new double tap gesture is enabled by the faster Neural Engine in Apple Watch Series 9, which processes data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart sensor with a new machine learning algorithm. The algorithm detects the unique signature of tiny wrist movements and changes in blood flow when the index finger and thumb perform a double tap. On-Device Siri with Ability to Access and Log Health Data For the first time on Apple Watch, Siri requests can be processed on device. For requests that do not require information from the internet, such as starting a workout or setting a timer, Siri does not rely on Wi-Fi or cellular networks, resulting in quicker and more reliable responses. The powerful Neural Engine also makes dictation up to 25 percent more accurate than Apple Watch Series 8. On-device processing is private and secure, and now Siri can be used to access data from the Health app for health- and fitness-related queries. For example, a user can ask how many hours of sleep they had the previous night, for progress on closing their Activity rings, or about their blood glucose level if they have a connected monitor. Users can also make Siri requests on Apple Watch Series 9 to log health data such as their weight, period, or medications taken. PHOTO: APPLE Featuring watchOS 10 Apple Watch Series 9 runs watchOS 10, a milestone update that includes: - A fresh approach to quickly view information with redesigned apps and a new Smart Stack to show relevant widgets right when they’re needed. - Delightful new watch faces: Snoopy, Palette, and Solar Analog. A new Nike watch face, Nike Globe, lights up the lines on the globe with each passing second. - Bluetooth connectivity for power meters, speed sensors, and cadence sensors arrives for cyclists, unlocking new metrics and Workout Views, and cycling workouts. - A cycling workout can automatically show up as a Live Activity on iPhone and utilise the full screen when tapped. - New Compass Waypoints and Maps capabilities to further help during outdoor adventures. - Additional tools to support mental health with state of mind logging in the Mindfulness app. - The ability to measure time spent in daylight using the ambient light sensor to help reduce the risk of myopia and provide additional benefits to physical and mental health for all ages. - The new Smart Stack is shown on Apple Watch Series 9 with the Sport Loop. - The new Snoopy watch face is shown on Apple Watch Series 9 with the Solo Loop. - The new Palette watch face is shown on Apple Watch Series 9 with the Milanese Loop. - The new Solar Analog watch face is shown on Apple Watch Series 9 with the Braided Solo Loop. - A cyclist’s workout stats are shown on Apple Watch Series 9 with the Sport Loop. - The compass app is shown on Apple Watch Series 9 with the Sport Loop. - The Mindfulness app’s state of mind logging screen is shown in watchOS 10 on Apple Watch Series 9 with the Magnetic Link. PHOTO: APPLE Carbon Neutral Models Select case and band combinations of Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch SE are Apple’s first-ever carbon neutral products. As part of Apple 2030 , the carbon footprint of Apple Watch has been significantly decreased. Emissions were reduced from the three biggest sources of greenhouse gases — materials, electricity, and transportation. The small amount of emissions remaining are offset with high-quality carbon credits from nature-based projects. Apple Watch packaging has been redesigned to be 100 percent fiber-based, and a new logo on the packaging indicates models that are carbon neutral. Line-up Apple Watch Series 9 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes in starlight, midnight, silver, (PRODUCT)RED, and a new pink aluminium case, as well as stainless steel in gold, silver, and graphite cases. Any aluminium Apple Watch Series 9 with a new Sport Loop band is carbon neutral. Apple Watch SE is available in 40mm and 44mm aluminium cases, and is carbon neutral when paired with a new Sport Loop band. Apple Watch Hermès is available in stainless steel in silver and space black. Bands Apple is introducing FineWoven, a luxurious and durable microtwill made of 68 percent post-consumer recycled content that has significantly lower carbon emissions compared to leather. FineWoven has a suedelike feel, and is available with the Magnetic Link and Modern Buckle bands. Starting today, Apple will no longer use leather in any new Apple product, including watch bands. The popular Sport Loop band has been redesigned to include 82 percent recycled yarn. All new Apple Watch Sport Loops are carbon neutral. Apple worked with Nike and Hermès on more environmentally friendly band collections. The Nike Sport Band now contains 32 percent or more recycled fluoroelastomer, including colourful flakes made from excess bands that create a randomised pattern, making each band unique, while the Nike Sport Loop with a space-dye pattern repurposes yarn from previous seasons. A new collection of Hermès bands draws on the house’s rich history in textiles and craftsmanship. Two new woven bands are introduced: Toile H is an interpretation of the brand’s signature checked canvas, and Twill Jump is a rich solid colour with contrasting details. The first-ever knitted band for Apple Watch, Bridon, is hand-braided with a bold chevron pattern, while Kilim is made of sporty, waterproof moulded rubber and has a deployment buckle. A classic new watch face, Hermès Radial, complements these four new band styles. PHOTO: APPLE Pricing and Availability Customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Singapore, the UAE, the U.K., the U.S., and more than 40 other countries and regions can order Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 22. Apple Watch Series 9 starts at S$599, and Apple Watch SE starts at S$379. Apple Watch bands, Apple Watch Nike bands, and Apple Watch Hermès bands will be available to order today from apple.com/sg/store and in the Apple Store app, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 22. watchOS 10 will be available for Apple Watch Series 4 and later on Monday, September 18, and requires iPhone XS or later running iOS 17. Not all features are available on all devices and in all regions. For more information on Apple 2030, visit apple.com/sg/2030 . #SportPlusSG #AppleWatch #WatchOS10

8 ideas on how to use Apple Watch to achieve your fitness goals in 2024 PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Achieving new fitness goals can be a challenge especially if you are unsure where to start however Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are great companions to help you get started and stay committed no matter how big or small your goals are for 2024. Start with Close Your Rings If you are just beginning your fitness journey, it can be daunting to know where to start and how to stay motivated but Apple Watch is here to help. Closing your rings (Move, Exercise and Stand) every day is a simple and fun way to live a healthier day. Close your Move ring by hitting your personal goal of active calories burnt. Active calories are the ones you burn through all kinds of movement, from taking the stairs at work to playing with the kids to cleaning out the garage. Being active throughout the day is an important part of living a healthy life. Close your Exercise ring by completing at least 30 minutes of activity at or above a brisk pace. The Exercise ring shows how many minutes of brisk activity you’ve completed, whether you’re just moving at a fast pace or doing a specific workout in the Workout app. Close your Stand ring by getting up and moving around for at least one minute during 12 different hours in the day. Sitting too much can contribute to health problems. That’s why Apple Watch tracks your progress towards your Stand goal and motivates you to get up throughout the day. Close all three rings to know you are making a a simple but meaningful difference to your health and fitness. Find out more here. PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Try Something New Sometimes simply trying a new sport can help get your fitness motivation and journey back on track. Apple Watch can help you track a variety of workouts to make sure you always capture your activity and metrics accurately. Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports around the world and last year, researchers from the Apple Heart and Movement Study compared the emerging sport against the long-standing game of tennis, and how it impacts overall health. They found participants often played pickleball for long periods of time, averaging a peak heart rate within 70 percent of their estimated max heart rate during recorded workouts. This is beneficial as regular physical activity is associated with improved quality of life and healthy aging. Whether you want to try out pickleball or any other sport, Apple Watch offers users a number of ways to stay connected, active, healthy, and safe. Read the full findings from the Apple Heat and Movement Study here. PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Complete Your First Race A popular goal when starting a new year is to be able to complete your first running race and whether it’s your first 5km or marathon race, Apple Watch can help make your training journey towards your goal a little easier. Easily start your Outdoor or Indoor Run workout on your Apple Watch or use the Action Button on your Apple Watch Ultra. You can also turn on Precision Start on Apple Watch Ultra in workout settings, which will show when you have a GPS signal and will skip the countdown automatically, perfect for race day. Tap the More button to create a goal for your workout, or to complete a Pacer or Custom workout. You can tap the Edit icon to modify workouts, or scroll down and tap Create Workout to make a new one. You can also customise the metrics you'll see when you work out, and see your past workouts on the Workout app to ensure you are getting the information you need for your training. Find out more about running with Apple Watch here. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG Get More From Your Workout With Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 and watchOS 10, you can get more metrics and stats from your workout than ever before. For cycling enthusiasts in particular, you can now get new metrics with compatible Bluetooth accessories. Automatically connect to Bluetooth-enabled accessories to add cadence, speed and power to your Workout View. There is also a new Power Zones Workout View so that when a power meter is detected, Apple Watch will automatically estimate your Functional Threshold Power — the highest level of intensity you can maintain for an hour. Furthermore, when you start a a cycling workout from your watch and it will automatically show up as a Live Activity on your iPhone. Tap it, and it will take over the entire display, making it easier to see your metrics while on a ride. Find out more about the latest cycling updates here. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG Make it Social Keep your fitness routine on track by sharing your activity with your family and friends—you can even share with a trainer or coach. You can get notifications when your friends meet their goals, finish workouts, and earn achievements. You can also stay motivated with a little healthy competition. Challenge a friend to a competition in which you earn points based on the percentage of your Activity Rings that you close. You get a point for every percent you add to your rings each day. The competition lasts 7 days and you can earn up to 600 points a day for a maximum of 4,200 points for the week. The person with the most points at the end of the competition wins. During a competition, alerts tell you if you’re ahead of or falling behind your competitor—along with the score. Find out more about Activity Sharing here. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG Push Yourself to the Extreme If you are looking to push your fitness journey to the extreme, Apple Watch Ultra 2 is here for you. Apple Watch Ultra 2 is crafted for unparalleled performance. The lightweight titanium case is rugged and corrosion resistant, and it’s raised to protect the sapphire crystal from edge impacts while the display is the highest and brightest ever on an Apple Watch. Use it for ultra-marathons, multi-day hikes, triathlons and scuba diving/free diving and see the difference. Plus the customisable Action Button gives you quick, physical control over a variety of functions. It can do things like start a workout, mark a Compass Waypoint or begin a dive. Of course battery life is key when doing endurance sports and Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes with up to 36 hours battery life with normal use and up to 72 hours with low power settings enabled. Perfect for any terrain and scenario. Find out more about Apple Watch Ultra 2 here. Stay Motivated and Mindful Fitness and mindfulness go hand in hand so to ensure your fitness journey in 2024 is a success, why not try out some of the many mindfulness features on Apple Watch and iPhone. The Mindfulness app makes it easy to get started and encourages you to set aside a few minutes a day to focus, centre, and connect as you breathe. You can also use State of Mind to reflect on how you’re feeling or add the Breathe watch face to get quick access to mindfulness sessions. Journal is a new app that you see on your iPhone after you update to iOS 17.2. Journal makes it easy to get into the habit of journaling. Journaling suggestions intelligently group outings, photos, workouts, and more to help you remember and reflect on your experiences. Perfect for keeping track of your fitness progress for 2024. Find out more on practicing Mindfulness with Apple Watch here and using the new Journal app here. #SportPlusSG #AppleWatch #WatchOS10

Paris 2024 is set to showcase the world's best battling it out for Olympic glory. We share five tips Apple Watch users can incorporate its features to help you train like an Olympian PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG As the world prepares to marvel at the spectacle of elite athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics , we share with you some useful tips on how you can use Apple Watch to inspire you in your own journey towards a healthier and better you. For Apple users, the Apple watch is a great addition and daily fitness companion to support your own training regiment — whether you’re preparing for a marathon, hitting the streets for your first 5K, or just looking for some extra movement in your day. From keeping you motivated to sit less, move more, and get some exercise; to tracking all of your runs, swims, rides, and more, Apple Watch offers a wide variety of tools available right on your wrist. Additionally, look to the Fitness app on iPhone for even more insights and encouragement to help you train like an Olympian. Here are four tips for using Apple Watch to help you stay motivated, get on top of your training, and practice mindfulness. Activity App: Daily motivation right from the wrist The Activity app is such a simple and fun way to live a healthier lifestyle each day. Keep yourself on track and achieve your fitness goals one day at a time with your friends and family through Activity Sharing feature on the app. PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Fancy a challenge? Go one-on-one against a friend on Activity Competition where you earn points based on the percentage of activity rings you close on the app. You'll also be able to track your achievements as you earn awards for personal records, streaks and major milestones. The watch will go as far as to set a personalized challenge for you every month. Longer term, Trends shows you daily trend data for active calories, exercise minutes, stand hours, walking distance, stand minutes, cardio fitness, walking pace, and running pace. It will compare your last 90 days of activity to the last 365. 2. Track a Wide Variety of Workouts and Go the Extra Mile Apple Watch can help you track a wide variety of workouts including many Olympic sports like running, cycling, swimming, golf, rowing, tennis, and more. PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Apple Watch measures running metrics including Vertical Oscillation, Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, Power, and more, and during your run you can easy scroll through Workout Views to see your Activity Rings, Elevation, Segments, and Splits at a glance. 3. Customise Your Workouts Create a Custom Workout with distance and time goals so Apple Watch can guide you with haptics and voice feedback during your run, or use the Pacer  training experience to receive pace alerts during your run to help you reach a target finish time for a certain distance.  With   Race Route , routes that you repeat will be reflected in the Workout app for you to race against your last or best result.  If you’re hitting the track, automatic track detection  automatically detects when you arrive at an outdoor track and uses both Apple Maps data and GPS to provide the most accurate distance, pace, and route map. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG 4. Bluetooth Enabled Cycling Accessories If watching the cyclists in Paris has you reaching for your bike, the Apple Watch offers bluetooth connectivity for cycling censors . You can automatically connect to bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories including Cadence Sensors and Power Meters. Additional Cycling metrics to measure Power and Cadence will be available when a connected cycling accessory is detected. The watch can also automatically calculate Functional Threshold Power (FTP) when a power meter is connected. FTP will used to identify Power Zones, the most effective and reliable way of improving cycling performance regardless of skill level. Not sure what FTP is? Read our special feature here . If you're a swimmer headed to the pool or open water, the Apple Watch uses algorithms developed with hundreds of hours of research to count laps, track average lap pace, and auto-detect stroke type  to accurately measure active calorie burn. Popular coaching platforms such as TrainingPeaks can create Custom Workouts that can be imported directly into the Apple Watch Workout app. PHOTO: APPLE Coming this fall, Custom Workouts can be used for Pool Swims in watchOS 11, allowing you to customize an interval-based workout with support for sets of work and recovery, and haptics to signal it is time to move on to the next interval. The Apple Watch Activity app experience is also optimized for wheelchair users. Wheelchair pushes contribute to all-day calorie goals, and there are dedicated wheelchair-specific workouts . 5. Train your mind with the Apple Watch Features on Apple Watch and iPhone can help you disconnect, while staying connected, so you’re also practicing mindfulness. Apple Watch’s Mindfulness app features three experiences to help take a moment in the day: Breathe, Reflect and State-of-Mind logging. With the Journal app on iPhone, you can capture and write about everyday moments and special events in your lives, and include photos, videos, audio recordings, locations, and more to create rich memories. On-device machine learning provides private, personalized suggestions to inspire journal entries, and customizable notifications help you develop your writing habits. PHOTO: HANA BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Coming this fall, iOS 18 will allow users to log your state of mind right in the Journal app, and time spent journaling will count towards your mindfulness minutes. Focus on iPhone and Apple Watch helps reduce distractions by filtering notifications from people and apps. You can temporarily silence all notifications, or allow only specific notifications and you can personalize one of the provided options — Work, Personal, Sleep and more — or create a custom Focus. Train like an Olympian with these Apple Watches Apple Watch Ultra 2 Apple Watch Ultra 2 brings amazing features to Apple’s most capable and rugged smartwatch, and it is carbon neutral when paired with a Trail Loop or Alpine Loop. Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers all of the features users love about Ultra, plus the powerful S9 SiP, a magical double tap gesture, Apple’s brightest display ever, expanded altitude range, on-device Siri, Precision Finding for iPhone, and advanced capabilities for outdoor and water adventures. Starting at S$1210.10 , Purchase Apple Watch Ultra 2 here . PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG Apple Watch Series 9 Apple Watch Series 9 is more powerful than ever with the S9 SiP, which increases performance and capabilities introducing a magical double tap gesture, a brighter display, and faster on-device Siri, now with the ability to access and log health data. For the first time, customers can also choose a carbon neutral option of any Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch SE. Apple Watch Series 9 starts at S$604.50  ; Available in 41mm and 45mm sizes in starlight, midnight, silver, (PRODUCT)RED, a new pink aluminium case, and stainless steel gold, silver, and graphite cases. Purchase Apple Watch Series 9 here . Apple Watch SE Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) delivers the core Apple Watch experience, including Activity tracking, high and low heart rate notifications, and Emergency SOS, as well as Crash Detection, all at an affordable price.  Apple Watch SE starts at S$382.50 ; Available in midnight, starlight, and silver. Purchase Apple Watch SE here . #SportPlusSG   #AppleWatch #AppleWatchUltra #AppleWatchSE

Explore the benefits of cupping and experience a professional cupping therapy right in the comfort of your home PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG An ancient technique, cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine commonly deployed by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners. You may have heard of cupping and even notice the red circular marks on people who have received cupping therapy. So what exactly is cupping and how does it help with training recovery? The Procedure of Cupping Therapy Cupping, synonymous to its name, utilises multiple cups for its suction therapy. The prevalent fire cupping requires glass cups and flammable substances such as alcohol or herbs. During therapy, the flammable substances are lighted up within the cup to create heat. When the fire has extinguished, the cup is then placed directly on the skin to generate a vacuum. This suction will then cause the skin to rise and redden as the blood vessels underneath expand. In contrast to the daunting use of heat, the sensation of fire cupping is usually mild and warm. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG There are also other types of cupping therapy such as dry cupping whereby the air inside the cups is suctioned out without the use of fire. Meanwhile, flash cupping involves the quick application and removal of cups to stimulate rapid circulation across a broader surface. Wet cupping, in distinction, is a two-step process. After a mild suction, a small scalpel is used to make a tiny cut on the epidermis, and a second suction completes the therapy by drawing out the blood to remove waste. It is common to have red and round marks after the therapy. These painless cupping marks are the results from ruptured blood vessels beneath the skin and the discolourations usually fade after a week. Cupping for Post Workout and Training Recovery Cupping has indeed seen an increase in popularity with athletes after Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps donned the prominent cupping marks during the 2016 competition. While there are numerous cupping benefits for all, athletes may stand to maximise the most out of it. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG Cupping therapy is highly regarded as part of an athlete’s recovery process as it helps to reduce muscle pain and tightness within a short period of time. The improved blood circulation from cupping also promotes blood flow and stimulates the body’s healing process, which is especially beneficial for injury recovery. As cupping helps with reducing inflammation in the body, athletes can expect an improvement in their overall immunity. Advanced Heat and Vibration Cupping with TheraCup Smart Cupping Device For athletes who are pressed for time and looking for a convenient way of having cupping therapy, the TheraCup Smart Cupping Device from Therabody is perfect for you. Combining traditional cupping with the cutting-edge ThermaVibration™ Technology, TheraCup incorporates suction, heat, and vibration to provide a holistic therapy. TheraCup aims to create an easy-to-use digitised cupping experience to optimise localised relief and recovery. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG "The effects are quite interesting compared to what I was used to as TheraCup has three functions - and the vibration effect in particular is not something I have been exposed to previously but it does improve the comfort of the overall cupping experience." Lim Yao Xiang , former Team Singapore swimmer and Water Polo athlete and co-founder of Singapore fitness studio Grit Yard , added, "Cupping helps recovery by pulling toxins up to the surface and through time, they are removed by improved blood circulation." TheraCup Smart Cupping device is equipped with built-in safety sensors and on-device controls that provide easy access to professional-level cupping therapy for all. TheraCup Smart Cupping device is available on WeAreReady.sg website for delivery in Singapore. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG General Benefits of Cupping Therapy Cupping encourages blood circulation as blood flow is increased in areas where the cups are placed. This helps to relieve muscle aches and tension while promoting cellular repair. At the same time, the swollen tissues within the cup draw toxins away from the body and the impurities are subsequently removed from the epidermis. A non-invasive therapy, cupping also helps to reduce inflammation within the tissues and is often used for relaxation and pain relief. According to the British Cupping Society, cupping is believed to help with arthritis, high blood pressure, and blood disorders. Disclaimer for Cupping Therapy However, it is pertinent to note that cupping therapy is still an alternative medicine. For children, pregnant women, and people with skin conditions, cupping may pose a risk. As with all treatments, it is recommended to consult a medical professional prior to receiving cupping therapy. Purchase your TheraCup Smart Cupping Device via WeAreReady.sg . #CuppingTherapy #TheraCup

Find out how the TheraCup Smart Cupping Device fares against more Traditional Cupping Therapy PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG We have explored the traditional cupping therapy here and learnt how cupping helps with muscle recovery and general health. Now, we introduce the TheraCup from Therabody - an innovative smart cupping device designed for our modern needs, and see how it fares against more traditional cupping methods. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG Difference between TheraCup and Traditional Cupping Therapy "The heating element definitely helps to promote overall comfort," noted Uncle Sam , CrossFit athlete and founder of FireCity gym and group fitness trainer when sharing his experience using the TheraCup . "Instead of the traditional way of putting heat, flame and fire into the cup before placing it on the body, the heat element in the Theracup is very gentle and comfortable on the skin." "Vibration is not typically used in more traditional Chinese Medicine practices unless its for accupuncture, however in this case (TheraCup) the vibration function appears to help to improve blood circulation and also eases the neuro receptors to allow the muscles to go into relaxed mode to expedite recovery," he added. The primary difference between TheraCup and its traditional counterpart lies in the vibration function. The ThermaVibration™ Technology in TheraCup improves muscular strength and aids blood circulation. On top of the suction and heat functions, users can now experience an enhanced cupping therapy with more effective muscle recovery. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG “I enjoy the convenience of TheraCup . There’s no need to make an appointment and wait for days to get the service. I can use the TheraCup device before and after my workout, and on the specific body part I need. The effect is instant too,” added Lim Yao Xiang , former Team Singapore swimmer and Water Polo athlete and co-founder of Singapore fitness studio Grit Yard. TheraCup offers unparalleled convenience without any waiting time. A portable and easy-to-use smart cupping device, users can experience professional cupping therapy anytime, anywhere. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG The Verdict TheraCup Smart Cupping Device provides a personalised cupping experience in contrast to the traditional cupping therapy. Users can adjust the intensity levels of TheraCup and target their pain points accordingly for optimised recovery. “The heating element of TheraCup is gentle and comforting to the skin as compared to the traditional cupping. The new vibration function of TheraCup helps to enhance blood circulation and ease sore muscles. This smart cupping device is all in one, easy to pack, and quick to set up,” recommends Uncle Sam. TheraCup is indeed a pioneering smart cupping device that has elevated and enhanced the traditional cupping technique. TheraCup has masterfully combined suction, heat, and vibration therapies into a singular portable product; providing accessibility for all to enjoy safe, affordable, and professional physical therapy. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG All about TheraCup Smart Cupping Device TheraCup retains the traditional cupping technique of suction and heat while enhancing its functionality with cutting-edge ThermaVibration™ Technology. Combining suction, heat, and vibration functions, this easy-to-use digitised cupping device optimises post workout recovery. Experience professional cupping therapy right in the comfort of your home. TheraCup Product Functions Compact and convenient, the TheraCup Smart Cupping device comes in packs of one, two, and six. These digitised cups offer suction decompression, heat therapy, and vibration therapy with three intensity levels respectively. TheraCup enables users to adjust the different functions according to their needs and tolerance level. The transparent cup on the TheraCup device is interchangeable and comes in three sizes for targeting specific body parts. The smaller cup (35mm) suits the shoulder blades and the neck area while the bigger sizes (45mm, 55mm) are ideal for broader surfaces including the back and the thigh. PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSIEN, SPORTPLUS.SG TheraCup uses a USB-C charging port with a 120-minute battery life. With an in-built auto shutoff function to prevent excessive pressure and extended usage, this device is safe for personal use. The TheraCup is also lightweight and portable which is especially handy for travelling athletes. Disclaimer for Cupping Therapy However, it is pertinent to note that cupping therapy is still an alternative medicine. For children, pregnant women, and people with skin conditions, cupping may pose a risk. As with all treatments, it is recommended to consult a medical professional prior to receiving cupping therapy. Purchase your TheraCup Smart Cupping Device via WeAreReady.sg . #CuppingTherapy #TheraCup