Jul 29

Jul 29 Watt in the World is a Watt?

Friday is special and it's time we start treating it as such. I like to post little tips, tricks, stories, and information for you to consider. It could be something basic that everyone needs to know, or maybe even a piece of philosophy to take into the weekend.

A Watt is a measure of power generated and is equivalent to one joule per second. The watt is named after the Scottish scientist James Watt for his contributions to the development of the steam engine. The measurement unit was recognized by the Second Congress of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1882, concurrent with the start of commercial power production from both water and steam.

If I have already lost you, please just bear with me for a second...

What does this have to do with exercise?

I am guilty of neglect. I have not taught the importance of Watts in my training for some time now. No justification. Sometimes a Trainer gets lost in the midst of the day to day motions. Anyway, Watts are an effective tool to measure power.

Or to say it another way: EFFORT

Read this if you need a refresher on why you need to learn that word.

Setting a piece of cardio equipment on a certain level, resistance, or speed isn't good enough. It's time to take it to a level beyond pushing a button on the screen and doing what it says. You are there to improve--to get better. And in order to improve, you need a measure that is constant; that is only dependent on the amount of intensity you bring.

Heart rates can be affected by outside factors such as hydration level, fatigue, stimulants, illness, and just plain exhaustion. Watts have no outside factors influencing them. It's just pure EFFORT baby!

Remember:

MACHINES are constant.

YOU are not.

This is where Watts come in to play. They measure the amount of power generated and are not dependent on a preset scale inside your machine. The computer isn't driving the math. You are. The more you push, the more effort you give, the more effective your workout, the better your results.

Watts let you quantify the QUALITY of your performance. They let you know the true impact of those 10,000 FitBit Steps...