Latest news with #JaneMcGuire
Tom's Guide
10-07-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
I wear a chest strap heart rate monitor for every run and these are the 4 I'd shop now in the Prime Day sales from $35
Chest strap heart rate monitors are, in my opinion, the best accessory you can get for your fitness, and you can pair them with most smartwatches and phones easily via Bluetooth. Smartwatches have optical sensors, but in my experience as a marathon runner and watch tester, they're never quite as accurate or reliable as a chest strap heart rate monitor. That's why I've searched through all the Amazon Prime Day deals to find you the best chest strap monitors I've tested that are discounted right now, so you can track and boost your fitness without breaking the bank. This is a budget-friendly chest strap that I found as reliably accurate as monitors that cost twice as much when I tested it out. It's a rechargeable strap too, which is convenient, and it can connect to watches and phones via both Bluetooth and ANT+. It's not as comfortable as pricier straps and Coospo's own app is confusing, and you can't wear it for swimming or store workouts on the H9Z, but for the price it's great for running and gym workouts. Polar straps have long been the gold standard for accuracy, and the H10 is its flagship heart rate monitor. It has internal storage and is fully waterproof so you can use it for swimming and download the heart rate data later, and it offers 400 hours of tracking via a coin battery that's easy enough to replace when it runs out. This is the strap I've used most over the past 10 years of running, and it's never let me down. I was impressed by the Wahoo TRACKR when I tested it last year, and it's your best option discounted right now if you want a rechargeable chest strap. It doesn't have internal storage like the Polar H10, but is comfortable for long runs and other workouts and it offers 100 hours of tracking on a charge. As much as I like chest straps, they don't work for everyone, and women in particular can sometimes find them uncomfortable, which is where the clip-on Garmin HRM-Fit monitor comes in. It clips onto a sports bra to make it easier and more comfortable to wear during workouts than standard strap, as our fitness editor Jane McGuire attests to in her Garmin HRM-Fit review. Chest straps measure the electrical activity of your heart when it beats, which is similar to the way electrocardiogram measurements are taken in a hospital. It's a more direct and reliable way of measuring your heart rate than the way optical sensors in watches measure heart rate by looking at the way your pulse affects light from the LEDs on the sensor. This optical heart rate monitoring uses your blood, rather than your heart directly, and is also affected by the fact your wrist is often moving during workouts, which negatively impacts the accuracy of the measurement. As a runner I often notice that the sensors on watches will lock onto my running cadence or footstrike rather than my heart rate, for example. Chest straps aren't for everyone — they're less convenient and comfortable than just using your watch measurements, and watches are getting better at measuring heart rate all the time. However, if you want the most accurate heart rate information possible, then a chest strap is the way to go.
Tom's Guide
03-06-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Forget the gym — this 30-minute ‘Japanese walking' inspired workout strengthens your entire body and boosts metabolism
It's time to elevate your walking workouts with a 30-minute 'Japanese walking'- inspired routine. You can use weights to make it more challenging, or just lace up a pair of the best running shoes and hit the great outdoors or a treadmill. I'm obsessed with walking at the moment. I've tried silent walking and color walking lately in an effort to clock up more steps while working from home and caring for my poorly rescue pup. Recently, I read an article by my colleague Jane McGuire, detailing a walking method I'd never heard before — Japanese walking. She was instantly hooked when she tried it, so, feeling inspired, I thought I'd draw from it and create a walking workout that strengthens your entire body, cardiovascular system and boosts your metabolism a little. Here it is. You can learn more about Japanese walking (read: I tried the Japanese walking method for a week), but the basic idea is that you adopt a HIIT training technique using intervals during your walk. The original method requires a 30-minute timer switching between 3 minutes at low intensity (around 4/10 RPE) and 3 minutes at high intensity (7/10 effort, roughly). If you're walking for weight loss or to build stronger bones and muscles, a walking workout is a great low-impact exercise to take up, helping you avoid sedentary time that can lead to poor posture or weakened muscles and joints. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Switching between intensities is a brilliant way to add variety to your walk, burn more calories, relieve stress and strengthen your endurance and the cardiovascular system. The benefits of power walking include engaging more of your upper body and increasing overall intensity. If nothing else, just 7,000 steps a day can have benefits for your overall health, and a walking workout contributes toward this. You don't have to use weights, but if you do, a set of dumbbells or kettlebells works well. For the second exercise, you'll need some sort of incline — think stairs, a hill, or using the incline setting on your treadmill. 30-minute EMOM x 6 rounds If you only have a short uphill distance available, briskly walk down again, then repeat going uphill until you reach 45 seconds. Hold weights throughout to increase the difficulty of this routine. The reps are just guidelines — you should aim to take between 10 to 15 seconds rest before starting the next minute and exercise, so count your reps and rest when you reach 45 or 50 seconds; on the next round, try to match those reps. I recommend learning how to do walking lunges using our guide if you're unsure how they should look. For an extra challenge — if you're not using weights already — place your hands behind your head and draw your shoulder blades together; these are called prisoner lunges. For your broad jumps, simply start with your feet shoulder-width apart, then jump forward and land into a deep squat with bent knees. Stand up, reset, then continue jumping forward. When I could just walk everywhere, whenever I felt like it, I took it for granted. Recently, I adopted a rescue dog, and naturally, we had to take things slow and build up her walks gradually. This meant my daily long walks, which have always been a non-negotiable part of my routine, were quickly reduced. Of course, my dog's wellbeing means much more to me than a walk, but I came to realize that I had heavily relied on them for not just my physical health, but my mental health, too. Now that she can walk a little further, I'm really enjoying finding new ways of walking that don't involve counting my steps. Whether you walk for the physical benefits or not, there's no denying that walking (especially in nature) can help build mental stamina, boost creativity and calm anxiety. Getting extra steps throughout the day also helps increase your overall energy expenditure, burning more calories and helping to keep your metabolism ticking along. From a physical perspective, you'll work your whole body, including your arms and core, and load your glutes, quads and hamstrings using the incline for resistance; if you add weights, even better.
Tom's Guide
09-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Tom's Guide
Massive Skechers weekend sale is live from $20 at Amazon — 15 deals I'm shopping now on sneakers and apparel
If your feet are tired at the end of the day, you're probably not wearing the right shoes. Luckily, Amazon's Skechers sale is here to help with a bunch of discounts on some of the most comfortable footwear around. Right now you can get the Skechers Slip-Ins Max Cushioning Elite Smooth Transition Sneaker on sale from $45 at Amazon. Our fitness editor, Jane McGuire put these to the test by walking 100 miles in them and found they provided a ton of cushy comfort. Plus, you can slip them straight on without needing to tie your laces. Prices vary depending on your choices of size and color. So be sure to check out the different color options available in your size to find the best discounts. Plus, see our Amazon promo codes coverage, and check out the Nintendo Switch game deals I'd get from $9. These low-profile, casual canvas shoes earn praise from reviewers for wearing and washing well and being comfy. One buyer noted they work on their feet all day in these and don't feel sore. Better yet, you can slip these on and enjoy the support memory foam sole from day one without having to break them in. With discounts this big in certain sizes and colors, these Skechers are tough to resist. With a Skech-Air visible airbag midsole, you'll be super light on your feet with these sneakers. And they have a suede heel trim for an extra stylish touch. This simple, slip-on shoe is easy to wear thanks to the stretchy canvas material they're made with. They fit snugly and, shape-wise, are a bit more narrow overall to hug your foot sans socks. The Skechers Tantric-Rafe Thong Sandal have a cool marbled footbed and a canvas upper strap. But they also have a shock-absorbing midsole to keep you comfortable all day long. The Skechers Instant Delight sneakers are a simple, elegant pair of shoes that are a great addition to anybody's wardrobe. They have a memory foam footbed that will support your feet and come in simple, but stylish color schemes. The seventh generation of Skechers' Go Walk sneakers are now on sale starting from just $29. These are extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear, and come with Hyper Pillar Technology for an even more supportive feel. Many reviewers on Amazon say these are the most comfortable pair of shoes they've owned in years, and it's easy to see why since they come with Ultra Go midsole cushioning and a Skechers Air Cooled Goga Mat breathable insole. They look stylish, too — I especially love the pops of color visible on the outsoles. These Skechers come in a truly impressive range of colors, so no worries about whether or not they'll match your outfits. These are a #1 best seller in Women's walking shoes on Amazon with a 4.5 star rating based on over 90,000 reviews. These Skechers are a reliable everyday companion thanks to their comfortable slip-in design and cushy memory foam underfoot. Their simple, block color design means they go well with pretty much everything, and their stretch knit upper means they're breathable too. We rank these shoes as the best Skechers for novice runners. These extremely light and breathable shoes are supportive, durable and come in at an affordable price point. However, we noted in our Skechers Go Run Lite review that you'll eventually want to upgrade to a shoe that is engineered for running longer distances if you do get serious about the sport. These are the best Skechers slip-ins we've tested, so they're the ones to get if you want a super easy way to put your shoes on. They're lightweight, stretchy and breathable. In our Skechers Slip Ins Dazzling Haze review, we said they're perfect for low-impact activities like walking, light resistance training and dance cardio. These hands-free Skechers are on sale at Amazon. They're lightweight, comfortable enough to wear all day and great for walks. We said wearing them was like walking on a cloud in our Skechers Slip-ins Max Cushioning Smooth review. This short-sleeve tee is perfect for those warm spring days. It's lightweight and features a 4-way active stretch, moisture wicking, quick-drying, and UPF 40+ protection. There's also a reflective Skechers diamond logo on the shirt. Comfortable leggings are always welcome, whether you're at the gym or lounging around the house. We like these because they have exterior side pockets and a cotton-like feel, as well as 4-way stretch and moisture-wicking material. This Skechers hooded cardigan provides ultimate comfort. It's made of Skechers SkechLuxe fabric that's soft to the touch, and has a relaxed fit. There are also two pockets to stash your stuff, or keep your hands cozy.
