Latest news with #Whoop
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Abu Dhabi to host UAE's first Hyrox event — here's what to wear to it and why
This weekend, thousands of the UAE's fitness fans will descend on the capital's Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre for the emirate's first Hyrox event. The fitness race tests speed, stamina, endurance and — let's be honest — how fierce you can look in an Instagram post, while pushing a 100kg sled down a 50m track. Fuelled by social media arguably as much as amino acids, Hyrox might be billed as showing off what your muscles can achieve, but it's as much about showing off your actual muscles. In Australia, men have run (and won) the event in Speedo-style swim briefs. I'm not sanctioning such skimpy displays of strength in Abu Dhabi; however, that doesn't mean that participants can't elevate their Hyrox style to the height of their wall ball throws. With 8K of running interspersing the workout stations, functionality is as important as fashion when it comes to race day style, but there's no reason you should compromise on either. Here are my top fitness race buys to get your pulse racing: DATA ON POINT I've worn a Whoop since 2020 — incidentally, the same year the wearable fitness device alerted me to having Covid days before a test confirmed it. Early iterations of the screen-free wearable tracked strain, recovery, and sleep in granular detail. This year, Whoop's 5.0 edition adds ageing, heart rhythm, and blood pressure metrics for, arguably, the most accurate longevity-optimising personal data commercially available. The device operates on a subscription model, costing Dh1,379 a year for Whoop's top-tier Life membership, which offers all the new features. Sweat in one of the standard knit bands, then switch for a leather style to lift your fitness look outside of the gym. SPEED SHOES With a Hyrox race incorporating running, strength and agility, you'll need a shoe that's lightweight, stable and teched-up to give you a time advantage. Some long-distance running shoes might be too bouncy for corner turns and won't offer enough stability for the sandbag lunges or hold traction on the sled stations, while a CrossFit-style shoe is likely too stiff for the runs. Puma, an official Hyrox partner, has engineered its Deviate Nitro 3 shoes specifically for the demands of a Hyrox race. The Elite edition features a full-length carbon plate to propel you through the eight 1k runs, and frankly, I'd take all the help I could get. ATHLETIC AI Okay, so you can't get artificial intelligence (AI) to go to the gym for you, but we are starting to see how it will be harnessed in the fitness arena. Oakley's new athletically-styled Meta HSTN glasses play motivational music via the open-ear speakers, record race videos hands-free (and post them to your Stories), while its in-built AI assistant answers questions about your pace and performance. Think of them as the most personal of trainers. FIT KIT The average Hyrox competitor takes around an hour and a half to complete the course, so your outfit needs to last the distance (and look good on the winner's podium). Dubai-based brand Allez Kit's hybrid workout top combines strong built-in support (no need for a separate sports bra), cooling fabric and a compressive construction to propel performance, and was designed specifically for the combination of speed and strength that Hyrox entails. Elaf Jamal wore it to take first place in the Hyrox Sharjah women's over 40s open doubles earlier this year, and says: 'I felt like the prettiest woman in the world.' Also, one of the fastest. Puma's Hyrox-branded Cloudspun 3' shorts are a neat way to finish the look, and monochrome styling matches the black-and-white winners' flags. FASHION FLEX There are gym bags, and then there is Saint Laurent's jacquard logo duffle bag. Its sporty styling is offset with an unapologetically bold logo that semaphores a fusion of fashion and fitness. Just don't let your electrolyte drink leak all over the reassuringly expensive interior. HEALTH GOALS Launched earlier this year to a flurry of Blend it Like Beckham headlines, IM8's one-and-done daily supplement boasts 92 ingredients, was co-founded by David Beckham, and developed with experts from the Mayo Clinic, NASA, and the University of Oxford. Intended to replace the multitude of supplements that biohackers (and Beckham) find themselves knocking back each day, the powdered drink covers all the essentials, from hydration to gut health. Also athlete-backed, and with US military contracts to boot, Momentous's 'Fuel' sachets provide a carb and electrolyte mix for workouts lasting over 60 minutes. HAUTE HYDRATION The most photogenic Hyrox race in the world took place in Paris's Grand Palais earlier this year, with competitors bathed in dappled sunlight filtering through the glass dome roof. Abu Dhabi, in July, may not be quite as compatible with the elements, but for a piece of je ne sais quoi along the course, Dior's 'Plan de Paris' water bottle maps out the city's streets, so while you're battling through the Farmer's Carry you can imagine the 16kg kettlebells are actually shopping bags laden with couture. PODIUM FINISH The women's Euros footballers favour a high pony, but the hairstyle of choice for Hyrox-style fitness races is a double French braid, which has the benefits of looking fierce, while staying put throughout gruelling exertion, impermeable to sweat. The fitness pros I know swear by Slick Stick as an alt to hairspray and kirby grips; a neat mascara wand for your hair that tames flyaways and keeps hairlines sleek and polished. To boost energy and support cell growth, a spoonful of Cymbiotika's Liposomal Vitamin B12 and B6 will rev up your reps, and once you've crossed the finish line a spray of The Neu Co.'s Magnesium Ease counteracts the build-up of lactic acid and calcium, ensuring post-race recovery.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I'm the CEO of Pressed Juicery. I don't prioritize work-life balance or eat bread if I'm not in Paris — here's a day in my life.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Justin Nedelman, the 48-year-old CEO of Pressed Juicery based in Los Angeles. It's been edited for length and clarity. I began my career as a retail real-estate developer, building shopping centers and hotels. I then started a restaurant group out of the ashes of my real-estate company in the 2008 recession. I was the CEO of Eureka! Restaurant Group from 2009 to 2021. Pressed Juicery was doing a formal CEO search, and I knew a board member, so I decided to put my hat in the ring. My wellness background, experience, and consumer-oriented mindset made it a perfect match. I continued in real estate and hospitality until June 2023, when I became the CEO of Pressed Juicery. Here's what a typical day looks like. BI's Power Hours series gives readers an inside look at how powerful leaders in business structure their workday. See more stories from the series here, or reach out to editor Lauryn Haas to share your daily routine. Monday to Friday, I wake up naturally around 4:15 a.m. From 4:15 to 4:25 a.m., I drink a 10-oz glass of water followed by a 5-oz Americano or Pressed cold brew. This is my only dose of caffeine per day. I drink while having quiet time to think and prepare for the day. From 4:25 to 4:35 a.m., I have five minutes of meditation and breathwork to relax and energize. I check my heart rate variability and resting heart rate from the previous night on my Whoop. I then catch up on business and world news, stock market information, and social media. I work out from 4:45 to 5:45 a.m., and it takes me 10 minutes to drive to one of the three gyms I belong to. I have multiple memberships because I choose where to work out based on my time and mindset, and I don't want to have an excuse that the gym is closed. I'll do a CrossFit-style workout with a weighted vest or use a jump rope intermittently between sets. I do weights and quasi-cardio. My workouts are more intense and diverse on the weekends. I let myself rest every seven to 10 days, when I sleep in until 5:30 a.m., even on the weekends. After working out, I help my wife make breakfast and lunch for our children I drive back home to shower. From 6:15 to 7 a.m., I drink a 20-oz water and a decaf Americano with my wife and help her make breakfast and lunch for the children. My children are in high school now. Mornings with my wife and kids are important. I skip breakfast every three days after a hard workout to do intermittent fasting. For the days I eat, I have a Pressed Greens juice, an avocado, or grilled cold fish with salad, and nonfat Greek yogurt with fruit and seeds. I always start with fat and protein over carbs, as this energizes me. Once a week, I do a 24-hour fast to reset my metabolism. I also regularly do cleanses. I drop my son off at school and head to the office by 8:30 a.m. It takes me 30 minutes to drive to the office. When I joined Pressed, the office had a flexible policy of two days a week. I'm a big believer in bringing people together for collaboration, so I'm in the office at least four days a week. When I'm not in the office, I'm in the field, either looking at stores or competitors and learning what's happening in CPG or traveling to our manufacturing facility. I don't have spontaneous calls with anyone. My style is more structured and planned, and I have one-on-ones with folks reporting to me. I even plan time to not have anything planned. I probably don't take enough time for lunch, but I eat with our team We cater lunch for the Pressed team, and it's usually a plant-forward, healthy meal. It's an incentive and a perk of coming into the office. It's helpful to sit with folks from different departments, and it's efficient. I'll eat with the team when I can, a meal with high protein, some greens, a thoughtful carb intake, and no bread unless I'm in Paris. If I visit stores, it's usually planned weeks in advance with our operations leader, and we're not there to audit them. We meet with the regional operations and store management teams to analyze how good our marketing is and look at opportunities. My wife will say I leave the office too late, but I try to leave by 6 p.m. I get home between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. and try to have dinner with the family — there are days I'm later. My wife cooks, but occasionally, we'll order in. Our dinners center on protein, vegetables, and a sensible carb. We'll also go to Pressed stores sometimes. The kids like that, and it's fun to get their perspective. They have good insight into what's relevant for their age group. I don't believe in the separation of work and life. For me, it's about work-life integration, not work-life balance. On Thursday evenings, I play tennis with my wife or daughter, followed by time in the sauna. On Fridays, I swim or surf with my son in the ocean. Fitness through swimming, surfing, mountain biking, tennis, or hiking keeps life exciting. After dinner, I'll watch a show or read a book with my wife I'm reading Elon Musk's biography, and I'm having my son read it, too — I try to connect with him that way. My wife and I will also catch up on the day without the kids and watch our favorite show, The White Lotus. I also like the BBC and will watch some news to catch up on what the world is saying about America. I'm a fan of social media, but I limit my consumption. I enjoy scrolling through Instagram. I study how brands present themselves, and I'm always fascinated. I'll also take a Pressed calm shot before bed. I aim to go to sleep at 10 p.m. I try not to do intense work on the weekends I try not to do work that requires multiple hours of concentration because if I do, it's hard to pivot back into family and personal time. I do light work that requires 30 minutes of focus or less. My weekends are committed to hanging out with family and integrating fitness. I came to Pressed because I love wellness and fitness, and Pressed is an extension of those. It's easy to come to work every day and talk about this seven days a week because it doesn't feel like work — it feels like I'm just living my life. Everything is intentional. Self-prioritization as a leader is important.
CNBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CNBC
Whoop says FDA is ‘overstepping its authority' with warning about blood pressure feature
CNBC's Brandon Gomez joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss FDA scrutiny over Whoop's blood pressure monitoring tech.
CNBC
7 days ago
- Health
- CNBC
Whoop says FDA is 'overstepping its authority' with warning about blood pressure feature
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday published a warning letter addressed to the wrist wearable company Whoop, alleging it is marketing a new blood pressure feature without proper approvals. The letter centers around Whoop's Blood Pressure Insights (BPI) feature, which the company introduced alongside its latest hardware launch in May. Whoop said its BPI feature uses blood pressure information to offer performance and wellness insights that inform consumers and improve athletic performance. But the FDA said Tuesday that Whoop's BPI feature is intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease — a key distinction that would reclassify the wellness tracker as a "medical device" that has to undergo a rigorous testing and approval processes. "Providing blood pressure estimation is not a low-risk function," the FDA said in the letter. "An erroneously low or high blood pressure reading can have significant consequences for the user." A Whoop spokesperson said the company's system offers only a single daily estimated range and midpoint, which distinguishes it from medical blood pressure devices used for diagnosis or management of high blood pressure. Whoop users who purchase the $359 "Whoop Life" subscription tier can use the BPI feature to get daily insights about their blood pressure, including estimated systolic and diastolic ranges, according to the company. Whoop also requires users to log three traditional cuff-readings to act as a baseline in order to unlock the BPI feature. Additionally, the spokesperson said the BPI data is not unlike other wellness metrics that the company deals with. Just as heart rate variability and respiratory rate can have medical uses, the spokesperson said, they are permitted in a wellness context too. "We believe the agency is overstepping its authority in this case by attempting to regulate a non-medical wellness feature as a medical device," the Whoop spokesperson said. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is the number one risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and other types of cardiovascular disease, according to Dr. Ian Kronish, an internist and co-director of Columbia University's Hypertension Center. Kronish told CNBC that wearables like Whoop are a big emerging topic of conversation among hypertension experts, in part because there's "concern that these devices are not yet proven to be accurate." If patients don't get accurate blood pressure readings, they can't make informed decisions about the care they need. At the same time, Kronish said wearables like Whoop present a "big opportunity" for patients to take more control over their health, and that many professionals are excited to work with these tools. Understandably, it can be confusing for consumers to navigate. Kronish encouraged patients to talk with their doctor about how they should use wearables like Whoop. "It's really great to hear that the FDA is getting more involved around informing consumers," Kronish said. Whoop is not the only wearable manufacturer that's exploring blood pressure monitoring. Omron and Garmin both offer medical blood pressure monitoring with on-demand readings that fall under FDA regulation. Samsung also offers blood-pressure-reading technology, but it is not available in the U.S. market. Apple has also been teasing a blood pressure sensor for its watches, but has not been able to deliver. In 2024, the tech giant received FDA approval for its sleep apnea detection feature. Whoop has previously received FDA clearance for its ECG feature, which is used to record and analyze a heart's electrical activity to detect potential irregularities in rhythm. But when it comes to blood pressure, Whoop believes the FDA's perspective is antiquated. "We do not believe blood pressure should be considered any more or less sensitive than other physiological metrics like heart rate and respiratory rate," a spokesperson said. "It appears that the FDA's concerns may stem from outdated assumptions about blood pressure being strictly a clinical domain and inherently associated with a medical diagnosis." The FDA said Whoop could be subject to regulatory actions like seizure, injunction, and civil money penalties if it fails to address the violations that the agency identified in its letter. Whoop has 15 business days to respond with steps the company has taken to address the violations, as well as how it will prevent similar issues from happening again. "Even accounting for BPI's disclaimers, they do not change this conclusion, because they are insufficient to outweigh the fact that the product is, by design, intended to provide a blood pressure estimation that is inherently associated with the diagnosis of a disease or condition," the FDA said.
The Independent
14-07-2025
- The Independent
I wore the Garmin vivoactive 6 for two months – it's great, but not ideal for everyone
To cut a long story short, I'm a fan of the Garmin vívoactive 6. As someone who rarely wore watches growing up, I like how the slimline design sits inconspicuously on the wrist – it's so light I often forget I'm wearing it – and having up to 11 days of battery life means I'm far less likely to be caught out than with my usual Apple Watch. The round face doesn't derail your style choices, I can record pretty much any sport I try my hand at thanks to the 80-plus tracking modes, and the general health insights around sleep and stress offer actionable insights to help me tweak my weekly routine for the better. It can't match the Apple Watch for apps and smartwatch features, the Whoop for lifestyle insights, or even more specialist Garmin wearables for run-tracking. But as a more affordable jack of all trades, it's excellent value for money for generalists like myself. I don't have a sub-three hour marathon time, nor has anyone ever paid me to play any sport. I can lift weights that are heavy for some and a warm-up for others, while my Hyrox time is good-not-great. But I love moving and make a point of doing it in as many ways as possible. This is where the vívoactive 6 excels. Whether I decide to climb a mountain with friends, pick up a padel racket or hit the water for some paddleboarding, there's an option for that. The only area I felt it missed the mark somewhat was during my gym sessions. My general workouts contain a CrossFit-inspired blend of strength training, Olympic lifting, gymnastics and HIIT-style workouts. On the Apple Watch, I liked that I could hit go on a 'functional fitness' workout at the start of my session and let it run until the end. With the vívoactive 6, I had to record my strength training and HIIT workouts separately. The strength training tracking also tries to automatically count reps and sets, although I found this wasn't too helpful for me. When I have my head down during a lifting session, I prefer to focus on the exercise at hand without looking at my watch all too often. As you might expect from a Garmin, the running features are very solid – if not quite on par with the likes of the brand's fenix and forerunner lines due to a lack of barometric altimeter to track elevation, and the use of the brand's last generation heart rate monitor. You can create custom interval sessions fairly easily on the app, setting target times and paces; there is a virtual coach available for a range of distances at no extra cost via the Garmin Coach feature; it provides race-day pacing strategies; and you receive in-depth running metrics on factors such as cadence, ground contact time and stride length. However, perhaps unexpectedly for a Garmin, it was the non-exercise features I enjoyed the most. Where Apple challenges you to 'close your rings' by completing a daily step, move (active calories) and stand goal, Garmin scores your sleep and body battery out of 100 to dissuade you from 2am social media spirals. A snackable morning report reveals your sleep quality and how long you spent in each sleep stage (deep, light, REM, awake) then provides actionable advice on how to approach your day – this includes how much sleep you should aim for the following night, and the 'recovery hours' needed before your body is back to feeling its best after hard workouts. The app also has an 'at a glance' section showing your heart rate, intensity minutes, steps, estimated daily calorie burn, heart rate variability status, stress, fitness age (calculated using factors such as BMI, levels of vigorous exercise and resting heart rate) and VO2 max. Several of these are presented on colour-coded graphs to signify whether your results are poor, fair, good, excellent or superior, and the app provides guidance on how you can improve them. The sum of these parts is actionable takeaways I was able to use to improve my health and performance, which in my eyes is exactly what a fitness tracker is for. You don't get premium features like an ECG, skin temperature sensor, Garmin's latest sensor technology or multi-band GPS, so data might not be quite as accurate as the likes of the most recent fenix and venu models. But for the vívoactive's target audience – the everyday exerciser – these features are likely surplus to requirements. I did find the Garmin Connect app a little less user-friendly than the Apple Fitness app at first. Being an iPhone user, the latter's bright colours and blocky, almost childlike, designs came naturally to me, while the Garmin app was a bit more wordy and officious. But after a few weeks of wear, I was navigating the Garmin platform with relative ease.
