When I started exercising more the first thing I bought was a fairly simple pedometer. It is a Omron Model HJ-720ITC which has the ability to export data into it’s own software tracking program. The first entry was August 1, 2007.
As of today I have more than 1,450 miles and 2,600,000 steps recorded in the last 14 months. Note that the miles is probably not all that accurate since the stride length used to calculate distance was set up for a walking pace, and my running stride is somewhat longer, so the distance shown is correspondingly shorter. I use this mostly as a reference number so am not disturbed with the inaccuracy knowing in my mind that I have run far more than the pedometer indicates.
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Pocket Pedometer with PC software HJ-720ITC
Omron’s most technologically advanced pedometer, model HJ-720ITC, now includes Omron Health Management Software to help you track days, weeks, months and years of exercise. Simply connect the pedometer with its USB connection to your PC to begin tracking your health today. The pedometer measures steps, aerobic steps (10 minutes or more of continuous movement), calories and distance. Your path to better health is just steps away.
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I still wear the pedometer when I exercise whether it is running, walking, treadmill, etc. I do not wear it all day which a lot of people do, but I am more interested in seeing what efforts I expend outside of normal activity.
The plus’es to the pedometer are that it resets automatically every day at midnight so you do not have to remember to reset it to capture the daily steps. Another plus is it seems very accurate in picking up steps. It does not seem overly sensitive as to where it is kept or worn while in use.
The negatives to the pedometer. It resets itself every night, and only every night. It cannot be manually reset. If I transport the pedometer it will begin counting steps before I begin an exercise period and it cannot be zeroed before I begin. Sometimes this can add a significant amount of steps. To some degree they can be ignored since they typically are not “aerobic” steps, and I mainly track only aerobic activity. But it does mess up totals. Another negative is that it is very sensitive, and will pick up steps wherever it is located…. including in a suitcase or even sitting on a car seat. This is what adds “unearned” steps. Basically the strengths are also the undesired traits.
The plus’es of the ability to download all the activity into the software outweigh the negatives, at least for my use.
If anyone is aware of a pedometer on the market that can be manually reset and also downloads daily data to a PC please let me know! Until I find one the Omron Pedometer gets the Team Toe-Jammer seal of approval.
Until the final foot fall falls over the land,
George