Fitness

Board-sports video games can be fun, but let's be honest – sitting on the coach and twiddling a joystick isn't much like real snowboarding or skateboarding. That's where the BoarDrop system comes in, as it puts players on an actual board.

A new soft harness system out of the Technical University of Munich works like a pair of shorts to reduce the exertion needed to walk or jog by up to 18%. The system is easy to put on and take off and holds promise for helping anyone get more mobile.

Although treadmills do let you vary your running speed, you have to reach down and hit the controls in order to do so. The Kickr Run offers a more natural alternative, in that it automatically adjusts its belt speed to match your running speed.

While cable machines do allow users to perform many weight training exercises, the devices can cost up to several thousand dollars. The $75 Hyperbell Cable system, however, reportedly lets you do those same exercises using your existing dumbbells.

French company Seabike has developed a swimming device that uses your own leg power to accelerate you through the water at superhuman speeds. This crank-driven pusher prop looks a bit like an underwater unicycle... We'd love to take one for a spin!

With winter nipping at the heels of folks in the Northern Hemisphere, cyclists may be thinking about moving their daily rides indoors. Garmin has just announced its most accurate and powerful direct-drive trainer to help keep you in trim.

Folks looking to monitor health metrics while on the move will likely pop a smartwatch on their wrist. Those wanting a simpler option might go for a smart ring instead, and wearable outfit Omate has just launched the Ice Ring in Europe.

Nothing has announced the first products from its budget sub-brand CMF, which includes the Watch Pro – a somewhat Apple-like smartwatch rocking a large AMOLED display, built-in GPS, more than a hundred sport modes, and a 13-day battery.

It can be quite a challenge keeping in trim while spending much of your day sat behind a desk. The Ampera desk bike from Utah-based LifeSpan Fitness could help, while also using your pedal pumping to power a smartphone or even a laptop.

Though most smartwatches will offer analog-looking faces, companies like Withings have been offering a mix of both worlds for a number of years. Now the company has launched its latest flagship hybrid health tracker in the shape of the ScanWatch 2.

Zepp Health-owned budget-friendly wearable brand Amazfit has launched a thin and light round smartwatch with a 14-day battery, the ability to tap into five satellite systems, more than 120 sports modes, and a bunch of health tracking features.

Rowing machines are one of those things that many fitness-conscious people want but don't get, due to their high price and large size. The RowBro is designed to address those problems, as it's ultra-compact and should ultimately sell for just US$599.