Whoop...there it is!
I need Elon to invent a fitness sensor that gets jabbed in my skin!
If you're a child of the '90s, then you probably mistakenly read the title as "Whoomp (There It Is)," the famous 1993 hit by Tag Team. However, the Whoomp in this post drops an "m" and helps you drop pounds! Before we get too far though, we all need to listen to a few bars 👇🏼
Oh yes…classic!
Okay, back to the story.
The tumultuous relationship I've had with the Whoop strap started a couple of years ago when I searched for an alternative to my Apple watch for sleep tracking. Whoop was relatively new on the scene. I had read a few articles from professional golfers who felt the recovery and strain data were game-changers for their performance.
Don't get me wrong; I'm in no way a professional athlete (don’t tell my son, Carson, I said that), but I was curious about the quality of my sleep and how to monitor it consistently. After trying an endless amount of sleep apps using my Apple Watch, the ridiculously high amount of battery drain was all I needed to look for a different solution. What good is a night’s rest when you lose your shit every morning because your watch is dead? I think I heard somewhere that high blood pressure is more significant than poor sleep, but I’m no doctor (also, don’t tell Carson).
Fast forward, and it seemed that Whoop checked all the boxes. So like a washed-up athlete with dreams of a triumphant return to their sport, I purchased the annual subscription and ordered the sensor and wrist strap. I was excited to get going on this new data-driven health journey. Nothing was going to get in the way now, no excuses.
Then came the package. A beautiful, well-constructed box made with heavy material, the kind Apple uses on its products. As I opened up this majestic treasure, a glow and shimmering light came bursting from within.
Well, not really. Once I got the lid off, it was only instructions and a plastic holder for the sensor and strap.
Sleep Better, Train Harder, Recover Faster
My new life as an elite athlete was underway, and it required the Whoop strap to be worn 24/7. I was okay with this commitment and sized up the strap to fit nicely on my wrist. Let the games begin! I immediately went on a run to start the calibration process as it was suggested that five days or so would be needed for the sensor to adjust to my body.
Then off to the golf course, basketball game, hiking, and of course, the whole reason this journey started, sleeping!
The old Ryan was back, flying like Air Jordan, grinding pars like Tiger, and generally killin’ it.
Until…
The referee made me take it off to play basketball.
It got in the way of my Apple watch while golfing (I use the GPS for yardages). I began to feel like an Egyptian Pharaoh draped in jewelry.
Predictably, I started taking it off, and that's a slippery slope because the benefits of the data collected diminish. I needed a way to wear it on a different body part to play sports. I was beginning to think the only way out of this dilemma would be if Elon Musk invented a sensor that could be jabbed under my skin!
My on-again, off-again relationship with Whoop continued, and eventually, I gave up. At this point, I knew any return to glory would now require old-school methods, willpower and icepacks. As I adjusted to this new reality, a subtle ringing sound was coming from the other room. It was an email notification coming from my phone. In disgust, I opened it to see what new spam I needed to delete.
To my surprise, it was from Whoop. I suspected it was probably a follow-up survey to ask how I was dealing with the failure of not wearing it anymore. I almost deleted it right there but thought I should open it to see if I could get a refund. That's when the images of the armband and arm sleeve popped up.
Wow, could it be? Are there new options and locations to wear the sensor?
Oh yeah, the triumphant return is back on! I could now use my Apple Watch and still get the benefits of Whoop strain and recovery data.
Great story Ryan, WTF is Whoop?
Okay, okay!
I’m sharing this because fitness is important and especially for leaders of people. Sleep has proven to be really important so I suggest if you have read this far, you agree.
For those who are hearing about Whoop for the first time, it is quite a powerful sensor combined with the app installed on your phone. When it first hit the market, the main features were strain, recovery and sleep performance. As I mentioned earlier, sleep was my initial interest. Still, I quickly became interested in these other two metrics and how they worked.
Overall I am pleased with the direction of the Whoop products as they continue to add new clothing that allows for sensor placement and new biometrics with the Whoop 4.0 strap. Recently blood oxygen level and skin temp were added.
Whoop Team
Another fun feature is team creation. There are public teams anyone can join, or you can create your own and invite your friends. Recently I set up a team (No Calories for Old Men) for other 40-55-year-olds who want to have some friendly competition and chat about our results. Use this invite code to join the team if you’re interested: COMM-D1F4AE
Clever, I know.
So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a Whoop and join the team!
Are brains and hearts will thank us later, not to mention the people around us who bear the brunt of the stress-filled life of a leader.