WHOOP debuts new feature to measure muscular load

Strength Traier measures the response of muscles, bones, joints, and tissues to a workout

The global wearable technology market was valued at $61.30 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 14.6% from 2023 to 2030, at which point it's expected to be valued at $186.14 billion. That's a lot of people using these device: there were 216.43 million smartwatch users alone in 2022, and the approximate revenue generated was $43.39 billion.

No doubt these devices will keep improving and not only become more accurate in all the vitals they currently track, such as cholesterol levels, calories burnt, oxygen levels, and sleep, among others, but actually start measuring newer kinds of vitals that weren't measurable before.

That's what WHOOP is doing with the launch of a new feature it announced on Tuesday called Strength Trainer, which can measure how strength training impacts the body by tracking exercises, reps, and weight usage to quantify muscular load through the use of accelerometer and gyroscope sensors.

Muscular load includes measuring the response of muscles, bones, joints, and tissues based on the volume and intensity of training, using unique movement profiles for every exercise to account for the different percentage of the musculoskeletal system used. That muscular load is then factored into the WHOOP Strain score.

"Most wearables only track your cardiovascular load during exercise using your heart rate, which is great for exercises like running, cycling, and other aerobic activities. However, if you do a very intense or heavy weight training session like powerlifting, your heart rate response isn’t proportional to the effort you give and the load your body sustains," the company wrote in a blog post. 

"No wearable has effectively quantified the impact of strength training on your body – until now."

When using Strength Trainer, members can create custom routines from a library of more than 200 exercises, or they can select pre-built workouts from WHOOP athletes that include Michael Phelps, Patrick Mahomes, Rory McIlroy, Colleen Quigley, and Sloane Stephens. It also offers them exercise demonstrations. 

After a workout, they can access a detailed view of their performance, allowing them to optimize their fitness regimen and achieve their goals. 

Founded in 2012, the Boston-based WHOOP offers members for as low as $30 per month, which includes a WHOOP 4.0, as well as access to coaching features and its community. The WHOOP 4.0 is designed with biometric tracking, including skin temperature and blood oxygen.

The debut of Strength Trainer comes only a few weeks after WHOOP debuted another feature called Stress Monitor, which tracks daily stress levels in real-time through continuous heart rate variability and resting heart rate measurements. It also coaches WHOOP members on how to manage physiological stress.  

Through these two new features, WHOOP says its wants to "create a more well-rounded and complete wellness experience for its members," and the company plans to continue adding new features for strength training going forward. 

"Whether it’s through a regular functional fitness routine or a strength training workout, members will get more credit for the work they do. This is the first step for WHOOP in the strength training space and we look forward to continuing to refine the feature," WHOOP wrote in the blog post.