You might know this wearable on your wrist as an extension of your iPhone. The Apple Watch allows you to take calls, control your music, and read emails. 

Apart from that, it is also a great device for health and fitness enthusiasts. That's because it can support your workouts, monitor your heart health, sleep and progress of your fitness goals. 

How to Use Your Apple Watch for Workouts

The Apple Watch is a handy tool for tracking and recording workouts and physical activity. And with the Fitness app on your iPhone, you can view your workout progress. You can also find suggestions for improving your fitness. 

This wearable from Apple has long supported several workouts. These include walking, running, cycling, and rowing. 

The following are the uses of Apple Watch for your fitness goals: 

• Monitor your heart health. Your Apple Watch can give your information about your current heart rate, resting heart rate, and walking heart rate. 

The above mentioned metrics are an effective way of measuring how your workouts improve your cardiovascular health. That's because your heart rate gives you a good indication of your overall health and well being. 

• Take note of your VO2 Max. Did you know that your Apple Watch also keeps track of your VO2 max? VO2 max is the maximum rate of oxygen your body can take in during exercise. It can indicate your essential aerobic capacity, or your maximal working heart rate. 

You can find your VO2 max in the summary section of your fitness app after a few workouts. You will notice it will improve over time with all your hard work. 

• Queue up a class on Apple Fitness+. The Apple Fitness+ is Apple's on-demand workout service. It can help you close your activity rings every single time. 

In Apple Fitness+ you will find Pilates, treadmill running, spin, yoga, strength training, among others. It will also recommend classes for you based on the movement types you already love. 

• Pay attention to your activity summary. From your Apple activity summary, you will be able to check how much exercise you've logged in any given day. You will also be able to check how many hours you took a break to stand up and what workout you've logged over time. 

Additionally, you will be able to find trends or markers of how your physical fitness improves over time. 

• Share your workouts with your friends who have Apple Watches. You probably don't know this but you can actually share your workouts with your friends using your Apple Watch. With this feature, you can congratulate your friends when they hit the finish line on a tough workout. You can also receive all the adulation when you do the same. 

Do you want to start a workout on your Apple Watch? Here's what you should do: 

1. First, open the Workout app on your Apple Watch. 

2. Next, turn the Digital Crown to the workout you want to do. Then, tap Add Workout at the bottom of the screen for sessions like Tai Chi or kickboxing. 

3. If you want to set a goal, tap the more button. 

4. Next, choose a calorie, time, distance, or open goal. Meaning that you've set no particular goal but still want your Apple Watch to track your workout. 

5. Turn the Digital Crown or you can tap + / - to set. 

6. When you are ready to go, tap Start.  

What are the Best Apple Watch Bands for Workouts? 

You can workout with your Apple Watch. And since the bands for the Apple Watch are interchangeable, you can wear your preferred watch band while working out. 

The following are some of the best bands you can use together with your Apple Watch while working out. 

• Apple Sport Band. This band is made from a custom high-performance fluoroelastomer. The Apple Sport Band is durable and strong as well as soft. Its smooth, dense material drapes elegantly across your wrist, making it feel comfortable next to your skin. 

It also has an innovative pin-and-tuck closure that ensures a clean fit. The band is easy to adjust and feels secure. 

• Apple Sport Loop. This strap is quicker to adjust than the Sport Band. That's because it has a hook-and-loop fastener. The Apple Sport Loop is soft, breathable, and lightweight. It doesn't suffer from sweat accumulation since the band never really sits 100 percent on your skin. 

The velcro pieces of the Apple Sport Loop allow for a bit of airflow between the band and your skin. It's because this band is made of double-layer nylon weave. It has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape.  

• Nike Sport Band. Just like the Apple Sport Band, this strap is made from a custom high-performance fluoroelastomer. However, the Nike Sport Band has compression-molded perforations for breathability. 

It is durable, strong and surprisingly soft. Its smooth, dense material drapes elegantly across your wrist and feels comfortable next to your skin. It also has an innovative pin-and-tuck closure. 

• Monowear Nylon Active Band. This band is precisely adjustable for just the right fit during workouts. The primary material for this strap is nylon, which means that the Monowear Nylon Active Band dries quickly when it gets in contact with water. 

Additionally, this strap doesn't stretch. It also doesn't have dense loops. The lack of stretch gives you more control over just how tight you would like the band to be.

• Nomad Sport Strap. This sport strap is made from vulcanized LSR silicone. It is incredibly comfortable because it stretches. As such, you can wear the watch relatively tight without feeling uncomfortable. 

Moreover, the silicone in this strap has antimicrobial properties. This reduces the chance of bacterial growth from your sweat and dead skin cells. It is also easy to adjust.   

• Meridio Apple Watch Sport Band. Meridio's sport band doesn't look like the average fitness band. This is due to its thin layer of cotton on top of the strap and the matching stitching. This band is relatively thick, adding to its premium look and feel.