Art of Strength “Blast From The Past” Workout

Running man courtesy of

After I wrote about how , PEAR Sports reached out and asked me to review their mobile training system. The PEAR (Performance Enhancing Audio Research) system includes their Bluetooth wireless heart rate monitor, Stride™ headphones, and mobile app with training programs available as in-app purchases.

PEAR is designed to make advanced training methods accessible to anyone looking to achieve a fitness goal. Their app is specifically meant to work with the heart rate monitor, and all the coaching is built around target heart rate zones. When you first get set up, PEAR asks you to go for a calibration run where it parses out your resting heart rate, a casual workout, a moderate workout, and an aggressive workout. Then you pick a workout plan that gives you a schedule of exercises, and a coach gives you real-time feedback through the headphones while you work out.

I’ve been using the for several weeks. and overall I’m impressed by the company’s hardware and approach to training. I never would have known how to interpret the data from a heart rate monitor without the context PEAR provides. The software has a few shortcomings, but even in the handful of weeks I’ve been using it, PEAR has pushed several improvements. Read on for more details on the PEAR hardware, software, and coaching technique.

Hardware: PEAR’s Strong Suit

As I mentioned, the PEAR hardware is the real strength of the system. I was very hesitant to wear a heart rate monitor while I ran—they always looked so uncomfortable. So imagine my surprise when I found that PEAR’s heart rate monitor did not slip, itch, or chafe. In fact, I usually forgot I was wearing it before I finished my warmup. The monitor is small and flat; you can’t see it under a shirt unless it’s form-fitting.

Pairing the heart rate monitor is simple. The strap uses Bluetooth Low Energy, so the first time you launch the app, you just press Pair and you’re good to go. On subsequent uses, the monitor pairs automatically. Being BLE-based, I found the monitor works with other exercise apps like RunKeeper too.

The earbuds are, quite frankly, fantastic. I can’t run with the Apple EarPods—they fall right out. I had been using the MEElectronics Sport-Fi headphones specifically because they were waterproof and well-rated for working out. By comparison, PEAR’s earbuds were easier to put on, more comfortable in my ear, and incredibly snug. No longer would sweat trickle into my ears on long runs—gross I know, but it was an issue with the Sport-Fi. The sound quality is a step down from the EarPods (which have great sound), but definitely passable. Music wasn’t tinny or flat, and for music and coaching while you run, it’s clear enough.

PEAR also provides you with a small zip bag for toting and storing your gear. I didn’t think anything of it at first, but it’s actually really useful. The strap and headphones themselves aren’t very big, so keeping them together in a bright blue bag reduces the chance of losing either. It makes packing easier—I would just slip the bag into one shoe and my arm band into the other—and it keeps your post-workout sweaty heart rate monitor separate from the rest of your clothes. It’s all very thoughtful.

Software: Good and Getting Better

The first thing the asks you to do is go on that calibration run. I had a hard time distinguishing a “very easy pace” from a “mostly easy pace” and I imagine I’m not the only one who lacks this detailed level of self-awareness. The calibration run takes about 20 minutes, and PEAR tells you that you can do it again if you aren’t feeling confident in the results. With no baseline for confidence, I would have preferred to go on a 30 minute calibration run with three 10-minute “heats” and let PEAR take an average. Given how integral heart rate monitoring is to PEAR’s approach to training, it’s probably important to get the calibration right. Still, the coach was as informative as possible in explaining the different paces and the value of the calibration workout.

A month ago, the PEAR app still hadn’t updated for the iPhone 5 screen resolution. Earlier this week, , including an update to its iOS app with iOS 7 compatibility, an Android app, and a web portal. I haven’t yet used the web portal but it’s a welcome addition to the experience to be able to manage your workouts from a desktop.

PEAR’s app has a sleek look to it with its slate-colored background and modern typography. If you’ve used a fitness tracking app before, it’s a fairly familiar experience. You can view a summary of your activity (workouts, active time, calories burned, distance covered), and drill down into specific workouts. Here’s where PEAR’s hardware-software combination shine.

Looking at a workout in portrait mode gives all the expected summary statistics, but turning the phone to landscape mode gives you a heart rate chart compared to your training program. As you can see above, I had some trouble staying in the target heart rate zone during this interval exercise. PEAR gives you a workout score that compares your actual performance to your coaching zones. Scoring a 23% does not feel good, so it pushed me to focus more on my heart rate when I was running.