Ultrahuman Will Now Suggest Workout Videos Based on Your Recovery Score and Menstrual Cycle.
These days, any wearable device can show how you slept and how well you’re recovered for your upcoming workout. But it’s rare to get clear recommendations or ideas on what to do based on these metrics. Ultrahuman , a smart ring company, is trying a new approach: it offers a variety of workout videos based on what it believes is right for you.
I understand this approach, but I’m a little skeptical about the app automatically choosing a workout for me—what if I feel ready for something else? However, I’ve used Garmin’s suggested workouts before, and I think the idea works well if you think of the recommended workouts as suggestions rather than restrictions.
What’s in the Les Mills PowerPlug?
A new feature in the Ultrahuman app is available in the form of a PowerPlug. If you use an Ultrahuman ring, you’re probably aware that there are several PowerPlugs available in the in-app store. Some are free, while others require a subscription. The Les Mills PowerPlug costs $11.99 per month, $99 per year, or $249 for a lifetime subscription.
Les Mills is a chain of gym-style fitness classes that are faithfully replicated in the Les Mills+ app, which my colleague Lindsay Ellefson reviewed in detail here . She says the classes are characterized by clear, no-nonsense instructions, original music, and predictable, familiar patterns for each class type.
Each day, you’ll be presented with two or three recommended workouts, but you can also browse the full catalog if you’re looking for a different workout. Ultrahuman offers examples of suggested workouts: “A user who’s well-recovered from an injury, with elevated heart rate variability and a low resting heart rate, might see BODYPUMP™ or BODYCOMBAT™ at the top of their feed. On the other hand, a user with accumulated sleep debt, elevated core temperature, elevated resting heart rate, or low heart rate variability might be suggested yoga, BODYBALANCE™, or a gentle mobility workout.”
If you track your menstrual cycle through the Ultrahuman app, the recommendations will also take that into account. This is where I have another skepticism: Ultrahuman claims that “the luteal and menstrual phases automatically switch to recovery-promoting content.” This means that for half the month, you might be discouraged from intense workouts, which seems counter to most people’s fitness goals.
After completing a Les Mills workout through the Ultrahuman app, you’ll find that your workout data, including your heart rate, has been recorded through the ring, the muscles you worked have been recorded, and you’ll receive post-workout data such as a prediction of your readiness for the next day.