In the first quarter of 2016, Americans bought 19.7 million fitness wearables, an increase of 67 percent over the previous year. By 2020, the global market for fitness-focused apps and devices is expected to grow to $30 billion. This means that more than ever, we’re looking at our wrists not only to check the time but also to see how much we’ve moved, monitor our heart rate, and see how we’re stacking up against yesterday’s tallies. As a result of our fitness tech addiction, we’ve lost awareness of what we’re doing, how we’re feeling, and what’s going on around us. This is bad enough in the gym, but when we get outside, the constant checking of a tiny screen truly wreaks havoc, downgrading what should be a rich experience into yet another task we need to complete to meet our daily goals. And if we fall short, we feel inadequate. There’s also the issue of data inaccuracy, with many device makers now admitting that their gadgets provide only estimates. So why do we continue to obsess over data and treat it as gospel truth? It’s time to stop, take a breath, and hit the reset button in a big way.
Unplugged provides a blueprint for using technology to meet your health and performance goals in a much smarter way, while reconnecting to your instincts and the natural world. In addition to sharing the performance expertise of Brian Mackenzie and the scientific insight of Dr. Andy Galpin, Unplugged features exclusive stories and advice from elite athletes and world-renowned experts like Laird Hamilton, Tim Ferriss, Kai Lenny, Kelly Starrett, Steven Kotler, Erin Cafaro, Lenny Wiersma, Dr. Frank Merritt, and Brandon Rager. Reading Unplugged will enable you to
• Understand both the value and the limitations of technology in athletic performance, fitness, health, and lifestyle situations
• Know how and when to utilize physical activity technologies in your everyday life—and when not to
• Avoid the common mistakes that most people make with wearables and tracking apps
• Understand which technologies and tests are most effective and which are a waste of money
• End your addiction to fitness technology and start utilizing it as a tool for cueing, learning, and sensing instead of as a taskmaster that stresses you out
• Improve self-awareness and increase self-reliance
• Re-engage with nature by spending less time indoors and more time outside
• Rediscover the value of coaches’ expertise, curation, and intuition, which technology can’t replace
• Take back control of your health, fitness, and performance with the Unplugged training protocol
