Apple launches another kind of Bootcamp at WWDC, and it's a HIIT

Posted:
in Apple Watch edited June 2018
When you picture a developer tech conference, you probably don't expect to see people working out on yoga mats to pounding tracks from a DJ. But at Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple is putting a spotlight on fitness, something that's driving not just Apple Watch and initiatives like HealthKit, but also the company's research related to improving healthcare and enhancing how we use personal tech devices.




Before Tuesday's sessions started on day two of WWDC, Apple took over San Jose's City National Civic event venue across from the convention center and set it up for fitness guru Kayla Itsines, an author, trainer and co-founder of the SWEAT app, focused on helping women to reach their fitness goals via plyometric training using minimal space and equipment.

Nearly 200 participants from WWDC attendees and Apple employees filled the space, and Itsines led them on an intense 45 minute High-Intensity Interval Training program. I've been doing regular CrossFit workouts for months, but this workout was challenging. I not only filled my 30-minute exercise ring, but burned enough calories to fill that ring as well.

Itsines's HIIT workout laid out a fast-paced series of floor exercises focused on different body areas, with both easier options and alternative moves of greater difficulty. Before starting, she told the group to keep moving--even dance in place--if they ran into a part where they couldn't keep up. Most importantly, "don't get on your phones!" she said.

Afterward, the sweaty group took photos as a group and with their star trainer and Julz Arney, the Apple engineer who the day before had demonstrated new watchOS features on stage during the keynote while doing a stationary bike workout.

The HIIT session isn't the only fitness activity Apple has scheduled during WWDC. Wednesday morning the coaches from Nike Run Club will be leading attendees on an early morning run through San Jose starting at 6:30 am.


kudu

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    No one but Apple could/would do this.
    Flalvare2kuduGeorgeBMacjony0
  • Reply 2 of 15
    Flalvare2Flalvare2 Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    Steve Ballmer was a visionary 🤣
    fastasleepmartinxyzGeorgeBMacforegoneconclusionauxiojony0
  • Reply 3 of 15
    kinda think this is a response to Fitbit & others...trying to leapfrog them in the social media era---lot of that stuff is social media orientated which doesn't interest me...though the yoga/stress reduction part might, lol. If Apple can get sophisticated(medical grade FDA approved accuracy) glucose & EKG monitoring from add on electronic straps...will be interesting to see what those can help prevent health issues.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Good on Apple. I hope they have workout sessions every day for this WWDC and future developer conferences. I wonder if Steve Jobs would've ever greenlit this had the Apple Watch existed under his watch.


    For DED:

    1) Was there a requirement to have an Apple Watch to be part of this session?

    2) How long was the workout session?

    3) Did you have to sign up far in advance to get in and was it full?
    edited June 2018
  • Reply 5 of 15
    DanielEranDanielEran Posts: 290editor
    Soli said:
    Good on Apple. I hope they have workout sessions every day for this WWDC and future developer conferences. I wonder if Steve Jobs would've ever greenlit this had the Apple Watch existed under his watch.


    For DED:

    1) Was there a requirement to have an Apple Watch to be part of this session?

    2) How long was the workout session?

    3) Did you have to sign up far in advance to get in and was it full?
    A lot of people had an Apple Watch but it wasn’t required. For the Nike Run Club tomorrow, they recommend bringing a phone or watch with the NRC app and headphones to “join the full experience.” 

    It was 45 minutes. I was wet after haha. 

    No no it was first come first served. There were about 200 mats laid out, and they likely had more available if more people hadn’t been out for drinks the night before or didn’t want to slee in. 

    Steve was all about the Nike+ app and health stuff so I’m sure he would love the direction of Apple in health and fitness. 
    Soli
  • Reply 6 of 15
    martinxyzmartinxyz Posts: 98member
    Flalvare2 said:
    Steve Ballmer was a visionary 🤣
    A sweaty, shouty visionary.
    bestkeptsecretStrangeDaysjony0
  • Reply 7 of 15
    kudukudu Posts: 44member
    That engineer on tbe stationary bike was pretty amazing. She could move and talk and multitask without getting winded, all nonchanantly, as if its done all time. As if! Impressive!
  • Reply 8 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    kudu said:
    That engineer on tbe stationary bike was pretty amazing. She could move and talk and multitask without getting winded, all nonchanantly, as if its done all time. As if! Impressive!
    Very true. She didn’t fluff a single word and her timing was spot on. 

    Did I count right? Were there more woman taking the stage this year than men?

    edited June 2018
  • Reply 9 of 15
    bestkeptsecretbestkeptsecret Posts: 4,265member

    Took me a couple of minutes to get the pun on BootCamp!

    In my defence, I'm still having my first cup of coffee for the day.

  • Reply 10 of 15
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member

    Took me a couple of minutes to get the pun on BootCamp!

    In my defence, I'm still having my first cup of coffee for the day.

    I had a similar first thought (which I wondered if Linux was an option to dual-boot a Mac, and even joked to myself that iOS could have bootcamp to dual-boot Android) in that split second before I read the end of the title with the clever "HIIT" reference. That HIIT comment also made it clear it a DED article.
    edited June 2018
  • Reply 11 of 15
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Maybe next year all the yoga mats were printed to look like the iPhone X?
  • Reply 12 of 15
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member




    Looks like a vision of Hell to me... everybody bowing down, red light everywhere, someone at the front lording over the scene with a sign that says "SWEAT" behind them.
    gatorguy
  • Reply 13 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    ascii said:




    Looks like a vision of Hell to me... everybody bowing down, red light everywhere, someone at the front lording over the scene with a sign that says "SWEAT" behind them.
    ...the scene is almost reminiscent of that old 1984 Apple commercial. 
    ascii
  • Reply 14 of 15
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Rayz2016 said:
    kudu said:
    That engineer on tbe stationary bike was pretty amazing. She could move and talk and multitask without getting winded, all nonchanantly, as if its done all time. As if! Impressive!
    Very true. She didn’t fluff a single word and her timing was spot on. 

    Did I count right? Were there more woman taking the stage this year than men?

    Outside of Tim and the department leads (Craig, Kevin Lynch), all of the Apple presenters were women.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Soli said:
    Good on Apple. I hope they have workout sessions every day for this WWDC and future developer conferences. I wonder if Steve Jobs would've ever greenlit this had the Apple Watch existed under his watch.
    I suspect he would have. Health and Fitness are and will increasingly become important to the watch & iPhone. But green-lighting from afar is one thing, participating is another. :smiley: 
    edited June 2018
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