Would you like to receive some rewards for being active? NHS England has partnered with former Olympic medalist Sir Brendan Foster to create the ‘Movement 26.2’ scheme, designed to encourage people to get active and digitally log walks to earn rewards.
By logging 20-30 minutes of walking each day, it’s thought that participants will have walked about 26.2 miles by the end of each month – the equivalent of a marathon.
Details about the scheme are thin on the ground at the moment, but here’s everything we know so far – including the tech you’ll need.
What is the ‘Movement 26.2’ scheme?
Announced this morning (July 3) by Foster, who founded the Great North Run, the scheme is designed to encourage and reward people to get active by encouraging people to complete daily walking targets, logged via their smart technology.
We know the UK government is talking to high-street brands to help add “discounts and shopping vouchers” to the mix, as well as digital rewards like streaks and badges, presumably delivered via an app.
You can probably expect longer lines to earn freebies and special offers at high street coffee chains and restaurants (although that might rather defeat the purpose) or coupons that can be used at retailers.
When does the scheme start?
According to the BBC, the scheme is set to start ‘early next year’, although dates are to be confirmed at this stage.
What equipment do you need to track your steps?
The BBC article linked above says that ‘users will be able to log their walks online or via their phone or smartwatch.’ Users will reportedly also be able to log trips online through the browser.
While the best smartwatches and best fitness trackers are good at counting steps, you’ll also be able to do it with your phone in your pocket, as all modern smartphones have built-in pedometer functions. One benefit of smartwatches is that some models, such as the top Garmin watches, now have wheelchair modes that convert distances traveled by wheelchairs from steps to an equivalent number of daily pushes. So, in theory, wheelchair users can also participate.
Details on exactly how the logging will work are currently scarce, but ‘will be revealed in the coming months’. I assume there will be a dedicated Movement 26.2 app, perhaps with the ability to piggyback to apps like Apple Health, Samsung Health or Google Health to share your pedometer. But this is only conjecture at this point.
Otherwise, just wear some comfortable clothes and shoes. If you’re planning on running instead of walking, check out our best running shoes guide.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds.
