Sports Matrix: 21 Tech-Forward Tools For Adult Athletes

From apps to sensors to smart sports gear, technology is everywhere these days. But which technology is ideal for adult athletes?

Our curated list of technology that can help you in your adult sports pursuits includes some tried-and-true favorites and up-and-comers on the sports scene. From vision trainers to zombie apocalypse runs, you’re sure to find something to help you perform better–or at least have fun trying.

If you’re into whimsical and practical sports gadgets, we’ve got a list of those, too.

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IntelliGym: Play Soccer Or Hockey In A Digital Arena

• Best For: Hockey and soccer players looking to improve cognitive skills such as decision-making, awareness, and reaction time in sports.
• Key Features: IntelliGym is a cognitive training program designed to enhance the mental aspects of athletic performance. It helps athletes improve skills like spatial awareness, decision-making, anticipation, and pattern recognition, which are crucial in fast-paced sports like soccer and hockey. The program offers customized training sessions that simulate real-game scenarios, aiming to sharpen your mind to perform better under pressure.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: IntelliGym is perfect for adult athletes who want to gain a mental edge in competitive sports. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting, this app helps develop the “mental muscle” needed to read the game faster, make smarter decisions, and react more effectively during play. By focusing on cognitive development, IntelliGym complements physical training, making you a more complete athlete.
• Available On: Windows, macOS (desktop app)

Nix Biosensors: Optimze Your Hydration

• Best For: Endurance athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking real-time hydration monitoring during training and competition.
• Key Features: Nix Biosensors is a wearable hydration sensor that monitors your sweat composition to provide real-time insights on your hydration levels. The patch-style sensor connects to an app, allowing athletes to track fluid and electrolyte losses during workouts. By analyzing sweat data, the app offers personalized hydration recommendations, helping athletes stay properly hydrated for optimal performance and recovery. It’s particularly useful for endurance sports like running, cycling, and triathlons, where hydration is crucial to performance.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Nix Biosensors gives athletes the ability to monitor their hydration levels in real time, making it easier to maintain peak performance and avoid dehydration. Whether you’re training for a marathon or cycling long distances, understanding your sweat composition helps you tailor your hydration strategy, ensuring you replenish fluids and electrolytes more effectively. This technology is ideal for athletes looking to optimize their training and prevent dehydration-related performance issues.
• Available On: iOS, Android (paired with Nix wearable sensor)

Lumen: Track Your Metabolic Health

• Best For: Individuals and athletes seeking personalized insights into their metabolism to optimize nutrition and performance.
• Key Features: Lumen is a handheld device that analyzes your metabolism by measuring the concentration of CO2 in your breath. It provides real-time feedback on whether your body is burning carbs or fat, allowing you to make informed decisions about your nutrition. The app offers personalized meal plans and suggestions to help you reach your fitness or weight goals, whether it’s fat loss, muscle gain, or improving athletic performance. Daily tracking helps users understand how their metabolism reacts to different foods, workouts, and sleep patterns.
• Why It’s Great for Adult Athletes: Lumen is a game-changer for adult athletes who want to fine-tune their nutrition and improve energy management during training or competition. By providing insights into your metabolic state, Lumen helps you optimize your fuel intake for better performance and recovery. Whether you’re looking to enhance endurance, lose weight, or build muscle, this device offers a personalized approach to achieving your goals.
• Available On: iOS, Android (paired with the Lumen device)

Sensoria: Smarten Up Your Socks

• Best For: Runners, cyclists, and fitness enthusiasts looking for detailed biometric data through smart clothing.
• Key Features: Sensoria integrates advanced sensors into garments like socks, shirts, and sports bras to monitor key metrics such as heart rate, cadence, foot landing, and running form. The data is synced with the Sensoria app, which provides real-time feedback and detailed performance analysis. Sensoria’s smart socks, for example, are particularly popular for their ability to track running technique, helping prevent injuries by providing insights on foot pressure and stride.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Sensoria is ideal for athletes who want to optimize their performance and reduce the risk of injury. Runners, in particular, benefit from the advanced tracking of foot landing and stride, which helps improve form over time. The comfortable, wearable design makes it easy to collect high-quality data without bulky devices, and the real-time feedback ensures you can adjust during workouts for better results.
• Available On: iOS, Android (paired with Sensoria-enabled smart clothing)

Q-Collar: Keep Your Noggin Safe

• Best For: Athletes in contact sports who want to reduce the risk of brain injury from repetitive head impacts.
• Key Features: The Q-Collar is a wearable device designed to protect the brain from the effects of repetitive head impacts in contact sports like football, soccer, and hockey. By applying gentle pressure to the jugular veins, the Q-Collar increases blood volume in the skull, creating a “cushion” for the brain. This helps reduce the movement of the brain within the skull during impact, lowering the risk of concussions or other brain injuries. The device is lightweight, comfortable, and approved for use by athletes at all levels.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: The Q-Collar offers a non-invasive, innovative approach to brain injury prevention, making it especially valuable for adult athletes involved in high-contact sports. As awareness of the dangers of concussions continues to grow, the Q-Collar provides an extra layer of protection, allowing athletes to focus on their game with greater peace of mind. It’s ideal for those seeking additional safety measures while maintaining peak performance.

iRange Sports Stick: Swing For The Hills

• Best For: Golfers seeking immediate feedback and skill improvement.
• Key Features: The iRange Sports Stick is a golf training tool designed to help players improve their swing mechanics. It combines smart sensor technology with an easy-to-use interface that connects to an app, providing real-time feedback on key aspects of your golf swing, such as speed, clubface angle, and tempo. It’s portable, allowing golfers to practice their swing anywhere without needing a full-sized golf course or driving range.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: The iRange Sports Stick is ideal for adult golfers who want to practice more consistently but don’t always have time to get to the range. By providing detailed data and video analysis on your swing, it allows you to make targeted improvements to your game. The compact and portable design makes it a practical tool for golfers of all skill levels who want to improve from the comfort of their home or office.
• Available On: iOS, Android (compatible app)

Nextiles: Turn Your Clothing Into A Performance Tracker

• Best For: Athletes and teams looking for advanced, real-time data on movement, force, and biomechanics through smart clothing.
• Key Features: Nextiles integrates smart textile technology into clothing and sports gear to track detailed biometric data during physical activity. By embedding sensors into fabric, Nextiles captures data on movement, joint angles, and even force applied during exercises or gameplay. The information is sent to the app, which provides real-time feedback and analytics to help athletes improve performance, prevent injury, and fine-tune their training routines. This technology can be applied across various sports, including basketball, baseball, and tennis.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Nextiles offers a cutting-edge approach to tracking performance, allowing adult athletes to gather detailed biomechanical data without bulky equipment. The smart fabric makes it comfortable to wear during practice or competition, while the real-time insights can help athletes refine their technique and reduce injury risk. It’s perfect for those looking for professional-level data analysis to enhance their performance in their chosen sport.
• Available On: iOS, Android (paired with Nextiles-enabled gear)

Zombies, Run!: Put Some Fun In Your Run

• Best For: Runners looking for a fun, immersive way to stay motivated during workouts.
• Key Features: Zombies, Run! is an immersive fitness app that combines running with an interactive, story-driven experience. As you run, you’ll hear mission updates and zombie chase sequences through your headphones, making your workout feel like part of a post-apocalyptic adventure. The app features over 200 missions, and you can use it for outdoor runs, treadmill sessions, or even walks. As you complete missions, you collect supplies to build your base and unlock new stories.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: This app is perfect for adults who struggle to stay motivated with traditional running workouts. By turning your runs into thrilling zombie chases, Zombies, Run! makes exercise feel like an adventure. Whether you’re a beginner trying to get in shape or a seasoned runner looking for a fun twist on your routine, this app keeps you engaged and excited about every workout.
• Available On: iOS, Android.

MyFitnessPal: Track Food, Exercise, and Calories

• Best For: Tracking nutrition and caloric intake
• Key Features: MyFitnessPal is one of the most comprehensive apps for tracking what you eat. It’s been around for ages. It helps athletes manage their nutrition, balance macros, and fuel their bodies appropriately for their sports activities. With a massive database of foods, it’s easy to log meals, snacks, and drinks.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Nutrition is key to performance, and this app helps adult athletes maintain a healthy diet that supports their fitness goals, whether for weight loss, muscle gain, or endurance improvement.
• Available On: iOS, Android

SwingVision: Leverage AI To Improve Your Tennis Or Pickleball

• Best For: Improving tennis and pickleball skills with real-time feedback.
• Key Features: SwingVision uses AI to analyze iPhone video of your tennis and pickleball strokes, providing real-time feedback on things like shot placement, speed, and consistency. The app summarizes your performance into detailed statistics and offers video replays.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: If you’re serious about improving your tennis or pickleball game, SwingVision gives in-depth data that can help fine-tune your strategy and strokes.
• Available On: iOS

Basketball Blueprint: Drills For Basketball Thrills

• Best For: Basketball players looking to improve technique and game strategy.
• Key Features: While technically a coaching app, Basketball Blueprint provides hundreds of drills, plays, and tips for basketball players. It includes video tutorials for various drills, making it an excellent app for players wanting to improve shooting, passing, or defensive techniques.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Adult basketball players can use this app to practice and refine their skills both individually and in a team setting.
• Available On: iOS, Android

Vizual Edge: Cutting Edge Vision Training

• Best For: Athletes looking to improve visual skills such as reaction time, focus, and hand-eye coordination. Applicable sports include: baseball, softball, pickleball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, football, golf, volleyball, tennis, and esports.
• Key Features: Vizual Edge is a visual training program designed to enhance an athlete’s cognitive and visual processing abilities, which are crucial for performance in sports like baseball, hockey, soccer, and basketball. The platform uses interactive exercises to strengthen six key visual skills: eye alignment, depth perception, convergence, divergence, tracking, and visual recognition. By improving these skills, athletes can sharpen their reaction times, decision-making, and overall awareness during gameplay.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Vizual Edge provides adult athletes with the tools to develop and refine their visual skills, which are often overlooked but critical for success in competitive sports. The program is especially beneficial for athletes looking to gain an edge in fast-paced games where quick visual processing and reaction times can make a significant difference. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or returning to a sport, Vizual Edge helps optimize performance through targeted visual training.
• Available On: web-based platform (compatible with desktop and mobile browsers)

Kinomap: Bring The Outdoors Indoors

• Best For: Interactive indoor cycling, running, and rowing.
• Key Features: Kinomap transforms indoor training on a bike, treadmill, or rowing machine into a real-world experience by syncing with real-time videos shot on various trails and routes across the world. It adjusts the resistance or incline of your machine based on the terrain in the video.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: If you’re an endurance athlete looking to stay motivated during indoor workouts, Kinomap offers a realistic, visually engaging experience that simulates outdoor environments.
• Available On: iOS, Android.

HomeCourt: Award-Winning AI-Driven Basketball Training

• Best For: Basketball training with real-time feedback.
• Key Features: HomeCourt leverages AI to track your basketball training in real-time. It can measure shot speed, angles, and dribbling skills and even analyze your footwork. The app provides performance breakdowns and personalized training recommendations.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: For basketball players looking to up their game, HomeCourt offers detailed, data-driven insights into every aspect of their performance. You can even organize virtual competitions and challenges.
• Available On: iOS

Carv: Personalized Ski Training App & Device

• Best For: Skiers looking for real-time feedback and personalized coaching.
• Key Features: Carv is a cutting-edge ski training system that combines a smart insole with an app to provide real-time feedback on your skiing technique. It tracks metrics like edge angle, balance, pressure distribution, and rotation. The app offers personalized coaching sessions, including audio guidance during your ski runs, helping you improve in areas such as carving, turning, and posture.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Carv is perfect for skiers of all levels, from beginners wanting to build confidence on the slopes to advanced skiers looking to fine-tune their technique. The real-time audio feedback feels like having a personal coach on the slopes with you, giving immediate advice to help you improve on the go. It’s an ideal tool for adult athletes who want to take their skiing to the next level without needing an instructor by their side at all times.
• Available On: iOS, Android (paired with smart insole)

Performance Golf: Auditory Aid To Elevate Your Swing

• Best For: Golfers aiming to improve wrist hinge timing, release, and overall swing power.
• Key Features: The Performance Golf Click Stick is a unique training aid designed to help golfers perfect their wrist hinge and release during the swing. The Click Stick provides immediate auditory feedback, giving a “click” sound at the correct point of wrist release. This helps golfers ensure proper timing, increasing power, accuracy, and consistency. The Click Stick can be used during practice sessions to develop muscle memory and create a smoother, more powerful swing.
• Why It’s Great for Adult Athletes: The Click Stick is perfect for adult golfers who want to refine a key part of their swing without complicated drills or equipment. Providing instant feedback allows golfers to self-correct and build better habits, leading to more powerful and controlled shots. It’s easy to use, portable and works well for golfers of all skill levels who want to add precision and distance to their game.

Supersapiens: Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Athletes

• Best For: Endurance athletes seeking to optimize energy levels and performance through glucose management.
• Key Features: Supersapiens is a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system designed specifically for athletes. Paired with the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor, the app tracks real-time glucose levels to help athletes understand how their body responds to food, training, and recovery. The system offers insights into fueling strategies that allow athletes to optimize their energy levels before, during, and after exercise for peak performance.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Supersapiens is ideal for endurance athletes—runners, cyclists, triathletes—who want to maximize their performance through better energy management. By providing real-time data on how your body processes glucose, it helps you fine-tune your nutrition and fueling strategies to avoid energy crashes during long or intense sessions. This technology offers a scientific edge to your training and competition, making it a game-changer for adults looking to push their limits.
• Available On: iOS, Android (compatible with the Abbott Libre Sense biosensor); compatible with Garmin, Apple Watch, and OURA ring

Golfshot: Enhance Your Golf With Augmented Reality

• Best For: Golfers looking to improve their game.
• Key Features: Golfshot offers GPS tracking and course data for over 45,000 golf courses worldwide. It provides detailed shot tracking, scorecards, and even augmented reality (AR) views of the course to help golfers strategize their next move.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: If you’re an adult golfer looking to fine-tune your game, this app provides insights into your swing, club distances, and course navigation. The AR feature offers an immersive experience, making it a must-have tool for golf enthusiasts.
• Available On: iOS, Android

None to Run: Boost Your Running Game From Zero To Hero

• Best For: Beginners and casual runners looking for a structured, gradual running plan.
• Key Features: None to Run is a running program designed specifically for beginners who want to build their running endurance without injury or burnout. The app offers a 12-week plan that starts with run/walk intervals and progressively increases running time while focusing on building strength and mobility. Unlike other programs that may rush beginners into longer runs, None to Run emphasizes injury prevention and gradual progress. The app also includes strength training and mobility exercises to improve overall fitness.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: None to Run is ideal for adults who are new to running or returning to fitness after a break. The app’s slow, structured approach ensures that runners can build endurance safely while minimizing the risk of injury. Its focus on strength and mobility makes it a well-rounded program, helping adult athletes not only run longer but also stay fit and prevent injuries as they progress.
• Available On: iOS, Android

BeONE Sports: Train With The Pros

• Best For: Sports teams and individual athletes looking for professional-level AI-performance analysis and coaching.
• Key Features: BeONE Sports is an advanced app designed to provide athletes and coaches with data-driven insights into performance. The app allows users to track various sports metrics, including movement, speed, and endurance, using wearable devices and sensors. It also offers video analysis, detailed reports, and personalized coaching recommendations to help athletes improve technique and strategy. BeONE Sports suits team sports and individual athletes looking to elevate their game.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: For adult athletes serious about improving their performance, BeONE Sports provides an in-depth look at the metrics that matter most. Whether you’re part of a recreational team or training individually, the app’s ability to track and analyze your performance can help you identify areas for improvement and make informed adjustments to your training routine. It’s like having a professional coach at your fingertips.
• Available On: iOS, Android
• Check out our in-depth blog post on BeONE Sports

Strava: Track, Analyze, Share, & Connect

• Best For: Tracking performance in running, cycling, hiking, and walking, and swimming.
• Key Features: Strava is widely regarded as the go-to app for runners and cyclists. It allows you to track your runs, bike rides, and even swims, analyzing your speed, distance, elevation, and heart rate. You can also compete in challenges and compare your performance with others.
• Why It’s Great For Adult Athletes: Strava creates a social community where you can connect with other athletes, share your progress, and join local running or cycling clubs. It’s a fantastic tool for staying motivated.
• Available On: iOS, Android