Aside from the fact that we got the pink wristband, the Xiaomi Band 9 has one more thing that blends with my preferred workout—it’s 10 running courses.
Just a quick story: My afternoons, during my elementary to junior high school years, were spent on the oval, training for an annual track & field competition against athletes from several schools. In short, running was my thing even back then. But when I got to senior high school, I became too busy with getting my grades up and too discouraged to join any sport.
It was only until recently when I decided to try again.The pandemic really scared most of the human population, so I think everybody was trying to avoid getting sick by getting their immune systems up to work.
I was one of those people.
For this review, I decided to go back to a sport I have been trying to avoid for a while now —running.
Choosing the course
The Xiaomi Band 9 has the same 10 running courses as the Band 8’s.
There are basic and advanced run/walks, basic jogging, basic and advanced fat-burning runs, MIIT run, basic and advanced endurance runs, and basic and advanced interval runs.
For my training, I only switched between two modes: the basic and advanced run/walks. These modes combine walking and jogging at intervals with a duration of 12 to 23 minutes. It vibrates whenever it is time to switch to jogging from walking, and vice versa.
Both of these courses are fit for beginners or for people who have not worked out in a while. It is important not to rush our bodies into being able to handle intensified workouts.
Minimize the risk of being injured by starting slow.
Review your performance
After running, the Xiaomi Band 9 allows you to review your run performance in the Mi app. Aside from the kilometers and the route you covered, it also records your pace, pace by kilometer, cadence, stride, steps, and training effect.
It helps to see how well you did in one running session. That way, you can see areas you’re doing well in and areas you need to improve on.
For me, my stamina and endurance needed improvement. So, every time I ran, I made sure that I beat my previous record. For example, if I ran two kilometers on Monday, I have to run four kilometers on Wednesday.
Mi Band 9 keeps a record of all your exercises you did with it. So, make sure to wear it at all times.
Improve vitality
The Mi Band 9 also tallies your vitality score.
This is used to assess how your exercise affects your overall health. If you were not aware, Xiaomi based its scoring on World Health Organization’s guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior.
In the first two weeks that I used the watch, I remained in the low vitality score barrier. However, regularly exercising seven days a week can give you a vitality score of 100. The score is calculated using one’s heart rate and activity data. Keeping the watch on your wrist will help deliver an accurate vitality score.
Being able to monitor my vitality score is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a good thing because I know that if I keep being active, it will add points to my score. Yet, it’s a little frustrating to see that “low vitality score,” even when I’m already sore and dog-tired from a week of running and strength training.
Still, keeping yourself active even by just a 10-minute walk a day is still better than no exercise at all.
The Mi Band 9 as a training buddy?
Three words: lightweight, compact and budget-friendly.
Battery life is commendable too if you train more than five times a week. I could start with 100% on a Monday, and still end with 21% charge on a Saturday.
If running is not your cup of tea, then you have more than 150 sports modes to choose from. Mi Band 9 is a basic smart watch that you can easily trust with your health. It’s easy to understand; suitable for any age and lifestyle.
At an age where we could easily get sucked in with the continuous cycle of work, we put a very serious area of our lives at risk: our health.
Keeping a healthy diet requires discipline.
So, if we can show up for work, for our friends, and for our family, then we can show up for ourselves too.
