2 min read
DATA TRACKING IS a big part of what we do here at Men’s Health. It’s easier than ever to get a finger on the pulse, both literally and figuratively. Some of the most sophisticated tech is also pretty accessible, and it looks like at least one major athlete is on the same wavelength as us.
Rory McIlroy made history this past weekend after winning his second consecutive Masters Tournament. And he did it with the help of a familiar friend. Rory was sporting our best-tested fitness tracker, the Whoop, to track some key metrics across several categories. Rory was able to earn his second Green Jacket in as many years—something that eluded him since his highly anticipated 2007 debut.
The Whoop was able to provide some interesting data at certain moments, and Rory’s metrics under pressure were especially notable. On the final hole, the repeat champ’s heart rate spiked to 135 BPM on his errant drive that brought double bogey into play, and subsequently dropped to 121 on the immaculate recovery shot out of the trees. It shot back up to 136 BPM from the bunker, 117 BPM on his first putt, and just 105 BPM on the winning putt. Unsurprisingly, it shot up to 150 BPM after he sank it.
Not only does Whoop sharing these metrics show off what the up-and-down of major moments is like, but we also see Rory’s sleep metrics for the week (and it goes to show how important sleep is). He received a full 9 hours of sleep ahead of Sunday’s win—a 92% sleep performance. McIlory also averaged an impressive 8 and a half hours a night, on average, over the course of the weekend.
The golfer’s Resting Heart Rate was similarly elite. He boasted an exceptionally stable 47–49 BPM all week long, yet another notable display of staying cool in a high-stakes environment.
Recovery was another key fixture of his performance (this shouldn’t come as too much of a shock for those who’ve followed the notoriously durable McIlory throughout his career). For context, the Whoop condenses a few data points to create a recovery score, and McIlroy’s were pretty damn consistent. It topped out a staggering 94% on Saturday, and he maintained a still-impressive 87% score during Sunday’s finale.
Needless to say, you don’t have to be the greatest golfer in the world to take advantage of the Whoop. But it’s our favorite fitness tracker for a reason—it’s one of the few devices out there that gives an accurate blood pressure reading and is probably the easiest to wear all day and in bed (plus no screen means no added distractions in the moment). And you don’t need to be a PGA golfer to afford it either, the band is under $250 before factoring in membership fees. And if it’s good enough for Rory, it’s good enough for us.
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Tim Kohut is the Deals and Trends Editor for Popular Mechanics, Men’s Health, Best Products, and Runner’s World. He has extensive product review and gear coverage expertise, particularly in tech, home, auto, and health. Tim was previously the Deputy Commerce Editor of The Drive and a Commerce Editor at BGR. He’s also overseen gear coverage and strategy at Popular Science, Bob Vila, Outdoor Life, and Field and Stream. He has a strong affinity for cats, Batman, and early 90’s Nicolas Cage films, in that order.
Charles Thorp is the Fitness and Reviews Editor at Men’s Health, where he shares the best product recommendations in gym equipment, recovery tools, supplements, and more. Following an early life in athletics, Charles became a NASM-certified trainer and began writing programs alongside the most respected coaches in the world. Since entering the world of fitness content, Charles has had the opportunity to learn from and train alongside high performance individuals from the NFL, UFC, NBA, Formula 1, CrossFit, US Olympics, and Navy SEALs. When he’s not writing about training programs or gear, he can be seen at the gym or in the wild, putting them to the test.
