Digitsole Insoles Completely Improved My Workout. Here's How...

If there's one thing I can never pass for, it's a professional athlete. In high school, I was the kid picked last. As a young adult, I was the person who would go to dodgeball meetups only to get smacked in the face with balls on a repeated basis.

Even though I'm about as adept at sports as a turkey, I still love to get my workout in. Like most others who do the gym thing, I like to improve, and I love to feel like I'm making progress in my life. That being said, I don't make much progress in my athletic life.

Lately, I've been noticing that my running routine has been lagging a bit. My distance hasn't gone up, and it was starting to feel monotonous—even when I changed up my playlist.

Being the tech geek I am, I found a tool called Digitsoles that promised to improve my workout and give me a better body. How could I resist?

When people think of workout aids, they usually think of those neat little wearable wristbands that count steps and calories. Digitsoles aren't wristbands; they're smart insoles that are designed to help people get the most out of their workout.

If you have a smartphone, all you need to do is charge up your Digitsoles, slip them into your favorite pair of sneakers, and link up your phone to the Digitsoles app. From there, you get to see tons of data at your fingertips.

They have the Warm Series, which digitally warms your feet to the temperature of your choosing. The Run Profiler logs data about your daily runs, and the Run Cycling Profile, which offers up both biking and running data.

People in colder climates will love the Warm Series. I, personally, chose the Run Profiler because it was perfect for my workout routine. (I don't bike!)

Everything was fairly straightforward when it came to Digitsoles. I charged the Digitsoles for a couple of hours before I used them, downloaded the Digitsoles app onto my phone, and had no problem linking the two up.

I slipped my foot inside my sneakers, and then went out for my first run.

Before we talk about what Digitsoles showed me, let's talk about the fit.

In the past, I've had insoles that I added to my sneakers that weren't the best fit. They ended up hurting my feet, and actually made it difficult to run with ease. Bad insoles are bad news.

Digitsoles were way more comfortable than I expected them to be. They added just a little bit of cushion to my gait, which, overall, just made my workout feel a bit better.

These insoles are lightly cushioned, flexible enough for me to move my feet around, and also are water-resistant. Oh, and if you're worried about the smell, don't worry; they're bacteria-resistant too.

The way Digitsoles work is that they give you data that helps you optimize your run and workout.

Digitsoles work as a pair of smart insoles that collect data on your stride, speed, gait, as well as other factors like fatigue. By using statistics gathered from multiple studies, Digitsoles can offer advice on how to avoid muscle fatigue, improve stability, and do far more during your run.

You can track progress in real-time, and watch your footwork in 3D via the app. It measures your distance, your speed, and even offers live voice coaching for those who need a little extra "Oomph!"

Having a running coach was pretty awesome.

Maybe it's just me, but there's something incredibly encouraging about having a coach walking you through the way—even if it's just a digital voice telling you to keep moving or up your stride.

My runs didn't feel as boring, and to a point, it also helped me feel like I was making more progress. Though my run stayed the same, the coach helped push my pace to the limit, which got me a better running time.

A couple of weeks after my first run, Digitsoles might've just saved my ankles.

Maybe it was that one day I decided to stand at work all day, or maybe it was just the wild week I had. My ankles were feeling a bit weak. My feet were pretty sore, but I still went out on my typical night run.

It was then that Digitsoles alerted me to slow down. My legs and ankles were showing signs of fatigue, it said. Listening to the warning, I walked the rest of the way home safely.

I've seen people pull muscles in their feet from extreme running, or even just running with tired soles. I know that running injuries can be pretty serious.

The app actually lets you track your injuries and overall wellbeing to help you reduce your chances of injury or overextension. Digitsoles are all about giving you a healthy, safe workout.

I might be casual, but Digitsoles still helped me improve.

Casual runners like myself aren't really training for a marathon or a triathlon, but that doesn't mean that we can't yearn to improve. Using Digitsoles was a really satisfying way to make my runs more interesting, and find new ways to push myself.

This worked well enough for me, but if I was in a triathlon, it would be way more intense—and way more worth it. No matter what kind of runner you are, using Digitsoles is definitely an idea you should consider.