FAQ

Schooling Sport provides a smart biofeedback training system that ensures that you are training exactly how you should be. Based on your VO2 Max and Heart Rate, this fitness app provides dynamic, real-time, and interactive audio coaching.

Schooling Sport boasts thousands of workouts and training plans ranging from running to yoga. Our goal is to introduce workouts that are key to an active and healthy lifestyle. There will be selected workouts where Joseph will be coaching you personally through the sessions. In addition to Joseph, you will also hear from other Olympians, World-Champions, and fitness innovators on Schooling Sport.

Get professional advice at your fingertips via a quick download on iOS and Android devices.

The importance of Heart Rate-based training and VO2 Max

  1. Why you should train with Schooling Sport?

  2. Research has shown that most people regulate their exercise intensity by feel. Specifically, they choose an intensity that feels moderately hard but not so hard that they are uncomfortable. This effort level usually puts the heart rate near the high end of the aerobic conditioning range. And every workout is exactly the same: Challenging but not too challenging.

  3. At Schooling Sport, we want to help you get more out of your workouts by using the data (VO2 Max and heart rate) your body produces during the workouts. Based on the data, we will provide you with a fitness program consisting of various kinds of workouts with different heart rate targets so that you can get the best results out of your training.
  1. What is Heart Rate-based coaching?  

  2. Anyone who has ever used a piece of cardio equipment at a fitness club may be familiar with the concept of heart rate training zones. A typical set of heart rate guidelines presented on the display panel of a treadmill or elliptical trainer includes three target zones with names like “fat burning”, “aerobic fitness”, and “peak performance”.

  3. Each zone is associated with a target heart rate range that is given as a percentage of maximum heart rate. For example; the fat burning zone might be 55 to 65 percent of maximum heart rate; aerobic conditioning 65 to 85 percent of maximum heart rate; and peak performance 85 to 100 percent of maximum heart rate. A formula of 220 beats per minute minus the exerciser’s age in years is used to calculate maximum heart rate.

  4. Taking a 35-year-old as an example,

  5. The maximum heart rate for this individual is calculated as: 220 – 35 = 185

  6. Heart rate training zones

    Target heart rate range

    Fat burning zone

    55% x 185 = 102

    65% x 185 = 120

    Aerobic conditioning

    65% x 185 = 120

    85% x 185 = 157

    Peak performance

    85% x 185 = 157

    100% x 185 = 185

  7. *Please note the data provided in this table is given as a guide and for reference only. The target heart rate ranges may vary for individuals and other factors will also have to be taken into consideration for an accurate assessment.

  1. What is VO2 Max?

  2. VO2 Max is a measure of aerobic capacity, or the maximum rate at which the body is able to consume oxygen during exercise. It is a reliable indicator of cardiovascular fitness. The upper limit of your VO2 Max depends partly on your age and gender.

  3. Schooling Sport is able to estimate your VO2 Max (i.e. fitness level) to within 96% accuracy of a laboratory test. Your VO2 Max will be calculated each time you complete an outdoor running workout with GPS running and while wearing a heart rate monitor. But we’ve also designed a workout specifically for calculating your VO2.

  1. How do I find out my VO2 Max?

  2. In your My Workouts screen, find Your Fitness Number or Heart Rate Calibration workouts.  Complete either workout with a heart monitor to receive a VO2 Max result. Your workout results screen will show you your fitness number (VO2 Max) at the completion of this workout, and you can view your average score from your profile.

  3. For a shorter, walking version of this workout, search for the Fitness Number Walk workout using the search function.

  4. To Find Your VO2 Max Number Results:

  5. Navigate to the main menu ☰ and tap your profile picture. Your most recent VO2 Max will be listed as “My Fitness Level.”

  6. ** To receive a VO2 Max result, you must set “Location Services” on and run or walk outside. Please note that your VO2 max will not be calculated with an indoor treadmill workout. Distance tracking is necessary to obtain a result.

Getting the best out of Schooling Sport

  1. Which heart rate monitors are compatible with Schooling Sport?

  2. Schooling Sport will connect to many third-party heart monitors, including wrist-and chest-based heart monitors. 

  3. The device model must have the following features:

    • Emits a Bluetooth 4.0 signal (i.e. BLE or Bluetooth Smart)
    • Non-proprietary (compatible with third-party apps)

  4. Please note that some popular heart monitors, such as Fitbit and Garmin are proprietary devices and will not work with Schooling Sport or other third-party apps

  1. Enabling Health Apps.

  2. Whether using an Android or an Apple phone, connection to the health apps improve your experience by allowing access to your health data.  The additional information will help calibrate and personalize your experience.

  3. To enable health within the app:

    1. Open Schooling Sport.
    2. Select the menu icon in the upper left-hand corner
    3. Select partners
    4. Select ‘Connect’ button for Health
    5. Open the Health App and select Sources.
    6. Toggle all categories ON.
  1. Enabling GPS

  2. Schooling Sport uses the GPS in your phone or smartwatch to estimate distance during run, walk or bike ride. The app cannot measure distance using a pedometer or accelerometer. 

  3. To track distance, you must turn on Location Services by taking these steps:

    1. Navigate to your phone’s general settings.
    2. Select Privacy
    3. Toggle Location Services to ON.
    4. Scroll down, tap Schooling Sport and select “Always”.

  5. While running, cycling or walking, you can see how strong your GPS Signal is by viewing the bars displayed in the Workout Screen.

  6. ***How to improve GPS accuracy***
    The more obstructions there are between you and the sky (where satellites send location data), the less accurate GPS may be. Therefore, objects like buildings, trees and tunnels, and even your clothing and body can get in the way. To avoid this, it might help to put the phone in an unobstructed place, such as on an armband, handlebar mount, back pocket, etc. But keep in mind that discrepancies in distance are expected with every GPS device. As an example, when running a 5K, you might end up running further than 3.1 miles on your device, simply because of the track you took (like running on the outside of a track).

  1. How do you calculate the calories burnt during workouts?

  2. The algorithm used in the calculation of “calories burned” is provided by “The Journal of Sports Science” and involves the following:

    • Distance
    • Age
    • Weight
    • Heart Rate

  3. This is why it is important to ensure you pair Schooling Sport with your heart rate monitor so that you can get an accurate reading.

  1. How do I reschedule workouts?

  2. In the calendar select “Monthly View”. Tap and hold the workout you want to reschedule until it becomes shaded in a blue block. Continue to hold your finger down on the workout, drag and drop to the newly desired date.

  3. In the Training Plan, you can tap “edit” if you wish to alter the day of the week to train, or if you want to shift a whole week at a time. 

  1. Are the measurements in Metric or English?

  2. With Schooling Sport, you have the option to select Km or Miles (metric or English). You can make your preferred choice by accessing your profile. Tap Menu>Name at the Top>Edit Profile>select English or Metric found under birthdate.

  1. Can I listen to my own music while using Schooling Sport?

  2. Yes, you can listen to their own music when using Schooling Sport – (Spotify, iTunes, podcasts, Audiobooks, etc,). You can start your choice of audio source before beginning the workout. The music will soften or “duck” when the coaching prompts appear. You can further control workout audio elements by going to Menu>Settings>Audio Options.

  1. Enabling Read and Write Permissions.

  2. Enabling read and write permissions allow Schooling Sport to read the data your body produces during your workouts. The more thorough the data received, the more accurate the coaching will be on Schooling Sport. 

  3. You can choose to allow or not allow certain types of data to be read. Please see the following information for you to navigate to the appropriate pages on your device.

  4. iPhone:

    1. Settings
    2. Privacy
    3. Health
    4. Schooling Sport
    5. Toggle all to “ON”

  5. Android

    1. Settings
    2. Apps & Notifications
    3. Schooling Sport
    4. Permissions
    5. Select ALL for Read and Write

  6. If you need additional assistance, please contact us at support@pearsports.com. 

Subscription to Schooling Sport

  1. How much does a Schooling Sport subscription cost?

  2. The user can choose between a monthly or yearly subscription. The fee for the basic monthly subscription is $5.50; the annual basic subscription fee is $55. There are other tiers to the subscription (more information available in the app). This subscription is managed by the user’s app store (iTunes, Google Play, or the Samsung Galaxy App Store)

  1. How do I unsubscribe from Schooling Sport?

  2. Schooling Sport does not manage app subscriptions nor the collections of fees. The user must access their account to unsubscribe. 

  3. iPhone App Store

    1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone, then select iTunes & App Store.
    2. Select your Apple ID at the top, then tap View Apple ID from the popup menu.
    3. Enter your password when prompted and select OK.
    4. Tap Subscriptions, then select the name of the subscription you’d like to cancel or modify.
    5. Turn the Auto-Renewal option to ‘Off.’

  4. Google Play:

    1. Log into Google Play, tap the menu in the upper left.
    2. Tap Account.
    3. Tap Subscriptions.
    4. Tap Schooling Sport, then Unsubscribe/Cancel.