THANKS TO the arrival of smartphones, tablets and apps, we’re an increasingly tech-savvy society, and the rise of technology hasn’t escaped the gym. Today the workout world if flooded with gadgets and gizmos, some promising results that are just too good to be true.

But some of these new fitness-tech arrivals are a genuinely helpful addition to your training sessions. Helping you monitor your progress, push yourself harder, or simply making your workouts more enjoyable, these cool gadgets undeniably make life in the gym that little bit easier.

Whether you’re looking to improve your own fitness regime, or looking for something to treat the fitness fanatic in your family this Christmas, here’s a roundup of some of the most useful workout gadgets to have arrived on the scene this year.

Nike+ Sportswatch GPS

A must for any runner looking to get up to speed, this nifty bit of Nike kit uses TomTom powered GPS technology to enable you to record your time, distance and pace. It’ll also tell you exactly how many calories you burn while you exercise, and all this data can be converted into Nike Fuel.

Things get even more high tech when you take a look at the watch strap, which contains a hidden USB that you can plug directly into your phone, computer or tablet to give you in-depth analysis of your performance history. Runners can also set reminders, access distance information, maps, and find out about any changes in elevation that might occur en route. Impressive stuff, huh? The Nike+ range is known for the range of trainers which link up to iPods to become a pedometer but this sports watch is an easier solution!

Speedo Aquabeat 2.0 Underwater MP3 Player

Runners and gym-goers have been able to listen to their favourite tunes on the move for decades, with increasingly high tech pieces of kit. It’s about time underwater MP3 players got an update to give swimmers just as many options in the pool as in the gym. The latest innovation from Speedo now features a screen, making it easy to find the tunes you want while you’re in the water. Allowing you to listen to your favourite tracks in the pool or at the beach to an underwater depth of 3m, it floats too, just in case.

You can listen to MP3 or WMA files, and choose between the 4GB and 8GB version, giving you space to store between 2,000 and 4,000 tracks. Create playlists tailored to your sessions, or hit shuffle to listen to tunes at random, the Aquabeat 2.0 also features a built in radio and stopwatch.

Gill Quick Dry Towel

Performance fabrics have revolutionised the sports world in recent years, with wick away fabrics meaning we can say goodbye to soggy t-shirts and clammy workouts. Gill has taken the technology a step further and launched a new range of towels that are an invaluable addition to any sports bag.

Made from an ultra-lightweight microfibre, the towel can absorb up to six times their own weight in water, dry instantly, and feature both an anti-bacterial finish and anti-odour technology to keep your gym bag smelling fresh.