The Sprightly Spud

In 2012, Will Ahmed graduated from Harvard with a double-major in Government and Economics. That same year, he founded a company that would change the face of wellness…

As captain of the squash team, Ahmed had become all too familiar with overtraining, under-recovering , and subsequent burnout, so the initial WHOOP concept arose from an interest in protecting others from falling victim to the same routine. Alongside John Capodilupo and Aurelian Nicolae, the 22 year old retreated to the Harvard Innovation Labs, and emerged with a 24/7 wearable, that surpassed the capabilities of its peers. 

By the time the first WHOOP became commercially available in 2015, fitness tracking was nothing new. Fitbit offered a selection of colourful bands to track steps, calories and the like and Garmin led the GPS market, retailing options for runners, golfers, swimmers and cyclists. Whilst these devices were enabled with smartphone connectivity, Apple Watch had this at the heart of its ethos, allowing for emails, texts and payments to be dealt with via the wrist. Apple, Garmin and Polar devices were also equipped with heart rate monitoring, but they were nothing in comparison to what WHOOP would to bring to the game. 

After carving out a mission ‘to unlock human performance’, the WHOOP team curated a gang of initial ‘Super Users’, in order to carry out their formative research. These ranged from LeBron James and Michael Phelps to Navy Seals and professional baseball players, giving WHOOP the elite validation it needed make waves. 

Fast-forward to 2022, and WHOOP had raised $400 million in investment, facilitating constant innovation and expansion, processes which continue to this day. 

Designed to be worn 24/7, it retains charge for around two weeks, and is then topped up through a wireless and waterproof battery pack which is attached to the strap whilst it is still on the user’s wrist. The idea behind this is data consistency, meaning not a second of information gets swept under the carpet, and the longer you remain adhered to your WHOOP, the deeper and more accurate your insights become. Furthermore, WHOOP users choose what they log from vast range of behaviours in the app-based ‘journal’. This can include anything from forgetfulness, to dairy intake and drug use. The band use this huge data bank to deliver a recovery score, strain score and sleep score, and identify long term trends.

For some people, this quantity of information is fantastic; your exercise, habits and heart health amalgamated onto one slick digital interface. However, there’s an argument to say that for many of us, leading busy lives and being force to digest multitudinous facts and figures in our work days, all WHOOP’s analyses might be a little overwhelming, and could cause more stress than they’re worth. 

Do we actually have the capacity to respond to such a vast ecosystem of scores and ratings, or is the ability to keep tabs on up to160 possible behaviours somewhat excessive? 

The Biomarkers

Unsurprisingly, heart rate provides the basis for the majority of WHOOP’s algorithms. Most of us are very aware that our heart rate changes in response to physical and mental stressors including exercise, anxiety, hormones and lack of sleep. The list of potential influences is endless, and, of course, the idea that a lower resting heart rate indicates better aerobic fitness has been around for some time. 

The band measures continuously measures heart rate by shining green LED light onto the skin, then, using optical sensors equipped with photoplethysmography (PPG) technology, it measures the light reflected back. Every heart beat increases blood flow to the skin’s surface, thus the amount of reflected light changes, and a BPM reading can be determined. After gathering the raw data, WHOOP employs complex mathematical formulas – accounting for variables like skin tone and age – to determine the following baseline figures; 

• Live HR – a real time reading indication exertion or stress levels
• Resting HR – taken during the deepest sleep stage, where the body performs crucial physical restoration, tissue repair, immune strengthening, and memory consolidation, to gauge heart rate at ultimate rest. Thought there are exceptions to the rule, a low RHR generally signals good physical fitness, as regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, enabling it to pump more efficiently.
• Heart Rate Variability – a key metric for athletes and those wanting to minimise stress, HRV is the slight difference in the time interval between individual heartbeats. A higher reading is often linked to a balanced ANS, while a consistently low HRV is a warning sign for stress, fatigue, illness, or overtraining. Elite sportspeople are on the lookout for any variations from their normal HRV (which will likely be higher than a sedentary individual anyway due to superior cardiovascular health) as anything greater than the norm means the body is well-recovered and can withstand a more intense session. A dip in HRV, however, can be a suggestion of fatigue, illness or overtraining, meaning a gentler session may be on the cards to avoid injury. 
• Maximum HR – usually, maximum HR decreases naturally with age, and fitter individuals will often have a lower max HR, as their well-conditioned heart doesn’t need to work as hard – though it’s not regularly used as a fitness indicator. WHOOP combines a generic formula with readings of peak heart rates during workouts to determine a more personalised value. This figure can then be applied to heart rate zone training

Besides pulse, WHOOP also monitors; 

• Skin temperature – using a sensor located directly above the skin, WHOOP uses 90 nights of readings to learn your average skin temperature. A divergence upward from your norm may indicate your sleep environment is too hot, and can be corroborated with other physiological readings to indicate factors such as illness. 
• Blood Oxygen – during sleep, WHOOP uses LEDs to shine two different wavelengths of light onto the skin, then uses photodiodes to measure how much of this is reflected back. Oxygenated haemoglobin absorbs more of one wavelength, and deoxygenated more of the other, thus the amount of oxygen circulating in the blood can be determined, and a percentage calculated. Not only can a an Sp02 lower than 95% be a warning sign for illness like COVID, or dehydration, but athletes at altitude may use it to monitor their exertion and adaptation to a low oxygen environment.
• Respiratory Rate – unsurprisingly, respiratory rate is the number of breaths taken per minute, which generally sits at around 12-20 for adults at rest. When the body experiences increased demand for oxygen RR will rise, hence why exercise increases the average to 40-60. When we inhale, heart rate increases, and when we exhale it decreases, therefore WHOOP can use this pattern of rises and falls to calculate the number of breaths we are taking. The concept of tachypnea refers to the brain’s ability to detect changes in oxygen or C02 needs, and change RR accordingly. Anxiety and pain can trigger faster, shallow breathing, and decreased atmospheric oxygen at high altitude means RR rises to compensate. Furthermore, fevers result in a higher body temperature, so the body’s metabolism and oxygen requirements increase, again prompting faster breathing, which also aids in expelling heat and CO2.
• ECG – the latest, ‘medical grade’ versions of the gadget, are enabled with an Electrocardiogram feature. The user simply places their thumb and index finger on metal sensors on the wearable, which completes an electrical circuit through the body. They then rest, while it captures electrical activity for 30 seconds. In a hospital setting, this is the test used to diagnose heart conditions like arrhythmias, coronary heart disease and early signs of cardiac arrest. WHOOP’s website clearly states that the watch cannot be used as a diagnostic tool, and that it shouldn’t be relied on by those with know arrhythimias. Nevertheless, it will classify heart rhythms as ‘Normal Sinus’, ‘Atrial Fibrillation’, ‘High/Low Heart Rate’, or ‘Inconclusive’. If the user is concerned, they could then reach out to a professional for further investigation. For the vast majority of the population, this might seem like overkill for a fitness watch, but it certainly highlights that the breadth of WHOOP’s target market goes beyond athletes, and includes those concerned about more than run paces and daily steps.

What truly distinguishes WHOOP from other generations of fitness watch is the way it translates these initial readings into something more meaningful to the untrained amateur, producing a library of scores for users to analyse, and subsequently aim to improve. These core metrics include; 

• Menstrual Tracking – by aligning manually logged data concerning menstrual symptoms, dates of periods and changes in recovery, with physical changes in HRV and resting HR, WHOOP can provide information about which stage of the cycle a female is in, allowing them to adapt training accordingly. For example, the follicular phase – when oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest is often linked to greater muscle building potential, whereas in the luteal phase, it is common to experience poor sleep and inferior recovery. For anyone with a cycle, this data can be extremely useful, but for athletes, it can be a pivotal tool in working alongside their body’s rhythms rather than against them.
• Strain – this refers to the amount of cardiovascular and muscular exertion the body is under, and the subsequent amount of physical and mental stress it is experiencing. WHOOP assigns strain a number from 0-21, which positions it on a scale from ‘light’, to ‘all out’, and gives users both a day strain, and exercise related score. Factors like higher HR, more movement, and even anxiety will contribute to strain, hence it is a very complex and intricate measure, and even identical activities will result in a different strain score for each individual. 
• Recovery – linked to strain, is recovery, which is another daily score WHOOP provides based on HRV and RHR from the previous night, which can be used to influence whether individuals take on a tough day of workouts  or other forms of stress, or take a step back. Though determining recovery requires a complicated amalgamation of cardovascular, sleep, menstrual, and even temperature data, the result is an idiot-proof green, orange, or red rating. 
• Sleep – WHOOP defines one’s sleep as ‘optimal’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’ based on an integration of the following measures; sufficiency, consistency, efficiency and stress. Sufficient sleep means you had adequate hours in bed to recover from the day’s strain, and met self-determined goals for sleep. Consistency relates to the time spent asleep compared to the previous days, and efficiency is the amount of time in bed that you actually spent sleeping. Finally, sleep stress refers to the amount of time you spent in high stress throughout the night, which manifests as a higher temperature, more movement and increased respiratory and heart rates. In addition to this, each sleep stage has different characteristics – lower HR and higher HRV are linked to deep sleep, for example – so WHOOP can provide insight into sleep stages too. Combining sleep scores with WHOOP journal data enables relationships between habits, strain and exercise to be established, therefore allowing users to adapt their daily practices to facilitate better sleep. For instance, its well-publicised that caffeine consumption later in the day can be detrimental to sleep quality, as a stimulant, it makes falling asleep harder, and reduces the amount of time spent in deep, restorative sleep.  If a WHOOP user identifies a pattern of afternoon caffeine and a poor sleep score, they may be able to enforce a caffeine cut off. Insufficient sleep in the short term may lead to reduced coordination, heightened stress and anxiety and compromised athletic performance, but over time, the effects can be even more concerning, ranging from increased diabetes risk to a compromised immune system. This is why Ahmed himself regards sleep as so important, and why WHOOP has it at the forefront of its ethos.
• WHOOP Age (Healthspan) – after 21 recoveries have been logged, the most advanced versions of the wearable provide users with a measure of their physiological age, which reflects the impact of their habits on long-term health. By taking account of sleep, strain, fitness and activity data, the device is able to assess whether one’s physiological age aligns with chronological age. Factors such as VO2 max, lean body mass, and time spent exercising all contribute to the score, so engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise, getting consistent, adequate sleep, and aiming for an optimal lean mass-to-fat ratio through a combination of strength training and balanced nutrition is key to achieving a WHOOP age which is equal to, or lower than, the one indicated by your date of birth!
• Pace of Ageing – linked to the above, pace of aging tells users whether their WHOOP Age is likely to increase, decrease, or hold steady, by comparing current data to past data. It is updated every week, on a Sunday, so it demonstrates trends rather than daily anomalies, and one can expect to see changes over months rather than on a weekly basis. 

A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

We’ve all met that person who can’t string a sentence together without mentioning what colour recovery they hit, or their impeccable sleep score and the fantastic morning workout they had as a result. However, how accurate are the readings we’re basing our feelings on, and to what extent is that spark somewhat of a placebo?

From a trust perspective, it must be said that WHOOP has a pretty stellar reputation in terms of accuracy, particularly when tracking sleep. The company engage in extensive internal testing processes, and are in continuous pursuit of improvement. Not only this, but a study by Central Queensland University found 99.7% accuracy in in measuring heart rate and 99% accuracy in measuring HRV during sleep, figures that outdid all other wearables in the study. This is likely a result of the 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and PPG sensor engrained into the WHOOP band, which is regarded as a highly precise mechanism for sleep stage tracking. 

Another key influence on WHOOP’s data accuracy is the fact that the user wears it constantly, rather than just during workouts, for example. This allows the algorithms to learn your natural baseline, therefore discrepancies from your personal norm, no matter how subtle, will be easier to identify. 

There is some sources that suggest WHOOP is ideal for tracking steady-state cardio workouts like treadmill runs and cycles, but less effective for outdoor sessions and the intense muscular contractions of because of the wrist-based heart rate monitor, and lack of GPS. However, WHOOP’s ‘Body’ range of accessories aims to counteract these flaws by allowing for wrist, arm, torso, waist, and glute based measurement. 

Its important to note that its not only WHOOP’s wrist-based tracker which may have difficulty keeping up from time to time. Many fitness watches are influenced by erratic or vigorous motion, sudden changes in intensity which cause rapid pulse spikes, and even factors like body fat percentage and skin tone. Furthermore, the placement and fit of a watch is critical to its precision – hence why WHOOP suggests the strap is ‘snug’ and positioned ‘an inch above the wrist bone’ for optimal results – and cold temperatures which reduce blood flow to the skin can prevent sensors performing as they should. Finally, dirt and sweat accumulation around the mechanisms can inhibit their ability to collect accurate data, an issue that could be all the more prevalent in WHOOP users thanks to the 24/7 wear. For the most precise heart rate readings during exercise, a chest strap is the gold standard, with the Polar H10 coming out as one of the best options for athletes. 

Things become a little more difficult to determine when it comes to the recovery and strain ratings which draw many to WHOOPs offering. Undoubtedly, the longer you wear your WHOOP, the more likely it is that your reported recovery will reflect your actual recovery, as the better its understanding of your unique baselines will become. Not only this, but the huge spectrum of self-reported behaviours and physiological metrics that go into the recovery formula make it extremely comprehensive, yet its still perfectly possible to wake up ‘in the green’ and feel awful. Perhaps, even though your weightlifting workout (and consequent cardiovascular load and muscular exertion) was relatively gentle, you still roll out of bed with killer DOMS because you haven’t practiced similar movements in a while. Or maybe your watch is telling you you’re only 20% recovered, but you feel ready to take on the world? No matter which one of you is right, its easy to let that poor recovery score dictate the tone of your day, and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Obviously, the extent to which this is an issue depends on your personal disposition to trust your WHOOP, but there’s a good chance it could mean you miss out on a workout that could have boosted your mood for the rest of the day. 

Critically, regardless of how committed you are to your holistic wellbeing, its not always possible to follow WHOOP’s advice. Even if your health monitor is strongly suggesting a low-stress day, with a little light walking and an early night, a twelve hour shift as a firefighter may throw a spanner in the works… To put it simply, strain is not always avoidable for us mere mortals, no. matter how much we might want to optimise our health and training. 

Additionally, its no secret that WHOOP obsession is also pretty rife. Whilst WHOOP’s guidelines for living well are generally pretty sound, if there’s an argument to say we should aim to retain some sort of intuition around our behaviours, and if straying from the wellness ‘ideal’ causes a wearer significant stress, then surely this additional anxiety could be doing more harm than good. Perhaps the desperation to achieve that top-notch sleep score even keeps you awake at night, thus defeating the whole objective! 

Practical Considerations

• Distraction-free or dysfunctional?

Seamless design has its perks, and the screen-free nature of WHOOP can act as an escape from the digital clutter that dominates our day-to-day. Without a constant stream of notifications buzzing away at you, you are considerably more likely to be able to execute the meditation or breath work the health coach advises. The irony is, if you’re a WHOOP wearer who needs to know what time it is, you might just have to pull out your phone. Of course, you could absolutely wear a timepiece in addition to a WHOOP, or even another fitness tracker, but ‘double-writing’ isn’t for everyone. 

Another reason for WHOOP’s lack of display is to emphasise its focus on health monitoring, rather than blending into the vast realm of fitness-trackers, step counters and smartwatches at our disposal; it acts a form of differentiation. This does mean, however, that one has to be up for some delayed gratification when it comes to health insights. Unlike a Garmin or Polar, workout stats and heart rate data are not constantly available on screen, so you have to wait until you’re near your phone to take a look. For runners and cyclists the same issue applies, and there is no way of starting or stopping an activity via the watch itself, so for GPS tracking and session analysis, you have to carry a phone. 

• How much is my health worth? 

Though WHOOP’s appearance has simplicity at its core, becoming a loyal user is a little more complex. On any given day, you could pop down to your nearest Apple Store, and emerge (up to £849 poorer) with an Apple Watch Ultra 3. One does not simply ‘buy’ a WHOOP. Instead, WHOOP offer a choice of memberships which provide varying intensities of insight.

The lowest cost option is a ‘One’ membership, at £169 per year (£15 per month), or £289 if you’re willing to commit to two years up front, a saving of £49 in total. For this, the wearer receives their 5.0 band (in ‘Jet Black Core Knit’) and a basic charger, in addition to the lifetime warranty, 24/7 member support, and app access which feature in all the tiers. According to the WHOOP site, ‘One’ is ideal for those wishing to ‘optimise their fitness and recovery’, and offers a ‘foundational’ level of monitoring and coaching. Of course, if jet black doesn’t align with your personal style, jazzier bands in different colours and materials are available, but these come at an added cost of £34 – £69.

For anyone in the market for a ‘more comprehensive view of their health and long-term performance’ a ‘Peak’ membership is suggested, which, for an additional £60 per annum,     includes a ‘SuperKnit’ band in the shade obsidian, a wireless power pack (facilitating continuous  wear even during charges, even when showering) and more advanced performance measures including Healthspan with WHOOP Age, a continuous stress monitor, and health monitor. Altering the colour of your strap still comes with an additional investment, but the SuperKnit is generally considered more hardwearing, durable and breathable than the CoreKnit. The former is soft and stretchy, but the micro-filament yarn of the latter make it more suited to workouts of greater intensity. 

Should one opt for WHOOP’s most prestigious status, they will receive the latest MG device, and an ‘Obsidian with Titanium SuperKnit Luxe band’. Dubbed WHOOP ‘Life’, this tier allows for ECG monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, and alerts for irregular heart rhythms, thus is suited to those with long-term, holistic health as a top priority. At £349 per year, this is no trivial outlay, so requires serious contemplation as to whether you actually need such in-depth analysis.  

The good news is, once you settle on your ideal membership tier, you’re not locked in for life; its possible to upgrade to Peak or Life at any time (and WHOOP will provide you with an MG device to replace the 5.0 when changing to the Life tier), however downgrading requires users to wait until the end of their current billing cycle, meaning shelling out nearly £350 on the premium subscription is not a decision to be made lightly. Breaking these yearly costs down into their monthly equivalents, means a WHOOP can cost between £13 and £30 per month. To put this into context, the aforementioned Apple Watch Ultra 3 equates to £29 per month, for 36 months, after which point, the tech is all yours.  

Thought the individual payments don’t seem too extortionate, its vital to remember that for a lifetime of WHOOP insights, you’re commenting to a lifetime of instalments. In addition to this, whilst the warranty is definitely a perk, and covers any defective bands or battery pack, its terms clearly state that lost, stolen or cosmetically damaged items will not be replaced.

To their credit, WHOOP do offer a 10% discount to Military personnel, nurses and first responders, who arguably do some of the most demanding jobs around, and would therefore see significant benefit from personalised recovery data. 

The idea behind the subscription model is that users are paying for a continuously evolving product, rather than a stagnant device that will become outdated over time. Furthermore, in order for WHOOP to gather trends from your data, and produce accurate, reliable insights, consistent wear is required – hence the 12 month minimum package. Despite this, it can make it difficult to quantify how much you are actually spending on the product, and could be seen as a way to manipulate users into staying on board for years on end… perhaps the data will improve if I stay?… I’ve already spent £X, I don’t want it to go to waste. 

Psychologically, it may also give some users the sense that they are joining a community, and play on our innate desire to be a part of a greater movement. This is not necessarily a negative point, but could certainly influence the purchase. 

• A Touch Orwellian?

Corporate wellness is gathering momentum as somewhat of a buzzword in the world of HR, and for good reason. In the first instance, a reputation for paying attention to the health of a workforce enables companies to attract the best talent in their industry, and the realisation of this reputation is critically to retaining them. Not only this, but when these loyal employees feel motivated and energised enough to exercise, fuel their bodies well, and practice habits which boost their mental health, they become more focussed, efficient, and creative at work, and absenteeism plummets. As a result, WHOOP have their own corporate wellbeing program, ‘Unite’, which allows organisations to offer bands to staff, and view certain workforce trends and metrics on a database. 

The theory is noble; bosses can adapt wellbeing initiatives to suit their teams, and quantify their effects, resulting in a staff body that can sleep, exercise, and recover in a way that maximises their performance in the office. Nevertheless, the whole thing could be seen as a bit ‘big brother’, and plenty of workers would like to enjoy the odd takeaway, and stay up late binging Netflix without their manger knowing about it. 

• It Only Works if You Do

Unfortunately, though WHOOP’s technology is impressive, it is a coach, not a dictator, and cannot force you into behavioural changes. Its all very well having access to information about how your habits are impacting your longevity, but they’re utterly useless if we don’t react to them. Looking at the routine of Ahmed himself puts this into perspective, his health monitoring stats are awe-inspiring, but few of us would have the mettle to adhere to such a demanding roster of habits. Finally, though we can buy the same wearable as Phelps or Ronaldo, there is no guarantee that it will transform us into a world-class athlete. 

What do the Pros Say?

As is the case with most wellness brands, WHOOP have a amassed a star-studded troupe of ambassadors to endorse their name. In contrast to the likes of Coros and Polar, WHOOP’s army of famous faces not only includes athletes at the top of their game, but ex-sportspeople, and other celebrities too – emphasising their status as a tool to optimise wellness for all those juggling all kinds of stress and strain, not just competitive runners and triathletes. 

Inevitably, their roster includes some individuals at the forefront of human physical potential. In an interview with WHOOP, Olympic Steeplechaser, middle distance and triathlete, Coleen Quigley, described the technology as ‘an objective measure’, helping her to gain insight into when she’s overreaching or under-recovered. She also mentioned how it provided her with accountability when it came to maintaining wellbeing habits such as meditation. Free climber, Alex Honnold, is another fan, for whom WHOOP’s distraction-free nature is indispensable. As the first human to ever scale El Capitan without a rope, Honnold is no stranger to pushing his mind and body to their limits, and managing stress is essential to ensuring he can stay ‘in the zone’ when it matters. Furthermore, no one wants to ascend cliff faces on a poor night’s sleep, so Honnold relies on WHOOP to track his rest, reportedly achieving an impressive three and a half hrs of REM a night (more than the two hours most of us manage). 

On the court, WTA World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka uses WHOOP to keep track of the massive range of data which may impact her performance. Amidst a hectic schedule of, travelling, court sessions, fitness and physio, the Belarusian played tennis an astounding 421 times in 2025, yet refused to neglect her sleep, allowing her to recover so well from her training. These figures – displayed on the 27 year old’s ‘WHOOP Year in Review’ on her Instagram – are not only interesting, but put a spotlight on the extent of the dedication required to reach the top of one’s field. 

Arguably one of the most demanding sports of all is triathlon, thanks to its multidisciplinary nature. Having won the 2023 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, it is a beast Lucy Charles-Barclay seems to have conquered, with, of course, the help of her WHOOP. When training at peak volume, she can be tackling around 30 hours of swim, bike and run and gym per week, thus managing strain and recovery is of utmost importance. Interestingly, Charles- Barclay also partners with Polar and Breitling, and albeit the latter of these is not a fitness tracker, these multiple partnerships perhaps highlight WHOOPs limitations when it comes to GPS tracking and time-telling. 

One of WHOOPs most enduring affiliations has been with none other than Michael Phelps. At the peak of his career, he would swim around 80000 metres each week, in addition to supplementary work in the gym. Though no longer actively competing, Phelps maintains a pretty rigorous routine, and WHOOP has accompanied him throughout his transition into retirement, and he has been admirably vocal about the challenges this presented to his mental health. In a recent interview with WHOOP, he spoke about the habits which help him to maintain a sense of routine, and stay on top of his physical and mental health. These include ice baths, weightlifting, and saunas, and he’s also a strong advocate for adequate sleep. As a dad of four, his children are a priority, but he also engages in several business pursuits, and hobbies like golf. Inevitably, balancing all this requires significant attention to his wellbeing, therefore WHOOP’s metrics are equally as important as they were in his competitive days.

A leader in a different realm, seven-time New York Times bestselling author Melissa Urban is the pioneer behind the ‘Whole 30’ diet and accompanying range of cookbooks. Now in her 51st year, she’s faced her fair share of setbacks. Teenage trauma, drug addiction, and concussion are just some of the battles she’s won, but all of this has given her a profound respect for her body. As a result, despite not being an ‘athlete’, she prioritises morning workouts, boundaries, and (unsurprisingly) high-quality nutrition, so she can excel as a CEO and a mother. Furthermore, Urban actually switched from an Oura Ring to a WHOOP, as she valued the 24/7 nature of its tracking, and the versatility it allowed her in terms of placement. 

Its admirable that WHOOP recognise how its not just athletes who want to optimise their training, and that all people, no matter whether they’ve won olympic gold, rely on solid nights’ sleep, and regulated stress to perform at their best.

Potentially the least expected member of WHOOP’s team, is musician, Niall Horan, who invests in the brand, in addition to promoting it. The late nights, draining show schedules and constant media attention that comes with a life on stage place huge amounts of strain on the body, something the insights WHOOP provides make very clear. Performances regularly leave him in Heart Rate Zones 4 and 5, thus understanding the toll this takes on his body is essential to maintaining his performance standards. According to an article from another brand he represents, Kinetica, he prioritises wellbeing, even when on tour. His days begin with a walk, before he hits the gym, and, as someone who has openly spoken about his OCD struggles, he reportedly uses techniques like ‘box breathing’ and maintains a regular routine as much as possible to help manage his anxiety. 

Not only do WHOOP partner with influential individuals, but organisations too. They are the official wearable of sports leagues such as at the PGA, whose athletes (including Rory Mcllroy and Justin Thomas) use the tech to maximise their recovery and performance, and avoid overtraining. In addition to this, the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Series, which amassed over 87 million cumulative views, had the name ‘WHOOP’, plastered all over it thanks to a collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery. As the title sponsor of this celebration of endurance,  athleticism, and courage, WHOOP certainly gain significant exposure. In 2025, the events were televised across 150 countries and territories worldwide, but they are not the sole beneficiaries…

For existing fans of bike racing, the viewing experience has undergone a major upgrade, with live analytics being broadcast alongside the coverage. Athletes’ biometric data including heart rate and strain provides them with a unique insight into their effort as they tackle gruelling climbs and rapid descents. Not only this, but commentators can integrate their statistics into their updates, allowing for a more informed and engaging program. Without a doubt, this has contributed to the sport’s record-breaking surge in popularity, which will hopefully lead to more sponsorship opportunities for existing elite competitors, and newcomers to the sport alike. 

These are just a few of WHOOP’s savvy business unions, and mutually beneficial partnerships with both individuals and organisations are indispensable to their growth. By nurturing relationships with a wide range of figures who represent their values, WHOOP are able to reach a broader market, and curate an audience which reflects the diversity of their offering, and the fact that it can add value to people in an array of careers and positions. 

Inside Base Camp 

When your mission is ‘helping people reach their highest potential physically, mentally, and emotionally’, making sure employees feel fulfilled at work is not merely a ‘perk’, but a prerequisite for success. As a result, WHOOP’s office is the embodiment of balance-friendly job design. 

In 2023, WHOOP opened their global HQ in Boston’s iconic Kenmore Square. Spanning eight floors and 121,000 square feet, the building offers ample space to house their 1200+ employees, along with ‘WHOOP Labs’, their trailblazing research and development facility. The main reception is on the sixth floor, which boasts panoramic views of the city, and a buzzing (which represents the consistent buzz within the company) leads team members to the main working area on the fifth to eighth floor. 

Despite the prevailing trend towards hybrid working, 75% of WHOOP’s employees attend the office five days a week, meaning spaces conducive to productivity are essential. WHOOP’s CEO is an ardent believer in the value of collaboration, and progress through teamwork, therefore, the design of HQ aims to facilitate this. It embodies the ethos of balancing activity with rest. Characterised by a high-contrast design scheme, the space screams energy, and even has a racetrack inspired lighting installation on each floor. 

Each employee obviously has access to a WHOOP band, giving them detailed insights into the way their working environment impacts their health. Thankfully, there is a cafe (with free snacks and coffee), rooftop space and lactation rooms, along with a gym, and relaxation and meditation areas for when everything gets a little too much. 

Not only does WHOOP project its ethos into its physical space, but into its policies too. In fact, they literally pay employees to sleep more, with anyone achieving an average sleep score of 85% or more receiving a $100 monthly bonus. Furthermore, any member of WHOOP’s team who wakes up with a ‘red’ recovery score is asked to take a day of home working. This is not based on the assumption that they will not be able to contribute, nor is it a criticism, its more of a protective measure. Poor recovery suggests an individual is more susceptible to contracting illnesses, or may be developing an infection that could affect the workforce, therefore staying home and prioritising rest is likely to be beneficial for their own long-term health and happiness, and that of their colleagues. In other organisations, the decision as to whether an employee is ‘well enough’ to work can be quite subjective, but at WHOOP there is objective data to support it, which helps eliminate ambiguity. 

To encourage active lifestyles, all full-time staff get $500 a year to spend on wellness related expenses (think pilates, gym memberships, and even cryotherapy), and medical, dental, and vision coverage. In the spirit of holistic health, the package also includes mental health services. On top of a salary, they promote financial development and long-term stability through a scheme allowing employees to invest in the firm, and aspire to build a company which celebrates diversity, but also helps workers connect with others with similar backgrounds.

WHOOP knows that parenthood can be as intense as extreme exercise in term of its impact on sleep, recovery and strain, thus they offer 18 weeks paid leave, with a gradual two week return period, in order to ease the transition. Finally, WHOOP’s vacation policy could be considered pretty ‘state-of-the-art’. Instead of accruing vacation days, staff are advised to take time off when they need it, in order to ensure they can perform at their best. Not only this, but these flexible holidays are designed to be completely restful, featured sedentary time, plenty of sleep, and laptop-free recovery.

Will Ahmed’s own views are at the core of these principals, and as a father, CEO, and ex-athlete he has first hand experience of the impact of a positive working environment on productivity and mood. The man behind the band practice what he preaches too… 

In an attempt to counteract the stress of running a billion-dollar enterprise, Ahmed attacks regular workouts – usually squash or weightlifting, with the occasional Barry’s or stretch-based class thrown in – and is a fiend for contrast therapy, starting his day with an ice cold shower, and using a cold plunge and sauna on a daily basis. In addition to the high-intensity elements of his routine, the 36 year old has an impressive 12 year meditation streak, and aims to do 10-20 minutes before he arrives at the office, either as soon as he wakes up, or after a workout. Though his days are packed with meetings, he tries to break up sedentary hours with walks and outdoor time if he can, and prioritises balanced nutrition, for one cannot ‘unlock human performance’ on an empty stomach. Breakfast is usually eggs, avocado and bacon, followed by a lighter lunch of salad or chicken and vegetables, and a dinner rich in lean meat. The founder describes his diet as leaning towards paleo, but avoids dairy due to an allergy. Critically, though he doesn’t demonise caffeine, and hydrates like a king with water, he never drinks coffee after two pm, due to the noticeable negative impact on his sleep and recovery.

When it comes to sleep, Ahmed has his routine fairly fine-tuned; he wears blue light-blocking-glasses as soon as he begins to settle down for the evening, then ensures his room is very cold and dark. This helps him achieve around seven hours, or at least 85% of his nightly requirement according to his own WHOOP. To aid this, he takes melatonin and magnesium (in addition to a daily vitamin D supplement when blood tests suggest he needs it), and hits the hay at around 10-10.30. 

Its important to note, that even though Will Ahmed is arguably the most committed WHOOP user of them all, he is only human. Having a newborn plunged his recovery stats into the red, and he confesses that he could do with eating earlier in order to maximise his potential to obtain high quality sleep. 

In his spare time, Will relaxes with golf, squash and long walks with his sun, and seems to enjoy holidays taking in the beauty of the Amalfi Coast. 

Its no wonder the Long Island born entrepreneur boasts a physiological age 5.7 years younger than his chronological one.