Amazfit Helio Strap Pro brings HYROX strength data via waist pod

Amazfit takes HYROX tracking further with a waist-worn motion pod

Amazfit announced the Helio Strap Pro on 18 June 2026, unveiling the device at the HYROX World Championship in Stockholm. The system is designed specifically to help HYROX and hybrid athletes understand how their bodies move under load — not just how hard their hearts are working. US pre-orders opened the same day at $199.99, with shipping confirmed from 25 June 2026.

The Helio Strap Pro is a two-piece wearable system. The first component, the Helio Core Motion HR, is an optical heart rate sensor worn on the wrist or upper arm, powered by Amazfit's BioTracker 6.0 PPG sensor. The second, and entirely new, component is the Helio Core Motion Waist — a 9-axis motion sensor clipped to the centre of the waistband. That waist pod is the headline feature: it tracks torso movement, position, and stability in real time, opening up metrics that an arm sensor simply cannot capture.

What the waist pod actually measures

When both sensors are active, the Zepp App unlocks a layer of movement data that goes beyond the standard heart rate and calorie picture. According to Amazfit's official press release, the combined system delivers cadence, torso sway, body stability, and — crucially — muscular load. Post-workout, athletes can review performance broken down by each individual HYROX station.

The eight HYROX events covered are:

• SkiErg
• Sled push
• Sled pull
• Burpee broad jumps
• Rowing
• Farmer's carry
• Sandbag lunges
• Wall balls

The arm sensor alone supports more than 50 sports modes and automatic detection of 30 movements. Add the waist pod and the system adds smart recognition of 25 strength training movements specifically. Cardio load, heart rate zones, aerobic and anaerobic Training Effect, and VO2 max are also tracked and viewable in the app.

Battery life and build

The screen-free waist sensor is rated at up to 40 days of battery life and can operate independently of a smartwatch. The arm and heart rate unit delivers up to 11 days per charge, with the magnetic charger reaching full charge in under two hours. Both components achieve a 5 ATM water resistance rating, meaning they are suitable for splashes, snow, showering, and swimming. The full package in the box includes the Helio Core Motion HR, the Helio Core Motion Waist, a Helio Pro Clip, a wristband, an armband, and the magnetic charging head.

Compatibility covers Android 8.0 and above and iOS 17.0 and above via the Zepp App. Importantly, using the full HYROX Race and HYROX Simulation modes at launch requires pairing with either an Amazfit Balance 3 or Balance Ultra — buyers without one of those watches should factor that in before purchasing.

No subscription, by design

There is no monthly subscription required to view or analyse training data. At Zepp Health's Q2 2026 earnings call, CFO Leon Deng told analysts that free professional features are a competitive advantage, and confirmed no plans to charge for core functions — though he left open the possibility of optional subscriptions in future. That stance sharpens the contrast with Garmin's expanding Connect+ subscription tier, where CEO Cliff Pemble has confirmed multiple new paywalled features in development.

"Heart rate tells athletes how hard they are working, but it does not fully explain how their movement changes as fatigue builds. Helio Strap Pro introduces an innovative new approach to hybrid training by connecting upper-arm heart-rate data with waist-based motion sensing and smartwatch performance data. It represents the next step in our Hybrid Training System, giving athletes a more complete understanding of how effort, movement and performance change across a demanding workout." — Scott Shepley, Head of Global Marketing at Amazfit

How it compares to the original Helio Strap

The Helio Core Motion HR is a direct evolution of the original Helio Strap, which launched in 2025 at $99.99 (£99.90 in the UK). For athletes who do not compete in HYROX, the arm sensor alone delivers HybridCharge, more than 50 sports modes, continuous heart rate, automatic movement detection, and full health and sleep tracking — broadly the original Helio Strap experience, with the training platform updated from BioCharge to HybridCharge. The waist pod is what separates the Pro from its predecessor, and per-station muscular load analysis across all eight HYROX events is, according to Amazfit, not available elsewhere at this price.

What UK buyers need to know right now

A confirmed UK sterling price has not appeared in any verified source at the time of writing. Amazfit's UK product page at uk.amazfit.com/products/helio-strap-pro is live, but no sterling figure has been published. Given that the original Helio Strap launched at a direct dollar-to-pound equivalent of £99.90, UK buyers should check the official UK site directly rather than assume a conversion from the US price.

There are two further limitations worth flagging. First, the waist module currently only activates in HYROX Race and HYROX Simulation modes — broader workout support is confirmed as coming, but no timeline has been given. Second, full system functionality at launch requires ownership of an Amazfit Balance 3 or Balance Ultra, with support for additional watches also confirmed but undated. Regional shipping timelines may also differ from the US date of 25 June 2026. For dedicated HYROX competitors already in the Amazfit ecosystem, the proposition is strong. Everyone else should watch for those two updates before committing.