sports tech
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1. Having this information at your disposal can act as both a wake up call and a pat on the back when you ve been achieving your goals on a regular basis It s through this process that Noble was able to successfully run the Miami marathon a challenge that takes more than just cardio as Noble says it s a combination of running yoga and gym work and by subscribing to these specific areas through the application he was able to tailor his workout routine so that his marathon time was optimised 4 subscribed to all the relevant categories of fitness that needed to get to where I wanted to be This application is more than capable of being a great running partner but there are a few functionality problems in AN INTERVIEW WITH LYNXFIT CEO NOBLE ACKERSON 7 the gym The application does need to be online for the data to be transferred and analysed correctly This is however NCAA athletes have already picked up LynxFit as a way of improving their performance something they re working on through partnerships with universities and gyms but for the time being this remains an issue as generally gyms have either no Wi Fi or poor network coverage Their customer base has been drawn to the product due to its ability to offer insights that would otherwise be difficult to attain They work with companies like P90X the content provider whose DVD s are meant to get you back in beach shape in 3 months and h2. given guidance by a professional or doesn t have supervision On the other hand when utilized by a professional who can make full use of the system s potential the ProComp Infiniti can become the foundation for a successful sport sciences program for professional sport organizations looking SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH to gain a competitive edge The system provides accurate assessments for athletes talent and potential identification provides solid feedback training sessions to assist on performance enhancement techniques e g improving reaction time focus decision making muscle response can be used to assist on injury recovery process e g setting ideal muscle activity ranges joint movement range to to improve sleep and recovery determining important circadian rhythm factors impacting sleep quality providing regulatory techniques to improve sleep and reduce insomnia and time for sleep onset among other goals Do You Have The Next Game Changing Technology Send It For Review reviews sportsperformancetech com MAXI NUTRITION CYCLONE MIX In the last edition of Sports Performance and Tech one of our sports nutritionists used Maxi Nutrition s latest protein powder on a three month cycle with considerable success With that in mind was particularly keen to get my hands on their latest release the cyclone milk the first ever ready to drink protein milk
3. mind spoke fostering that competitive spirit EA a vocal coach that allows for EN 4 Kan BOUE now workouts to be undertaken at W T 5 wos Saunen t y 3 n a pace that the user is safe and WOE ENE fitness platform ahead of his comfortable with appearance at the Sports amp Fitness Innovation Summit San Francisco in September LynxFit is a platform that leverages the motion capabilities of Google Glass smart watches wrist mounted variables as long as it has an accelerometer and we have access to the hardware we can do some pretty innovative stuff For Noble Google Glass was the perfect platform to outreach content as he says the marketing buzz we got from being on Google Glass was great Above and beyond that the Glass is clearly a very appropriate platform for fitness Your journey to optimum fitness through the LynxFit is achieved through a combination of consumer input and machine learning Eventually it will be a body worn artificial intelligence fitness coach that will be with you whilst you workout The sensors on the product feed their data engine to give consumers real time feedback SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH Noble gives an example of this by saying if you were on a run and the data showed that you had run your fourth mile today quicker than the fourth mile you ran yesterday it would say good job and let you know how you can continue to improve
4. player is playing to his strengths playing with enough variety or being too defensive Clearly it s not quite IBM s slam tracker but for the average club player these insights can elevate their standard exponentially For tennis players any data is good data so there is no reason to suspect that smart racquets won t be common place on the professional tour relatively soon That s certainly the view of Babolat s CEO Eric Babolat who expects the racquets to be commonplace on the ATP tour in the coming years However the likelihood of seeing the Babolat Play Pure Drive at Wimbledon and the US Open this year remains slim One major gripe levelled at smart racquets is that they can affect weight and string tension According to Babolat the weight of the racquet is exactly the same as previous models which is a good thing as the slightest change in racquet weight can have a drastic effect on player performance at the highest level Nadal doesn t change the tension of his strings when the weather changes for fear of 15 altering the spin he gets on the ball racquets like the Babolat Play Pure Drive become widespread then why wouldn t the top players use them Any competitive advantage could be the difference between them winning a match or not If we turn our attention back to Roland Garros if any of the chasing pack want to stop Rafael Nadal from bringing in his 10th title next year th
5. relatively easy The one gripe that isn t major is the length Given that the jersey comes up relatively short it would be recommended to wear bib shorts with the jersey HEAT MANAGEMENT Very good The jersey manages to keep you relatively cool even in very hot conditions found that the semi mesh material used allowed air to flow very effectively Even when using on the hottest days when significant sweating occurred it dried quickly and could be used within a few hours if required COMFORT As with all Rapha jerseys the Super Light is very comfortable allowing for extended use even in hot and humid conditions The placement of the pockets is also well thought out meaning that they are easy to reach and with an added zip pocket meant that keys phones and other valuables stay in place QUALITY We have come to expect top quality rom Rapha and it is certainly the case with this jersey It has atriple blend of polyester abrics they have unsurprisingly moved away rom the Merino wool that they have become known for with their other jerseys This has not detracted from the quality ofthe material fit or durability The only slight gripe with the jersey is that having tested the white model it would require an undershirt to avoid being opaque gt FC Although for many this would mm s be an issue and may well be unavoidable when facto
6. the product to anyone who is serious about health and fitness 4 M SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH Access the minds of industry experts Ideas for a new generation ONDEMAND of leaders 4 000 hours of business education 4 Download slidedecks 8 ask presenters questions Exclusive playlists workshops amp interviews E 60 hours of new content added monthly BX Email dwatts theiegroup com for more information ieondemand com FOLLOW SPORTSPANDT GOO GL n9YU3x N SUBSCRIBE e GOO GL 6PLF
7. with an added dose of liquid creatine and amino acids As a brand Maxi Nutrition are trying to spread protein use into a more mainstream sporting arena Aspiring athletes often shy away from protein based products as it s often been marketed around weight lifters and people looking to build mass For Maxi Nutrition protein and more importantly creatine is an essential tool for increased performance Whether your aim is to run that last mile a little faster or putting some extra power behind your serve both protein and creatine have an important role to play in your development The people at Maxi Nutrition are obviously excited about the product and have made real strides with their cyclone milk Chris Harrison GSK Scientist and creator of Cyclone Milk said This has been two years in the making and the research we have done into stabilising creatine in liquid is extensive managed to stabilise creatine in a milk format by using the natural protective properties of whey and milk proteins It s a great achievement for me and for the team at GSK who have worked on this Each 330ml bottle contains 30g of protein 16g of carbohydrates 38 of creatine and is fat free In the words of Maxi Nutrition Creatine is the only ingredient proven to improve an exercisers strength and power in successive bursts of short term high intensity exercise For those of you who have tried creatine based products befor
8. ISSUE 10 AUGUST 2014 4 LETTE OM THE EDITO Welcorne to this issue of Sports Performance amp Tech The first thing am sure you have all noticed is that in the longer than normal gap Detween issues we have undergone a revamp of the magazine Thanks to the work of Joe Sanderson Sports Performance amp Tech is now looking better than ever Another reason for the long gap is that we are moving to a bi monthly model meaning that we will have a magazine coming out every two months The reasons for this is that we are in the final stages of developing our new websites which will bring you more content than ever before It is worth watching this space for all developments on that This edition looks at the use of analytics in coaching looking at new products that are helping to create the next generation of data driven coaches and informed athletes From the use of wearable technologies to the abundance of new static technology we wanted to bring you the latest ideas in this area As always if you like the magazine please share it It was SPORTS PERFORMANCE 8 TECH created to spread ideas and if you think there is something in here that somebody else would find interesting please send it along to them If you have any questions or feedback please contact me at ghill theiegroup com George Hill Managing Editor Are you looking to put your products in front of key decision makers For Advertisi
9. Power their Fruit Bar is considerably higher in fruit than their competitors which perhaps justifies the higher price Overall Mulitpower s Fruit Power Bar is an excellent source of energy for those embarking on extensive training routines It offers a healthier alternative to supermarket products and a sustainable lift that doesn t just give you a spike of energy 1 would give the product a chance but just be willing to pay a little more for its benefits MULTIPOWER FRUIT POWER ORIGINAL SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH sl SPORTS TECH REVIEW Overall Multipower s Fruit Power Bar is an excellent source of energy for those embarking on extensive training routines It offers a healthier alternative to supermarket products and a sustainable lift that doesnt just give you a spike of energy would give the product a chance but just be willing to pay a little more for its benefits Em ARES SUPPLY SPORTS TECH REVIEW Ithlete HRV Tracker William Tubbs Summit Director Sports Analytics Innovation For even the most knowledgeable athletes and gym goers working out can be a bit of a guessing game Many applications push you to workout for either five or six days per week and set aggressive targets that can encourage burnout The ithlete finger sensor is a break way from this train of thought andis instead looking at the importance of recovery Quite simply if you don t r
10. been hit Their insights are communicated through a simple traffic light system that makes complex data into an actionable one for doctors and consumers With a concentration on player fitness and wellbeing at the core of the company it is going to be something that only improces as the public becomes more concerned with the welfare of players THE RACKET THAT LETS YOU COACH YOURSELF THE RACKET THAT LETS YOU COACH YOURSELF Richard Angus Summit Director Sports Analytics Summit 14 If you were watching the final of Roland Garros on June 8th you can t have helped but notice each and every commentator s desire to make a point through data Whether it was Nadal s imperious 90 1 five set record on clay or the importance of winning the first set in the final talk of data was commonplace This certainly isn t a gripe against commentators far from it the use of data made the final more absorbing as debates were shaped through fact instead of conjecture As we have touched upon numerous times in Sports Performance and Tech tennis and data are very much a good match it s a highly data orientated game with insights easily transferable to coaches It s not just about improving your groundstrokes the performance metrics are far narrower be it court positioning or the RPM s a player generates and the effect that has depending on the court surface recently saw an infographic that showed how Na
11. d in high regard in fact they have a hydration sensor as one of their core products On their website it reads hydrate hydrate hydrate Every athlete knows hydration levels are crucial to peak performance but dehydration can sneak up on anyone at any time The hydration sensor is only one cog in MC10 s machine they re a technology platform that maps high performance electronics into a virtually invisible patch The concept of MC10 came to light in 2008 when founder John Rogers invented stretchable circuits a platform that has enabled MC10 to strengthen As Rodger s brain child he wanted to take electronics which were once confined to rigidity and 4 make them adaptable and flexible enough so that they could fit to the human body In order to get a better understanding of MC10s processes spoke to Isaiah Kacyvenski Head of Sports and Fitness Segment at 10 Isaiah is a former NFL football player whose played for 8 years He spent the majority of his career at the Seattle Seahawks before attending Harvard Business School and eventually putting his considerable experience into the hands of MC10 11 To define the product Isaiah Says The concept is centered around this electronic tattoo that we have developed coined the Biostamp it allows the electronics to be thin and conformal to the body in order to create this seamless sensing experience gathering data in the background Along with
12. dal s 3330 RPM forehand kicks up almost twice as high on clay as it does on grass making it almost impossible to return without drastic footwork and positioning adjustment This Neale Cousland Shutterstock com THE RACKET THAT LETS YOU COACH YOURSELF facet of Nadal s game makes him a unique challenge on clay as the average RPM for top players is around 1 900 a marked difference This article is very Nadal centric not only because he won Roland Garros but also because he is the face of Babolat Play Pure Drive If you re an amateur runner or a cyclist there s an abundance of technology out there to help you improve your game If you re an amateur tennis player however there isn t a huge amount out there to assist you The reason why the Babolat Play Pure Drive is such an interesting development is because it is plugging a gap in a sport where data has been used so extensively at its highest level This gap still remains at the amateur level but the Babolat Play Pure Drive is going some way to filling it 4 tennis and data are very much a match made in heaven The Babolat Play Pure Drive uses sensors integrated into its handle to allow players to access information that wasn t previously available This allows them to access a number of metrics that allow for the measurement of performance THE RACKET THAT LETS YOU COACH YOURSELF If racquets like the Babolat Play Pure Drive become w
13. dividual Blades are designed with various edge suitability toe pick size and shape rocker size turning point on the blade or ball of the foot all of which depends on a skater s level skills being attempted skating style and personal preference ANALYTICS IN FIGURE SKATING Figure skating blades are usually made of tempered carbon steel that are first heat treated and then coated with high quality chrome In recent years however lightweight aluminium and stainless steel blades have also become popular According to John Wilson designers and manufacturers of ice skating blades based in Sheffield Revolution is the pinnacle in blade technology combining the traditional merits of a steel blade alongside the benefits of weight reduction and flexibility through the use of carbon composites The results are unparalleled The fusion of old and new technology allows skaters to move across the ice at increased speeds make higher jumps and cushion land them with greater control to reduce the risk of injury Revolution blades have become extremely popular throughout the skating world especially because of the stunning design and the option to have the blades crystallised notorious for blinging the skater s feet It has become apparent however that due to the intricate detail in design of the blade it is difficult for skaters to perform overhead tricks precisely whereby grabbing the blad
14. e you ll know that it isn t particularly tasty in fact I d go as far as to say that it s one of those drinks that you d rather consume quickly have actually heard a lot of people being put off creatine by the taste but the Cyclone Milk is a welcome respite from this it has a good flavour but there s still a slight aftertaste but nothing like the unpleasantness that creatine users have had to go through in the past However like everything that tastes nice it s not as good for you For example the Maxi Nutrition Powder that we reviewed in the last edition packed 5g of creatine the cyclone milk only has 3g But if you re going to be put off by 33 the taste then 3g is a lot better than none and it s still enough to be making good progress In a sense it s a happy medium and that will be a welcome addition for many In truth my cycle with the Cyclone milk hasn t been long enough to give you a list of tangible results that the product has brought me but it has without doubt increased my appetite for creatine almost looked forward to it after working out which can assure you is an urge that have never had with traditional creatine based products before NUTRITION CYCLONE SPORTS TECH REVIEW JERSEYS FRUITBAR HRV TRACKER SPORTS TECH REVIEW Rapha Super Lightweight FIT Good fit without feeling too tight in general movement is fluid and
15. e applied to movements around the court A LOOK AT SHOT TRACKER TO CREATE DATA DRIVEN COACHES As Shot Tracker is targeted at relatively youthful group data visualisation is key It has to be simple so that users aren t put off by complexity or overly numerical findings Davyeon says everyone s data is their own so it s extremely accessible the visualisation techniques that we have used are very traditional because we wanted to make sure people were seeing what they re accustomed to Bar Pie and Shot charts are commonly used but the most exciting element is the location technology Davyeon explains the system by saying we have split the court into small grids and we can tell within 10 cm exactly where on the court you are we can plot a very precise shot chart and the amount of shots you have done and the colour of the grid determines whether they re hot not These insights are incredibly valuable as it will allow young players to determine where they need to improve their game and perhaps more importantly it will show their coaches how their team is shaping up and what areas need to be looked at Davyeon says there are so many different forces in the game of basketball for us to be successful we had to eliminate false positives like Domenic Gareri Shutterstock c the pass and the dribble while accurately identifying when a shot was taken and made which is now included in
16. e by the hand is essential As techniques and technology progress through the years competitive performances will become ever more complex and demands will become higher for all skaters New ideas creative training techniques and new technology in the world of ice skating is significantly fuelling and shaping the athletes of today and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH A LOOK AT SHOT TRACKER TO CREATE DATA DRIVEN COACHES Dovid Borton Summit Director Sports LOOK AT SHOT TRACKER TO CREATE DATA DRIVEN COACHES and Basketball is perhaps the American sport that has the widest international appeal F port has experienced a boom in popularity in nations such as China the Philippines and Spain where their Liga ACB is widely considered to be one of the best leagues in the world second only to the NBA The global appeal of basketball means that more and more we are seeing children pick basketball as their sport of choice It was even claimed by the FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann that If you look around the world and see the statistics of the world s most popular sport in the age group 14 18 it s basketball across all genders If we take Baumann at face value then basketball s rise in popularity is an incredible achievement especially considering the world wide appeal of soccer The popularity of basketball is also r
17. eal opportunity for analytics it s a sport with so much data potential but with seemingly little coverage Currently analytical programs are only for the use of high level college and NBA teams whose budgets allow them to dish out 40 000 on a system For the young kids practicing in their front gardens this sort of system just isn t attainable and probably doesn t enter their minds as a must have when playing It was this notion however that attracted me to Shot Tracker had the pleasure of speaking to Davyeon Ross co founder and COO at Shot Tracker about their product 23 Unlike many ofthe wearable tech companies have spoken to Shot Tracker are different in that their primary target market was 7 17 year olds not pro athletes or soon to be pro athletes SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH A LOOK AT SHOT TRACKER TO CREATE DATA DRIVEN COACHES Shot Tracker is wearable tech designed for basketball Davyeon says we tried to deliver the product in materials that are already utilised in games like sweatbands From my experience wearable tech often lives and dies by its ability to function unnoticed when sport is being played and this was a view shared by Davyeon he says we knew we had to build something that was light and almost invisible the wrist sensor weighs less than 0 4 ounces you can finish your workout and forget you ve got it on With wearable tech still being in its in
18. ecover you re unlikely to reap the benefits of your workout plan The ithlete Finger Sensor is a quick and simple way to measure what intensity level you should train at on a given day or whether you need a well earned rest day The product consists of a finger sensor and an application It s very simple to fire up just put your finger in the sensor press start and breath in through your nose and out through your mouth for one minute It will then give you your heart rate value these values will be in different colours that will represent how hard you should workout If it s green you have the all clear to go as intense as you want Amber and you re recommend a lower intensity session normally aerobic Finally red implies that you need to rest Additionally there are a variety of other metrics on their dashboard that can be measured using your heart rate variation These include sleep quality fatigue muscle soreness and stress levels all of which are recorded and factored into your final score The ithlete application will store and aggregate this data so that it can be viewed over much onger timeframes The ithlete allows its users to be far more aware of how their body is reacting to their itness plans It s a tool that is suited to those of us who work out on a regular basis and ind it difficult to keep out of the gym even when our body is fighting it Overall would highly recommend
19. elp them establish the patterns of their users Noble says We can tell them P90X women between the ages of 25 and 26 actually don t complete 15 through to 20 of your content because we re looking for motion This is certainly an interesting way for a wearable company to offer insights that wouldn t necessarily be considered or possible with other products This expands their capabilities as a company and potentially paves the way for a wider use of wearable technologies for both fitness and consumer insight College athletes have already picked up LynxFit as a way of improving their performance They ve been using the technology as a pilot improving their on the field strength and conditioning However Noble points out the ability to use sensors to help improve athletes to improve performance isn t new has been used with german soccer teams Noble seems to have a realistic view of things which certainly bodes well for the company going forward We want to build a great product but a viable business also That uses wearables the ways wearables should be used Clearly it s an exciting product and an interesting angle for the wearable market SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH Connect With Decision Makers Through The Innovation Enterprise S U E Newsletters Digital Magazine E pu Webinars Dad Emoil Morketing n On Demand White Papers Reach targeted
20. en data through products like the Babolat Play Pure Drive could be the only recourse they have left PERFORMAR For more information contact Sean Foreman 1 415 692 5514 sforeman theiegroup com theinnovationenterprise com summits Analytics theinnovationenterprise com summits sports analytics innovation summit sf 2014 Kimberley French NISA Quqlified Cooch Over the years competitive figure skating has become increasingly more technical and complex in performance skills there is therefore a much higher demand now from skaters and coaches to introduce new equipment and learning techniques into training programmes For many years coaches have trained skaters on more complicated jumps like doubles and triples by using a harness The skater would be strapped into a safety harness usually either hand held or ceiling tracked then launched into the air when approaching a jump enabling the skater to feel the rotation Many coaches today however feel that the harness is not the best tool because of skaters failing to use the correct muscles accurately in order to build muscle memory in which case the skater may not benefit Coaches generally favour the hand held harness as it enables the skater to prepare for a jump the same way in which they would normally The hand held harness assists the skater into ANALYTICS IN FIGURE SKATING the jump and into the landing rather t
21. ere is no friction with the skin 37 QUALITY The quality of the material stitching and overall construction of the jersey is good The give from the material without being restrictive is an indictment to the quality of the garment as a whole and allows for a full range of movement despite the tight and aerodynamic design SPORTS PERFORMANCE 8 TECH 38 MulitiPower s Fruit Power bar was the official fuel for the Giro d italia It s an energy bar and a tasty one at that The bar is a mix of various fruits including Apple Pineapple and Mango with grain also taking up a large proportion of the bar As its primary goal is to give you a sustainable energy kick it packs around 30g of carbohydrates I would normally take one of the bars before working out at 06 30am and find that I wouldn t feel my energy levels depleting until around 08 30AM despite working out heavily so clearly the product works well Like most of us don t want to eat anything unpleasant in the morning so it was a relief to be eating something that actually tasted nice The bar has a really nice texture and doesn t fall apart once it s been opened l d say that the bar ticks all the boxes in this department However at 35 for a box of 24 the MultiPower Fruit Bar is not cheap in fact that s about 1 50 per bar l ve tested bars from SIS that are similar in taste but which cost around 50p less In defence of Mulit
22. fancy a wrist sensor that weighs 0 4 ounces could only be the start a prototype almost In the words of Davyeon It s at 0 4 ounces now but we feel this version is like the 1999 iPod it s huge and we have a ways to 50 Ideally Davyeon would like to see the Shot Tracker chip be so minute that it can fit into lance armstrong band then it really would be unnoticeable Gamification is central to Shot Tracker with the product tapping into most teenagers love for computer games Davyeon says When you can play against your friends it s a game changer really and that the process is very addictive nd it drives usage it s like box Live ifferent games you can play nd like Xbox Live there s a obal leaderboard where you a X There are a whole host of d a 8 can challenge people from all over the world As Davyeon says as it drives usage they re going to practice more which means they will get better Progression will be easy to document as you start beating people you can be sure that you re improving that shot and if you make the effort as a kid if you practice for the day consisted of taking 100 shots by yourself this process could become tedious very quickly add the competitive element and everything changes enthusiasm will be heightened as will the desire to improve so that you ll be able to beat your challenger next time To add to this the same principal can b
23. for situations where data can be analyzed after practice or competition the data is stored inthe card and later on sentto the laptop for analysis with the use ofa compactflash reader The receiver has a slot onthe backthat fits the compact flash orthe Bluetooth adapter The receiver has a clip that allows itto be clipped onto the athlete s shorts or pants its construction 15 sturdy enough to endure significant motion from the user When talking about portability animportant downside is the system s battery cover that may come loose with motion from the athlete this can be fixed wi the use ofa small piece oft coveringthe battery lid and receiver unit Inregardsto batteries 15 hours whenallch being used It isimpi PROCOMP INFINTI more hours with fewer channels use whichis true for most ofthe use cases sports and that battery life is reduced if thetelemetry Bluetooth unit is being used The unit has a power on off button which hasto be held for 1 second inorder for the system to be turned on or off thisis agood feature asit prevents some of the unintended use ofthe button anegative here isthe fact that this button isn t indented intothe system s case instead the button raises above the main surface of the preventthis from depending onthe sport PROCOMP INFINITI In most cases the regular use of the system provides very reliable data there aren t many ins
24. han lifting the skater The harness however is still used successfully especially for skaters attempting triple and quadruple jumps use ofthe ceiling harness at this elite standard of skating offers the skater a greater feeling of continued rotation when lifting into a jump at the apex and when descending resulting in a more effective execution of the required number of rotations in the air Now as skating techniques are changing and the demands in competition are higher there is a search for new creative training ideas and coaches are looking to make skills more difficult to master rather than making them easier An example is the use of weighted clothing in training schedules in order to increase the level of difficulty for a skater when jumping Clothing such as weighted jackets are ideal for a quick and easy change adding extra weight to the skater and therefore increasing the difficulty of lift into the air which creates a Now as skating techniques are changing and the demands in competition are higher there is a search for new creative training ideas SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH further demand on athlete strength explosive power and the mastering of correct techniques which are essential for completing jumps successfully ANALYTICS IN FIGURE SKATING The skater must train harder using every ounce of power and strength they have to lift high enough to complete the required number of
25. hydration there are many uses for the platform He says I would think about hydration as one use case for this platform we are really starting to look at muscle activity heart rate temperature you think about all the different metrics you can measure Isaiah was keen to point to the importance of their head impact technology with the Reebok Checklight Product s such as 105 are becoming more common but they re regularly targeted at one specific sport and normally a sport where a helmet is necessary so that the sensor can be attached to it SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH 12 MC10 s outreach is different as Isaiah says We ve taken our electronics and embedded them into a skull cap it seamlessly fits on your head and you can forget about it Isaiah says 1 think it s ridiculous to have to put up with a device and think MC10 is positioned perfectly to address that We lower the barrier for wearability Unfortunately for many companies operating in the same space as MC10 the need to wear a clunky device in order to leverage the data insights has put some athletes off It s fair to say that when an athlete feels that something is hindering his her performance the first thing that will be sacrificed is the sensor equipment This is why the skullcap formula is so important Not only does the skullcap make the device more convenient it allows for more accurate results Isaiah sums
26. idespread then whu wouldn t the top players use them heaven There are a number of metrics to get your teeth stuck into you can dissect all of your strokes in detail whether it s the spin you put on the ball or the velocity you hit it at Additionally If you re like me then after an hour hit it feels like you ve been on court for about 15 minutes the play pure drive will measure the time the ball was in play so that the time you spend picking up balls isn t actually factored into the amount of time you think you have spent practicing If you ve enjoyed the wars of attrition that Nadal and Djokovic seemingly put themselves through every time they hit the court together it ll be of interest that the racquet estimates the energy expended on court would personally be really interested to see how much effort Nadal and Djokovic put in against each other when compared to an opponent in the first round of a Grand Slam think it would be a real eye opener and demonstrate the vast difference in ability between a player ranked at 50 and in the Top 5 Neale Cousland Shutterstock com You could argue that data analysis through the Babolat Play Pure Drive especially at amateur level is not a tool that shows you how to beat a specific player but it does offer insights that were non existent before By analysing data on a match or over a longer period of time Coaches can start to paint a picture as to whether their
27. ket its versatility allows third party sensors and devicesto be paired upwith this system including measurements from Polar belts with the use ofa specific receiver this feature is particularly attractive when teaching an athlete howto controland self regulate his her heart rate as they maytake the Polar system anywhere Another great feature is ProComp Infiniti s size and portability The system s 8 channelreceiverisa relatively small 37cm x 37cm x 10cm plastic box it uses a fiber optic cabletotransmitthe signals which makes the transmission very quick accurate and insulated from noise and electricalinterference asignal converter from opticalto USB format and an USB cable this configuration is best for uses when mobility isn t necessary Foruseswhere motionisa factor e g when athletes aremoving during practice or during competitions itis possible to use telemetry with a Bluetooth adapter that sends the signals directlyto the laptop allowing real time tracking of athletes bio neurophysiological measurements and motion measurements thetelemetry s SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH signal range is pretty good andis upto 100 meters according to the manufacturer s specifications from my experience the unit cansend the data reliably for upto 120 meters without obstructions andwith the use ofnew batteries Another option for mobile applications isthe use ofacompact flash card this is ideal
28. localised engaged community of decision makers through our customisable suite of online marketing services FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 1 415 992 7502 US Na A 44 207 193 1346 UK XZA hsturgess theiegroup com gt IE_Hannah e x gt x 1 1111110101020 10101101010 104490 k fitnesspal For more information contact Sean Foreman 1 415 692 5514 sforeman theiegroup com LL theinnovationenterprise com summits A alytics theinnovationenterprise com summits sports fitness innovation san francisco KEEPING YOURSELF HYDRATED WITH MCIO George Hill Managing Editor T me KEEPING YOURSELF HYDRATED WITH MC10 Many in Europe felt that the humidity levels in Brazil would lower their chances of victory despite the victors ultimately being Germany FIFA s Chief Medical Officer Professor Jiri Dvorak did his utmost to dispel the heat issue in reaction to many camps claiming it to be a stumbling block for the success of the tournament Nevertheless these fears were realized in a last sixteen match between Nigeria and France when French defender Rafael Varane spent an evening under observation in a hospital in Bras lia for dehydration signifying the importance of hydration in sport A number of issues can arise when playing sport dehydrated including muscle cramps strains and seizures The importance of hydration is something that MC10 hol
29. management too with a noticeable increase in airflow when cycling COMFORT Castelli have designed the climber for when on the bike meaning that when you initially put on the jersey it feels almost unnatural with the seams feeling like they are tight in the wrong places When on the bike however the merits of creating the jersey in this way becomes clear as when you begin the slight hunch it feels natural and the initial feeling of unease when just wearing the jersey is lost QUALITY Despite the thin and seemingly flimsy nature of the jersey the quality is high The stitching is strong and the pocket placement and durability is good One thing that do feel is missing from the jersey is a grip strip at the base of the back as found that the jersey would often ride up due to a relatively short fit Although this is not so much of an issue when combined with bib shorts would feel more comfortable with having a grippy surface The inferno shorts are also high quality with a combination of 7 fabrics there was always going to a risk of pull on stitching between the two but this was not the case They are durable and feature the Progetto X2 Air seat pad which in my opinion is one of the best pads on the market for both airflow and comfort whilst in the saddle even after 4 5 hours of peddling in hot conditions SPORTS TECH REVIEW arl Izumi Speed Jersey FIT The fit is relatively tight as you would e
30. ng contact Hannah at hsturgess theiegroup com Managing Editor George Hill Assistant Editors Simon Barton Art Director i Joe Sanderson i Advertising Hannah Sturgess I hsturgess sportsperformancetech com Contributors Dan Paterson Dr Paulo Ottermann William Tubbs Kimberley French Richard Angus General Enquiries Editor sportsperformancetech com Competitive figure skating is becoming more and more technical we look at how analytics is affecting the ice Do you want to play like Rafael Nadal We look Babolat s racket that lets you coach yourself We speak to Noble Ackerson about Lynx and how they re utilising Google Glass for fitness improvement AUGUST 2014 With hydration taking centre stage at the World Cup we speak to MC10 about their new patch As the official fuel of the Giro D italia we see how Multipower s new bar shapes up 32 maunu CYCLONE MILK Courtney Lawes uses it Paulo Oppermann takes us through so we thought we should the ProComp Infiniti and how it s test out Maxi Nutrition s helping athletes reach optimal new cyclone milk product performance IVEN C As the world s of basketball and analytics collide we look at how Shot Tracker are helping tomorrows superstars fulfil their potential AN INTERVIEW WITH LYNXFIT CEO NOBLE ACKERSON Simon Barton Assistant Editor AN INTERVIEW WITH LYNXFIT CEO NOBLE ACKERSON 2 The mass la
31. ormance SPORTS PERFORMANCE 8 TECH 20 ANALYTICS IN FIGURE SKATING With this type of intense and demanding training comes the necessity for more durable and inventive training attire Modern skating boots are extremely rigid to support the foot and ankle in jumps and are cut just over ankle height to allow the foot to flex Rigidity ofthe boot makes good fit essential for this reason many skaters either order custom boots or have them bumped out over pressure points by a skate technician In recent years boots made of synthetic materials with heat mouldable linings have become popular with skaters because they combine strength with lighter SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH weight than leather boots and are easier to break in however this decreases the amount of time the skates retain durability often resulting in the purchase of new boots far more regularly Elite skaters tend to prefer hard strong durable boots made from leather due to their support and longevity Many manufacturers today are creating more innovative designs in ice skates in order to offer a greater range in style strength design and weight depending on requirements and preferences of each individual In addition to these modern ice skating boots comes the necessity for exceptionally creative blade design It is essential that skaters trust their blades and that there are options to suit requirements for each in
32. ring in the primary purpose of the jersey it would add an extra layer of insulation We have come to expect top quality from Rapha and it is certainly the case with this jersey SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH 36 SPORTS TECH REVIEW Castelli Clim amp Inferno Bib Shorts FIT As with all Castelli kit the fit on both the jersey and short are tight However compared to older models the Large is closer to what you would expect to find in other brands and fitted me well The very interesting aspect of these is that both are relatively opaque meaning that when they are being worn it is important to wear both suncream and throw modesty out the window Although for some this may be an issue luckily onthe shorts the only opaque areas are on the side of the legs it has allowed for a superior heat management which more than justifies it for me HEAT MANAGEMENT Superb heat management both the shorts and the jersey are some ofthe best that have tried for the SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH transfer of heat and keeping you cool throughout a ride The lack of modesty the top is a mesh and almost completely see through is a small price to pay when you are testing in conditions north of 30 degrees 40 fahrenheit like was One thing to note is that it is imperative to wear sun cream when using this kit after not doing so ended up with a checkerboard sunburn The shorts offer great heat
33. rotations and land with precision Training this way takes time patience and determination for both athlete and coach as generally skills can get worse before getting better Once the skater shows improvement and becomes more proficient when attempting jumps the weighted clothing can be removed the skater is then more likely to perform the jump with ease fluidity and refinement Further to the use of weighted clothing equipment such as the training mask is used on the ice to increase difficulty in breathing when performing a programme or routine All skills and elements such as footwork steps jumps spins and artistic movements must still be performed with the same intensity and enthusiasm than in a competition The use of the training mask intensifies cardio and high altitude training by reducing the amount of oxygen the body can take in ultimately affecting the way muscles 19 react and therefore the overall performance this method intensifies the cardio training for the skater making the ability to breathe and perform difficult Once the skater has become more proficient with this training technique over time the mask can be removed enabling the skater to perform their programme of required skills and elements with increased stamina The introduction of such equipment makes training far more difficult for the athlete but certainly is effective in its ability to conclude with a greater quality perf
34. tances were electrical interference is factor nevertheless when electromagnetic fields come into play the unit fails to do its job the signals become completely erratic and useless there is no noise filtering or data cleaning that will do The system is sturdy and able to endure motion without problems any good The user s manual recommends the receiver unit to be placed away from any electrical device to prevent the aforementioned interference from happening my rience with the device is occurrence but under conditions synthe or artificial turf g enough static electri compromise the an alternative in s the receiver unit and there is a matching white dot on the connectors of each sensor adapter the user needs to align these white dots and then press for a solid connection even under the most extreme sport conditions these connections have been very reliable and the signal s integrity has been sustained throughout its use The system is sturdy and able to endure motion without problems however it is important for the user to be mindful about how to handle the connections the sensor cables and the fiber optic cable especially when storing the system when not in use in order to extend the system s longevity The hardware can be used with the BioGraph Infiniti oftware provided by Thought echnology this software e has suites for specific d ses e g physiology suit s
35. the analytics It was really interesting to speak to Davyeon about Shot Tracker It s a product that s looking to break into a sport where analytics programmes at the amateur level are few and far between With the gamificaction aspect added to it young players will have a feedback mechanism that will allow them to measure their progress because as Davyoen says without metrics you really don t know how you re doing and it s hard to improve what you don t measure 25 REVIEW Pp PROCOMP INFINITI 4 Dr Paulo Oppermann Sports Scientist TER PROCOMP INFINITI When lookingatadvances in technologyandsportsciences inelitelevelsportsinthe pastfewyears biofeedback neurofeedbackand neuro physiological measurements are beingconsidered bytopsport organizations as one ofthe most effective practicesin performance enhancement injury prevention sleepimprovementandinjury recovery assistance Anumber ofdevicescan be used towards this ever growingfield ofsport sciences however fewhavethe versatilityand capabilitiesthatthe ProCompinfiniti from Thought Technologyhas Thisisa multi modality devicethat may utilize upto 8 sensors adapters simultaneously ithas6 sensor inputs that can provide upto 256 data samples per second and 2 that operate atan even quicker sampling rate offering up to 2048 data samples per second The system is customi
36. this up nicely when he says 1 dont care what happens to the helmet care about what happens to the head and therein lies the issue don t want a proxy want to see exactly what is happening to the head These capabilities are really what capture MC10 and what makes their product so exciting As mentioned before helmet SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH KEEPING YOURSELF HYDRATED WITH 10 centric sports and primarily American Football have been the main hunting ground for these tech companies but MC10 want to touch every sport Isaiah says We are releasing a new head band world wide that will concentrate on non helmet Sports concentrating on soccer and basketball For soccer goalkeepers this development will be a welcome one in the English Premier League last season Tottenham Hotspur keeper Hugo Lloris was knocked out after colliding with Everton player Romelu Lukaku He was allowed to carry on despite the possibility ofthis leading to more serious problems If Lloris was wearing the headband information on the nature ofthe trauma could have been communicated to the doctors Fortunately nothing happened to Lloris but severe head injuries are not uncommon in soccer and this is an issue that needs to be concentrated on MC105s product is not a diagnostic tool though and Isaish was keen to make this point It s not diagnostic at all it just gives an indication of however hard you ve
37. uite sports suite and time suite among software package ows for a comprehensive Use of the system with sessions designed for different purposes like baseline assessments performance enhancement biofeedback aining sessions and others For advanced users and use cases and for personalization to each athlete s preferred form of feedback the software package comes with a screen editor a session editor and a channel editor this allows the use of specific graphics animations and sounds From my experience when using biofeedback with athletes it is ideal to tailor the feedback portion of the training to each athlete this assists on session engagement and A negative factor is that this system is mainly designed for use by professionals trainers and sport science specialists thus personal use application accelerates the learning curve when athletes are being trained taught performance enhancing techniques using the feedback to assist on injury recovery practicing sleep quality enhancing techniques and other things The system s price depends on the number of suites and sensors to be utilized by the user A negative factor is that this system is mainly designed for use by professionals trainers and sport science specialists thus personal use applications SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH 99 can be very complicated and not intuitive especially if the user hasn t been
38. unch of smart enthusiasts It gives them a This accountability is due to the glasses was always likely virtual coach that interacts willingness of their customers E ith a hi f with and updates them on to share their information how they re progressing and with their peers Noble says scepticism it s customary developing as an athlete A lot of users were sending for us to be suspicious towards i i i 5 i Susp Noble says People want to their data and pictures of their technologies that differ from A 1 stats as they were working work out on their terms and ee mM initial scepticism e a i xe Ir hima ds trainer for motivation as they re S d 5 E y an expensive option that can emo Gips gone with 4 million units and share their progress The f only be used at designated DES predicted to be sold in 2014 FitBit has had lot of success S times Clearly though working d B 5 In previous editions of Sports i in this remit and the ability to maa ns with a personal trainer gives m c veas blo the consumer accountability ur d i maines 3 and a degree of pressure to uas oss pa fitness trackers but there pursue their fitness goals leaps and bounds The social are several elements that A A he LynxFit Side of the LynxFit is looking divides Lynxfit from the crowd SR SE to replicate this success b S GO also gives them this through Er y ae With that in
39. xpect from a Jersey designed for sprinting allowing for good aerodynamics and airflow The material allows for a certain amount of flex too which is good for those of us who are not built like track cyclists Although tight it does not feel uncomfortable at all allowing for sufficient movement and flexibility TECHNOLOGY Unlike the others reviewed in this issue the Speed Jersey is not specifically designed for hot weather so thought it was only fair to mention the key attribute of this jersey that makes it so interesting The technology development behind this includes wind tunnel testing work with Taylor Phinney and Marcel Kittel two of the world s top sprinters and knowledge of the skin suits that have been used by most professionals teams for past couple of years They have created one of the most aerodynamically impressive jerseys in recent memory With their dimpled Transfer Aero fabric and strategic seam placement allowing for significant energy savings around 8 The result is surprisingly impressive even for a non professional like myself you can feel yourself cutting through the air and the increase in power and speed is marked COMFORT Despite the design concentrating on speed which necessitates a certain degree of tightness the comfort does not suffer as a result It can be worn for a considerable amount of time without discomfort mainly because of the flatlock seams meaning that th
40. zable according to thetype ofimplementation thatis being used and tothe software package that is chosen by the user Changing the settings is fairly simple and the user manual provides users with atable informing howthe switches need to be configured for each purpose the switches canbeflipped withtheuse of small pointed objects like a paper clip this protects the 27 system from having undesired configuration changes during itsuse Amongthethingsthat thissystem may measure are muscle activity with theuseofsurface EMG electromyography heart electrical activity with the use of EKG electrocardiogram changes in blood volume pulse with the use ofa plethysmograph skin surface temperature with the use of surface thermometer brain electrical activity with the use of EEG electroencephalogram respiratory rhythm with the use ofthoracic or and abdominal respiration sensor belt body angle position with the use of agoniometer body angular torsion with the use ofatorsion 4 This array of measurements makes this device one ofthe most comprehensive systems available on the market meter forces applied with the use of force gauge inclination with the use of aninclinometer andreactiontime with the use ofpush buttons or push release pedals SPORTS PERFORMANCE amp TECH N 9 9 Thisarray of measurements makesthis device one ofthe most comprehensive systems availableonthe mar
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