Faster, Higher, Stronger Part 2: How Athletes How Wearables are Dominating Sports Training

Several factors contribute to the continual improvement in athletic performance, and testing the limits of physical endurance. Wearable Technology is one field that has currently infiltrated the sports training domain even at the beginner’s level.

The future belongs to wearables

The evolution of sports technology is reshaping the landscape of athletics, particularly at the highest level. New innovations are enhancing athletic performance, improving training methods – even revolutionising spectator engagement – beyond traditional belief. And Wearable Technology is one field that has currently infiltrated the sports training domain even at the beginner’s level.

Wearables refer to electronic devices that can be worn on the body, often as accessories or clothing. These devices typically incorporate sensors and software to monitor various metrics and provide functionality. They capture real-time biometric data – ranging from something as simple as heart rate to muscle exertion rates and hydration levels. The most common examples include:

• Fitness Trackers that track physical activity and its effect on the wearer’s anatomy and/or physiology.
• Health Monitors that keep checking biological parameters real time.
• Smartwatches that can track as well as notify, and also perform analytics on the readings.
• Smart Glasses equipped with augmented reality features that could enhance training range.
• Smart Clothing made out of fabric embedded with sensors that can track biometric data, and also make activities more comfortable for the wearer – thus stretching tolerance limits.

By refining techniques through detailed feedback gathered from such advanced biomechanical analysis, athletes can enhance their efficiency and precision in various sports. Data gathered through wearables also allow coaches to tailor training sessions more precisely, optimise performance with minimum exertion, and reduce the risk of injury.

Wearable benefits in sports

How exactly do data from wearable devices help in enhancing performance? By effectively utilising data from wearable devices, athletes and coaches can make informed strategy decisions. Following are the major areas:

Tracking and Feedback

• Activity Metrics: Guided by instant feedback on metrics such as heart rate, speed, distance, and cadence, athletes can adjust training intensity during workouts, ensuring optimal effort levels.
• Stress and Recovery Metrics: By understanding their recovery status through heart rate variability and resting heart rate data, athletes gain insights into stress levels and overall fitness. This helps to plan training when they are most recovered and mentally prepared.
• Sleep Analysis: Sleep quality and sleep pattern data help athletes understand the impact of rest on their training, and refine routines to maximise recovery.

Training Optimisation

• Historical Performance Analysis: Athletes can review their past performance data to identify trends and improvements over time. Analysing performance logs also reveal what training methods yielded the best results.
• Personalised Training Plans: Data analysis allows coaches to create tailored training programs. For instance, heart rate zones can inform whether an athlete is training at the right intensity for endurance, speed, or recovery.

Injury Prevention

• Load Management: Tracking overall workload – both training intensity and duration – helps athletes avoid injury by ensuring they don’t exceed their physical limits. Coaches can adjust training loads accordingly.
• Biomechanical Insights: Some wearables provide information on movement patterns, allowing athletes to identify inefficiencies or potential risks in their routine sporting action. This helps to correct faulty technique before injuries occur.

Nutritional Insights

• Energy Expenditure Monitoring: Estimating calories burned during workouts help to refine nutrition plans. This ensures consuming the right quantity of calories to fuel performance and recovery.
• Hydration Tracking: Some devices track hydration levels, alerting athletes to ensure they maintain optimal fluid balance, crucial for peak performance.

Goal Setting and Motivation

• Data-Driven Goals: Athletes can set specific, measurable goals based on their data. For example, they might aim to reduce their performance time by a certain percentage, using the metrics to track progress.
• Competitive Edge: Comparing their data with others (whether teammates or competitors) can drive motivation. Many devices allow for social sharing, which fosters a competitive spirit and accountability.

Popular wearable devices

Let’s take a look at some of the popular wearable devices currently used by athletes:

In Part 3, we conclude this discussion with other groundbreaking sports technologies of the future.

[To be concluded]