How Data is Changing the Way Athletes Train

Updated on March 5, 2021

Technological advancements have enabled athletes to gain more data on their metrics and performances than ever before. Having access to precise and detailed data allows athletes to adjust their training regimes and improve specific areas of their fitness and sporting techniques. Let’s find out more.

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Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/athlete-runner-sprint-fast-black-1840437/

Heart Rate Data

Athletes’ heart rates can change every second when training or competing. Today, those rates can be easily monitored by wearing heart rate monitors. The devices are typically worn strapped around the chest. Information from the heart rate monitor is sent to a receiving device, such as a smartphone or computer. During a training session, the data is collected and processed. The information can then be viewed and analyzed during or after the session. The data that is collected from heart rate monitors is extremely useful in a number of ways. Athletes and coaches can define the effort intensity, and the data can show how long it takes for athletes’ hearts to return to their resting states. Furthermore, the data can be used to calculate the risk of injury.

The data collected from heart rate monitoring is transforming the way athletes in all types of sports train. It can be used for individual athletes like cyclists and runners, as well as for team sports like football and hockey. You do not need to be a professional athlete to make use of heart rate data, though. Even average runners can use heart rate monitors to monitor their training intensities and improve their performances. And you do not have to wear a device that is strapped to your chest. Indeed, sometimes chest-strap monitors can become uncomfortable over time. Thankfully, you can use a heart rate monitor (without a chest strap) such as a fitness watch.

Other Data

Heart rate monitors are not the only smart clothing options for measuring and tracking athletic metrics. There are a number of clever devices available that can measure things like your breathing, temperature, and hydration. Fitness trackers and watches have particularly become popular in recent years. By having access to data about many aspects of your athletic performance, you can have a greater insight into your current level of fitness and adjust your training accordingly. In fact, you can even use wearable technology devices to view live metrics during training sessions, so you know when it is time to stretch, speed up, or rest.

Lasers and GPS are also being incorporated into wearable tech, allowing athletes and trainers to measure the exact position, distance, acceleration, and velocity of performances. By having access to such a wide range of data, athletes can find many ways to improve.

Apps with New Technology

You will find numerous apps that can collect data via wearable technology, but there are also some apps that provide real-time video analysis and feedback via any tablet or smartphone. One that is currently making waves is the Ubersense app. It is currently being used by the USA’s Olympic bobsled and skeleton teams, and many other winter sports teams around the world, to help improve training. The app tracks every twist and turn, and helpful features like slow motion can be accessed within a matter of minutes.

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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.