Author: Peter Suciu

Debate Rages on “Toning Shoes”

One of the latest rages this year has been the so-called “toning” shoes, such as those from Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT), Skechers Shape-Ups and Reebook Easy Tones – but now the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the largest non-profit fitness certification, education and training organization in the world has given those shoes a thumbs down. This week ACE released the findings of an independent research study, which suggests that there is no evidence that the shoes help wearers exercise more intensely or burn more calories.

The study, which is reportedly one of the first from an independent organization further enlisted a team of researchers from the Exercise and Health Programs at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.

“Toning shoes appear to promise a quick-and-easy fitness solution, which we realize people are always looking for,” says ACE’s Chief Science Officer Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D.  “Unfortunately, these shoes do not deliver the fitness or muscle toning benefits they claim.  Our findings demonstrate that toning shoes are not the magic solution consumers were hoping they would be, and simply do not offer any benefits that people cannot reap through walking, running or exercising in traditional athletic shoes.”

However, Katherine Hobson, who contributes to the Health Blog for The Wall Street Journal offered a bit of commentary on this release:

“It should be noted that ACE is a nonprofit that certifies a lot of fitness pros who would be out of a job if we could all get fit without working out. ACE says it commissioned the study but that it was independently designed and conducted.”

Skechers also disagrees and has posted a website that includes results from four clinical case studies. In other words, the debate will rage on.

American Council on Exercise (ACE) Research Study Finds Toning Shoes Fail to Deliver on Fitness Claims  Via PR Newswire

Wall Street Journal: American Council on Exercise: Study Finds Toning Shoes Don’t Work

Skechers: Shape Ups Clinical Case Study

Tour de France: Catching Up with HTC Columbia Out on the Road

We reported earlier this month that Team HTC Columbia had partnered with Google, and while the Tour de France is heading towards Paris you can still track the placement of riders in real time. Each rider with Team HTC Columbia is using the My Tracks program, and is carrying an HTC Legend device, so this allows for the location to be provided via GPS in real time.

You can also see the individual rider’s power, speed, cadence and heart rate data. About the only thing you can’t see is who is going to be the new lead out man for Mark Cavendish.

[Via ZDNet] 

Smartphone Apps to Help You Pound the Pavement

 While running might be the most basic workout there is; after all you don’t actually “need” anything. You just look at a spot and run to it. But over the years technology has changed the way we run, with everything from the shoes to the clothing and now with the apps. Yes, there is an app for running. So while the app runs on your phone, it can help you better pound the pavement over the long miles.

Over the past six months we’ve looked a few running apps, but our colleagues at The Detroit Free Press, which is the sponsor of the Detroit Marathon (Oct. 17), offered an excellent round-up of the best running apps and websites. Thanks to Free Press Web Editor Mark W. Smith for compiling the list. We’ll look for you on the road in October Mark!

 [Via Detroit Free Press: Smartphone apps keep runners hitting the pavement]

Bike Lock Not Needed For Bendable Bike

Serious cyclists often talk about how rigid their bike frame is, and often times a bike that is too “flexy” is considered a bad thing. Likewise, the serious cyclist also knows that the best lock is not leaving he bike locked up. So it is interesting to consider a new design from Kevin Scott, 21, a De Montfort University graduate who has created a very revolutionary folding bicycle.

Scott’s design means a bike that is both rigid whilst riding, but can actually be folding to wrap around lampposts when you need to run into a shop or otherwise stop. Obviously this bike isn’t meant for racing, or probably even serious training, but as a commuter ride it’s a great Scott of an idea. The bike utilizes a ratchet system built into the frame, which allows it to wrap around a pole, something that can come in handy in cities that lack adequate bike racks. A locking mechanism is built into the frame as well, which means one less thing to carry.

The bendable bike is currently on display at the New Designers Show at the Business Design Centre in Islington in North London, where Scott hopes to attract investors. Given that more than 52 bikes are stolen daily in London, we hope Scott’s invention gets a backer.

[Via The Daily Mail: The incredible ‘bendy bicycle': British designer, 21, invents a bike you can FOLD around a lamp post]

Microsoft Announces Kinect Pricing

You won’t have to wait long to go controller-less with the Xbox 360. Today Microsoft announced that the Kinect game console add-on will be released in North America on November 4, and will cost $149.99. We were hoping that Microsoft would include a fitness game, but instead it looks like the motion and voice control system will be released with the game “Kinect Adventures.”

This game will be also be part of new Xbox 360 bundle, which will include the soon to be released matte black version of the console that now offers a 4GB hard drive. The quasi-fitness game “Kinect Sports” will also be available at launch on November 4, and we’ll expect many third party titles will also arrive in time for the holidays.

Xbox.com

World’s Most Expensive Bikes

The Aurumania Gold Bike will set you back a mere $25,000. We hope that includes grip tape and pedals!

With the Tour de France is full gear there has been no shortage of expensive bikes on TV and in the news. Think those pricey? Actually, those cycles are small change, at least compared to some of the truly expensive rides that can be hand. Forbes magazine offered a peak at some of “The World’s Most Expensive Bicycles,” complete with a slide-show.

Now in fairness, most of these bikes aren’t the type you’re likely to find at your local bike shop – and although some of the bikes are based on off-the-shelf frames, the bikes included are one-of-a-kind pieces of works, decked out in jewels and featuring exclusive paint jobs. Interestingly, many of these bikes are now in private collections, such as a Trek Madone 7-Diamond, which was decorated with 100 white diamonds in honor of Lance Armstrong’s record-breaking seventh Tour de France victory in 2005. That bike was auctioned for charity and sold for $75,000.

Other bikes included in the slide show feature gold leaf and special finishes. When you consider that most serious riders get pretty upset when they scratch the paint or nick a decal, imagine even thinking about risking these bikes on a road ride!

Forbes.com: The World’s Most Expensive Bikes

Koko FitClub Comes to Cape Cod

Have only 30 minutes to work out? Most people would say that probably isn’t enough time, even if there are countless gimmicks, informericals and fly-by-night products that say otherwise. So can you actually get a real workout in just a half an hour? That is actually the concept behind Koko FitClub, LLC, a technology company that is reinventing the fitness franchise business. The company is also set to open its latest store in Cape Cod, with several more to open soon across the country.

Says president and co-found Mary Obana about KokoFitClub: “Traditional gyms don’t work for the vast majority of the population. They don’t have the time, and they don’t know what to do.” Sound familiar? Well, the concept with this gym is that it offers what the company calls the Koko Smartraining System technology, which analyzes each member’s unique fitness level, and then designs a customized training plan base don individual goals and ability. The system provides users with a guide to take part in high-effective workouts based on proprietary strength and cardio equipment. The idea is that users only do what they need to, and thus work out more efficiently.

Of course the key is still actually getting to the gym and working out, but those who hate the time that is spent at the gym this one might be worth going Koko over.

Koko FitClub Official Site

Halo Like a Guardian Angel For Your Bike

Almost everyone at one time or another says, “if only this thing could talk, imagine the tales it would tell.” Well, imagine if one of those tales was about how it stopped a potential theft. That’s the idea behind designer Steve Hunt’s Halo Bike Lock. This flexible ring, which looks a bit like the angelic halo is heaven-sent for an entirely different reason.
An angelic way to deter theives

The Halo is actually constructed in such a way as to make breaking or otherwise removing it from a bike a bit more difficult than just cutting a simple pad lock, thus slowing down a possible theft. The cable connector of the Halo is actually housed inside the lock’s frame, but the real reason to buy the lock is the warning an owner will get. The Halo Bike Lock will send a text message, via an integrated wireless transmitter, should someone try to tamper or cut the lock.

All that sounds great right? Well, there is a problem. Steve Hunt hasn’t actually produced the Halo yet, and thus the idea is still very much in the clouds. Dare we say that Steve needs an angle investor to get the Halo off the ground?

Steve Hunt’s Halo Bike Lock Official Site

[Via Softpedia: Halo Bike Lock Notifies Owner of Bike Theft]

ElliptiGo Gets You Going

Where running and cycling meet

Imagine being able to do the running and cycling parts of a triathlon at the same time? That’s sort of what the ElliptiGo can do. This outdoor elliptical bicycle essentially combines running with cycling, for what the manufacturer dubs a low-impact yet high-output cross-training form of exercise. The bike lacks any seat, but does utilize typical hand brake levers.

Developed by Bryan Plate, a former cyclist and Ironman competitor who suffered from hip and knee injuries, the ElliptiGo is a 18.1kg eight-speed trainer that is geared towards runners who want to avoid the impact of road work, but still want to remain “out of the saddle.” While the ElliptiGo is probably best for fairly flat terrain – and does require a reasonably smooth surface – the bike can reach some decent speeds, around 24 km/h, although the company maintains that strong riders/runners could reach up to 40 km/h.

The ElitptiGo retails for $2,200 and is available in blue, black and for the environmentally friendly, green.

ElliptiGo Official Site

[Via Asia Cnet: Taking the ElliptiGO bike for a spin]

 

FitClick.com Launches App

Wouldn’t it be grand if you could just click to get on a diet and lose weight? You could click on an app, and see the pounds just fall off. Well, there is NOT an app for that, but there is a new app that will let you keep track of what you’re eating and your workouts. The FitClick Diet and Workout Tracker is the first to offer a full suite of diet and workout features. The app, which is available for the iPhone, works as a calorie counter and food journal, while it can provide customizable diet plans plus workout routines – so you can burn to earn. The tracker portion can calculate calories burned from more than 800 exercise demo videos. Users aren’t tied to one set routine either, and can instead create their own diet plans and workout routines, or if you’re looking to get straight to it, you can use one of the thousands of member-created programs that are already available.
 
The app further contains a database of 118,000 foods along with 12,000 recipes. Additionally, the FitClick iPhone App can work as a full-service companion to the FitClick website, providing real-time access to diet, fitness and weight loss programs. Users aren’t tied to one set routine either, and can instead create their own diet plans and workout routines, or if you’re looking to get straight to it, you can use one of the thousands of member-created programs that are already available.
 
The app is available from the Apple App Store now.

FitClick.com iPhone App Official Site

Did the Adidas FORMOTION Jersey Deliver in the World Cup?

Before the World Cup the LA Galaxy tested the space age uniforms

Introduced last March for the 2010 Major League Soccer season, the Adidas TECHFIT uniforms have been seen in the FIFA World Cup. The question going around the Web is whether the results were more psychological than physical? The other technology advance seen in the uniforms for the World Cup is in how the technology has made the leap from typical under garments to be the material in the actual uniforms. This is notable with the FORMOTION uniforms, which is an alternative, which also offers moisture-wicking fabrics and mesh construction to help provide ventilation and keep the athletes cool.

So is this a lot of hype? There is no doubt that clothing not only makes the man, or makes the woman, but as we’ve seen improvements in garments can help reduce drag, keep an athlete cooler and improve performance. The question now is did the TECHFIT and FORMOTION uniforms do as much physically as it did mentally?

The TECHFIT uniforms consisted of compression fabrics and strategically placed TPU (Thermoplastic Urethane) bands that were located in key areas. This was cited as being able to enhance muscle power, and according to news reports TECHFIT was “proven” to increase a player’s power by 5.3 percent, vertical leap by 4 percent and sprint speed by 1.1 percent, as well as to enhance endurance by 0.8 percent. This sounds like the suit from Greatest American Hero to us! But at $150 a pop it is probably almost as expensive.

What was also worth noting is that several teams including South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Japan, Spain, Germany and France have worn both TECHFIT and FORMOTION uniforms, while other nations such as Greece, Denmark, Slovakia, Paraguay and Nigeria were outfitted with FORMOTION uniforms and a TECHFIT base layer. Sounds good right? Well, consider this… the team from the Netherlands was reported fitted with Nike made uniforms!

So we’re not one to question the psychological effects either. If you look good and feel good by looking good, you’ll probably play better too.

Adidas World Cup Site

Nike World Cup Site

[Via FoxNews.com: High Tech Soccer Jersey Effects More Psychological than Physical World Cup players more likely to get confidence boost from new uniform kit ]

Hands On: Sport Shooting With a Sleek Looking .22

At first glance the GSG-5 is a terrifying little number, it looks like a serious machine pistol. In fact, the design is a near perfect clone of the famous H&K MP-5 submachine gun, a favored choice of small arms for anti-terrorist and Special Forces units around the world. The H&K MP-5 is regularly seen in the hands of police department SWAT teams, so does this mean the gun is available to consumers complete with silencer?

Actually, no it isn’t. But the GSG-5 isn’t a submachine gun. It is actually just designed to look like the H&K MP-5, and instead of serious 9mm, this one is the target friendly .22 caliber. The gun of course doesn’t include a silencer either – the faux suppressor at the front is just a nifty extension of the barrel. Basically this .22 has the look of an assault weapon without the power of said firearm – sort of proving that looks and laws can be deceiving. Continue reading Hands On: Sport Shooting With a Sleek Looking .22

Pedal Power to Power Mobile Phones

Handlebar mounted mobile phone complete with charger - your legs supply the power

Being able to burn some calories while charging a mobile phone might sound like a great combination, especially for those looking to go green. But this technology could be a life changer, especially in areas where reliable power isn’t always available. Nokia has shifted in high gear, basically by utilizing a familiar technology, but with a new twist. The Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit can help power a mobile phone as soon as you reach a walking speed (around 6 km/h), while at 12 km/h it can actually be as efficient as a plug-in charger. It can install on practically any bike, and it works much like those 1960-1970 era lighting systems, where it generated power as a wheel made contact with the actual bike tire. The faster you pedaled the brighter the light. It was so simple; it is a wonder why it hasn’t been used for other applications.

But now Nokia has essentially taken the technology and adapted as a phone charger. It consists of a bottle dynamo, a charger and a phone holder. The bottle attaches to the front of the bike via a mounting bracket, while the charger and phone holder are mounted to the handlebars. To the serious rider this could be a turn off as it will add some weight, but except for race day it shouldn’t matter.

For those in less fashion-centric locations, where a bike is a means of everyday transportation, this could have a big impact. TMCnet is reporting that this technology is already being used in parts of Africa, where reliable power isn’t always readily available to users. This makes for an easy to use alternative, and unlike wind and solar recharging devices is good for those on the go.

Via TMCnet: How Nokia Turns Bicycle Technology Into Charging Device

Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit