Adidas has introduced its new Crazyquick performance footwear line, which the company touts as being the latest innovation designed specifically to help make athletes quicker. This includes a line for basketball, football, running and training; and each gives athletes better controlled flexibility, better traction and optimal foot lockdown. So while it is good that Adidas is thinking of the “Quick” part, there are a whole lot of athletes that probably don’t need any help on the “crazy” part.
Tag: Training
Weekend Reading List (12.01.12): Air Out There, Good Eats, Effects of Exercise, Interval Efforts
Air Out There
Via Men’s Fitness: Does Outdoor Training Make You Dumb?
A new study looks at the effects of air pollution on mental ability. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (12.01.12): Air Out There, Good Eats, Effects of Exercise, Interval Efforts
TYR Debuts Custom Goggle Program
When you’re competing in a triathlon you can customize just about every aspect of your uniform. But then you strap on a pair of standard goggles that everybody else is also wearing in the swim component. TYR just announced a custom goggle program that lets swimmers create their own goggles. Continue reading TYR Debuts Custom Goggle Program
Runcoach Data Show Differences in Training Habits of Men and Women
One of the things about virtual trainers is that they’re a sucker for data. That is they save all the data you and all the other users save in the system. Now runcoach is releasing some of its data to highlight the varied training practices between men and women for marathons and half marathons. Continue reading Runcoach Data Show Differences in Training Habits of Men and Women
Head Coolie Keeps a Cool Head on the Run
On a hot day, especially race day, it’s difficult to stay motivated and focused on a run. There’s a number of new products out there that help you stay cool, and now HeadCoolie joins those offerings. Continue reading Head Coolie Keeps a Cool Head on the Run
Endomondo Adds Interval Training by User Request
It’s always nice to see a company responding to customer feedback. Endomondo is one such company. It asked users what features they’d like to see in the iPhone app. Users responded with requests for interval training, which Endomondo granted in its newly updated version. Continue reading Endomondo Adds Interval Training by User Request
TrainingPeaks Reaches New Peak with British Cycling
British Cycling has partnered with training software company TrainingPeaks. This means coaches and members of British Cycling, a national club that includes GB Cycling Team as well as avid cyclists, with software and support for discounted rates.
Continue reading TrainingPeaks Reaches New Peak with British Cycling
Nike+ Shoes Go Digital
Last week we posted about Nike’s knit shoes, and now the company has gone to the other extreme with Nike+ Basketball and Nike+ Training shoes that are digital! The shoes feature a sensor system that can sync with software to provide wearer’s with detailed information to help during training and to track performance. Video after the jump
Made in America: Strength Squared Power Sleds
Typically sleds are designed to make hauling a heavy load over a set distance a little bit easier. Whether that load is a deer dragged out of the woods by a hunter, a kid’s sled barreling down a hill or Santa’s sled landing on a roof, the goal of moving a body of mass over a surface with ease is the same. But there are a few sleds made with the opposite goal in mind – making the task of moving a body of mass harder. These ‘power sleds’ are used in fitness training to build strength and stamina. Strength Squared, with locations in both Las Vegas, NV and Denver, CO, has only been making power sleds since 2010, but they have made a big splash in the market with an appearance on the NBC show, “The Biggest Loser” earlier this year.
3LC’s Spin on Training
Pounding out miles on the bike trainer through the shorter days of winter can be a real motivational challenge especially after a long day at the office. Hooking the bike up to the trainer, strapping on the heart rate monitor, watching the watt meter and simply turning over the pedals can be a real drag. Three Legs Cycling (3LC) has a series of training DVDs utilizing a different and simpler approach to training that promises a more exciting training experience.
The 3LC series DVDs are designed to help you stay fit, become stronger and stay motivated through the winter, but instead of requiring a host a monitoring devices, they have designed the series behind the philosophy of leg speed. Hook the bike up to the trainer, pop in the DVD and ride. The videos will take you through the workout and during certain intervals, instruct you to increase or decrease your leg speed. Even if you do not have a computer with cadence, simply watch the riders on the video and match their leg speed. If you feel good, put the bike in a harder gear and maintain the same cadence as the riders in the video. The beauty of the video is if you are having a lackluster day, simply put the bike in an easier gear, but match the cadence of the riders. It is that simple – always match the cadence.
Made in America: Slastix by Stroops
Resistance bands are a great way to build strength or aid on the road to recovery from an injury. These bands are typically made of rubber, similar to Latex, and can sometimes break during use causing additional injury. This is counter productive especially if they are being used for rehabilitation. Since the mid-1990’s, Stroops has been making a safer resistance band under the name Slastix Technology – designed and manufactured in America.
(Video after the jump)
Smart Egg or Just Cracked Idea?
To prepare for the recently concluded USA Pro Cycling Challenge many European riders arrived days, even weeks prior to the big event to acclimate to the altitude. But what do you do if you are already at sea level, and can’t spend days in the mountains but still want the benefits of altitude training? You could climb into a really expensive egg.
According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, and now making rounds throughout the blogosphere, tennis star Novak Djokovic uses a special CVAC Pod every single day. He climbs into the egg-shaped pod, which sorts of evokes memories of Lady Gaga’s arrival at the Grammy Awards earlier this year, but whereas her egg was just for show, Djokovic’s $75,000 device – which is just one of only 20 in the entire world – is meant to compress the body’s muscles by using computer-controlled valve and vacuum pump to simulate being at high altitudes. Basically it is akin to a trip to the mountains without the need to be stuck in a tight and extremely uncomfortable airplane seat breathing recycled bad air.
On second thought, it seems the device is actually just like being on a coach airline seat, something Djokovic probably hasn’t had to endure in years. But the difference is he only has to spend 20 minutes at a time, and just three times a week – although reports suggest the tennis star is in the egg daily. All things considered it does seem to be more of a compression rather than decompression device, but if it helps his game he might prove to be one smart egg.
[Via Wall Street Journal: Novak Djokovic’s Secret: Sitting in a Pressurized Egg]
Riding FASTER
When performance modifications are done to a car, a dynameter can be used to measure the horsepower and torque output at the wheels to analyze and further tune the vehicle. There is an endless number of changes that can be performed on a car that the dyno can measure, but it alone can not be used alone to analyze the effects of drag over the body and chassis without testing in a wind tunnel.
For years, top level professional cyclists have had access to equipment to gauge their power output and wind tunnels to analyze and improve their positioning while on the bike. They also had the deep pockets of sponsors to fund the use of this equipment, but the costs put the use of these facilities out of most amateur racers. Recently watt meters have become smaller and more affordable for the amateur cyclist, so why shouldn’t the wind tunnel be more accessible? That is all about to change.
Set to open in August, the FASTER Performance and Retail Center is finishing up the final touches on their new facility in Scottsdale, Arizona. Continue reading Riding FASTER