Blog Feed: Train Smarter

Adding a new toy for bio-marker feedback

Published on 2013-02-23 14:00:23

I have now added a capnometer to my tools of bio-feedback. It is small and light enough to train with and it does not interfere with normal breathing, it seems to be stable enough in running and gym work. I now will have feed back on ETCO2 and breath

Review of ZeroPace Training Log

Published on 2012-09-26 14:46:00

This is a review for ZeroPace Training Log. I have purchased the ZeroPace (ZP) software so this is a honest review of my experience.Over the years I have used Polar, Garmin and Suunto heart rate monitors and with the build up of training files I need a training log software where I can view all the data on the same training diary. There are several online training software, Training Peaks being the cream of the crop for online software but

Functional vs Structural changes through training

Published on 2012-05-08 00:58:24

This blog is about making athletes think about their training, why do certain things and what happens when we try to adapt training programmes to our physiology instead of following the normal cookie cutter approach of just doing.

Diaphragm and respiratory training (SpiroTiger).

Published on 2011-08-19 01:31:37

This is the SpiroTiger (ST) article that I published over a year ago and has been rewritten with a year and a half worth of experience and improvements. Keep in mind that every person is a individual and he or her has their own weaknesses, so there may be different reaction to what I have found.BackgroundMost athletes do not even think of training their lungs, they think that they can not train their lungs, that their lungs could not possibly limit their performance. And that their body is limit [..]

SpiroTiger

Published on 2011-08-08 05:20:27

SpiroTiger: Spiro what? sounds like a fuzzy little animal that lives in the woods! Rather it is currently the only training device that can train your lungs effectively. Sure there are other low cost devices such as Powerbreathe and PowerLung out there, but they will only allow one to train the respiratory muscles for about 30 seconds before one goes blue in the face and keels over panting.The PowerLung is more like gym training for the lung where as the SpiroTiger was designed to train the e [..]

FaCT testing

Published on 2011-04-29 13:59:55

I recently had some FaCT testing done to find my weaknesses. Here are some pictures to give a idea of how versatile and portable the equipment is. It can not be seen in this picture but under my shirt I have EKG pads that have a wireless&nb

How valid is a VO2 test and results?

Published on 2011-03-02 06:41:10

VO2 max: is the value of the total amount of oxygen used by the body at maximal intensity. It is the oxygen used by the muscle, heart, respiratory system and the brain. The maximum amount of oxygen that the body can use is expressed as a VO2 value.Tr

Power balance bands exposed

Published on 2011-01-16 09:46:56

This is a very interesting read and by no means surprising, the follow up articles on this are also a good read. A piece of plastic with a hologram plate which will improve balance and performance worn by many pro athletes! Sound

Recovery and adaptation, or is it?

Published on 2010-12-28 06:36:43

Here are a few ideas on recovery. When we train we break our bodies down, and we become stronger by adaptation when we recover. As athletes and coaches we advise a variety of ideas to have a faster recovery so that we can adapt faster and

Lactate Balance Point – LBP

Published on 2010-12-09 01:30:21

The majority of physiologist and athletes reading this article will think these ideas are crazy, if you think so come back in 10 or 15 years and read these ideas again. Read this article and the links, understand why, and you may have found a better

Understanding the weakest link and more ideas.

Published on 2010-12-04 05:05:06

Some more ideas and thoughts, and why we find LBP and the weakest link. Read Athletes weakest link to get the background on this article. This is the scenario: A pro cyclist has a well developed leg muscular system which has a good capillary netwo

The case against stability training (throw away the swiss ball?)

Published on 2010-11-22 14:55:03

Unstable surface training UST is used to improve trunk muscle strength and core activation. But, there is enough research and an excellent article at Science of Running that debunks this idea, here is a summary.When working with stability exerci

Athletes weakest link - MCL

Published on 2010-10-17 11:15:29

“Maintainer Compensator Limiter-MCL”, these terms are something that most people are unfamiliar with and most physiologists don't want to accept or understand yet. (MCL is something that is well researched by FaCT and still ongoing.) So he

The FaCT way of looking at the body!

Published on 2010-10-08 05:55:20

I have a keen interest in the FACT - Feldmann and Chlebek Testing System, mainly their way of looking at the athletes body from a alternative angle to the usual University text book answer. Instead of only looking at lactate as a marker of perf

Lactate fuel or foe?

Published on 2010-10-08 05:54:56

Myth: Lactate causes fatigue. Fact: It corresponds with fatigue but does not cause it. In fact it is a mechanism to help delay fatigue. I will try to explain what lactate is and let you navigate to the links to understand how lactate is f

Compression Socks, just a trend?

Published on 2010-09-22 14:24:29

Paula Radcliffe was one of the first well known people to make use of compression socks. Now days they have become very popular in most sport although I have not yet seen them used by cyclist in the pro peloton? Although cyclist tend to wear them fo

Core exercises, are we sure we are activating the core?

Published on 2010-09-21 11:44:32

Nearly every personal trainer, fitness advisor, coach advocates core work. But once again do we understand what we are doing by following the trend! We would like to think that what we are training with core exercises is the best way to a