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The Importance of Wearables, Data and Energy Systems Development
EXOS is a leader in the field of human performance, a category it created more than 15 years ago. With award-winning spaces, services, and technology, EXOS connects people to the solutions they need to take control of their health and performance. EXOS is trusted by more than 150 clients, including leaders in business, health care, sports, and the military.
Today’s consumer is at the center of an explosion of wearable devices marketed to those who are trying to meet their health and fitness goals. However, not everyone is using this technology to his or her advantage. Not only can you help your clients understand the benefits of wearable technology; you can also analyze the data for insights into their habits, allowing you to further customize clients’ training.
At EXOS™, we use data to track what our clients do and how much they do it. With this information, we’re better able to serve our clients and quantify the impact of different programs. One of the best ways to do this is by using wearable technology to determine Energy Systems Development programming. Unlike steady-state cardio, Energy Systems Development uses interval training to upgrade fitness levels.
While there are a variety of assessments we can use to influence Energy Systems Development programming, a few that we often use are the MAS test, a staged assessment protocol and a max sprint speed test. With the exception of the max sprint speed test, which requires only a stopwatch to measure time, each of these is performed with the client wearing a heart rate monitor, a watch or a smartphone to track heart rate.
The MAS test measures how far a client can get in 6 minutes. This test is done on a rower, bike, elliptical trainer, VersaClimber or track. In the staged assessment protocol, the client performs 2-minute stages, starting at a 3/10 rate of perceived exertion, and increasing one rate of perceived exertion every 2 minutes up to a 10/10 rate of perceived exertion. This can be done on a track, on gym equipment or using the 40-yard shuttle. We use maximum sprint speed testing only with our competitive athletes. The most common test is a 40-yard sprint, where we can calculate miles per hour or meters per second.
Within these tests there are certain data points that are measured to help us create Energy Systems Development zones for our clients. We can rerun these tests over time to ensure that we’re using data to optimize our clients’ performance.
Are you interested in learning more about wearables, current data and performance? EXOS has teamed up with Intel® to provide added value to future Intel-based fitness products and to develop industry education programs that will help fitness professionals maximize the impact of their clients’ wearable data. We currently offer two courses, and a third course is in progress.
The first course, EXOS Presents: Using Data to Help Facilitate Recovery, looks at how data can influence recovery and focuses on defining what performance capabilities, stress load, functional state and performance outcomes are, and matching regeneration strategies to mitigate a fatigued functional state. The second course helps you design Energy Systems Development programs using a systematic approach. You’ll learn how to use data to quantify and qualify the work being done, ensuring your clients are constantly improving. Sign up for this two-course bundle using code 10EXOSESD and save 10%.
And sign up for our newsletter, too, so you’ll be the first to know when our third course, on how to use data and operationalize it for small-group training, launches later this year.
