We will all agree new advances in equipment, training programs, sport nutrition… do make a difference in how the “Pros” are performing today compared to 20-30 years ago. And even at the competitive level the majority of us are at,  we also all know that at the end of the day, the best-conditioned athlete will usually succeed. A finely tuned athlete using the newest equipment, the most effective individualized training programs supported with the best sports nutrition is what it takes to be the best one can be. But what about the guy/gal who finished second or third.  What do they need to do in order to improve their performance to bring them to the top?  The obvious answer would be to either purchase better equipment, train harder and/or take better supplements…!  But is it?

Is it really only a matter of  working on the “obvious” to generate improvements in all athletes?  What about the not-so-obvious  “limiting factors” which greatly affect the way athletes perform?  What about factors like: Proper positioning on the bike which will allow your body to use the most effective muscles group for the correct action; what about muscle balancing to ensure both side of your body are generating as much power as they can; what about breathing rate and depth to ensure your muscles get a good supply of oxygen…

As you can see, there are many more factors which have been proven to limit the way the human body performs!

Through our complete TrainSmarter Performance Testing, we objectively assess each person’s bio-mechanical and physiological capacity through the use of live video analysis, FaCT Blood Lactate Testing, Zephyr Bio-Harness and more…

The results of the assessment will highlight factors which are potential limitations to better performance and we can then guide you on the proper steps to improve these limitators!

Our goal is to improve your structural physiological capacity!  Through our step-by-step testing and training approach, you will be able to optimize your body’s capacity to perform in your respective activity and ultimately be “the best that you can be!”

Here is a short description of the testing system we are presently using:

Heart Rate Variability ( HRV)  

 

 

 

What is HRV:

It is the measurement of the variation in the time interval between consecutive heartbeats in milliseconds. A normal, healthy heart does not tick evenly like a metronome, but instead, when looking at the milliseconds between heartbeats, there is constant variation.

These variations are controlled by your autonomic nervous system (ANS).

The ANS controls about 90% of bodily processes (HR, blood pressure…) and is divided in 2 main divisions:

• Para sympathetic (rest & digest response)
• Sympathetic (fight or flight mechanism)

Why does tracking HRV matter:

Higher HRV (Para sympathetic dominance – rest & digest) has direct link to healthier, more resilient bodies and minds whereas Lower HRV (sympathetic dominance – fight or flight) often results in mental and physical health problems.

The good news is that by tracking your HRV and taking active steps to improve your lifestyle, be active and strive for a more balance life, you can improve your HRV trend and therefore be healthier!

How to track HRV:

There are now many different devices on the market, which will allow you to track your HRV. By using these devices correctly and consistently, you will be able to find out what your HRV baseline is and then by Training Smarter – Not Harder you will be able to improve your HRV baseline and reap the many health benefits of these improvements.

Would like to know more?   Contact us

 

FaCT Blood Lactate Assessment

In today’s technologically advanced world the fastest-ever endurance athletes use lactate assessment to plan and monitor their progress. Lactate measurement are used worldwide by sport scientists, coaches and athletes to accurately determine Heart Rate training zones, recovery and much more. Lactate assessment is a highly scientific way of looking inside the body during exercise to see exactly what is happening. It is sound science, exceptionally accurate and reliable.

Part of our TrainSmarter Coaching Philosophy is that we strongly believe that training programs should not be based on general heart rate guidelines/formulas but rather, they should be based on individual responses to exercise. This can be achieved through our FaCT Lactate Assessment which is for the people/athletes who want to make sure that when they train, they do train at their optimally intensity!

During our FaCT Lactate Assessment, blood samples are taken from the fingertips while you exercise at gradually increasing efforts. At the same time, heart rate, breathing rate, perceived exertion, oxygen saturation levels, POLAR RLX rating and other key data is gathered and plotted, giving our trainers valuable insights in to your exercising body. To our trainer’s expert eyes these results are easy to use, practical and as accurate as you could possibly get. They include your lactate balance point (LBP), peak effective power/ speed and other important findings that will help you make the most of your training. So take the guesswork out of your training by using our FaCT Lactate Assessment. We utilize the Lactate Pro for all our blood lactate testing. The Lactate Pro is the world-wide meter device of choice of both elite teams and sports scientists for monitoring athlete training and for sport research.

Contact us to find out more details on our different testing programs