Two Tube sports science expert Sarah Hughes on how science has influenced the world of sport.
Exercise science has grown phenomenally in the past 20 years. Exercise scientists study factors that influence sports performance or physical activity including physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, sports psychology, exercise testing, movement analysis, strength and conditioning.
Eight key events in golf swing
The significant role of science in elite sport is increasingly evident. Sport scientists design methods of assessment, create training programmes and provide specialist advice, based on research, to improve individual and team performance.
Every element of an elite athlete’s training and progress is meticulously assessed. Advances in science are vast and the world of exercise science is constantly evolving. Technology has enhanced the ability to monitor and gauge athletes’ potential. Electronic timing gates have replaced the stopwatch to assess speed and body fat calipers have replaced the weighing scales to assess body composition. Electronic jump mats assess vertical jump and sophisticated metabolic systems assess aerobic fitness.
But it’s not only the elite who have embraced the role science can play in personal performance. Recreational athletes, gym goers, fun runners etc are constantly on the look out for new information or training advice that could compliment their training.
Many devices and gadgets claim to have the ability to give you rock hard abs, help you shed weight, and make you faster. Some do as they claim but a lot are gimmicks.
Heart rate monitors are an example of a simple but potentially useful training aid. Monitoring the heart rate during training sessions can help prevent under training or over training.
Many elite athletes undergo assessments in an exercise physiology laboratory. By doing so, exercise scientists can accurately inform an athlete what heart rate is associated with different exercise intensities. This is an accurate and scientific way to assess an athlete’s fitness level and training capacity.
For the amateur athletes, the simplest method to calculate maximum heart rate is to use the formula below:
Max heart rate = 220 – Your Age
So if you are 20 years of age, your max heart rate would equal 200 beats per minute(bpm) using this formula
Once you know your maximal heart rate, you can estimate the heart rates that correspond to various training intensities. For example, if a coach or trainer tells you to train at 70% of your maximal intensity, you can estimate the heart rate associated with that. Similarly, if you are told to carry out a lighter session or indeed a more intense session, you have a clear understanding of how to maintain the correct intensity throughout.
So for a 20 year old, 50% maximal intensity would equate to 100 bpm
A heart rate monitor is now perhaps one of the most basic sensors that is being used in the world of sport. A research centre in Ireland that is making huge advances in the development and application of sensor technologies is CLARITY: Centre for Sensor Web Technologies. CLARITY is a partnership between UCD, DCU and Tyndall National Institute Cork.
Within CLARITY, specific research teams, comprised of scientists and engineers, have focused on novel sensing technologies in exercise, health and wellness. CLARITY has developed wearable sensors that can measure movement, breathing rate, technique of sports skills, such as a golf swing, darts throw, tennis serve, horse riding to name but a few.
Data capture with trainee jockey
CLARITY has also developed novel sweat sensing technology for analysis of sweat composition during sport. This is one of the most interesting from an exercise science perspective. The ability to monitor hydration levels through sweat analysis might allow us to specifically tailor how much an athlete needs to drink, in order to optimally hydrate.
Sweat Patch
With the 2012 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition taking place in the RDS this week we remember the BT Young Scientist of the Year in 2011 Alexander Amini. Alexander and his winning project ‘Tennis Sensor Data Analysis’.
This project used remote sensor technology, developed in CLARITY, to analyse a tennis players movements. Alexander was able to extend his project during the summer and went on to win a top prize in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in Helsinki in September last year.
Advances in science and technology in sport have improved performances, technique, equipment, training, tactics, officiating and has resulted in the smashing of numerous world records.
The art of winning will never be totally defined by science or technology, but scientists and engineers, the world over, will continue their quest to increase our chances of success.
Follow Sarah on Twitter and add your comments below.
