6 Ideas For Athletes Who Want To Improve Performance
Anyone who's ever trained for a marathon, scaled a rock wall, or just gone for an extra-long bike ride knows the feeling of hitting the wall. Professional athletes have long sought ways to get a competitive edge and push their limits, but thanks to technology, everyone now has access to these tools. We're featuring several options for those serious about utilizing the information at their disposal to develop a plan and break down those barriers. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
Resources For Reaching Your Athletic Potential
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Diamond Kinetics | Motion technology company employing analytics to enhance baseball and softball player development |
| Halo Neuroscience | Neurotechnology brand that helps players develop faster muscle memory with the Halo Sport, which supplies a small electric current to the area of the brain that controls movement, putting it into a state of hyperlearning |
| SlowTheGameDown | Trains athletes with development programs focused on areas like rehabilitation and visual performance |
| TD Athletes Edge | Strength & Conditioning facility focused on performance-based training, nutrition, and recovery for athletes of all levels |
| InsideTracker | Provides personalized, evidence-based solutions for nutrition and exercise based on blood test results |
| Dr. Greg Wells | Author of Superbodies and The Ripple Effect, and host of a popular weekly podcast |
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In Depth
Athletes are continuously looking for ways to increase their performance and gain an edge. Sports science and mobile technology are converging to offer many more options for those seeking to improve their personal bests in physical endeavors. Whether it's to speed up skill acquisition, or for strategies to improve recovery time, consider these ideas to improve athletic performance, in no particular order.
Starting with #1 is Diamond Kinetics, a mobile motion technology company dedicated to enhancing baseball and softball player development. Motion analytics combine with their proprietary hardware and software to provide data through sensors inside smart balls and bats. The feedback and metrics from the hardware are sent to the athlete's mobile device for analysis and suggestions on how to improve performance.
Baseball and softball players alike can utilize their respective SwingTracker sensors on their own bats, or find a particular brand through a partnered manufacturer. Smart balls for either sport are also available for analytics on pitching and throwing. Furthermore, athletes can subscribe to Diamond Kinetics for increased metrics, advanced tools, and deeper analysis.
Smart balls for either sport are also available for analytics on pitching and throwing.
Next up at #2 is Halo Neuroscience, a neurotechnology company that helps develop faster muscle memory with their brain stimulator, Halo Sport. Whether perfecting a golf swing or learning to play an instrument, one needs to form new pathways in the brain in order to learn. This ability to create and strengthen connections between neurons is called neuroplasticity. Halo Sport increases neuroplasticity by applying a small electric current to the part of the brain that controls movement, activating neurons so they fire more often and make learning easier.
Halo Sport is backed by over 4,000 peer-reviewed papers that support its safety and efficacy. Research from organizations such as the US Ski Team and The Air Force Research Lab have found that stimulation with the headset showed statistically significant improvement in subject performance across multiple metrics. Faster improvement of physical goals, injury prevention, and more time for training are some of the possible benefits for athletes.
Coming in at #3 we have SlowTheGameDown, a company that trains athletes with player development programs that enable them to consistently achieve high performance results. Visual Performance Training improves timing, decision-making, and the overall visual system to guide the body's actions. This method enables individuals to maximize the coordination of their eyes, mind, and body to reach the highest level of athletic potential possible.
This method enables individuals to maximize the coordination of their eyes, mind, and body to reach the highest level of athletic potential possible.
In addition to performance enhancement training, SlowTheGameDown also offers rehabilitation services for players who are recovering from injury, as well as athlete workshops and certification programs. Their How2Focus book series is for baseball players looking to learn focusing techniques. Training accessories designed for their programs are available through their website as well.
Arriving at #4, is TD Athletes Edge, a strength & conditioning facility focused on performance-based training, nutrition, and recovery for people of all levels. Their mission is to help their clients discover their edge by offering evidence-based training that provides clients with clarity, guidance, and community. TD Athletes Edge believes every person has a unique story and background, and each program is handcrafted to meet their individual goals.
The Nutrition Coaching programs can help athletes eat better to achieve and maintain their goals through small, consistent, and positive changes that add up to results over time. In addition to in-house training, an online option is available following a brief intake form. An individualized program can be crafted for anyone looking to begin their training at home. Whether you're a serious athlete, or just want to get in shape, they can help to deliver training results.
An individualized program can be crafted for anyone looking to begin their training at home.
Next at #5, we have InsideTracker, founded in 2009 by experts in aging, genetics, and biometric data. Science-based personalization is the backbone of InsideTracker. The algorithm that drives their platform is continuously refined, drawing on research and technological advances, and ever-evolving, just like the human body. InsideTracker creates evidence-based solutions that are simple, clear, and actionable.
Personalized nutrition is at the core of InsideTracker. Over 8,000 scientifically studied foods in their algorithm provide an in-depth look at an athlete's meals. The analysis not only tell athletes what to eat, it tells them why. Blood, DNA, and habits provide the data that InsideTracker's algorithm and human team use to create individualized strategies for better performance.
Finally at #6, is Dr. Greg Wells, a scientist and performance physiologist, who has dedicated his career to exploring human limits, and teaching others about his research findings through his books and public speaking events. He founded Wells Performance, a global consulting firm on a mission to improve performance at work and in life, and provides advice from the world's top high performance scientists on his blog.
He founded Wells Performance, a global consulting firm on a mission to improve performance at work and in life, and provides advice from the world's top high performance scientists on his blog.
Dr. Wells shares his research as an author of books like, Rest, Refocus, Recharge, which outlines how small changes in the way athletes recover can help improve mental health, prevent illness, and achieve goals. The Ripple Effect outlines easy-to-follow strategies of minor actions that can build to greater results in performance. Sleep, exercise, and meditation are some of the tools discussed that allow athletes to harness their full potential.
