Why New Technology is an Important Part of Sports, and How It Can Benefit You
by Alex Gavrilov, LNT Organizer
When it comes to new technology and advancements, not many people would connect that sector with the industry of sports and entertainment. Of course, there’s always the TV or smartphone you can watch matches on, but today we aren’t talking about that type of technology. We are rather looking at the newly-introduced advancements that 15 years ago would have been considered a method of cheating in professional sports, and how come nowadays we simply cannot live without them.
As some of the readers may be aware of, sports isn’t always about talent and skills; it is also about data and statistics. In every single sport there are different statistics, ratios, probabilities and so forth, which illustrate how successful a player is performing. This data varies from being super simple — if I take a penalty 10 times, how many times I will score? — to more complex number — an athlete’s overall efficiency to their team. If you believe that statistics aren’t important to sports, go watch Moneyball and come back again; I’m sure you’ll have a different perspective.
It seems to be pretty common for analysts to be able to track these numbers and see how an athlete is performing, but not only. We, non-athletes and everyday average Joes, we use these statistics and data to improve our physical development as well. When going to the gym, there are now these plasma TVs on the treadmills that tell you how many millilitres of sweat you are producing and how much faster you are running now than you were yesterday. It is fascinating, really, the extent to which technology has gotten into our body development, and how it helps us improve ourselves. But what happens if we don’t have that technology?
Well, nothing, really. I mean, directly speaking, you can still run 15 miles or climb 500 steps without your iPhone beeping at every step you take. You will be able to lift 30 kg and take a rest without your wristband counting your break between sets, sure. I myself use the iPhone health app every day to track how many steps I have taken. It doesn’t really matter to me, other than when I have walked less than 5000 steps I feel really lazy. But it provides me with a comparison with how I am doing compared to before, and that is what matters to me. It also matters to many people that really want to push their bodies to their limits and reach their maximum physical potential. Because,
at the end of the day, everyone wants to feel good in their body and skin,
and for some that means exercising.
Don’t get me wrong, these new technological gadgets won’t make you lose 20 kg in 5 days or get you the Arnold physique in a week; they’ll simply track your activity and if followed, will give you about a 0.5% edge to how you were performing before. For some, that is all the increase they need to reach their desired result, for others, it helps them feel well about themselves. Not everyone is built to be an athlete, or doesn’t want to be one; but taking care of your body is an essential part of human survival. It’s no coincidence that the sports equipment industry is expected to reach $90 million by 2025 (a little note for you entrepreneurs that are looking at that industry, hehe). Yet, with new gadgets popping up every day like mushrooms in a forest and the hype of everyone having one in their hands, how do you know what to trust and what not to? Well, to begin with, don’t go down that road if you aren’t sure about how exactly this tech will help you. You will probably simply buy it, use a couple of times and after not seeing the incredible instant result you were hoping for, you will probably put it in the attic or basement. No, this technology is not for everyone, but if you really understand what you are doing, it can transform your life by making it ten times easier.
I love bicycling, I have a bike that I love to just go out and ride on the river bank or around the park; it gives me the tranquility and relaxation that I sometimes crave for when busy. Mostly, however, I use my bike to train before heading to the gym. In a sport like cycling, data is everything. That is why I use a little gadget called EggRider. It is a small display that I attach to my bike and connect via bluetooth to my phone. It tracks my speed, my efficiency, my time and assist, and then transfers the data to my phone where I can see in graphs and charts my production. It is a really great gadget that I would recommend; with thousands of competitors out there, I believe this one gives a great value for its price.
