FORT WORTH (9 March 2017): About 15 years ago, cyclists began trading in their heart rate monitors in favor of power meters, which provide far more accurate and immediate response data to help guide training programs and race tactics. The device measuring power in wattage revolutionized the sport and now runners are poised to experience similar breakthroughs with RPM², advanced new technology measuring power and bilateral equivalence. Training Peaks recently published new research conducted by Lance Walker (MS, PT), vice president and global performance director of Michael Johnson Performance, confirming the effectiveness of RPM² as a vital tool to help athletes achieve their best performance.
With the introduction of highly accurate power measurement as a new key metric when assessing running performance, Walker believes that the resulting data monitored by RPM² – including weight distribution, range of motion and gait analysis – provides invaluable insights into training, recovery and athlete monitoring to help guide athletes and coaches.
“Using power meter technology from RPM² is one way our coaches are leveraging data to ensure optimum realization of potential in our athletes, regardless of sport, age, gender, ability level, or disability. Data is fast-becoming the second ‘voice’ of the athlete, and to hear it, understand it, and use it to better the performance outcomes is our charge as performance coaches,” Walker wrote on Training Peaks.
Walker used RPM² technology – a pair of shoe inserts and a phone app – while conduct two trials of repeat 100-yard sprints performed at a predetermined timed pace in order to highlight the importance of monitoring changes in bilateral symmetry with training. By measuring power and cadence along with step time, ground contact time and flight time, symmetrical differences are easily observed. Walker termed the data “very valuable” in tracking the effectiveness of the athlete’s training plan.
“Taking this data into account allows the athlete and coach to begin to monitor changes in power over time for a given distance and time requirement to ascertain how the athlete is responding to the training stimulus,” he surmised. “We do see in the linear speed and speed-endurance athlete asymmetries in power, strength, mobility and running mechanics as areas of opportunity for improved efficiency and decreased injury potential.”
Instead of determining the success or failure of the athlete’s training performance based on the time of repetitions, Walker found that RPM²’s data enables the coach and athlete to focus on the actual kinetics and kinetics of each repetition. Right/left asymmetrical compensations in power and stride can be detected and vital insights can be gleaned about how the athlete is tolerating training overload and adapting to training progression – essential feedback for the coach and athlete to know when adjustments should be made to the training plan.
Michael Johnson, who amassed 13 Olympic and World Championship gold medals during his legendary running career, knows the value and importance of accurate data measurement, and sees RPM² as transformative technology. The three-time Team USA Olympian said, “The best-laid strategic plans are only as effective as the management metrics that monitor them. RPM² provides critical and otherwise ‘hidden’ looks into true physical performance unseen by heartrate monitors, stopwatches, and videotape…will become the new ‘critical’ metric on runners’ dashboards.”
To read Walker’s entire case study and findings, go to http://bit.ly/2me4XGb. Additional information about RPM² is available at www.RPM2.com.
About RPM²
RPM² (Remote Performance Measurement/Monitoring) is on a mission to help athletes reach their full potential and achieve their best performance. The technological innovation measures the bilateral equivalence and power of runners, triathletes and cyclists via a pair of shoe inserts and a phone app. It also tracks weight distribution, range of motion, and performs running gait and cycling pedal stroke analysis. The data is instantly available, enabling athletes – and their coaches, who can be linked to receive the data remotely – to tailor training programs to develop strength and conditioning exercises towards achieving bilateral symmetry and therefore, maximize performance. Learn more about RPM²at www.RPM2.com.
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