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Monday, December 1, 2008
Technology Advances Products
Raleigh Durham, NC
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But Hard Work Still Pays Off
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps claimed his spot in sports legend last summer when he became the first athlete to win eight gold medals in a single Olympics, smashing former Olympiad Mark Spitz’s seven-medal record set in 1972.
In the process, much ado was made over the new high tech swimwear Phelps and his fellow Olympic swimmers used.
On today’s soccer fields, kids really can “bend it like Beckham,” thanks to a special Adidas shoe that soccer great David Beckham actually wears.
Does technology make athletes better, faster and stronger?
In a word, “yes,” said John Roy, head coach at the Triangle’s New Wave Swim Club.
“The biggest advantage of the high tech suits is the way the materials are designed to channel water faster than human skin,” he said.
After society moved beyond the voluminous suits of the 1920s and 30s, those involved with the sport adopted the “less is more” standard.
Who can forget the famous Mark Spitz poster, all seven gleaming medals occupying more real estate on his chest than his skimpy suit covered on his lower torso?
“In the past, the goal was always the smaller, the better,” Roy said. “Then Speedo started making suits to cover more of the body.”
Today, the high tech suit has morphed into a full-body type of second skin.
They are commercially available, Roy said, but not all recreational athletes can afford them.
“The fact is, some parents can afford to buy their children a $500 swimsuit and other can’t,” Roy said.
So, in the spirit of fair play, as of May 2009, USA Swimming will not allow kids 12 and under to compete in high tech suits.
In the world of sports clothing, technology is making advances almost faster than consumers can keep up.
In addition to streamlined swimwear, there are materials designed to keep athletes cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather.
Mizuno has patented a special fabric designed to interact with moisture and actually give off heat when athletes sweat in cold weather.
“Wear the wicking tee shirt close to your skin as a base layer so it picks up sweat, wicks the moisture away, and heats up in the process,” said Todd Shields, manager of Omega Sports in Raleigh’s North Hills Shopping Center.
Under Armour is the hottest name on the market, Shields said. In addition to its cold weather gear, Under Armour is known for its compression garments.
“Compression garments are really good for fighting muscle fatigue,” Shields said.
They reduce the risk of injuries, reduce the time it takes for muscles to repair themselves after a hard workout, and they reduce muscle soreness in general.
Runners have long been in search of magic shoes to help them run farther and faster, and while this concept is still a dream, technicians and shoe manufacturers have come a long way. Today there is a shoe to fit nearly every foot, for nearly every kind of runner or walker.
Omega recently installed a gait analysis machine, which is like a treadmill hooked up to a computer.
“This is especially good for beginners,” Shields said. “Running on the treadmill will allow us to see how your feet strike the surface when you run, and we can make sure you are in the right kind of shoe.”
In the soccer world, shoes have gotten lighter, designed for high performance, according to Bill Hanckel, owner of Premier Sports, a soccer specialty store in Cary and Raleigh.
Thanks to Adidas and its Predator Power Swerve cleats, mere mortals can now emphasize a free kick with curve.
“The Predator has a rubber grip that makes the ball curve better,” Henckel said.
In addition to performance, equipment manufacturers are develop products designed to reduce injuries.
Soccer players will worry less and less about getting their shins banged up, thanks to higher impact standards.
Xenith has a new football helmet on the market designed to limit concussions.
The helmet, which retails for over $300, is lined with a thermoplastic material that can adapt to the force of impact.
On a routine hit to the head, the discs provide cushioning, but on a harder, more forceful blow, the material remains stiff and prevents the sudden jarring of the head that causes concussions.
The Xenith helmet has 18 shock absorbers embedded into a flexible cap that lines the inside of the helmet.
Thanks to technology, one size and shape does not fit all.
But does technology give average, or even good athletes that magic button to turn them into gold medal winners? To curve a soccer ball straight into the net? To pitch a perfect game?
Probably not.
Athletes must have natural talent and ability to excel in their sports, no matter what kind of equipment they use.
Take swimming and those high performance suits.
“As a coach, we’re talking about a fraction of a second they reduce,” Roy said. “When you get to the high school state championship level, 95 percent of the kids will be in a high tech suit,” Roy said. “Most recreational swimmers will not.”
Soccer players should already know how to free kick a curve ball before the Predator Power Swerve will do them any good.
“There’s not that much difference in a curve using the shoe,” Henckel said. “It is truly just a matter of inches, and players still have to have skill. Buying a $200 pair of shoes is not going to help a recreational player.”
And the most expensive high tech running shoes are not going to turn a six-hour marathon runner into an instant Boston Marathon qualifier.
While technical advances in shoes and equipment have not provided the magical elixir, manufacturers have created products that are comfort able, with a variety to suit athletes on nearly every level.
“I believe that if athletes enjoy wearing the technical apparel and using better equipment, they’ll enjoy their activities more, will want to play and practice more, and that’s what is going to improve their performance,” Shields said.
Henckel agrees.
He also has a “back to the future” philosophy about soccer shoes.
“It’s very possible, the manufacturers will go back to the standards,” he said. “Even today, our best seller is the Copa, first released back in 1979. It’s just a simple, basic shoe.”
For athletes of all ages who are in the market for shoes, equipment and apparel, Shields offers a simple conversation to have with local retailers:
“Talk about what you are going to use the equipment for. Be open-minded about brand. Make sure you purchase shoes, apparel or equipment that is the right fit. Be sure you get the appropriate shoes, apparel or equipment for the sport you play,” he said.
Remember, what is new today is old tomorrow.
Thanks to technology, apparel and equipment are ever changing. Roy, Henckel and Shields agree that manufacturers are in perpetual scramble mode to look for ways to advance their brands. Each weighed in:
“There’s a business side to all sports. An effort to produce something that will make them a lot of money,” Roy said.
“Typically, when a new shoe comes out, designers are already working on a new model,” Shields said.
“Every year manufacturers try to improve upon technology,” Henckel said.
So what’s a young athlete to do?
Take advantage of technological advances in equipment, all three experts agreed, but don’t forget the basics: training, practice, and nutrition.
Athletes who have the money can afford a set of golf clubs like Tiger Woods uses, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll win the Masters. Young cyclists can buy a high tech bicycle and dream of winning the Tour de France, but dreams and a fancy bike won’t guarantee a visit to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
Only hard work, drive, and determination can make those dreams come true.
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