I recently had the opportunity to interview Rob Schwartz, Team USA Strength and Conditioning Coach for Acrobat & Combat Sports. Rob currently works with Olympians who compete in gymnastics, boxing, tae kwon do, judo, fencing, wrestling, synchronized swimming, and diving. I wanted to pick your brain and get an idea of ​​how sports fitness technologies (heart rate, calorie consumption, calories burned, sleep monitoring, distance and time tracking, VO2 recording, total vertical gain, etc.) used in the training of Olympic athletes. and how Mr. Schwartz envisions future consumer adoption of similar technologies.

Q. Living in Denver and having previously toured the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, I am reminded of the number of gadgets and devices that monitor and track the progression of athletes in training. Could you explain the type of fitness technologies your athletes are currently using and the role they play in their daily preparation for training?

A. For daily training activities, we primarily use video commentary, both in the weight room and in the practice environment. At Strength and Conditioning, we’re always trying to measure the readiness of our athletes, so we measure power outputs using Tendo units and force plates; this gives us feedback on how hard we can train each athlete on any given day. At predetermined times of the year, the sports dietitian tests athletes’ blood lactate levels during “live” practices to assess the physiological demands they face in competition. We’ve even had some fighters take blood lactate tests immediately after actual matches. We are currently developing an app for athletes’ phones to monitor nutritional, psychological, training and recovery status. This is a short list; we have many other modes of technology that we use as well.

Q. It seems that Olympians have been using technology in their training programs long before the recent consumer fad, would you say that many of today’s fitness devices are the result of what has been Tried and tested in the Olympic arena?

A. Not that I’m aware of, when we train world-class athletes for Olympic competition, we simply don’t have time to test technologies that haven’t been proven in the field. We’ll get some emerging technologies from companies like Nike and Samsung, but we’re confident that by the time they hit our desktop, they’ve proven themselves.

Q. Do you believe emerging health and fitness apps and devices will improve our nation’s health outcomes and help citizens become more informed and active participants in their personal health?

A. I hope so; It depends mainly on the person and their goals. If the consumer is serious about getting fit, I suggest doing your research and making sure you buy equipment from reputable companies that are proven in the market.

Q. One last question, any basic advice for those looking to start some personal strength and conditioning training?

A. I would start by joining your local 24 hour gym and getting a few personal training sessions. There is nothing better than an experienced coach to provide feedback and steps for improvement. Browsing the Internet for training advice or suggestions is not suggested as there is no professional feedback and the information you are receiving may not be credible or suitable for your personal goals.

I am also a big believer in video feedback for athletes, as with a current world champion boxer I train when the fight is over, the first thing we do on our flight home is review the video on our smartphone and start preparing. for the next fight.

To learn more about the United States Olympic Training Center or to plan a tour, visit them at TeamUSA.org and possibly rub shoulders with America’s top Olympic athletes and coaches.