Optimizing TechNOlogy and Your Training
Training apps, tracking apps, bar path trackers, wearables, HRV, strain... We are bombarded with amazing technology that can tell us EVERYTHING we want to know and more.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am a fan of tracking and utilising this technology in various ways to help optimise performance, health, and wellbeing. And many tracking apps can be a very useful tool in creating awareness and knowledge about our bodies.
But…a lot of the time people confuse information for insight.
We have so much data that we don’t even know what half of it means, or how to even use the data to then make any positive change.
If you don’t DO anything with the data, besides letting it make you feel sad or stressed, why track it in the first place?
Do you truly understand the data?
Let's take the Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as an example - Can you truly tell me the definition of HR? and the physiological factors that impact it? and ‘normal’ ranges? and what it would mean if the number was high or low? How do we then go about changing things? What factors need to be changed?
The thing is, these data points are impacted by stress. And stress is EVERYTHING; everything physical, psychological, or environmental, that acts upon us, both ‘good’ and ‘bad’. And stress often has a delayed effect, and often does not align with our actual performance capabilities; especially acutely, session-to-session.
So you should understand the context of ALL these variations rather than reacting to individual data points.
Is your data actually accurate or reliable?
Also, understand that although these technologies are constantly developing, there are still various and large inaccuracies in the data they provide. For example, factors affecting the accuracy of HRV readings include:
Resting vs. Active Conditions: HRV readings are more accurate during rest or sleep compared to active conditions, due to less noise from motion.
Sensor Quality and Placement: The quality and placement of the PPG sensor significantly impact the accuracy of measurements; including factors like skin tone, motion artefacts, and the tightness of the wearable.
Do you truly know how to use the data?
Another issue we face is that, while training technologies can help us solve some problems; mostly giving us information about the end result, it cannot solve the problem of WHY or HOW things are happening.
For example, bar path tracking apps can only tell us so much - we need to know why the bar is moving this way or that, and how the movement feels (where and how are we creating tension, where and how are you getting balanced, what are you thinking about during the performance), in order to make changes. Which will inevitably result in bar path changes anyway. But we can't do it the other way around.
We can’t try and change the bar path without changing the body position or awareness.
Finding the perfect balance!
These technologies can provide a convenient, and relatively cheap way to measure training and health trends and make informed decisions about fitness and recovery. Balancing the use of these devices with coaching advice, an understanding of the complexities of the data, and attention to your body and performance is crucial for maximising the benefits and minimising potential downsides of these technologies.
Utilising these tools to help with visual feedback, improve self-awareness, and potentially link what is going on in your body to how you are feeling. Also, increasing awareness and knowledge around sleep, stress, HR, the menstrual cycle training load, etc etc.
With the caveat being, I think it is 100x more important to learn to listen to your body, how you are feeling, and not rely on these technologies to make decisions for you, or how successful your day or training will feel.
So, rather than rely on all these metrics to TELL you how you feel, or what you are capable of, just ask yourself -
“How do you feel?” OR “How did it feel?”
If you are lifting, and cannot reflect and recall how the lift you performed 10 seconds ago felt, without the help of your camera roll, or HRV or strain score or bar path tracking app - optimal performance and technical understanding is going to be hard to come by.
The tracking apps or variables that I may sometimes recommend include:
Training:
Training journal (good old pen and paper here, or a spreadsheet)
Videos of lifts (not every lift, and not to be watched during training)
Adherence tracker (especially for those starting out, using a calendar or similar to tick off sessions may help)
Watch (including GPS for running, and general time tracking for conditioning, or rest periods when lifting)
Bar velocity (only in specific cases)
Heart Rate (Plain old beats per minute, again for conditioning, to gauge intensity levels)
Nutrition:
Macros or total calories (doesn’t need to be super intensive or ongoing)
Hydration (water and electrolyte intake each day)
Other:
Menstrual cycle (get an app, does not need to be tracked daily, but enough for potential patterns to emerge)
Daily steps (set a target, and aim to keep on track with this, generally i recommend minimum 6000 steps p/day)
Sleep (this is optional, honestly I mostly want everyone just track sleep and wake times to create awareness here, to ensure they are achieving 6+ hours, and improve if necessary)
While technology offers us powerful tools to enhance our training, it's essential to understand its limitations and not let it overshadow the importance of listening to your body. Data can provide valuable insights in small contexts, but it's your personal experience and how you feel that ultimately guide your performance and progress.
If you have questions about how to effectively integrate technology into your training or want to discuss your training progress, feel free to reach out to me and we can look at the key points you need to focus on to maximize recovery and in turn generate high performance.
- Coach Brooke
