Posts

SportTechie.com: Analyzing the sleep patterns of the Dallas Mavericks

/in , /by

SportTechie.com reporter, Bryan Douglass, recently interviewed Fatigue Science founder, Pat Byrne, about our technology and it’s application in professional sports and human performance optimization:

The start of the NBA season has basketball fans smiling, but the rise of tech in support of better basketball has NBA owners smiling more. The influence of tech is growing, and we’ve seen more than a few headlines over the weeks leading into the 2013-14 season to prove the relationship is growing.

One of the more recent headlines comes from Dallas, where owner Mark Cuban – renowned supporter of the geek business model – has hired Fatigue Science to work with Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of the Mavericks. Founded in 2007, Fatigue Science offers services focused on “fatigue-related risk management and human performance optimization.” NBA players endure one of the most grueling schedules in professional sports, and Cuban, cognizant of the challenges his players face, is looking for a better way.

Read the full article

Vancouver Canucks post-game coverage: Coach John Tortorella and his Readiband

/in /by

We caught new Vancouver Canucks coach, John Tortorella, wearing his Readiband in the post-game coverage after the Canucks pre-season win over the Coyotes on September 23rd.

Between busy game schedules, practice, training and challenging travel requirements it’s not uncommon these days to hear professional athletes and teams declare fatigue as a major factor in poor game performance. Since 2009, the Vancouver Canucks have been using Fatigue Science’s Readiband and FAST (Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool) to manage fatigue and calculate performance at game time. Since that time, the Vancouver Canucks have become one of the best road-game performing teams in the NHL by getting objective scientific data in order to make smarter travel decisions.With a new coach and Readibands on hand, we’re looking forward to seeing what this next season will bring for the Vancouver Canucks in their quest for the Stanley Cup.

 

Performance and sleep: Be at the top of your game

/in /by

Your “peak performance” level does not have to be an illusive physical state. Diet and exercise are just two of the three pillars of performance. The third pillar is sleep.

Your performance is directly related to your sleep, and not just the amount, but the quality as well. When the Vancouver Canucks first started working with Fatigue Science, they purchased exclusive rights in the NHL to use the most accurate system available to address this issue. After working with Fatigue Science and using the Readiband for two weeks, there were two key findings:

First, you can dramatically improve your performance as a team on the road if you create a plan to manage fatigue. The plan is only valid if it is based on personalized sleep data.  No two players play the same, the same is true of their sleep in relationship to performance.

Secondly, self-reported sleep data is inaccurate. There are dozens of sleep disorders that exist and many people, including professional athletes, don’t even realize they might be suffering from one.

In a video featured in a recent article by TechVibes, Darcy Hordichuk describes the surprising findings of his team mates on the Vancouver Canucks.

The Vancouver Canucks are not the only ones with a gruelling schedule. In an article published today, the LA Galaxy are clearly facing this common and detrimental problem.

The pressure on professional athletes to perform is immense. There are teams of people managing their nutritional needs and their every move in order to maximize training and performance, but most are missing the biggest piece of the puzzle.

Former English soccer coach suggests fatigue could be reason for lack of success in international tournaments

/in /by

International soccer fans are already counting down to the world’s most watched sporting event; FIFA’s 2014 World Cup. The four-year build up to the tournament is huge, and failure to perform can lead to great disappointment for coaches, players, sponsors and fans. Players will train hard and play hard, but will that be enough? Former England national coach, Fabio Capello, recently spoke with FIFA.com about the team’s lack of success on the international stage. In the interview, he suggested that English soccer players were simply tired:

“…They’re the least fresh of any of the competing national sides, because their league doesn’t have a break.” He says, continuing to add: “It’s like when you’re driving a car: if you stop halfway to put fuel in then you’ll definitely get where you want to go, but if you don’t then there’s always the chance you’ll be running on empty before you reach your goal.”

A recent article on Sportpulse.net cites the interview, supporting Capello’s claim by adding:

“In the past, top Premier League managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have spoken about the need for a winter break. They believe that the lack of a break hampers English teams in the latter stages of the Champions League, as well as for international tournaments.”

The writer goes on to suggest that “…perhaps England need to do away with their packed winter schedule of games and find space for a winter break. Otherwise, as Capello says, they will always find themselves handicapped heading into a tournament.”

But what if a ‘winter break’ isn’t a feasible solution for England’s players? Better analysis and a look at their scheduling could provide a real solution to optimizing the team’s performance at tournament time. Fatigue Science’s Readiband and FAST (fatigue avoidance scheduling tool) is the only scientifically validated technology to do just that.

National soccer programs, olympic committees, the national hockey league, the national football league and Australian football league are already using Fatigue Science’s Readibands and FAST to reduce fatigue and improve player performance – maybe the English national soccer team should too?