One of the most exciting frontiers in sports performance right now is the ability to individualize and adapt your training, recovery, and diet based on actionable data. The days when this level of insight was only available to those with access to a sports science lab are nearly behind us.
Whoop and others have opened the door with their wearable technology, but in this week's Recovery Club, we're going to explore two performance trackers currently available that put specialized sports science lab equipment in your pocket, allowing you to become a better athlete.
Measuring your VO2 max by analyzing sweat with Yopi.
For endurance athletes, Yopi (Your Online Personal Instructor) might be one of the most intriguing companies out there right now. Yopi was founded by a former IronMan athlete, Hemi Re’em, who nearly died one year after completing his IronMan due to a 90% coronary blockage and had to undergo an emergency bypass.
He realized in the hospital that his heart rate monitor, which he'd been wearing for the past two years, had not given him a single indication that he was close to death. So, after teaming up with a group of doctors and medical researchers, he developed a band you can wear on your arm that tracks biomarkers from your sweat, such as the levels of potassium and sodium.
They then interpret that data through an app, which provides you with real-time, accurate readings of your VO2 max, a key indicator of heart disease. The app also offers recommendations, allowing users to tailor their training to directly improve their VO2 max and other performance markers based on their individual biology.
It's an astonishing piece of tech. The company has just completed its crowdfunding phase and is moving into production, so it won't be long before you see half the starting line at the next IronMan event with a Yopi on their arm.
Hack your metabolism with Lumen.
You may have already heard about Lumen; they brought their product to market a couple of years ago after securing funding in 2019. They have created a breathalyzer that detects levels of CO2, indicating whether you're using carbohydrates or fats as your fuel source.
For anyone embarking on an intense training program or seeking to optimize their performance for a specific moment, the data provided by this device is incredibly valuable. The in-app advice offers nutritional recommendations, allowing you to consume the necessary fuel for the task at hand.
The science behind Lumen has been thoroughly researched, with studies conducted by the University of Toronto describing the device as being as accurate in its readings as equipment found in their own sports science labs.
Lumen is now readily available online, priced at around £300, and does require multiple breaths per day to provide the best results. However, if achieving performance gains is your top priority, it's a small price to pay for the actionable data that Lumen provides.
