Blood lactate levels on the go!

Courtesy of Fraunhofer

Smart fabrics that can give you feedback on your electrolyte levels, heart rate, calories burned, etc., are a hot topic in the apparel industry. However, German engineers from the Fraunhofer Institute are reaching even further, developing an ear clip that can measure an athletes blood lactate levels through an electrochemical sensor. They have already developed a prototype and are hoping to bring it to market within a few years. Imagine the possibilities this opens up for an athlete during his training by getting instant feedback on his lactate levels and being able to adjust his workout accordingly. Exciting stuff! Now the "common athlete" will also have access to such wonderful technology that can bring him/her closer to optimal performance. Thank you German engineers!

Note: Don’t forget to train; the clip alone won’t help you ;)


A more detailed description can be found here

Stability and cushioning by Nike?

Courtesy of Nike



A shoe that provides runners that over pronate with more stability while offering sufficient cushioning. That is the claim Nike makes with their new LunarGlide +. Two features that "normally" are mutually exclusive due to biomechanical design properties. However, how close Nike really comes to fulfill their promise should be assessed by experienced runners.

Popular Science has a short article on the new shoe

A review from a experienced runner

Measure your swim workouts!

Receiving feedback on your heartrate during a trainig session is a good way to measure intensity and manage a workout. Heartrate monitors are commonly used by endurance athletes on land, but in the water the options are still limited. To solve this problem Finis has developed the Aqua Pulse, a device that provides the swimmer with instant feedback on his heartrate, allowing for targeted workout. I haven't tested the device, but there should be a market for it.

Click here for more information on the Aqua Pulse


Picture courtesy of Finis