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[@PeterAttiaMD] Running’s New Edge: Power Meter Shoe Tech | Olav Aleksander Bu

· 6 min read
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@PeterAttiaMD - "Running’s New Edge: Power Meter Shoe Tech | Olav Aleksander Bu"

Link: https://youtu.be/q4YNeTCTxVM

Short Summary​

This video transcript discusses the use of biofeedback tools, particularly power meters, in cycling and running to improve performance. While power meters are well-established in cycling, their application in running is newer and involves either insole-based force plates or motion capture devices attached to shoes, allowing for a more granular understanding of running mechanics and efficiency by differentiating between gross and net mechanical power.

Key Quotes​

Here are 3 quotes from the transcript that highlight valuable insights and/or strong opinions:

  1. "In cycling we have extremely good tools for bio feedback today. You have a power meter and you have a GPS. So just these two combined for example speed and power like we we talked about last time when you were out riding 200 W constant and basically you see you're getting faster. So you you have this direct bio feedback..." This quote highlights the power of readily available tools (power meter and GPS) for cyclists to gain immediate biofeedback and optimize performance. It underlines the importance of understanding and leveraging these tools for targeted training.

  2. "But the implication here is that uh even when you look at studies that are looking at gross gross efficiency for example in the old days or even today uh there are like one thing you consider as a net mechanical power. The interface between basically looking at your gross mech or let's say gross uh gross efficiency is where you take V2 and we already there most people understand that okay you have a difference between net net uh net oxygen consumption and gross oxygen consumption you would ideally like to have the net oxygen consumption but there are other things there but in cycling actually also what you only consider there is the net mechanical power you don't consider the gross mechanical power and should you really look at the let's say on your biochemical efficiency you you should not look at the net mechanical power you should look at the gross mechanical power but that's even before we start to get into vectors power vectors force vectors and other things uh even in a threedimensional plane as you do cycling because this is something we can extract from the bometers today." This quote highlights the need to consider gross mechanical power and vectors to have better biochecmial efficency.

  3. "So what you can do and this is validated. So if you for example run on a track, a track which has force plates or you run on specialized treadmills that has force plates integrated in them, you will basically see that the curves are the same. So this is the way let's say this is the external validation of the device is good. uh both in terms of that it captures uh the the force curves but also here with when you have motion capture devices you can also capture the foot path as well. So this is something we can visualize in 3D today after the event when you are doing running. We can see what happened there fresh fatigued throughout the race when it's technical and other things." This quote emphasizes the validity of using foot force plates and motion capture to measure foot path, force, and see runners after the event.

Detailed Summary​

Okay, here's a detailed summary of the YouTube video transcript, broken down into bullet points, highlighting the key topics, arguments, and information:

Key Topics:

  • Biofeedback in Cycling and Running: The conversation centers around using biofeedback tools, specifically power meters and GPS, to optimize performance in cycling and running.
  • Power Meters in Running: Focuses on the emerging technology of running power meters and their application in training.
  • Gross vs. Net Mechanical Power: The discussion delves into the difference between gross and net mechanical power in cycling and running and why understanding both is crucial for optimizing performance.
  • Adoption of Power Meters: Examines why running power meters are not as widely adopted as cycling power meters.
  • Commercial Running Power Meters: Stride is mentioned as a company that commercially provides running power meters.

Arguments and Information:

  • Biofeedback Effectiveness: Experienced cyclists can develop a keen sense of how changes in their riding (e.g., position, technique) affect their speed at a constant power output, making biofeedback very effective.
  • Running Power Meter Types:
    • Insole-based: Measure forces directly via force plates within the shoe.
    • Motion Capture: Use accelerometers and body weight to estimate force, based on the principle that ground contact involves supporting the body's weight.
  • Stride Power Meters:
    • Validated against force plates on tracks and treadmills.
    • Accurate enough to capture force curves and foot path.
    • Can visualize foot path in 3D to analyze running mechanics, fatigue, and technical issues.
  • Motion Capture Limitations: Motion capture devices require filtering to reduce noise due to the high degrees of freedom in running.
  • Running Power Meter Adoption Challenges:
    • Still debated within the scientific community how to best capture and quantify running power.
    • Increased degrees of freedom in running make direct comparison between gross and net power more difficult.
  • Stride's Approach to Running Power:
    • Outputs "metabolic power," correlated to oxygen consumption on a treadmill.
    • Validated with cycling metabolic power without needing a bike.
  • Alternate Methods to Using Running Power Meters:
    • Raw number analysis, extracting the net and gross mechanical power components for analysis alongside metabolic data.
  • Importance of Efficiency: The analogy of Formula 1 racing is used to illustrate that engine (or raw power) output is secondary to how efficiently that power is translated into speed around the track given fuel constraints (a more holistic measure of efficiency).
  • Differentiating Training Effects: Access to both gross and net mechanical power allows for a more granular understanding of whether training changes are affecting the biomechanical or biochemical aspects of running.
  • Work Efficiency: Work efficiency is the interface between gross mechanical power and net mechanical power.