Internet, Sports Science, Technology, weight management

Withings Body Scale review

I have been recently trialling an interesting new device: a Wi-fi scale. Absolutely brilliant concept: a scale which can transmit data via wireless connection to a server and have data available online via a web application or an iphone application.

After contacting the producer, I received the parcel and have been using the scale for a week and I am very pleased with it. Here is how it looks:

 

withingsIt has a very nice design with a durable tempered glass slab and a large backlit graphic screen. It is battery powered and very easy to use as it automatically turns on when you stand on it and it turns off within few seconds of inactivity.

It arrived in a nice small package of a total weight of 2.5 kg!

Setting it up

The scale comes with a manual in many languages, batteries and a USB cable to connect it to a PC for the initial setup. The initial setup requires downloading a software to set the scale up in your home or work network in order to be able to send the data to the web server. The process is simple, however my scale took few trials to be recognised as it filed to be connected to my home wi-fi. However after updating the firmware it all worked nicely, scale recognised and ready to go.

There is a very useful forum on the website of the company with a lot of up to date hints to solve every possible problem. Also, looking at the frequency of posts on the forum it seems that the support is quite efficient.

CIMG3185

Specs

All the specifications are indicated here, however the most important ones are:

– The ability to decide the unit of measurement

– The possibility to have body composition and BMI analysis

– Personalised multi-user monitoring

– Software for data sharing and analysis

Graduation 0.1 kg and maximum weight 180 kg

 

CIMG3183

Body Composition Measurements

The website does not specify how body composition is measured (in terms of what equations, how accurate and how valid such measurements are). I assume it is through bioelectrical impedance analysis. However it would be useful to have such data as accuracy of such measurements is crucial for its use in an athletic population. Also, I believe the normative data included in the software refer to the general population hence having very heavy muscular athletes might result in some high scores in BMI.

Software

The software is very simple, user friendly and is also available as an iphone application. The screens are user friendly and you can manually input data as well as add comments and delete data. It is very useful to track how your body mass is changing and keep records (sadly it informs you that it is about time you start dieting and exercise more!)

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The software allows you to share the information and/or to print /save reports

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Support, news and other useful stuff

Withings has a very useful Blog which is an incredible source of update for accessory software needs and anything specific to the Withings scale. They have recently developed a widget for Mac users, included their platform within GYMTECHNIK, and most of all, connected the scale to Microsoft Health Vault (Very interesting product of which I promise to write something about very soon).

The scale unfortunately supports only up to 8 users, which means is perfect for a family, but a bit challenging if you are a professional working within the fitness industry with many clients and/or with elite athletes and squads. However I am sure that some customised hardware and software solutions will be available soon for such demands.

Verdict

All in all a great tool with a lot of potential to be used with athletes travelling on training camps and facilitate the storage and recording of data where there is a wi-fi connection. Absolutely a great tool for a family as it allows to track everyone’s body weight very efficiently. More information on its accuracy and on the validity and reliability of the body fat measurements is warranted before recommending it to a group of elite athletes.

goalkeeper, handball, Virtual reality

Virtual reality and Handball Training

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I have been recently reading a lot about the use of virtual reality in sport, mainly because I strongly believe in the potential of using this technology in rehabilitation and training. While looking for specific articles, I found some interesting work conducted on Handball Goalkeepers by a French group.

The situation between a shooter and a goalkeeper in Handball is fundamentally a duel. The shooter wants to be beat the goakeeper and score a goal, the goalkeeper wants to beat the shooter and make a save!

In a duel between two players, previous research works demonstrated the role of the opponents’ motions. It means that elements in the opponent’s movements make the other player choose an appropriated reaction. The ability to utilise visual cues and “anticipate” what the shooter is doing is what makes a World class handball goalkeeper.

Endless hours of shooting training help goalkeepers in developing the appropriate strategies and moves, however one could argue that the ability for a goalkeeper to progress depends a lot on the quality of players providing him/her with “cues”. Form a coaching standpoint, a goalkeeper always facing shooters “easy to read”, would never progress further, so allowing him/her to train with more advanced shooters and a variety of shooters and situations can improve the goalkeepers’ ability to develop.

This is particularly true when we are thinking about progressing young goalkeepers and fostering talent. Having been in handball for many years I am still surprised about how old fashioned goalkeepers’ coaching still is.

There is a lot of emphasis on technique and position (all very important), virtually no work on eye movements and visual abilities, and virtually no work on advanced cues and anticipation (due to the limitations of the quality of shooters and drills). Virtual reality could be an innovative solution, and in the promising work of our French colleagues we might find a new way to progress goalkeeping to a whole new level.

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