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WOODWAY NEWS - 2011 |
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| December 21, 2011 | Is your commercial facility taking advantage of sports performance training with youth athletes? Youth Performance Training Offers Revenue Possibilities for Health Club OperatorsEven though obesity numbers in children—20 percent of 6- to 11-year-olds are obese while 18 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds are obese—would indicate a revenue opportunity in serving this market, some club operators are experiencing revenue growth by catering to a different segment of America’s youth. In sharp contrast to the stereotypical image of today’s children as video-game-playing couch potatoes, millions of kids regularly compete in a more active way, through school athletics. Sports participation for the 2010-2011 school year reached a record-breaking total of 7.7 million participants, according to figures from the 50 state high school athletic/activity associations, plus the District of Columbia, that are members of the National Federation of State High Schools. Read entire article in Club Industry Magazine |
| November 7, 2011 | Barry's Boot Camp Featured on ABC News
Barry's Boot Camp is making a big impression on those looking to get a total body cardio and strength workout of up to 1,000 calories in only an hour. They utilize Desmo treadmills to provide a great training tool for everyone from the average joe to Hollywood Stars. Take a look at this video to see what it is all about. Watch Video on ABC News |
| October 25, 2011 | Human-Powered Gyms: For Your Health and the Earth's
As we desperately search for alternative energy resources, one market has managed to capitalize on perhaps the most available and efficient source of energy around—humans.
Sustainable gyms have already appeared in Hong Kong, Australia and Oregon—and are spreading to Europe and other parts of the world. Using generators connected to exercise bikes and treadmills, the gyms are able to power themselves by harnessing energy from their members’ workouts.
Read entire article on ecohearth.com |
| September 29, 2011 | Like Barefoot, Only Better?
Barefoot-style and minimalist shoes are one of the hottest trends to sweep the footwear category since Nike Waffle Trainer running shoes and Crocs. In fact, according to OIA Vantage Point and Leisure Trends, these types of shoes have continued to enjoy double-digit sales growth since the start of 2010 and have outsold nearly every other type of shoe during that time.
One of the shoes that has led the surge in popularity is the Vibram FiveFingers, a quirky-looking sock-style shoe with separate compartments for each toe. These shoes are designed to combine the feel of being barefoot with the abrasion protection of wearing a shoe. Many adherents also believe these shoes improve proprioception, balance and foot strength. You’ve no doubt seen people wearing these types of shoes to work out in the gym, for fitness walking, yoga, water sports and, one of the most controversial uses, running.
Read entire article on ACE.com |
| July 29, 2011 | Men's Health - Does Running Surface Matter?
There was a lot of buzz surrounding this questioning the benefit of running on soft surfaces. There isn’t any evidence suggesting that softer surfaces are better, and there’s no real reason to choose softer ground, the piece claims. Skeptical, we combed the research ourselves. Multiple studies have shown less displacement of the ankle, knees, and hips when landing on a soft surface, in comparison to a stiff one. One University of California study shows that a softer surface increases leg stiffness by 29 percent, which may reduce the stress on the legs. But as the New York Times notes, there’s little direct research on injury rates because it’s difficult to recruit large numbers of people willing to run on one surface for an extended period of time. Still, there’s a flaw in the Times article—it uses one person’s injury on irregular ground as a reason to bash soft surfaces overall. Here’s what they’re missing: A forested path with rocks, sticks, and slippery leaves is a much different surface than an even, flat, packed dirt trail. Likewise, the sand near the ocean is flat and smooth; the sand farther from the water is more irregular. “Running on irregular surfaces has obvious dangers,” says Daniel Ferris, Ph.D., professor of movement science and the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. “But there’s reason to believe that running on soft surfaces is easier on the lower body.” Ferris recommends soft surfaces because it puts less strain on your joints. “The leg becomes straighter to compensate for the forgiving surface,” says Ferris. A study published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics found that gymnasts bend their knees more when landing on stiffer mats. When you land on hard ground, your legs bend because the surface doesn’t give. “A softer surface adds less force to your muscles and joints.” Sure, it’s just a theory, but it makes sense. “It’s the same reason squats are harder on your knees than standing straight,” says Ferris. Picture a vertical line connecting your hip and your foot. The farther your knee strays from this line, the more pressure is put on your joints. That said, Ferris recommends different surfaces for different goals. After all, you don’t want to train for a marathon on the treadmill! (Running 26.2 miles indoors is what we call mental anguish.) If you’re trying to lose weight Choose a super-soft surface, like sand, which will burn more calories because it takes more effort to keep moving. It’s also better for your joints—especially if you’re heavier, which creates even more stress. If you’re a sprinter If you’re going for speed, you want hard surfaces because you’ll bounce off the ground quicker—a cushy surface means you’ll sink slightly, adding more time to your run. But keep in mind: This will theoretically be harder on your joints. “Sprinting requires more pounding, so if you’re not trying to win a race and you’re just sprinting for fitness, run on a track,” says Ferris. If you’re training for a marathon The concept is simple: Run on surfaces that resemble race day so that you’re prepared. But if you feel especially sore, switch to a track for the next run to give your muscles a break. If you start to feel sore in the middle of a long run, switch to the grass, as long as the surface is even and dry, says Ferris. View the article at Men's Health Online |
| June 28, 2011 | Strength Coach TV Facility Tour of Peak Performance NYC
Joe Dowdell gives host Anthony Renna a tour of Peak Performance in New York City. Located on the 8th floor in downtown Manhattan, Peak is a very successful facility that has been voted one of the Top Ten Gyms in America by Men's Health for 2 years in a row. Peak clients range from MMA athletes to top fencers to models and moms.
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| June 14, 2011 | WOODWAY Releases CURVE 3.0 Model
Now coaches, trainers and researchers can create custom programming and protocols while training track valuable data. The CURVE software system is fully programmable and programs can be saved and recalled at will. This permits development of very specific continuous and interval training protocols which mimic the target sport. The Pacer function allows athletes and coaches to save a particular run and then call it up later to act as a pacer. This means the athlete can "race" themselves, or at least their performance from say 6 months previously.
Trial endpoints can be set for time, distance, speed or work. For example, a target distance of 100 meters can be set and then the athlete sprints over this distance and the data collection will finish at the 100 meter mark. Both Metric and English units of measurement are provided.
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| June 6, 2011 | Fitness Center in St. Louis Attributes Membership Gains to Addition of CURVE Treadmill
In a state-of-the-art fitness renovation at Nautilus Fitness Center, members can train on the same machines used by members of professional and Olympic teams.
Additional upgrades at Nautilus include an updated Playland and personal flat-screen monitors at each exercise station.
"Some of the new equipment is unlike anything found in the St. Louis area," sales manager Elizabeth Perica said.
Perica said the fitness center witnessed an increase in membership in May after the installation of the new equipment. The new equipment includes a Woodway Curve treadmill, a VersaClimber and Free Motion elliptical machines and treadmills with personal flat-screen monitors. A Concept 2 rowing machine was delivered at the end of May. The Woodway Curve treadmill has been featured on "The Biggest Loser" TV show.
"They are more similar to a track, where there's a little more cushion than running on plastic," Perica said. "They're really popular because of that." |
| May 24, 2011 | WOODWAY and AthleteFit Issue 4 Mile CURVE Challenge
The CURVE is rapidly becoming a favorite training tool of Sports Performance training facilities and a key component of Personal Training in commercial fitness facilites globally. Everyone has a favorite manual workout on the CURVE, my personal favorite is doing 20 minutes of 30 - 30's courtesy of Paul Robbins, but what is the measuring stick for CURVE dominance?
Well our friends over at AthleteFit (www.athletefit.com) have come up with something, Tristan and Scott have developed a simple 4 mile concept that focuses on high intensity intervals and recovery periods that utilize the unique speed ramping capabilities of the non-motorized CURVE. At face value it is easy to comprehend and does not require any special timing or equipment, it is based solely on distance. The "X Factor" is your ability to endure with the goal being the best time.
WOODWAY would like to issue a challenge to all CURVE users out there, the reward, personal satisfaction and getting an incredible workout. WOODWAY will also throw out some sweet threads if you can best the current record time. You have officially been challenged, so get out there and get after it! - Michael Frank Email me with your results even if they aren't earth shattering, need a pic of the display for evidence if you are going for the top of the leaderboard. Here is the leader board: Tristan Tillette - AthleteFit (Freak) - 34:36 min Scott Moody - AthleteFit (Super Crazy Condition) - 36:50 min Eric Weber - WOODWAY (Very Good Endurance Condition) - 39:49 min Michael Frank - WOODWAY (Works out regularly but could lose a few lbs, essentially your average Joe) - 40:05 The 4 Mile Curve Challenge: The AthleteFIT (www.athletefit.com) Challenge Workout is the 4 Mile Curve Interval (some still call it the 2, 4, 6, 8 workout), which consists of 2 half miles, 4 quarter miles, 6 200's and 8 100's where in each of the 100's the athlete must hit at least 90% of max speed at some point during each sprint (or it doesn’t count). Between each run (or sprint) the athlete will walk between .03 and .05 miles at a recovery pace of 1.5-3.5 mph. The only rule is, the belt of the Curve Treadmill can not stop at any point during the workout. The Format: (Half Miles) Run to .50 Walk to .55 Run to 1.05 Walk to 1.10 (Quarter Miles) Run to 1.35 Walk to 1.40 Run to 1.65 Walk to 1.70 Run to 1.95 Walk to 2.00 Run to 2.25 Walk to 2.30 (200s)
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| May 19, 2011 | WOODWAY Launches CURVE XL at NBA Strength Coaches show in Chicago
The CURVE XL was developed to meet the demands of strength coaches who love the dynamic nature of the manual powered CURVE but were seeking a larger platform for their elite athletes. Now even the largest athletes can appreciate a CURVE workout. The CURVE XL is 5" wider (22" wide) and 19" longer than the original but utilizes all of the same principles including WOODWAY's patented running surface and innovative curved design.
Above: Left - CURVE Right - CURVE XL |
| Febuary 23, 2011 | Taking the Guesswork out of Fitness
By Don Moore (Intel Embedded Community ) The start of the New Year is one of great anticipation. It is a time when we make resolutions and endeavor to become better people throughout the course of the year. It is a time when we flood into gyms and health clubs hoping to lose weight or improve ourselves physically by being more active. I myself ponder this as I attempt to continue with the progress that I was able to achieve over the last year as part of Intel’s first structured corporate wellness program. One of the key questions that I struggle with is what exercises to do? The methodology for achieving our goals can be all over the place depending on the gym or trainer. With this knowledge in hand, and fitness company, a subsidiary of, came together early last year over a shared vision of what the next generation gym should be. In February 2010, the Intel fitness center at its Chandler, AZ campus was outfitted with proprietary CPro strength equipment and ESD (energy system development) cardio equipment from Core Performance to create a high-tech gym. Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors, the CPro and ESD exercise equipment deliver an efficient, personalized workout to each individual. The fitness equipment is connected to Intel Xeon processor-based servers which provide the computing horsepower to crunch through Core Performance’s 33,000-rule prescription engine to tailor an exercise program specific to an individual’s goals. Tracking each movement and heartbeat, Core Performance is able to provide a best-in-class experience. At this time, we also developed a study to determine the effects of a structured fitness program featuring the latest technologies versus a self-directed program with standard equipment to see what the results would look like in a corporate wellness environment. Core Performance specialists started each employee’s experience with a comprehensive assessment of their current health, including a Functional Movement Screen, a VO2 test, a goal-setting exercise, and nutrition consultation. In addition to working with a specialist, the equipment also made employee work outs easier by prescribing a workout built specifically for their needs and goals. The CPro equipment automatically adjusts to an employee’s height, and the resistance alters so that each person is training at his or her level. The CPro allows employees to preview their workouts, progress through the workouts at their own pace, track repetitions and power output, and record data to ensure that they progress toward their goals. The 14-week study yielded amazing results. Study participants, two thirds of whom were previously categorized as inactive and non-movers, saw an average loss of 14 pounds of fat, five percent decrease in cholesterol and a 23 percent improvement of flexibility and agility, among other results[1]. These powerful results show that programs customized towards an individual's personal goals with integrated technology to simplify the workout, really take the guesswork out of fitness while keeping it fun, effective and sustainable. Hear from our Core Performance personal trainer and study participant, Megan Walsh, in the video below. |
| January 31, 2011 | WOODWAY and Zephyr Partner to Bring Latest
in Metabolic Testing and Training Technology to Sports Performance Training Zephyr™'s technology takes data from the body using smart fabric sensors. These sensors are comfortable, integrate-able and perform in the field under harsh environments and under extreme exercise. Zephyr™ interfaces to custom and industry standard radio interfaces - treating the radio and internet link as a transparent pipe - to get the information to where it is needed.
Data is presented on Zephyr™'s PC or web applications making the data useful in the context of the situation and user. This may be to assist coaches in team training, medics involved in triage for injured people, or First Responder commanders concerned about the status of their crew-members. Custom solutions and licensing also take place, with integration of Zephyr™'s technology into larger systems. |
| January 10, 2011 | WOODWAY CURVE Featured on NBC’s The Biggest Loser Fast forward to the challenge featuring the CURVE treadmills by sliding the timeline to the 4th chapter marker. |
| January 3, 2011 | WOODWAY CURVE Featured on NBC’s The Biggest Loser Tune in to NBC to view “The Biggest Loser: Couples” premiere, Tuesday January 4th 8/7c and watch the contestants in their initial challenge with the WOODWAY CURVE. |
