Susie Reiner | The Prospects and Pitfalls of Technology in Fitness and Sports Science

Is technology the answer to revolutionizing the way we coach and train? Suise Reiner joins this episode to discuss exciting prospects and the potential pitfalls at the intersection of technology, fitness, and sports science.

Susie describes how fitness tech companies can use data to create better products and marketing campaigns, and shares her experience consulting with tech companies. She emphasizes the importance of applying sports science principles to products and utilizing evidence-based data to show product efficacy.

We examine the use of technology in fitness, discussing the potential of wearables and heart rate monitors in helping people track their fitness progress. Susie highlights the potential challenges of tracking health data and the validity of these data when creating personalized recommendations for people working out at home. She shares advice on how exercise professionals can utilize technology for general recommendations and adjust programs in real time using autoregulatory methods such as Velocity-Based Training (VBT). We wrap up by exploring career opportunities in the fitness tech industry, how to strike a balance between using tech and the art of coaching, and the implications of having too much technology and information.

Time Stamps:

[4:30] How program adherence and performance in virtual fitness compare to in-person

[7:02] How tech companies are utilizing exercise scientists and professionals

[17:34] How fitness tech and sports science can benefit each other

[25:35] Are the metrics tracked on wearable devices valid and reliable?

[33:09] Balancing physiological data with psychological and behavioral factors

[36:48] Advice on using technology to improve coaching ability

[42:51] When too much data can lead to analysis paralysis

[46:59] Career opportunities in the tech space and the skills needed for them

Dr. Susie Reiner is an industry and academic research scientist, writer, and educator. She has over ten years of experience in higher education as a professor of exercise science and fitness industry professional. She consults with B2B and B2C fitness tech and digital health start-up companies on research strategy, implementation, communication, and marketing.

She is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar with the Sports Medicine Research Institute at the University of Kentucky. She holds her Ph.D. in Health Sciences specializing in Human and Sport Performance and her Master’s of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. She maintains the credentials of ACSM Exercise Physiologist, NSCA Strength and Conditioning Specialist, NSCA Personal Trainer, and NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist and sits on multiple committees for ACSM and NSCA.

You can follow and learn more about Susie by visiting her website and following her on Instagram.

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