Nike is once again revolutionizing the way we collect our workout data. Last month the company announced the Nike Fuelband, a wrist band that captures both your exercise data as well as your daily activity, and then calculates it into a an easy to understand number called “Fuel.” However, for athletes that excel at the top 10%, that’s hardly enough information for them to achieve the next level. Ands that’s why Nike developed the Nike+ Basketball and Nike+ Training.
Yes, it’s builds upon the preexisting Nike+ brand, but unlike its original namesake, this version of Nike+ captures a whole array of data that was once only available to professional and college level athletes . Incorporated into a select number of shoes (3 at the moment) are an array of sensors (toe, heel, etc) that measure performance (a calculation based on pressure+accelerometer). The data is then subsequently sent to a smartphone over Bluetooth and can tell basketball players just how high they jumped and cross trainers how much more oomph they need to put into their lunges. The data is then crunched and compounded and wrapped into Nike’s Fuel figure. Much like the Nike Fuel Band there is a social component that will enable athletes and anyone hitting the famous Santa Monica stairs to compete with friends (and enemies) at a granular level. Nike hasn’t disclosed all of the details and specs of the new device, but we’re assuming this is the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
I think Nike+ Basketball will change the game,” said LeBron James. “Giving every player access to this level of information will have a huge impact on the way players train and play the game.
For those that aspire for a level athleticism that has only been achieved by the greats – think Manny Pacquiao or Lebron James – Nike has teamed up with them to develop a workout plan that will help you attain what is hopefully a comparable fitness level, though you’ll need to manage your expectations given that talent isn’t taught but bred. So while you work your glutes or pump your calves, the Nike+ Trainer as its called, will provide feedback indicating if you’re completing the workout in a just fashion. This is finally complemented by a set of videos that provide another level of instruction, that hopefully eliminate the need to invest in a personal trainer.
The first NIKE+ enabled Training shoes will be the Lunar Hyperworkout+ for Women and the Lunar TR 1+ for men. The basketball versions, which will be worn by Lebron James this summer, will be called the Hyperdunk+, will hit retails stores, along with the Lunar Nike+ shoes, on June 29th.
Total conjecture on our behalf, but we assume that Nike will eventually roll out shirts and pants with sensors as well.
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