Wahoo announced the opening of the Exercise Science Center in Boulder, Colorado, an important part of Wahoo’s research into the future of athletic training. Science Center Director Neal Henderson spoke today about the Wahoo Ecosystem. and prospects for the future.

There is a dedicated area for laboratory tests in the science center, which can conduct VO2Max testing, lactic acid testing, and core temperature sensor (using core brand and other brands) testing, as well as Bike Fitting, strength testing room and live room, etc. It can be said that it contains almost everything needed to study sports science.

Imagine how efficient training would be if you lived in a future where algorithms replaced coaches. Of course, numbers and computers will never replace a good coach for human-to-human communication and understanding, but as more and more sensors allow us to track our health and turn it into data, there can be many more Different ways to measure and quantify how we behave and feel. Proper use of this data enables efficient optimization when developing training courses. However, such rich data can also be troubling, and if you don’t know how to leverage it, it’s hard to get a clear picture of how to improve your training.

Henderson points out that some people now label a workout ineffective without a full understanding of the physical and mental load of an athlete. TSS and CTL do not give a comprehensive picture of a person’s state. As for how Wahoo intends to improve this, there is no magic bullet, just iterative improvements in constant research.

Wahoo’s software and hardware are important elements for scientific training. Wahoo can also cooperate with third-party sensors, such as Whoop, which measures recovery data, Core, which measures core body temperature and thermal adaptation data, and glucose data (lactic acid data will also be provided in the future) The Supersapiens company (the board member of this company is Wahoo founder and CEO Chip Hawkins) and so on.

Henderson says that FTP alone doesn’t provide a clear enough picture of a rider’s abilities, and an athlete’s neuromuscular limit (i.e. maximum power sprint) may be in the 200% FTP range, for example a rider with a 300-watt FTP can hit 600 during a sprint. Watts; and another rider with the same FTP can reach 800%, which is a sprint of 2400w. Therefore, it is unscientific to require these two athletes to follow the same training program.

Wahoo’s purpose is to use as much data as possible from various sensors to inform its algorithms and plan more scientific training methods. To that end, we’re focusing on the accuracy of these sensors, the quality of the data they provide, and what the new Sports Science Center in Boulder is researching is the best way to integrate everything into Wahoo products.