Articles

One of the most useful training tools for competitive triathletes or cyclists is the CompuTrainer™ indoor bike system. You can use this high-tech system to diagnose your own training needs, to get a workout, and even to prepare for upcoming races by "riding" the course.

The CompuTrainer™ system combines a stationary trainer – the athlete uses his or her own bike – with a computer/video system to create a training experience that generates a huge amount of data and facilitates a great workout.

The visuals feature courses that combine hi-definition video and GPS data to allow you to ride real courses. (At OptumHealth Performance, we have every major triathlon in the United States.) They're interactive, placing an avatar of you in the action that actually pedals in sync with the athlete's cadence. There's even a feature that allows multiple riders to race the course at the same time. And since the courses are videos of the roads raced at actual events, athletes preparing for a race can use CompuTrainer™ to familiarize themselves with the course.

CompuTrainer™ coordinates the engaging visuals with the resistance generated by the trainer: as the terrain goes up and down, so does the effort required. The system even takes your weight into account to make the relative effort as accurate as possible!

But the real value of the CompuTrainer™ system is in its data acquisition and analysis. A great feature that's exclusive to CompuTrainer™ is the SpinScan™ analysis, which helps identify inefficiencies in a rider's pedal stroke and can be used to help properly fit the rider to bike. It identifies dead spots in the rider's stroke, for instance, and can even show when one leg is doing more work than the other. SpinScan™ is invaluable in setting a performance baseline, helping improve athletic form and power, and tracking performance improvements. At OptumHealth Performance, the SpinScan™ is a key element in our training program for cyclists and triathletes. It's one of the first tools we use with new athletes, and it can be used throughout their training regimen.

The CompuTrainer™ system is much more than just a way to get in a workout when the weather is bad. It's a sophisticated tool for improving your cycling strength, endurance, and form so you can push your performance to the next level. At OptumHealth Performance, the CompuTrainer™ system is available for individual use by any All Access member, is integrated into our Ride the Course class, and is used for individual analysis. Get more information at www.OptumHealthPerformance.com, or call OptumHealth Performance at 952-769-2060 to find out how to take a spin.

For informational purposes only. You should consult an appropriate health care professional to discuss whether the information herein is right for you.

Print This Page