Today, exercise and training philosophies are much different from when your parents or grandparents thought about exercise.
Combined with a much richer understanding of physiology, nutrition, and tools used to create peak performance, athletes and exercise enthusiasts today have a huge step-up on the forbearers of fitness.
The advances in nutrition and exercise have grown incredibly in the past few years. Compare exercise concepts from the 1980s to now, and you can see the exponential growth in concepts and training education.
Where low-impact cardiovascular exercises like jazzercise were all the rage in the days of yesteryear, now trainers, athletes, and exercise enthusiasts have a much better understanding of the balance between cardiovascular exercises, resistance training, and nutrition for optimal health.
Advanced use of technologies includes several advanced training concepts and technologies.
Sports performers, teams, and exercise enthusiasts all have access to and the use of hydration therapies, video technology, respiratory tracking, individual and team analytics, sleep monitoring, and many more.
These tools, therapies, and technologies have increased our understanding of the human body in a state of rest and in a state of stress. The more we grasp how the body works and recovers, the better we can train and build on the education to further the goal of peak performance.
Peak performance is when a task is completed and performed at an optimum level of an individual’s physical, mental, or both abilities.
And along with the advances in training concepts and education, training equipment has had to adapt to keep up.
How 3D Printing Technologies Will Boost Training Opportunities
Years ago, the typical gym had some flat benches, squat racks, and some dumbbells, and that was about it.
Go to a gym today, and there’s a machine or weight for isolating every muscle group and range of motion.
And the next frontier as far as training equipment may very well be advanced technology such as 3D printed weights, kettlebells, dumbbells, and more.
Kettlebells are relatively innovative and new, and they are designed for speed and balance types of explosive movements.
Kettlebells have a distinct advantage for explosive, sports-oriented strength and training, especially compared to traditional dumbbells that are designed for static resistance type training.
If your gym doesn’t have the budget to buy a lot of expensive steel-designed weights and kettlebells utilizing 3D printing, you can make your own weighted devices and customize them for various exercises.
3D printed equipment may be a game-changer in exercise and sports equipment because the 3D printing materials are small in size, require fewer materials, and are easily adaptable.
What’s more, instructions are found easily online for everything you can imagine, making 3D printing technology a way for gyms and trainers to be able to have state-of-the-art equipment at an affordable price.
And the applications aren’t just limited to the gym.
The Adaptability Of 3D Printing For Competition
With 3D printing technology, making state-of-the-art competition gear on the spot is on the horizon. For example, through 3D printing, the Nike Vapor Laser Talon can be made on the spot to accommodate athletic shoes for every position on the field.
The advantage for the team with the technology is to repair and provide athletic footwear at a moment’s notice so that key players are provided with the best footwear needed in crucial situations.
Think of it this way.
The game starts, and players have cleats of one length, but after a little bit of time, the weather turns inclement, and it begins to rain or snow. As a result, players start to slip and lose footing, giving the team with the best footwear a competitive advantage.
Traditionally, trainers would have to scramble to provide adequate competition shoes for the changing environment. However, with the advent of 3D printing, shoes can be made to accommodate the changing conditions without losing valuable plays or time on the field.
The adaptability and ease of design make the implementation of 3D printing technology crucial for sports and exercise enthusiasts.
For gym owners and trainers, shopping and waiting for new training equipment is a thing of the past.
Especially with supply-chain issues and inflationary concerns, replicating and producing equipment on-the-spot will significantly benefit those gyms and trainers over others who purchase equipment the traditional way.
And the advantages that 3D printing provides for teams give an immeasurable competitive advantage.
The ease and accessibility, the low-cost production, and the adaptability and customizability of design make 3D printing the future wave for sports, exercise, and training enthusiasts.
Much like eliminating the shake machines we see in old-school exercise videos soon. The traditional way of ordering a bunch of exercise tools and weights will be considered quaint and silly.
