The ithlete blog
Welcome to the ithlete blog, the central place to get the latest company news, read real user stories, get our take on heart rate variability news and research, get top tips on using ithlete and share your thoughts.
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Luke Campbell ithlete utilisation
As the strength and conditioning coach of one of the highest profile athletes from 2012 the pressure was on me to get everything in place for the start of Luke Campbell’s professional career in 2013. In a review of his first professional fight camp we decided that to...
Tuesday Tip: Time of measurement
Time of measurement We recommend taking your ithlete heart rate variability (HRV) reading first thing in the morning, preferably right after waking. There are a number of reasons behind this recommendation… Following a full night of rest It’s a well-known fact that...
SaaS or Science as a Service – How Quantified Self data is disrupting Professional Sports Part 1
by Carl Valle After reading several blogs on HRV and physiological monitoring with athletes, I wanted to respond publicly on what I consider practical monitoring in applied sport science. I currently question if real data is being collected longitudinally, or are...
ithlete v2.3 update for iOS
Today sees the release of an important update to the ithlete app, from this afternoon iOS (Apple) users can update to ithlete v2.3. Key features of the update include: iPhone 5 Screen optimisation The ithlete app is now a better fit for our iPhone 5 users! The layout...
Fit to Train? Premiership & Football League feedback
It’s been an interesting few months talking to football clubs as they adopt the ithlete Team App, but as Clubs in the UK move from pre-season to the first critical games the questions and needs for the teams of all levels are suddenly changing. Put simply the ithlete...
Training adaptation & HRV in elite endurance athletes: Opening the door to effective monitoring
Simon Wegerif looks at the latest HRV research review, Training adaptation & HRV in elite endurance athletes: Opening the door to effective monitoring.
80:20 training & heart rate variability by Andy Dolphin
Learning about heart rate variability I started cycling in April 2012, and quickly found out about the ithlete heart rate variability (HRV) app in July. Up until that point I didn’t really train as such, but simply went out for a ride. I did a sportive in July and...
Simon’s Polarised Training Challenge: The results!
The Etape du Tour 2013 Sunday 7th July So was all the training and preparation worthwhile? Read on to find out! Taper & travel After a couple of good rides the previous weekend, I began my taper with an hour long aerobic ride on Weds 3rd July, and a light workout...
Etape du Tour – Simon’s Polarised Training Challenge
Well, this is the last update before the main event – the Etape du Tour 2013. In case anyone is not aware, this is the stage of the Tour de France that mortal athletes are allowed to ride, en masse but with closed roads, crowds, policing & neutral support...
Cyclingphysio.com ithlete review
We wanted to share this great independent take on ithlete with you! A while back the ithlete team spoke to a guy named Dave who had a few questions about ithlete and mentioned he was reviewing it for his site – great we thought. But things are as busy as ever here at...
Fatigue, overtraining & the road to recovery
Okay, here goes . . . my first ever internet blog. Where shall I begin? Well it makes sense to share my experiences and understanding of the phenomenon that brought about me working in conjunction with ‘ithlete’ and using heart-rate variability to inform my training ....
Ben Ives
By day I am full-time GTA/Funded PhD Sports Coaching student at the University of Hull. By night I am a hyper-motivated road cyclist who is determined to obtain a professional contract. I turned to cycling in 2011 after a long career of playing football for Derby...
The Dragon Ride; Simon Polarised Training Challenge
Dragon Ride (Wales, 9th June) The Dragon Ride, at 130 miles, and 3400m of climbing is easily the hardest ride I have done in a long time (perhaps ever!). I thought I rode it conservatively, but the zone distribution chart below shows that I spent the majority of the...
Can ithlete motivate the non-athlete?
Hello, my name is Robert Budd and I have just joined the company to focus on the marketing and sales of ithlete Team App. I am a very keen sportsman playing top level cricket and club Rugby only retiring from Vets Rugby 18 months ago. ithlete and me! My interest in...
Measurement of HRV
Early measurement of HRV Although irregular heart rhythms and their potential for predicting health outcomes had been noticed by Chinese medics all the way back to 400 AD, it really took the Nobel prize winning invention of the Electro Cardio Graph (ECG or EKG) by...
Want to know more about ithlete?
Follow these four easy steps to get started with ithlete today!
Choose a heart rate sensor
To measure heart rate variability (HRV) with ithlete you’ll need a heart rate sensor. You have the option to use an ithlete finger sensor or chest strap monitor. If you have a recent iPhone, iPad or Android device you may like to use our Bluetooth Smart chest strap monitor, or alternatively grab a Polar type analogue strap (we also offer one of these) and an ithlete ECG receiver to pick up the signal. Visit the ithlete store to find your preferred sensor.
Download the ithlete app
ithlete is available on both iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. If you do want to check your model of smartphone or tablet is compatible check our FAQ page.
One minute daily measurement
After waking each morning relax and sit comfortably, slip on a chest strap or finger sensor and follow the on screen instructions to get an accurate reading of your heart rate variability. Taking the measurement couldn’t be simpler and in 60 seconds you will have a personalised training recommendation for the day.
Reap the benefits of training with ithlete
The idea is quite simple. Training is all about stress and recovery. A hard session, lack of sleep, mental stress etc. will lower your number. If your reading drops significantly, take this as an early warning that you are overloading the system. On the other hand a high score lets you know you should make the most out of the day. Benefits of this include avoiding overtraining, workout optimisation, guilt free rest days, improved performance and much more!