This article is co-authored by Martí Verdejo Amengual from MetaTraining and Stuart Percival from SunSport Coaching. (Disponible en español AQUÍ)
Moxys (NIRS) & PNOE are two pioneering non-invasive devices that are giving us unprecedented insight into the exercise physiology of athletes all over the world. Moxy is a small wearble muscle oxygen sensor that has some scientific articles that validate its operation, even comparing with the Standard Gold of the NIRS (Portamon). PNOE is a portable V02 analyser that we can use to measure oxygen uptake and breathing dynamics during exercise. This is giving us valuable information on our athletes training live in the field that we have not been able to capture before !
How do we use Moxy & PNOE?
We work in the lab or field with athletes of all abilities across a variety of sports. We have applied this new wearable tech with our existing athletes such as cyclists, triathletes and runners but we are now also able to work with sports such as rowing, kayaking and hockey players. We have collaborated with a small team of experts worldwide and undertake a unique assessment that is known as 4-1-4 or 5-1-5. This test consists of a working interval of 4-5 minutes and a rest interval of 1 minute, increasing the load each working interval or every 2 intervals. The question that many will ask is, why do not we do an incremental test? The answer is simple, in the minute of rest is where a lot of information is collected that in classic incremental tests is lost.
What values or data do we obtain?
Actually, we do not use absolute values when we use these two devices, but we observe the trends of the values that we obtain with these devices. On the one hand, the PNOE, offers us all the information on pulmonary function through values of VO2, VCO2 and RER, among others. With Moxy we analyze the hemodynamics through the Hemoglobin and Muscular Oxygen Saturation of the muscles directly involved in the exercise and additionally we analyze muscles not involved in the exercise because it offers information about the systemic responses that in the main musculature cannot be observed.
What do we use them for?
The PNOE helps us observe the functioning of the lungs and detect if there is any physiological factor in the lungs that limits the performance of an athlete. Moxy helps us understand and analyze the functioning of the heart and muscles. But sometimes, the results obtained with Moxy offer evidence of a limitation of lung performance and is when we use MOXY+PNOE, it helps us to confirm that there is a pulmonary limitation or a cardiac problem that leads to a pulmonary limitation.
How do we apply them in our business and what interest can it have for a coach?
Basically, we evaluate athletes to find those physiological factors that limit their performance, that is, those aspects of the body that the athlete has a limitation, in a cyclist for example, It would be that physiological factor that would not allow to move more watts. Once we have these factors, based on what the scientific literature says, we structure their training to directly improve the limiter. We are pioneering some unique new approaches to training interventions. If the athlete trains with a Moxy, then we get a great insight into their exercise physiology every sessions and are able to train dynamically with the live biofeedback
Additionally, it helps us a lot to be able to carry out training sessions or simulations outdoor, that's why Moxy & PNOE are tools that complement each other perfectly.
Link to PNOE www.mypnoe.com