Whoop staged an event for media and influencers in Dublin last night. They brought along an A-list of sporting icons to explain how they use the wearable tracker that has become the default measurement device for so many of us.
Fintan McCarthy, who had his Olympic Gold Medal from Paris along for the night, shared a stage with Amy O’Connor, All Ireland Camogie Champion, and Dermot Whelan for a chat that had me scribbling notes that had a very positive impact on my strain.
Back in August, we ran a really popular feature on the Data Behind Winning an Olympic Gold Medal, in which we outlined his impressive use of sleep and rest as a major part of his peak performance build-up.
We learned last night that this does not come naturally. His natural default, as described by Whelan, is bouncing up and down on the bed in his pyjamas. He explained that he always used to think of sleep as time wasted, that surely there was something else, something better, he could be doing.
That resonated. I am completely with him on that, but I am not a Double Olympic Champion, and the way he wrestled his nature into submission was impressive. He had help, though, with coaches on camps insisting that lights went out and no devices were allowed in his room at a way earlier time than he wanted. The result was worth it.
On Thursday, Aug 1st, into Friday, Aug 2nd, the night before the Olympic Final, Fintan spent eight hours and 36 minutes in Bed, clocking up a very impressive 90% Sleep Performance score. The next day, he became a Double Gold Olympic medallist.
Amy O’Connor rattled off some numbers that I rushed to share with all of the coaches that I toil beside on football and camogie sidelines at a less rarefied level than her.
In the six months leading up to this year’s All-Ireland win, she put in 79 pitch sessions and 50 gym sessions. She practices her free taking five days a week every week. It’s simple stuff, maybe just ten minutes before training and ten minutes after but always at least ten shots over the bar from different parts of the pitch. The result. a 98 percent conversion rate this season. Not a typo, 98 percent conversion. Staggering.
And back to sleep. “Minimum eight hours every night and I’d try have a nap most days as well. I love my sleep.
Ironically, when asked what their favourite feature was, they both said the haptic alarm call that wakes them up at the optimum time where possible, but the time they need to be up if that is essential as well.
Some say that an obsession with measurement can be the enemy of joy. Sure, any obsession has to be managed, but understanding our own bodies is an essential part of staying healthy. Last night was a winning example of why it is worth it at the highest level—and at ours.
Join us for an Exploration of Sport and Data on November 15th. See details below in our events blocked for our line up of no-miss November events.
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