Getting Started On Collecting Data For Martial Artists with 2020 Armor
Even as a seasoned coach and athlete, it may seem overwhelming at times to know exactly what to do with the data that 2020 Armor provides. Once you read this post, you will already be steps ahead of the competition and have a solid grasp on how to leverage this information to make better decisions and win more matches.
There are two groups of data points we can look at and make decisions from. The first group is physical data points, and the second group is sparring data points.
Physical Data Points
In the first group - physical data points - there are 3 types: Reaction Time, Power and Stamina. What we suggest is to take a baseline, or a beginning measurement of each of these three data points, once per week for two minutes using a back leg roundhouse kick alternating each leg. You can change up the frequency of data collection or the kicks later if you like, but this is a good starting point.
For example, you can collect the data on a Monday after training. Put the 2020 Armor vest on a BOB, connect the mobile app to the vest and complete two minutes of reaction time, two minutes of power and two minutes of stamina. It is important to measure the power and stamina on the same surface (i.e. a BOB) as different bags (i.e. a wavemaster) will give you a different power result due to the varying density of the bags.
Once you have a baseline, you now have a starting point to determine whether the training (physical, diet, mental, pre-competition, post-competition, post-injury, etc) you are doing is increasing or decreasing your reaction time, power and stamina. Remember: what gets measured, gets improved.
This is very powerful, because now you can tell before a competition if the results of your training are helping your physical capabilities. If you are below your baseline reaction time, stamina and power leading up to a competition, you have the tools to adjust your strategy.
We aggregate all the training data in the 2020 Armor app so you can see your results over time.
Additionally, we've posted a detailed breakdown of why each of these data points are important in combat sports in the blog post linked below.
Detailed definitions of reaction time, power and stamina for martial artists using 2020 Armor
Sparring Data Points
The second group of data points are sparring data points. These are data points that are automatically collected when two people who are wearing 2020 Armor gear (connected to the app) get to sparring. Currently, there are 13 data points collected by your 2020 Armor gear. These range from the amount of pressure you are putting on the opponent, your blocking efficiency, number of hits, number of combos, etc.
We suggest completing about 10 rounds, two mins each per week of sparring with different partners to start a baseline. After about four weeks, you will start to see patterns in the data from your sparring matches that you never noticed before. Compare the data points from the matches you won to the matches you lost (we aggregate the data for you in the 2020 Armor app under “coach view.")
For example, you may notice that in the matches you won, you always scored first - or that your combo percentage was higher. Instead of judging your results based on guesswork, you can make decisions based on hard numbers.
Take a look at the blog post linked below to learn why each of these sparring data points are important.
Detailed definitions of sparring data points for martial artists using 2020 Armor
Congratulations! Now you know how to get started measuring and collecting physical and sparring data points. Once you start collecting the data, you will start seeing patterns emerge over time. Once you see the patterns, you can use them to make better decisions, and, therefore, win more matches.
Enjoy the fight.
