Welcome to The Tech Race.
Is the posture of weightlifters as important as their strength?
Even the most powerful athletes rely on technology
to prevent injury and improve performance.
In weightlifting, execution and motion
is given great importance,
however, posture is just as essential.
Coaches and medical staff rely on a combination
of motion capture and force platforms
to analyse athletes and push them to improve,
all whilst trying to avoid injury.
In Seoul, the Korean Institute of Sport Science
is pioneering the investigation of biomechanical platforms.
The purpose of the new development of this system
is to get immediate measurements
of how much strength a body uses
of its bones and muscles.
The beginning of the system was in the 1980s.
At the start it was just filming,
then they started analysing the videos.
From 2000, cameras using infrared
enabled real-time analysis.
This is how the system evolved.
Force platforms
and motion-sensing infrared cameras
reveal data that can determine
the correct bar path,
time and force spent
in each part of the exercise,
in addition to body posture.
These markers allow the system to recreate
a 3D digital image of the weightlifter's body,
that combined with the force platforms,
offers information on the amount of force exerted
on which muscles, joints and bones.
This technology lets athletes and their trainers alike
know how much strength they are using,
as well as their potential for improvement.
The athlete steps onto the platform
and lifts weights as normal.
The information from the force platforms and motion capture
is combined and analysed by the system.
Lift when you are ready.
OK, step back, please.
Weightlifters and coaches alike can review technique
and see where to improve,
once the athlete is finished,
presenting crucial data about the athlete's performance
that could not be analysed without this technology.
On the graphic from the back,
there's more weight on your right leg.
In figures, about 11lb.
Unbalanced. What a big difference.
This system can detect asymmetries in muscle strength
as well as bad posture.
120 years before these tests were developed,
in Olympic Games Athens 1896,
the first weightlifting competition was in a field.
Since Antwerp 1920,
weightlifting has been an Olympic discipline,
but only for men.
Women were first allowed to take part in Sydney 2000.
Because of the analysis system,
I can diagnose my weak part easily,
which helps me a lot with my work.
After the invention,
the biggest change is now we have
accurate numbers on every movement.
By using the three dimensional system,
we can get all the accurate data
about movements and find out
about problems in athletes' postures.
Jang Mi-ran, Olympic Gold Medallist, Beijing 2008,
has benefitted from this technology.
She trained at the Korean Institute of Sports and Science
to prevent further physical ailment,
successfully.
She surely won't be the last.