The Winter Olympics are quickly approaching, and soon billions of people around the world will be watching some of the greatest athletes of our time perform at the highest level of competition. Becoming a world-class athlete requires an incredible amount of dedication, commitment, and talent, that is slowly crafted upon year and years of practice. To achieve something truly remarkable and stand out from the competition, Olympic athletes tackle their training from a broad range of angles to ensure they stay healthy and can push the boundaries of what they ever thought was possible.
Today’s athletes in the Winter Olympics understand the power and the impact that resistance training can have on their long-term goals and results. In this article, we’ll highlight a few of the ways Olympic athletes are implementing resistance training equipment from NZ Manufacturing to stay healthy and gain an edge on the competition.
Speed Skating
To increase power and build lactic acid threshold, the US Speed Skating team has been utilizing TurfCordz® resistance training gear for quite some time. In a sport where the athletes are traveling as fast as 40 miles per hour, a tremendous amount of force is being exerted during competition. Building power through explosive exercises that simulate races is the key to elite results.
Speed skaters focus on replicating movement patterns that work their whole bodies from top to bottom. Box jumps and resistance cord exercises are very common as a way to prepare for the incredible amount of force required to succeed in the sport. Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno has been seen using the TurfCordz® Safety Cord Sprint Belt Kit as a way to prepare for an Olympic event. Following in Ohno’s footsteps, other leading Olympic speed skating teams, including the US Olympic team also use our resistance training equipment as a way to prepare for Olympic events.
A few other products that are used by skaters to increase acceleration, and strength include:
- Resist-Assist S150-TurfCordz®
- Tug of War S134 OR S134B-TurfCordz®
- Jump Belt S130-TurfCordz®
- Super Bungie Kit SBK-TurfCordz®
Ice Hockey
Hockey is one the most competitive team sports in the Olympics. Speed, power, stamina, and agility are all important to a team’s success on the ice. Injury prevention is also crucial as ice hockey players typically are playing year-round and the physicality of the sport can take a toll on players. By building ancillary muscles, Olympic ice hockey players can promote stability in their joints under duress and decrease their risk of injury. Full body strength is crucial, in addition to having particularly powerful legs, hips, and core. Several former members of the Colorado Avalanche, who will be competing with the Canadian Olympic hockey team, have trained with our TurfCordz® resistance gear to support agility and speed on the ice and to target their key muscles. Our Squat Cord S99-TurfCordz® and Jump Belt S130-TurfCordz® have been particularly useful.
Figure Skating
Known for its grace, beauty, balance, and power, figure skating at the Olympics is a captivating spectacle to watch. Balance, coordination, flexibility, power, and endurance are all fundamental to the success of figure skaters giving a spectacular performance. To train figure skaters to reach peak performance, full-body exercises that work functional movement patterns and full ranges of motion are important. This is another area in which resistance cords can excel and support athletes in accomplishing their dream to be on the Olympic podium. Figure skaters most commonly enjoy the benefits received from using:
Why Do So Many Olympians Use Our Resistance Training Equipment?
At NZ Manufacturing, we’ve been a leader in the development of resistance exercise tools since 1985. In this time, scores of professional athletes have used our products as a way to build strength and agility. Our StretchCordz® and TurfCordz® gear allow athletes to add resistance to their workout regimens, which should serve them well when it’s time for the main event. As Olympians, athletes are always looking for that edge that can help them separate themselves from the competition, and we’re confident that our resistance training products can give athletes that boost that can help propel them to gold.
Enhance Your Current Fitness Regime and Training with NZ Manufacturing
Trusted by Olympic and aspiring athletes alike, NZ Manufacturing has been supporting athletes in achieving their dreams by helping them grow stronger, more flexible, and powerful each and every day. Browse our wide array of top-quality resistance products today. If you have any questions at all about any of our high quality products, reach out to us today at 1-800-886-6621 or fill out our online contact form.