Athlete training system

Abstract

A system for training an athlete during a training period includes a digital system that is programmed to: receive a plurality of inputs regarding a current state of the athlete and a training goal for the athlete; employ an expert system to generate a training prescription for the athlete; and generate a plurality of control outputs that correspond to the listing of training activities. An exercise apparatus includes at least one activity device that is configured to: facilitate the athlete performing a predetermined exercise; receive the control output from the digital system and to adjust an exercise parameter so as to correspond to the training parameter indicated by the control output; and generate an electronic result output indicative of use by the athlete of the activity device wherein the result output is transmitted to the digital system.

1 . A system for training an athlete during a training period, comprising:
 a. a digital system programmed to:
 i. receive a plurality of inputs regarding a state of the athlete and a training goal for the athlete; 
 ii. employ an expert system to generate a training prescription for the athlete, wherein the expert system mimics a thought process of an athlete training professional and wherein the prescription includes a listing of training activities to be completed during each of a plurality of training sessions during the training period; and 
 iii. generate a plurality of control outputs that correspond to the listing of training activities, each control output corresponding to a training activity listed in the prescription and providing an indicating of a training parameter relating to the training activity; and 
   b. an exercise apparatus that includes at least one activity device, the activity device configured to facilitate the athlete performing a predetermined exercise, the activity device configured to receive the control output from the digital system and to adjust an exercise parameter so as to correspond to the training parameter indicated by the control output, the activity device configured to generate an electronic result output indicative of use by the athlete of the activity device wherein the result output is transmitted to the digital system.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus includes at least one sensor that is configured to measure a performance of the athlete. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the digital system is responsive to the sensor and wherein the digital system is further configured to modify the prescription based on the performance of the athlete measured by the sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the performance of the athlete comprises a measurement selected from a group consisting of: a metabolic state of the athlete; a power level exerted by the athlete; an energy level expended by the athlete and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the digital system is configured to modify an operational parameter of the exercise apparatus so as to cause the metabolic state of the athlete to tend toward a preselected target metabolic state. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the measured performance of the athlete comprises a measurement of how the athlete interacts with the exercise device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the digital system is configured as a server that is coupled to a plurality of exercise apparatuses. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the prescription includes a nutritional component that includes a listing of specific nutritional requirements that need to be met by the athlete at specific times during the training period. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the nutritional component includes an instruction to the athlete to consume a preselected nutritional substance. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the training prescription further prescribes at least one recovery activity to be executed by the athlete. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inputs regarding a current state of the athlete comprises physical data indicative of a physical state of the athlete. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the physical data comprises results of measurements of a performance by the athlete of at least one physical task. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the physical data comprises at least one measured physical parameter that describes at least one attribute of the athlete's physique. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inputs regarding a current state of the athlete comprises an input from the athlete regarding a perception by the athlete of the state of the athlete. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the digital system is programmed to query the athlete regarding a new physical state of the athlete before at least one of the training sessions and wherein the digital system is further configured to modify the prescription based on the new physical state. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the digital system is programmed to query the athlete regarding a new physical state of the athlete during at least one of the training sessions and wherein the digital system is further configured to modify the prescription based on the new physical state. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the digital system is further programmed to communicate to a nutrition bar a description of a nutritional serving to be supplied to the athlete at a predetermined time. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the digital system is coupled to a global computer network and is configured to receive input from a remote station indicative of training activities performed by the athlete while the athlete is away from the exercise apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus comprises a strength training apparatus 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus comprises an energy system development apparatus. 
     
     
         21 . An athletic training station for training an athlete, comprising:
 a. an exercise apparatus configured to facilitate performance of a plurality of exercises by the athlete;   b. a vibration platform, configured to generate vibrations of a preselected amplitude and a preselected frequency, disposed in a position relative to the strength training apparatus so that the athlete is subjected to the vibrations when performing the plurality of exercises; and   c. a control circuit that is coupled to the strength training apparatus and for the vibration platform and that is configured to set operational parameters for the strength training apparatus and for the vibration platform in response to a predefined stimulus.   
     
     
         22 . The athletic training station of  claim 21 , wherein the control circuit is coupled to a digital system, wherein the digital system is configured to transmit to the control circuit information regarding an exercise prescription that is prescribed for the athlete. 
     
     
         23 . The athletic training station of  claim 22 , further comprising a video monitor that is coupled to the athletic training station and that is configured to transmit instructional information to the athlete regarding at least one exercise that is included in the prescription. 
     
     
         24 . The athletic training station of  claim 23 , wherein the instructional information comprises audiovisual content demonstrating how an exercise is to be performed. 
     
     
         25 . The athletic training station of  claim 21 , wherein the exercise apparatus comprises a strength training apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . The athletic training station of  claim 25 , wherein the strength training apparatus includes at least one sensor that is configured to sense information about an exercise performed by the athlete with the strength training apparatus and wherein the control circuit is coupled to the digital system, wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit to the digital system the information about the exercise. 
     
     
         27 . The athletic training station of  claim 26 , wherein the digital system is configured to analyze the information received from the control circuit and to modify an athletic training prescription stored in the digital system corresponding to the athlete. 
     
     
         28 . The athletic training station of  claim 25 , wherein the strength training apparatus is configured to set at least one exercise resistance parameter in response to an input from the control circuit, based on information corresponding to the prescription received from the digital system. 
     
     
         29 . The athletic training station of  claim 25 , wherein the strength training apparatus comprises an electronically controllable air resistance strength training apparatus. 
     
     
         30 . The athletic training station of  claim 22 , wherein the exercise apparatus comprises an energy system development apparatus that includes an second control circuit that is coupled to the digital system so as to receive at least one control input from the digital system, wherein the energy system development apparatus is configured to set at least one performance parameter so as to correspond to a value of one the control input. 
     
     
         31 . An exercise system for training an athlete, comprising:
 a. a controllable exercise apparatus that includes at least one exercise function and that is configured to set the exercise function to a selected value within a range of values in response to a control signal;   b. a metabolic sensor that is configured to sense a metabolic parameter of the athlete and to generate a metabolic signal representative thereof;   c. a processor that is responsive to the metabolic signal and configured to:
 i. compare the metabolic parameter to a preselected value; 
 ii. modify the control signal so that the selected value of the exercise function will cause the metabolic parameter of the athlete to tend to the preselected value. 
   
     
     
         32 . The exercise system of  claim 31 , wherein the controllable exercise apparatus comprises a resistance training device and wherein the selected value comprises a resistance value. 
     
     
         33 . The exercise system of  claim 31 , wherein the controllable exercise apparatus comprises a treadmill and wherein the selected value comprises a selected one of an angle and a speed at which the treadmill is set. 
     
     
         34 . A method for training an athlete, operable on a digital system that includes a memory upon which is stored a program, the method comprising the actions of:
 a. querying the athlete regarding at least one goal that the athlete seeks to achieve;   b. receiving data indicative of a physical state of the athlete; and   c. executing an expert system on the digital system that mimics a thought process employed by an athletic training professional to generate a training prescription, based on the goal and the physical state of the athlete, the prescription setting forth a schedule of when each of a plurality of exercise sessions is to occur and which exercise activities are to occur during each session, the prescription also setting forth a description of a recovery activity that is to occur as a part of each session and a nutritional activity that is to occur after each session.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the action of transmitting data from the digital system to an exercise apparatus so as to configure the exercise apparatus according to the prescription. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the training prescription includes a plurality of training activities that is designed to achieve the goal that the athlete seeks to achieve. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the training activities include a plurality of exercises, each of which is to occur at a time determined by the expert system. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the actions of:
 a. receiving data indicative of a revised physical state of the athlete after completion of one of the exercise sessions; and   b. executing the expert system so as to revise the prescription based on the revised physical state.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the actions of:
 a. receiving data from the athletic training station regarding performance by the athlete; and   b. executing the expert system so as to revise the prescription based on the data received from the athletic training station.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the action of transmitting instructional information to an athletic training station, the instructional information relating to an exercise that is part of the training prescription. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the data regarding a current physical state of the athlete includes data regarding a physical condition of the athlete. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the data regarding a current physical state of the athlete includes data regarding a measured performance metric relative to the athlete. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 34 , , further comprising the actions of:
 a. receiving a revised goal for the athlete; and   b. revising the prescription to facilitate achieving the revised goal.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the revised goal includes a desire to be trained for a specific athletic event. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the actions of:
 a. receiving an identification of the athlete; and   b. taking a predetermined action based on the identification of the athlete.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the predetermined action comprises:
 a. directing the athlete to a specific athletic training station; and   b. configuring the specific athletic training station according to the training prescription corresponding to the athlete.