Patent Publication Number: US-2013244212-A1

Title: On-line system for generating individualized training plans

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to a system for generating athletic and fitness training plans, and more particularly concerns such a system which includes individually adapted exercises and intensities therefor related to particular sports and fitness activities. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the internet-based training system for athletes comprises: a user interface; a training program database which stores at least one training program, comprising a series of preconfigured exercises; an exercise database comprising a plurality of individual separate exercises and selected information, if any, relating to each exercise; an exercise algorithm for determining exercise intensity to be used for each exercise in the training program; and a computer program for determining automatically, following initiation, a training plan for an individual athlete based on input data about the individual athlete, training program data from the training program database, exercise data from the exercise database and the exercise algorithm, wherein the computer program provides back to a user the training plan, wherein the computer program, the training program database, and the exercise database are at a remote location, wherein the communication with the user interface occurs over a computer network. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow chart showing the components of the training system, including a user interface portion. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the major components of the training system. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the sequence of functions of the training system. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     The training system includes a local user interface with an internet capability in combination with a server with several database portions at a remote location. The training system includes the ability to input individual and team data including initial and on-going strength data and to obtain from the remote server an appropriate training plan. 
     In general, the outcome of the training system is an individual athlete-focused training plan but can include a plurality of individual plans for athletes comprising an entire team which will typically be overseen by a coach. An “athlete” is herein defined as any individual for whom data, including strength data, is provided to the system and who actually performs the exercises contained in the training plan. A “coach” is herein defined as any individual who oversees the performance by the athlete or athletes of the exercises contained in the training plan. The system is based on a predetermined set of exercises designed for a specific training purpose, e.g. performance in a specific sport, with the intensity of the exercises being based on strength feedback information from the individual athlete. The individual plans are typically based on a year-long cycle or time period relating to the timing of the specific sport season. 
       FIG. 1  shows the major components of the system, referred to generally at  10 . The system includes a local user interface  12 , which is accessible to a user, such as a coach or individual athlete, and a remote server  13 . The user interface  12  can be located at a personal computer or similar device, typically, but not necessarily, at the training facility of the team/user. Basically, the user interface  12  is presented to the user through a web browser or other similar application. The user interface  12  has three significant functions. First, it is available for data input, including information concerning a team as well as the individual users. This information is stored at  14  and  16 , respectively. Team database  14  will store all relevant team information that has been inputted by the user through input  18 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the team information will include, but is not limited to, the sport played by the team, the team name, the profile of the facility, including a description of the workout equipment, information about the coaches, information about the players, including the names of the players, the position of each player on the team, and the season start and end dates. 
     A user (athlete) database  16  receives input information for individual athletes, including, but not limited to, data concerning the athlete&#39;s individual account, the billing data and the profile data concerning the athlete, including the height and weight of the athlete, as well as the certain athletic test results, including strength information. 
     The user interface also includes a request function/input for a training plan, shown at  24 , which can be operated once the team and athlete information have been entered. The request is directed to a training plan computer program in the remote server, referred to as training plan builder  26 . This program in operation obtains data from the user and team databases  14  and  16  as well as information from a training program database  32 , an exercise database  30 , and an exercise intensity algorithm  34  to construct a comprehensive training plan. The training plan is provided back to the user interface at  24 . The user interface then typically displays the plan at  27 . 
     The exercise database  30  stores a large number of specific separate exercises. The exercises in database  30  are preconfigured, static and cannot be changed by inputs to the team and user database by the user. The exercises stored in database  30  are not per se associated with a particular sport or body part in the database. The exercise data will typically include the recognized name of the exercise, as well as a short explanation of the exercise and how to perform it, the equipment required to perform the exercise, as well as other coaching points. In some cases, an alternate exercise is provided, such as to accommodate an injury or in the event that the designated equipment is unavailable. For each exercise, there is number data, i.e. sets or reps, as well as data for calculating the intensity, i.e. weight, for each set. In this embodiment the content of the exercise database cannot be altered by the user, however, alternative embodiments may allow for users to preconfigure exercise data. 
     The training program database  32  stores preconfigured (preset) training programs. It includes all of the different preconfigured training programs in the overall system. The training program database could include the exercise database. A training program consists of a subset of exercises existing in exercise database  30  particularly arranged to achieve a specific training purpose. Each training program is loaded into the database as a static program, i.e. it cannot be changed by inputs to the team and user database by the user. Each training program so loaded is associated with a specific sport and includes a particular preselected array of exercises for the athlete to perform, as well as when they are to be performed (time schedule) and in what sequence. There will be preferably one training program per sport. In the present embodiment, the content of a training program cannot be altered by the user, however, alternative embodiments may allow for users to change the configuration of a particular training program by changing the number and/or the particular exercises in the program or the intensities thereof. 
     The exercise intensity algorithm  34  uses data from the exercise database and user input data to calculate the intensity (the weight) for each set of a selected exercise in each season/phase/week/day of training, as discussed in more detail below. As the user periodically inputs new data, new intensity numbers will be created by the intensity algorithm. The algorithm in the present embodiment is: 
       (base exercise 1 RM)×(load %)×(intensity %)
 
     1 RM (one rep maximum) refers to the maximum weight lifted by the athlete for a single rep of a preselected base exercise. Typically, each exercise in the exercise database  30  has one associated base exercise; for example, the base exercise for the incline press is the bench press. The preferred embodiment of each sport&#39;s training program includes three to five pre-established base exercises. However, in some sports, fewer than three or more than five base exercises may be used. For example, the base exercises for the football training program are the bench press, the back squat, the hang clean, the push jerk and the deadlift. 
     The load percentage refers to the percentage of the base exercise 1 RM that would approximately be the maximum weight lifted by the athlete for a single rep of the selected exercise. For example, the load percentage of the incline press (selected exercise) is 80% of the bench press (base exercise). This estimates that the athlete&#39;s incline press 1 RM is 80% of the athlete&#39;s bench press 1 RM. 
     The intensity percentage is based on the point within a specific training program that the exercise is to be performed. Each exercise has a defined intensity percentage for each point in the training program that it might be performed. For example, the intensity percentage for the bench press in the first set of the first week of the first phase of the football training program is 55%. The intensity percentage will thus vary throughout the program. 
     The outcome of the algorithm is a specific intensity (weight) of a specific exercise to be performed by a given athlete at a given point in a specific training program. 
     The comprehensive plan builder  26  is a computer program that uses data from the four databases ( 14 ,  16 ,  30  and  32 ) and the exercise intensity algorithm  34  to assemble a training plan, in response to a request from a user through the user interface  24 . 
     The system can be accessed by a user, such as an athlete, to obtain a training plan for a selected sport or accessed by a coach to obtain plans for multiple athletes on a team.  FIG. 3  shows the overall process of the system, which operates only after the team data and athlete data have been previously entered into their respective databases. The first step in operation of the system is shown at  40 , which is a request for a training plan from a user for a particular sport for an entire team or for an individual athlete. The request can be initiated through user action, or the request can occur automatically, such as at a particular time of year. The request is directed from a local computer station/terminal to the server at the remote location over a computer network such as the internet. The remote server contains the training plan builder  26 , the four databases ( 14 ,  16 ,  30 , and  32 ) and the intensity algorithm  34 . In the preferred embodiment, the databases are separate and number four; however, in other embodiments, the databases may be combined or further divided to a number fewer than or greater than four. 
     In step  42 , training plan builder  26  obtains data from team database  14  for the team which includes the athlete for whom the plan is being constructed. Typically, the team data obtained will include, but is not necessarily limited to, the sport or the team that the particular athlete is on, and a series of dates pertinent to the schedule of the sport/team for the given year, and any relevant facilities data. In the next step, shown at  46 , the plan builder  26  uses the team data to select an appropriate preconfigured training program from the training program database  32 . For example, if the sport selected is football, a football program is selected and obtained from the database  32 . As indicated above, a training program is a set of exercises for a particular athlete to perform, including when they should be performed and in what sequence. The training program does not include information concerning the volume (sets/reps) or intensity that should be used for each exercise. 
     In the next step, shown at  48 , specific exercise data is obtained from the exercise database  30  for each of the exercises in the selected training program. This data will include, as indicated above, the name of each exercise, the description of each exercise (including pictures, diagrams or video), any coaching points, the volume (sets/reps), and the numbers used for the intensity calculation. 
     In the next step at  50 , data is obtained from the user database  16  for the individual athlete. This data includes athlete profile data, the performance of the athlete in initial strength tests such as the 1 RM data, and any injury data. 
     In the next step  52 , the intensity (weight) of each exercise in the selected program is produced from the athlete data and the exercise data, using the exercise intensity algorithm  34  described above. The intensity algorithm is used only for the purpose of determining recommended weights to be used for the various exercises and does not affect the training plan in any other way. Intensity is calculated independently for each exercise. 
     The actual training plan for the individual athlete is then assembled, as shown at  54  and then provided back to the user through the user interface. The plan itself can be viewed at the user interface, or it can be exported to another device or printer. 
     The end result of the system is a training plan which can be sport-specific, which includes a set of exercises which are predetermined, static, and unique to each sport. Each such training plan is typically directed toward a year-long training cycle, broken down into seasons, phases, weeks, and days. Each season, phase, week, and day (or other period) is designed to accomplish specific goals and, in combination, produce a comprehensive annual training plan. 
     The training cycle refers to the entire year of an athlete&#39;s training from the beginning of the off-season to the end of the post-season. Each annual training cycle will typically consist of four or five individual training blocks typically comprised of four or five phases. Each training phase is a group of weeks, typically two or three, or other short periods that share a common exercise regimen but vary in intensity in accordance with the exercise intensity algorithm. The duration of a training phase may be several weeks, one week or several days. 
     Each training program for a particular sport and the exercises thereof comprising the training program is designed in accordance with specific movements associated with the athletic performance of that sport, not necessarily particular muscles or body parts. Each daily training regimen includes, but is not limited to, a resistance-based warm-up, an explosive or rapid movement, resistance training, injury prevention movements, and speed/agility training. The program uses a specific, unique schedule for each sport and each individual athlete that determines the timing of each training season, phase, and week in accordance with the start date and end date of the sport season. 
     Accordingly, an on-line system for generating individualized training plans has been disclosed which utilizes a significant amount of specific information, much of which is fixed for each sport, but is broken down into a particular time sequence to achieve improved sports performance. 
     Although a preferred embodiment has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes and modifications and substitutions could be made in the preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow: