"Älynväläyksiä" juoksuasuissa : kestävyysjuoksijoiden käsityksiä juoksuasujen funktionaalisuudesta talviolosuhteissa sekä älyvaatteista

In this research the technical functionality, quality and demands made on endurance runners' running suits in winter conditions were studied. The aim was also to find out how smart clothing and wearable technology are adopted in endurance runners' practise. Referring to previous studies the subject was approached in the theoretical part by studying the profile of endurance running, sports wear and the technology to wear as well as the smart clothing from the point of view of endurance running. The basis of subject was the interest of smart materials and the connection between technical structures and functionality. In the science of handicrafts smart clothing is rarely researched which made it even more interesting for the author. This research was carried out by the principles of the usability research. Usability means the suitability of product to its intended meaning. In the research both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Researched persons were active competitive long-distance runners and also the long-distance runners doing it as a hobby, 35 male and 12 female runners. User information was gathered by the internet forms which mainly was based on the multiple choices but also included few open questions. Gathered information was considered by using both quantitative and content analysing methods. The functional long-distance running practice suit in winter conditions consisted of layered look which considered the possibilities of functional and smart materials. The Practise suit was humid transformable, easy care and light also comfortable to wear. These suits were hoped to be more functional than the current ones. The future running suit was described to not to feel or notice during running. It will not be too tight or sweltering. The functional abilities of clothing materials were believed to be developed further more. Even if the new technical materials are adopted for the running suits the technology to wear is not even though half of the researched runners used pulse indicators. The runners hoped the technology to wear to change more invisible and easier to use. Some of the runners wished the technology to wear to be integrated straight to the clothes which would reduce the number of devices carried with while running. The rare use of Polar Adidas AdiStar Fusion practise system and some other similar systems for endurance running was surprising. According to the results the smart clothing would not make a big brake through in the near future. In the point of view of the researched persons developing of clothing materials was a good and necessary thing, but integrating too much technology to the hobby smears the main purpose of sports and focuses wrongly on the metres and others minors .Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin kestävyysjuoksua harrastavien kuntoilijoiden ja aktiivikilpailijoiden teknisten juoksuasujen funktionaalisuutta talviolosuhteissa ja juoksuvaatetukselle asetettuja ominaisuuksia ja vaatimuksia. Toisena tavoitteena oli selvittää, miten älyvaatteet ja puettava teknologia on omaksuttu kestävyysjuoksijoiden harjoitteluun. Aikaisempiin tutkimuksiin viitaten teoriaosassa tehtävää lähestyttiin selvittämällä kestävyysjuoksun profiilia, urheiluvaatetusta sekä puettavaa teknologiaa ja älyvaatteita kestävyysjuoksun näkökulmasta. Lähtökohtana aiheelle oli mielenkiinto älykkäiden materiaalien ja vaatteiden rakenteellisten ratkaisujen yhteydestä vaatetuksen toimivuuteen ja käyttömukavuuteen. Käsityötieteessä älyvaatteet on vielä vähän tutkittu alue, mikä lisäsi kiinnostustani tutkia aihetta. Tutkimus toteutettiin käytettävyystutkimuksen periaatteiden mukaisesti. Käytettävyys tarkoittaa tuotteen soveltuvuutta aiottuun tarkoitukseensa. Tutkimuksessa yhdistettiin sekä kvalitatiivisen että kvantitatiivisen tutkimuksen menetelmiä. Tutkimushenkilöinä toimi kestävyysjuoksun harrastajia ja aktiivikilpailijoita; 35 mies- ja 12 naisjuoksijaa. Käyttäjätietoa kerättiin Internetissä täytettävällä kyselylomakkeella, joka koostui etupäässä monivalintakysymyksistä, mutta kyselyssä oli myös avoimia kysymyksiä. Saatua aineistoa käsiteltiin sekä kvantitatiivisin menetelmin että sisällönanalyysin menetelmällä. Funktionaalinen kestävyysjuoksun harjoitteluasu talvisissa olosuhteissa muodostui kerrospukeutumisen periaatteita noudattaen ja asuissa huomioitiin toiminnallisten ja älykkäiden materiaalien mahdollisuudet. Juoksuasu oli kosteudensiirtokykyinen, helppohoitoinen ja kevyt sekä käytössä mukava. Juoksuasuista toivottiin kuitenkin nykyisiä toimivampia. Tulevaisuuden juoksuasu kuvattiin sellaiseksi, jonka olemassaoloon ei juoksusuorituksen aikana tarvitse kiinnittää huomiota - vaate ei kiristä, hiosta eikä muutenkaan ahdista. Vaatetusmateriaalien toiminnallisia ominaisuuksia uskottiin kehitettävän entistä parempaan suuntaan. Jos uudet tekniset materiaalit olivat jo omaksuttu juoksuasuihin, samaa ei voitu sanoa puettavan teknologian omaksumisesta, vaikka yli puolet tutkimushenkilöistä käyttikin sykemittaria lenkeillään. Juoksijat toivoivat puettavan teknologian muuttuvan huomaamattomammaksi ja helppokäyttöisemmäksi. Osa juoksijoista toivoi puettavan teknologian integroimista suoraan vaatteeseen, mikä vähentäisi mukana kuljetettavien laitteiden määrää. Polar-Adidas AdiStar Fusion harjoittelujärjestelmän tai vastaavien kokonaisuuksien vähäinen hyödyntäminen kestävyysjuoksussa oli yllättävää. Tulosten perusteella älyvaatteet eivät tulisi tekemään lähitulevaisuudessa kovinkaan suurta läpimurtoa. Useiden informanttien mukaan vaatetusmateriaalien kehitys oli hyvä ja tarpeellinen asia, mutta liiallinen teknologian liittäminen harrastukseen hämärtää liikunnan perimmäisen tarkoituksen ja huomio kiinnittyy mittareiden ja nippelitiedon tuijottamiseen

The Effects of Footwear Longitudinal Bending Stiffness on the Energetics and Biomechanics of Uphill Running

There has been a prevalence of long-distance running footwear incorporating carbon-fiber plates within their midsoles, effectively increasing their longitudinal bending stiffness (LBS). This modification of modern racing footwear has occurred concurrently with large improvements in running times (Bermon et al., 2021), putting into question how these footwear components affect performance (Muniz-Pardos et al., 2021). The current literature has investigated this at level running, but with the increasing popularity of trail running, it is of interest to investigate whether the benefits found during level running translate to graded running. Therefore, the overall aim of this study was to investigate the effects of increased footwear midsole longitudinal bending stiffness (i.e. carbon-fiber plates) on running energetics and biomechanics at various inclines. The effects of high LBS (Nike Vaporfly 4% with midsole intact) and low LBS (Nike Vaporfly 4% with mediolateral cuts made at the forefoot of the midsole through the carbon-fiber plate) footwear conditions were compared for running at 0°, 6°, and 12° inclines. Running energetics and biomechanics data were quantified by measuring metabolic rate and lower leg joint mechanics (from motion capture and ground reaction force measurements). Results from this study suggest that increasing longitudinal bending stiffness within the footwear midsoles has limited influence on running energetics (small non-significant improvements of metabolic power at all inclines), but has considerable effects on the biomechanics of the ankle and MTP joints. However, the most important between shoe differences were independent of grade, suggesting that the benefits of modern racing shoe observed for level running can be expected to translate to steep uphill running. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this study was only able to collect and use data for analysis from a limited number of participants (n=7), and therefore is underpowered, so there may be significant differences that go undetecte

Fashion at the periphery

Sneakers, trainers, kicks, webs, strides, soles, creps, beaters, trabs or trainees, whatever you call your footwear, there is a particular tribe who are obsessive about their footwear... Sneaker enthusiasts are attached to their possessions unlike any other sub-culture. Obsession, Style and Place is an ongoing project intended to highlight specific sub-groups who live significantly for sneakers. From the birth of the Terrace Casual, the unique seekers and the under-represented sectors born out of this culture. Emphasising this much-loved fashion area gives rise to the tribes and cohesive socio-groups who define and are defined by values and tensions around status, belonging and the need for individuality. This research offers new insight from stories from the terraces, provides opportunity to view rare, original and vintage sneakers that informed the birth of the Casuals in Liverpool, UK. To those who subscribe to the pimping up of their sneakers and those not yet heavily featured. Early and emerging research regarding the under-representation of ‘Restorers, Convertors and Customisers’ within the Sneakerhead community. Including the shortage of stories being told in terms of Menswear, it’s past, present and future status contextualises and places the subject within arenas for larger debate, thus raising awareness, and bridging gaps within the field

CAUSE OF PRONATION IN RACE WALKING

Walking and race walking are gaining acceptance as forms of fitness and recreation. A recent survey conducted by the Gallup Organization for the American Podiatry Association and Scholl, Inc. found that walking was the most popular form of exercise for one-third of the respondents with 63% walking daily. A main reason for race walking's popularity according to Subotnick (1977) and Sheehan (1978) is that race walking is virtually injury free when compared to running. Walking and race walking may serve as an attractive, safe, and adequate form of aerobic fitness

JOINT LOADING OF LOWER EXTREMITIES DURING NORDIC WALKING COMPARED TO WALKING BASED ON KINETIC AND KINEMATIC DATA

Based on a higher cardio-pulmonary and cardio-vascular benefit and a promised reduction of mechanical load of the musculoskeletal system Nordic Walking (NW) shows an increased market potential. The present study should investigate whether there are differences in joint loading of lower extremities using an inverse dynamics approach between NW and Walking. In this experiment 15 subjects participated, who were already experienced with the NW technique. Kinematic data were collected using a 6-camera 3-dimensional Vicon System. Kinetic data were recorded using a Kistler force plate. Based on the findings it is to summarize, that the use of the poles during NW, performing the diagonal technique, do not lead to a reduction of joint loading of the lower extremities compared to Walking in general. Moreover for NW a higher knee joint loading during landing could be observed which is caused by the specific NW technique

Aplicación de la ingeniería de métodos para incrementar la productividad en la empresa ADISTAR´S S.A , Comas ,2017

La presente tesis buscó incrementar la productividad en el sistema productivo de fabricación de zapatillas clásicas de damas de la empresa “ADISTAR” en el distrito de Comas de la ciudad de Lima, a través de la aplicación de la Ingeniería de Métodos. Se consideró una población de 26 días de producción del proceso de fabricación de zapatillas clásicas de damas, se tomó como base de datos el mes de junio para poder hacer la comparación post test de la fabricación de zapatillas; la cual se verá incrementada a través del análisis del proceso y la ideación de nuevos métodos para realizar el trabajo con el fin de reducir el “el tiempo”. El estudio permitió mejorar los procesos de Armado, donde el índice de la productividad ha mejorado de 0.5144 a 0.8820 con respecto a la situación inicial con un índice de 0.3680 y con un incremento del índice la productividad de 0.71 esto se corroboró con la prueba de normalidad mediante el estadígrafo de shapiro Wilk y la prueba de Wilcoxon al comparar la productividad antes y después de las mejoras , lo cual permitió rechazar la hipótesis nula y aceptar que la aplicación de la Ingeniera de Métodos incrementa la productividad en la empresa Adistar S.A

SOLE_ZINE 06 TRIMM TRAB

Sole_Zine is a research project dedicated to documenting and archiving British trainer culture. In issue 07 we talk to Chris Staunton, (the first employee of the businessman and retail pioneer in the scene Robert Wade-Smith). To find out about the early days of trab culture. Liverpool has fashion deeply rooted in its identity. The Terrace Casuals were born in the late 70’s on the terraces of Anfield and Goodison. This British Subculture went on to influence modern menswear as we know it today. Arguably it provided the first accessible space where the working-class man could engage with fashion in a positive way

Sole_Zine 03 CONVERSION

Sole_Zine is a new project dedicated to recording UK trainer culture. An ongoing project to create an archive of stories to include, artefacts, photography, interviews and other ephemera that captures British Trainer Culture and it's significance in terms of fashion, identity and community. The Conversion issue captures narratives from a specialist in sneaker/trainer conversion from Liverpool and the Merseyside region.The project involves interviews and photographic records from David Charlesworth of Vintage Trainer Repairs that showcase the skill and craftsmanship of hit new emerging trainer phenomena. "We talk to a pioneer of sneaker conversion. In a crowded subculture of trainer collectors, lovers and enthusiasts we meet the man who achieves the unique"

Customer Satisfaction Analysis and Proposals for Its Improvement

Diplomová práce se zabývá analýzou spokojenosti zákazníků s produktem. Práce definuje teoretická východiska a problematiku, která souvisí se spokojeností zákazníka. Dále popisuje základní metody a postupy analýzy marketingového prostředí a problematiku dotazníkového průzkumu. Teoretická východiska jsou aplikována na konkrétní produkt, běžecké boty od společnosti adidas. Z dotazníkového průzkumu, vnitřní a vnější analýzy, vyplynuly faktory, se kterými zákazníci jsou nebo nejsou spokojeni. Na základě výstupu z dotazníků jsou stanoveny konkrétní návrhy na růst spokojenosti zákazníků s produktem.The diploma thesis deals with the analysis of customer satisfaction with the product. This work defines the theoretical backgroung and issues related to customer satisfaction. The basic methods and processes for analysis of the marketing environment and the isssue of a questionnaire survey. Theoretical solutions are applied to a specific product, running shoes of the company adidas. The questionnaire survey, internal and external analysis, suggests the factors with which customers are or are not satisfied. Specific proposals to increase customer satisfaction with the product are set out on the basis of the outputs from the questionnaire.