Network Magazine spring 2014 | Page 13

Fortunately, it’s never been easier for personal trainers to cater to the needs of visual learners – and in an impressive and impactful manner. Video analysis of clients performing exercises or movements was once a very expensive prospect requiring video recording equipment, a computer and analysis software. As such, it was the domain of elite sports and not a viable option for everyday trainers and coaches. This is no longer the case, with smartphones and apps now putting this technology firmly within reach of every fitness professional. Here, we look at five popular video capturing apps (all available as Apple apps and most also as Android apps) that can help you achieve technical mastery with your clients – particularly those who learn best visually. Putting them to the test Coach’s Eye coachseye.com êêêêê 1 Coach’s Eye is my favourite video capturing app. It’s very simple to use, has great features and has a low cost ($4.99) for the basic model. VIDEO ANALYSIS You can review performance using slow motion or frame-by-frame playback. It also has drawing tools which enable you to measure angles or strokes. You can even compare your videos or examples from other people using the split screen video. It can also record all your slow motion or frame-by-frame playback, drawing and even audio over the actual footage. VIDEO SHARING You can share your video via email, SMS and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Coach’s Eye allows you to record video instantly and import videos from your device gallery or sites like YouTube and Dropbox. ADD-ON APPS You can choose to upgrade the basic model with the following: 1. The Precision Pack $9.99 (includes the modules below) 2. Angle Tool $4.99 3. Stopwatch $4.99 4. Spotlight Tool $4.99 Ubersense ubersense.com êêêê 2 Ubersense is similar to Coach’s Eye, but with the added bonus of the basic model being free! I found it took a little time to be able to use effectively as it seems to have more emphasis on sharing the information than it does on providing user-friendly features. VIDEO ANALYSIS You can analyse your sporting and lifting techniques with slow motion and frame-by-frame playback. To access every detail, you can zoom and pan the videos, and you can also use drawing tools to measure or highlight. The video comparison feature allows you to compare your videos, either sideby-side or stacked. Coaches in particular will love this app because of the ease with which it enables you to track and compare an athlete’s progress over time. VIDEO SHARING Ubersense has its own community feature which allows you to watch and download videos from other Ubersense app users. You can freely use the library of professional athlete videos to watch and compare techniques. You can share videos with clients, coaches or friends directly from the app, and can post to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Dropbox. ADD-ON APPS You can upgrade to Ubersense Elite which costs $5.49 per month or $25.99 per-year. This allows storage in a private cloud, as well as syncing across multiply devices. NETWORK SPRING 2014 | 13