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Looking for an easy way to improve your sporting performance?
The power of magnets
10/12/03 by Michael Smyth
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At top level sport the difference between winning and losing can be very marginal. Often winning or losing can come down to how you feel on the day. Top coaches around the world are agreed though, that marginal improvements in training or lifestyle can make big differences at top level sport. Regrettably, that’s why some athletes turn to drugs to get the edge, no matter what the cost. The recent press concerning THG is a case in point. However, for the majority of athletes who seek to improve their performance by legitimate means there are a number of options available ranging from nutritional supplements to simply training harder and smarter. Other options may be less obvious…
Feeling tired?
The two major inhibiters to training harder are tiredness and injury. Have you ever turned up to a training session and just didn’t have that get up and go? How many times have you been frustrated because a niggling injury just wouldn’t go away? Why is it that some days the body just feels weak and lethargic?
The best cure for tiredness is just plain old fashioned sleep. Other than the ability to breathe, the pre requisites for human survival are water, food, and sleep, but not in that order. In fact, the body can go without food and water for longer than it can go without sleep. Sleep is a fundamental part of human functioning. But how many times have you had a disturbed nights sleep? Do you sometimes wake up in the morning feeling more tired than when you went to bed? Is your sleep pattern interrupted by a lot of tossing and turning in bed? Oddly it is quite a common experience, so you may not be alone.
In terms of injury or illness, the body’s ability to heal itself can sometimes be remarkable. Why is it some people can get over a cold in days whereas for other it takes weeks? Why are some people’s rates of recovery from injury quicker than others? If you have a slower recovery rate than others, wouldn’t it be great to find a non–invasive way to kick start the body’s natural healing process?
Just think how much your sporting performance would improve if you could find a solution to these problems.
The Power of Magnetic Therapy
Magnetic therapy has been around now for some time and has been practiced in China, India and Japan for centuries. The ancient healers in Egypt talked of the body’s natural energy flow or Qi (chee). If you imagine the human body as a machine, then this energy is best likened to a current, without which the body simply would not function. The Chinese stimulate his energy flow in many ways, including acupuncture, acupressure, massage and the use of magnets.
Now many Western doctors and experts are saying the same thing. One such person is Dr William Pawluk, coauthor of Magnetic Therapy, the East European Research. Dr Pawluk believes the magnets increase the production of endorphins in the body which have a positive effect on decreasing stress. Important for sports people, he also says:
“…studies show that magnets increase blood flow and oxygen. In other words they increase the ability of hemoglobin to carry oxygen by 40% to 70%”
Another expert in this field is Kyoichi Nakagawa, M.D. and Chief of Tokyo’s Isuzu Hospital. He has identified a problem called Magnetic Deficiency Syndrome and reports the symptoms as including stiffness of the shoulders, back and neck; low back pain; chest pain; habitual headache and heaviness of the head; dizziness and insomnia; habitual constipation; and general fatigue for no good reason. Dr Nakagawa says he has treated about 11,000 patients using magnetic therapy who complained of muscle spasm in the shoulder or neck and claims to have freed about 90% from such pain.
Magnets in Sport
Whilst there seems to be no concrete proof that magnets can either help you sleep or speed recovery from injury, there are a number of sport people using magnets who are feeling the positive effects. They come from all sports and include names such as Evander Holyfield, Muhammed Ali and Larry Holmes from boxing, a large number of golfers including Tiger Woods, and from tennis the Williams sisters. The list doesn’t stop there and in some instances whole teams are using magnetic products, one example being the Denver Broncos in the USA. With so many sports people now trying magnetic products maybe there is something in it? But are all magnets the same?
Are all magnets the same?
It would appear not. I remember from my school days being told about magnets having a north and south pole which create a magnetic field around the magnet. The magnetic energy (or flux lines) exit the negative pole and re-enter through the positive pole. This creates a halo effect around the magnet which represent the magnetic field. However, within the halo there is no magnetic field. So scientists began developing ways in which to create a product which was magnetic across its whole surface. They began experimenting with linear, then circular alternating pole designs before they came across a unique chessboard design whereby the flux lines would cross each other just like a chess board. However, scientists have now gone a stage further and created the Equilateral design (or EQL). When viewed under a special sensor the flux lines appear to cross in a triangular format cutting across all angles. This is the best type of magnet because it gives 100% coverage across the whole product and a good field gradient (the term used to describe the undulating effect of the magnetic field). Whilst some manufactures claim 100% coverage over their products, only the EQL design can give 100% coverage. Most manufactures still rely on single pole magnetic products.
Does the Strength of the magnet make a difference?
The strength of a magnet is measured as its gauss rating. The greater the gauss rating the stronger the magnet. However, the greater the rating does not necessarily mean the product is better. By and large you should choose products that have rating greater than 200, but more important is the design and the extent of the magnetic coverage. For example, it is now possible to incorporate magnetic technology into flexible fibres which means magnets can be used in supports or wraps which fit snugly around an injury site.
Is it worth a try?
Most top sports people would agree that if they could find products that may legally assist their athletic performance, they would give it a try. Compared to the annual cost of taking supplements , purchasing a magnetic product would in the long term work our cheaper and may even give better results. For people who don’t play sport, or play at a low level, the benefits could be the same in terms of daily living. As I mentioned previously, there is no concrete proof yet that magnets work but an increasing number of people, including sports people and doctors are finding their effects very beneficial. Some people have described using magnets as accupunture without the needles. Distributors of magnetic products are able to give a simple five minute demonstration of their effect – try it and see for yourself!
If you want to know more about the effect of magnetic products or learn about the products available click here
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