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The device
What are the advantages of using CHASKi compared to other methods?
- CHASKi is comfortable and light, weighing only 12 grams.
- CHASKi is non-invasive and painless, as it does not require blood or other samples.
- It is affordable and can be used on a recurring basis.
- It is fast, requires no preparation or waiting time between sampling. The threshold test takes 20 minutes on average.
What does CHASKi measure?
CHASKi measures respiratory rate through 2 thermal sensors, one nasal and one oral, these sensors measure the respiratory rate through temperature changes and then with the respiratory rate curve the ventilatory thresholds are determined.
What type of temperature sensor do you use?
It is a sensor developed, patented and exclusively used by IC Innovations.
Is CHASKi for personal use, or could it be used by other people?
CHASKi is designed for coaches to evaluate their athletes, in which case it can be used by more people.
It is also possible to buy it as a single person and subscribe for personal tests.
Is CHASKi washable?
Yes, it should be cleaned gently with cotton and alcohol. However, it should not be immersed in water or other liquids.
Use
Are all activities logged? and, at what time intervals is the data saved?
All activities are logged and data is saved on a second-by-second basis.
Can data be exported or linked to other training devices?
At the moment CHASKi data can only be viewed in the CHASKi app on a phone or tablet and does not link to other devices. After the activity you can see the CHASKi data linked to the other parameters on our platform. It is under development to be able to export CHASKi data on platforms such as training peaks.
What sports is it used for?
CHASKi is intended for endurance sports, such as cycling, marathon and triathlon. At the moment the validation is done for cycling and we are currently working on the validation for running. Nevertheless, if you want to improve your aerobic performance you can measure yourself in any of the modalities to determine your thresholds and then associate them to your heart rate for training.
Does it work with running?
An incremental test can be done for running but we are still in the process of validating the running protocol, as for this we compare the determination of thresholds with gas mask versus CHASKi, this is what is already validated in cycling.
Ventilatory thresholds
Why is it important to know my ventilatory thresholds?
A randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of a 12-week training in 2 groups. The first was based on standard heart rate percentages and the other on personalized ventilatory thresholds. The results showed that only 40% of the athletes improved when using the heart rate formula, while 100% of the group using customized thresholds improved their endurance and their increase was 2.4 times greater compared to the first group.
How does CHASKi measure ventilatory thresholds?
Through the performance of a maximal incremental test and the use of our device we obtain a respiratory rate curve and through algorithms developed by our team we determine the ventilatory thresholds.
What protocol do you use?
Our protocol is staggered and incremental, it starts with 3 minutes of warm-up at 50 watts of power and then goes to 100 watts, from there we increase 20 watts every 80 seconds until exhaustion.
When does the threshold test end?
The test ends when the athlete reports having reached exhaustion or if he or she is unable to sustain a cadence between 80 and 100 rpm.
How to determine if the test is maximal?
The criteria we use are:
- Heart rate ≥ 95% of the theoretical maximal HR.
- PSE ≥ 17 on Borg scale (Very hard).
What formula do you use for maximal heart rate
In any discipline you can use the 220 – Age formula.
In cycling we use the Morris formula 200 – 0.72 * Age.
How do you measure heart rate and power?
The heart rate is measured with a heart band and the power through the smart trainer, this data is exported to training peaks (or some similar platform) and from there a .fit file containing this information is downloaded.
Should it always be used with your incremental protocol?
For the determination of ventilatory thresholds it is advisable to use this protocol as our algorithms are validated with it. However, it can be used for training sessions or other types of tests without the purpose of determining thresholds.
From which studies were the algorithms taken?
These algorithms were developed by the CHASKi team and are validated with a study comparing threshold detection by gas analysis versus CHASKi. This study is soon to be published.
How often is it advisable to perform a threshold assessment?
This depends on several factors, such as your initial physical condition and training volume. Thresholds change more rapidly in untrained individuals and more slowly in high-performance athletes. We advise you to perform it according to your coach’s indications. However, the usual recommendation is to perform it every month.
Has it been compared with the thresholds given by gas analysis?
Yes, the validation of our cycling protocol was done by comparing the thresholds determined by ergospirometry versus those of CHASKi, the correlation is very good and this study is soon to be published.
How do I use my thresholds in training?
Your thresholds represent break points in your response to exercise and you can associate them to a pace, power or heart rate. In each zone, determined by the thresholds, different metabolic aspects are worked and training at the correct intensity allows you to generate adaptations in your body that improve the ability to withstand greater effort at those break points and thus, you can maintain higher loads for longer.
Do training zones change over time?
Yes, the body adapts to the training and this changes the thresholds, i.e., they are reached at higher intensities. As thresholds change, so do training zones, and with CHASKi you can periodically evaluate yourself to update your zones and maintain a more efficient and personalized training.
How accurate is the determination of thresholds with CHASKi?
The accuracy for both thresholds is 92%.
The App
Is the App available on iOS and Android?
Yes, our App is available on both platforms.
Do you have a desktop app?
For real-time activities we have the App which can be viewed on cell phones and tablets. For historical information, reports and other features, we have a web platform.
Battery
How long does the battery last?
With the device in use, the battery lasts 24 hours.
Sales
Do you have international shipping?
To see the feasibility of shipping you must schedule a meeting with our team at the following email: ventas@chaski.fit