The Sports Science feature in Pod1um is a powerful tool designed to enhance communication, data collection, and athlete monitoring directly within their assigned workouts. It allows you, as a coach, to seamlessly integrate questionnaires to gather subjective feedback (like wellness or RPE) and also provide crucial information or instructions (text, images, videos) at specific points in a session – before, during, or after the workout activities.
This feature bridges the gap between workout execution and athlete feedback/guidance, centralising valuable insights and communication within the Pod1um platform.
Key Capabilities
In-Workout Data Collection:
Embed questionnaires directly into workout flows.
Collect subjective data points like Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), wellness scores, sleep quality, muscle soreness, session feedback, and more.
Gather objective data points where manual input is required (e.g., specific counts, times logged manually).
Data is captured in context, linked directly to the specific workout session.
Contextual Information Delivery:
Provide instructions, reminders, or educational content precisely when needed – before a workout (e.g., briefing, goals), during a workout (e.g., technique cues between sets, pacing strategy), or after a workout (e.g., recovery protocols, reflection prompts).
Deliver information using various formats:
Text: For clear, concise instructions or questions.
Images: To illustrate technique, setups, or specific points of focus.
Videos: For dynamic demonstrations, detailed explanations, or motivational messages.
How It Works
You can add 'Sports Science' blocks when building or editing workouts in the Pod1um Workout Builder.
Add questionnaire/information section: From the workout builder, click the 'more' icon to the right of the "Create new section" button.
Choose purpose: From the menu, choose if this section will be for:
Data collection (Questionnaire): You'll then define your question(s) and select the appropriate response type for each.
Information delivery: You'll then add your text, upload an image, or embed a video link, along with any accompanying descriptive text.
Placement: Position the block where you want it to appear within the workout flow (e.g., at the very beginning for wellness, after a specific exercise for RPE, or at the end for session feedback/recovery info).
Athlete interaction: When the athlete performs the workout, they will encounter these sections at the designated points. They can intuitively answer the questions or view the information provided before proceeding.
Data review: Responses submitted by athletes are stored within Pod1um, associated with that specific workout session, allowing you to review trends and individual feedback over time.
Available question response types (for data collection)
When setting up a questionnaire block, you can choose from a variety of response formats:
Linear scale: Capture responses on a numerical scale (e.g., 1-10 for RPE or soreness).
Single selection: Provide multiple options where only one can be chosen (e.g., How did you sleep? Great/Okay/Poor).
Multi selection: Allow athletes to select multiple options from a list (e.g., Which areas feel sore? Check all that apply: Quads, Hamstrings, Back...).
Star rating: A visual rating scale, often used for satisfaction or effort (e.g., 1-5 stars).
Text: Allow open-ended free text responses (e.g., Any additional comments about the session?).
Number: Collect specific numerical input (e.g., How many hours did you sleep?).
Time: Collect time-based input (e.g., What time did you go to bed?).
Yes/no (True/false): For binary questions (e.g., Did you encounter any difficulty completing the prescribed exercises?).
Advanced response type settings
For certain response types (like Linear Scale, Single/Multi Selection, Number), you have advanced options to add more context and facilitate easier reporting:
Labels: Add descriptive text labels to points on a scale to provide context.
Example: For a 1-5 Linear Scale question about session difficulty, you could label '1' as "Very Easy" and '5' as "Extremely Hard".
Numeric Values: Assign specific numerical values to qualitative responses (like Single or Multi Selection options). This is crucial for calculations and monitoring trends over time.
Example: For a Single Selection question "Fatigue Level" with options "Low", "Moderate", "High", you could assign Numeric Values 1, 2, and 3 respectively. This allows you to calculate averages or sum values across multiple questions to create a composite score (e.g., a "Readiness to Train" score).
Thresholds: Define lower and upper limits for numerical responses to automatically categorise the data for reporting and quick interpretation. Setting these thresholds creates three distinct segments.
Example: For a Number question "How many hours of sleep did you get?", setting a Lower Threshold of 7 and an Upper Threshold of 9 would automatically categorise responses:
1–6 hours: Below Lower Threshold (e.g., flagged as "unsatisfactory")
7–8 hours: Between Lower and Upper Threshold (e.g., flagged as "satisfactory")
9+ hours: Above Upper Threshold (e.g., flagged as "excellent")
Benefits for Coaches
Streamlined data collection: Gather crucial subjective feedback without needing separate forms or messages.
Contextual insights: Understand athlete perception (RPE, wellness) directly related to specific training sessions.
Enhanced communication: Deliver timely and targeted instructions, technique cues, or educational content within the workout context.
Improved Athlete Monitoring: Track trends in wellness, fatigue, and session responses over time.
Centralised information: Keep all workout-related communication and data within the Pod1um ecosystem.
Increased engagement: Make feedback and guidance an interactive part of the training process.
Getting Started
Explore the 'Sports Science' tab within your library, or start creating new questionnaire/ information sections and begin integrating enhanced data collection and communication into your athletes' training programs.