Reactive Impact
The highest load to the locomotor system at the optimal moment for physical training.
Reactive Impact
When moving the Xco®-Trainer the direction of the movement should always be in the lengthwise direction of the tube and the movement should be back and forth. The speed and the range of motion should be such that at the beginning and end of each movement the impact of the free moving mass against the end-caps can clearly be felt.
The unique training effect of the Xco®-Trainer is referred to as Reactive Impact. This Reactive Impact occurs at the start and end of each movement and is very different from the normal energy that occurs with a dead weight.
The most important aspect of Reactive Impact is that it creates the highest load to the locomotor system at the moment that is optimal for physical training. Meaning that the muscles as well as the collagen (connective tissue) receive the right stimulation for increasing strength and performance. Reactive Impact in fact is the result of the optimal combination of delayed impact together with soft impact.
Delayed impact.
When changing the direction of the movement, back and forth, the Xco®-Trainer itself changes direction. However, the free moving mass within the tube does not change its direction immediately but with a delayed impact in relation to the changing of the movement. This delayed impact releases its energy when the movement into the other direction has already been started; so actually just after the change of direction and at exactly the moment of acceleration. This moment of acceleration is actually critical in training the performance of the locomotor system.
Read more about Delayed Impact
The Reactive Impact of the Xco®-Trainer creates exactly the right kind of load at the most optimal moment for physical training. Because the impact takes place during the acceleration the release of energy is much higher than a dead weight.
Moreover, at the moment when a movement is reaching its end position (the position of the change of direction) there is a relatively lower energy as compared to a dead weight (so while slowing down) and when acceleration takes place then the energy is relatively much higher. Of course this Reactive Impact effect only increases in its relative energy when the speed and intensity of the movement is increased.
Soft Impact.
In order to achieve the right Reactive Impact it is of great importance that the impact itself is not a hard shock that concentrates all of the energy in one moment. The free moving mass and irregular shape of the particles inside the Xco®-Trainer create a soft impact by absorbing kinetic energy.
Read more about Soft Impact
An unwanted shocking effect would occur when the Xco®-Trainer contains a weight that functions as one entity, such as e.g. a large iron ball. Because the impact would be so concentrated, it would actually create a short peak of energy at the moment of acceleration and that would be damaging to the muscle cells and connective tissues.
When the direction of movement of the Xco®-Trainer container changes, the free moving mass of particles will reach the end-cap of the Xco®-Trainer and be pressed against it. While the mass reaches the end-caps, not all the mass reaches it at the same time as an iron ball would. As a result the energy of the impact is divided over an extended moment in time. Most of all however, when the mass is being compressed against the end-cap, the irregular shape of the particles will allow the individual particles to change their respective positions in order to decrease the density of the free moving mass. This effect allows the mass to absorb kinetic energy and in this way creates a soft impact.
