Performance-Enhancing Products in Football

So maybe your not the best player in the world or your just looking for that edge to improve your game? Performance-enhancing products could be your answer!

There are many varieties of products designed to aid your performance, currently on the market and they are becoming a big part of the modern game. In this article I will introduce the different varieties and products currently available on the performance-enhancing market. Stay tuned for reviews of some of these products!

To start with, we’ll look at how football boots have become ‘performance enhancers’ in a way-

Companies now include new technological features in their football boots (sometimes they are gimmicks) with the aim to improve a part of your game. For instance the Total 90 Laser III’s power pods are angled at different heights to improve accuracy. Now I’m not saying these features and technologies don’t work, and in many cases they do improve your game, but be sure that not all of them do. The improvement these technologies have on a player varies between the boot and the player’s ability. If you are not good at shooting accurately for instance, a pair of boots aren’t going to make you unbelievably good at it. They may just help you improve and may give you a psychological lift (placebo).

The psychological lift is a very important part of a boot, which is why many of these ‘gimmicks’ are included. It can make you feel like you can do what the boot claims to help you improve on. Now I’m not trying to discourage you from modern boots with these features (sometimes gimmicks) as in many cases they does help in some way and the psychological lift always helps you improve. Just don’t expect boots to make you best player in the world. As I said above, they will just help you improve.

More classical boots such as the Adidas Copa Mundial have no ‘gimmicks’ or technologies included. Just a supremely soft trademark leather which offers great durability, making the Copa Mundial arguably the most popular boot of all time.

There are also boots such as the Adidas Adipure which is a combination of a classical leather boot with a slight modern twist. The adipure has a kangaroo-leather upper, with Adidas claiming it improves your feel for the ball, which in a way is a ‘gimmick’ but on a smaller tone to others, such as the NikeSense stud on the Superfly II.

Both modern and classical boots have there benefits, but as a buyer it’s obviously up to you what you prefer or would rather purchase. I feel the comparison between modern football boots and classical football boots has not been picked up upon by many football boot websites and would like to inform people on this subject, so stay tuned for a more in-depth comparison.

Now we’re going to move onto other types of performance-enhancing products.

These are the main categories:

• Baselayers

  -A tight undergarment worn to strengthen muscles, control core body temperature, and improve performance.

  -Long sleeve t-shirts, short sleeve t-shirts, shorts, spandex, sleeves and socks are all available.

The main brands for baselayers include: Skins, Under Armour, Adidas and Nike Pro. All the brands’ baselayer products are aimed to improve or control different areas of the player’s game.

For more information on the ‘Compression Base-Layer’ concept, I recommend you watch this video from Skins:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KSc0SQ70nQ

• Bracelets & Necklaces

  Companies such as Trion-Z and Power-Balance have produced bracelets and necklaces designed to improve performance.

  Trion-Z - “Trion:Z magnetic bracelets combine the natural power of magnets and the energising effect of negative ions to balance the bodies magnetic and electrical fieldsâ€

This description of their concept from Trion-Z sounds complicated, but the basic concept is that the bracelets aim to balance the body’s electrical fields to improve concentration, stamina, energy, relieve pain and stress and generally improve your sporting performance. If their is a performance-enhancing product gimmick, this seems to be it!

For more information on Trion-Z Products visit: http://www.trionz.co.uk/ the website will give you an idea of the concept and technology behind the products in more depth.

Trion-Z Bracelets & Necklaces

Power-Balance –

Power-Balance - “Power Balance is Performance Technology designed to work with your body’s natural energy field. Founded by athletes, Power Balance is a favourite among elite athletes for whom balance, strength and flexibility are important.†“The hologram in Power Balance is designed to resonate with and respond to the natural energy field of the body.â€

Same concept as Trion-Z, but instead of using magnetic properties, Power-Balance use their holograms to respond to the body’s energy field. This is designed to improve strength and flexibility.

Power-Balance Band

• Energising Food & DrinkLucozade/Gatorade -

  Perhaps the most obvious are drinks such as Lucozade and Gatorade. They claim to boost your performance and energy levels and are endorsed and used by many top athletes around the world.

  Lucozade products include: Lucozade energy Drink, Lucozade Sport Drink, Lucozade Alert Drink and more. With the Lucozade range being one of the most popular on the planet, I won’t include a lot of boring information on it.

Zuku Soccer Pro –

“Chewable, fruit-flavoured tablets for improved late-game performance†“Imagine the benefits of a late power-surge: the goal-saving tackle, the lung-bursting run, the match-winning strike. The impact on your performance could be enormous.â€

This product aims to help your performance in the final stages of a game by the consumption of ‘Nutraceuticals’, which are super vitamins contained inside the Zuku tablets. The basic concept is to simply tear a packet open at half-time, eat them and the tablet helps you perform in the final stages of the game.

Zuku Soccer Pro Chew-able Tablets

The effectiveness of each product is completely opinionated. Many people may feel a product helps them improve their personal performance whilst others feel it’s a waste of time and money as it is just a placebo. As I have said, this is just an introduction to performance-enhancing products, and I will be posting thorough descriptions of each main category at a later date. I will hopefully inform you more about the categories and what they have to offer you individually. I will also be reviewing performance-enhancing products to give you my opinions on what they have to offer you. If you have any questions on the article or what is to come from me, feel free to post a comment.

Thanks and stay tuned for more!