What would be the cost/difficulty of setting up an accelerometer into a target

[Dirty Dog]

I suspect (no data to back up this suspicion) that there are more G's in a kick than in a launch. The launch lasts longer, so probably much more total energy transferred. I've no idea what the range of the sensors is, so it might be moot - if the kick is within the same order of magnitude, then I'd expect the sensors to be capable of measuring/reporting it. Then you'd just need to protect the phone, itself.

I'm sure there's more acceleration in a kick, but I think (but cannot prove, unless someone wants to write an app...) that the phone can measure it reasonably well.
One reason I suggested mounting the phone opposite the target; it'll be safe there.

 

[Balrog]

There's a video floating around the front page right now in the thread Capoeira Kick where they have accelerometers on the kicking target and use that to determine the force of various kicks.

How expensive would a setup like this cost? I'm curious if I were to build my own, how much I would have to invest to get it up and running.

Here's a review of the StrikeMeter. $199. Product Review: StrikeMeter by Martial Arts Instruments

I think tools like this are useful, in that they provide a baseline that you can use to improve your technique so that you can deliver more power into the target.

 

[skribs]

In other other words, my kick is more powerful than a drag car without me even putting any serious effort in

Actually, the human being is faster than the SR-71 Blackbird. For about a second or two, anyway. The rate a human can accelerate is incredible. It's just that we reach maximum velocity incredibly fast.

Have you looked at a system like this, that's designed to measure the speed, force, etc of your kick? The official distributor of adidas ZEMITA Martial Arts Supplies - Taekwondo, Karate, Judo, Jiu-jitsu, MMA

That's pretty cool! Seems to put the upper limit at about $1200 for what I'd need to spend (it appears you need both the bag and the pad, but if just the pad then only about $600).

How "hard" a kick is? Do you need to measure the impact forces, the forces over time, penetration forces, or what? That'll shape how you can measure things. You might have something with a very high impact force measurement that produces very little movement of the target -- or something that drives through, moving the target but hardly feeling the intitial contact...

Ideally I'd want to see both. More though I'd like a way of:

• Evaluating variations in technique to see what is stronger
• Evaluating different techniques to see what is stronger
• Measuring progress
• Friendly competition in the dojang

Here's a review of the StrikeMeter. $199. Product Review: StrikeMeter by Martial Arts Instruments

I think tools like this are useful, in that they provide a baseline that you can use to improve your technique so that you can deliver more power into the target.

This would actually work. Especially since we have Wavemasters at home. Wonder how well it works with BOB?

The only downside I see to this one, although I guess it would be true of almost any design, is that where you kick will determine what the sensor reads. For example, a kick low vs. a kick high.

 

[dvcochran]

Actually, the human being is faster than the SR-71 Blackbird. For about a second or two, anyway. The rate a human can accelerate is incredible. It's just that we reach maximum velocity incredibly fast.



That's pretty cool! Seems to put the upper limit at about $1200 for what I'd need to spend (it appears you need both the bag and the pad, but if just the pad then only about $600).



Ideally I'd want to see both. More though I'd like a way of:

• Evaluating variations in technique to see what is stronger
• Evaluating different techniques to see what is stronger
• Measuring progress
• Friendly competition in the dojang

This would actually work. Especially since we have Wavemasters at home. Wonder how well it works with BOB?

The only downside I see to this one, although I guess it would be true of almost any design, is that where you kick will determine what the sensor reads. For example, a kick low vs. a kick high.

I cannot see how it measures true results. Yes, you could use it to develop harder kicks over time by increasing the displayed value but beyond that the value would be very inaccurate. You could not compare your numbers with anyone else's accurate numbers.

 

[skribs]

I cannot see how it measures true results. Yes, you could use it to develop harder kicks over time by increasing the displayed value but beyond that the value would be very inaccurate. You could not compare your numbers with anyone else's accurate numbers.

If I kick the target and it says 1744, and someone else kicks the target and it says 1890, how can I interpret the data any other way than their kick was stronger? (Same kick, same target, same accelerometer).

 

[Gerry Seymour]

If I kick the target and it says 1744, and someone else kicks the target and it says 1890, how can I interpret the data any other way than their kick was stronger? (Same kick, same target, same accelerometer).

They’re just better looking. Or they kick harder, depending how you do the calculation.

 

[Balrog]

This would actually work. Especially since we have Wavemasters at home. Wonder how well it works with BOB?

The only downside I see to this one, although I guess it would be true of almost any design, is that where you kick will determine what the sensor reads. For example, a kick low vs. a kick high.

True. But it's still useful and you still get a baseline. Suppose you mount it halfway up the bag. Then when you throw a knee-kick kick, you get a reading of 100 (or whatever), but a midsection high kick scores 150. Use those numbers as your baseline and try to increase them.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

@skribs, if you do decide to do any (or all) of these, give us a write-up of the results and how well you think it's working, please.

 

[dvcochran]

If I kick the target and it says 1744, and someone else kicks the target and it says 1890, how can I interpret the data any other way than their kick was stronger? (Same kick, same target, same accelerometer).

That is exactly what I just said. As long as you use the same measuring instrument, same bag, same weight, etc..., that will work. Compare it to another instrument that is actually measuring the impact and it will be very different.

 

[jks9199]

Ideally I'd want to see both. More though I'd like a way of:

• Evaluating variations in technique to see what is stronger
• Evaluating different techniques to see what is stronger
• Measuring progress
• Friendly competition in the dojang

Again -- what is "stronger"? Is a front kick that knocks someone back 3 feet stronger than a kick that doesn't move them -- but does fold them over? Same thing with "progress" -- though if you define it as rating higher/harder/stronger on your device, at least you have something consistent to track with.