Elite athletes have a new performance enhancer, and it's not a designer steroid - it's a mechanized running track. The 20-feet-in-diameter portable structure slopes up to 60 degrees. To stay on the incline, a runner must move fast enough to create centrifugal force, which at full tilt effectively doubles the athlete's weight. This strengthens the body in much the same way as training with a parachute or tow weights would, but better targets the muscles used for running. Track star Ashraf Saber (shown), who holds the 400-meter record in Italy, says the contraption has helped him prepare for this summer's Olympics. The top-ranked Italian men's soccer team also incorporates it into its workouts. Scientists at the University of Rome did an analysis of the track's benefits. The verdict? It works.
- Joshua Davis
credit Giorgio Barrera
credit Giorgio Barrera
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