salta, salta , salta... o no !

NBA | Considera que proporcionan a los jugadores una ventaja indebida
La NBA prohíbe unas zapatillas que mejoran el salto
El círculo que llevas las zapatillas en la suela ejerce de trampolín


Andrés Aragón | Madrid
Actualizado miércoles 20/10/2010 19:09 horas



Después de un verano marcado por la supuesta 'bicicleta a motor' de Cancellara, la NBA ha anunciado la prohibición de unas zapatillas diseñadas para mejorar el salto vertical de los jugadores. Al parecer estas deportivas, bajo el nombre de Concept 1's, hacían algo tan inusual como cumplir lo que prometían.

Armadas con una tecnología denominada 'Load 'n' Launch' ('Carga y Despega'), disponen de un pequeño resorte en la parte delantera de la suela que funciona como un trampolín: cuanta más fuerza se aplique sobre ella, mayor impulso proporciona al jugador. En total, cerca de 10 centímetros de salto vertical, una ayuda muy estimable cuando de jugar al baloncesto se trata.

Tal es su efecto que la NBA ha decidido eliminarlas de sus canchas. De esta manera, la liga norteamericana convertía las Concept 1's en las primeras zapatillas de la historia que son prohibidas por violar la reglamentación referente a la "ventaja competitiva injusta".

"La liga regula el calzado que sus jugadores pueden llevar durante un partido de la NBA. De acuerdo a las reglas de la liga, los jugadores no podrán llevar cualquier zapatilla que cree una ventaja competitiva indebida (por ejemplo, aumentar el salto vertical)". Bajo este comunicado quedaba anunciado el veto de unas zapatillas que, paradójicamente, han encontrado ahí su mejor forma de publicidad.

Tanto es así que la página web oficial de la compañía, Athletic Propulsion Labs, está presidida por unas zapatillas y tachadas por un sello en rojo que reza: "prohibidas por la NBA". "Los productos que aparecen en esta página web están pensados para mejorar el rendimiento deportivo y la NBA ha prohibido las zapatillas de APL de cara a la temporada 2010-11". Toda una bendición, aunque el precio de 300 dólares por cada par puede servir de contrapeso.

Los creadores del invento son dos jóvenes hermanos gemelos, Ryan y Adam Goldston. Ambos llegaron a ser parte del equipo de baloncesto de la Universidad de California del Sur (donde se formó OJ Mayo, entre otros), pero más importante es su parentesco: son hijos de Mark Goldston, un hombre con mucho que decir en el mundo del calzado.

De su firma salieron zapatillas que marcaron un hito en su época como las LA Gear (anunciadas por Michael Jackson) o las legendarias Reebok Pump, otra herramienta para saltarines que popularizaron artistas del aire en los noventa como Dominique Wilkins o, sobre todo, Dee Brown, que calzaba unas cuando en 1991 se proclamaba campeón del Concurso de Mates del All-Star cubriéndose los ojos con el antebrazo.

No es la primera vez que la NBA prohíbe unas zapatillas. Ya ocurrió en 1985, cuando vetó la primera edición de las míticas Air Jordan por no respetar el código de vestimenta de la liga: debían llevar los colores de los Bulls. Entonces, como ahora, la actuación de la liga se convirtió en un reclamo publicitario inmejorable para la marca.



http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2010/10/20/baloncesto/1287594190.html



http://counterkicks.com/tag/adam-goldston/


Load 'N Launch™ Technology

The vast majority of athletic footwear companies focus their research and development efforts on shock absorption and cushioning. While this is clearly important in the manufacture of athletic footwear, it does little to help increase the vertical leap of an athlete. In fact, most technologies in the athletic footwear market are in the heel area of the shoe, though jumping occurs in the forefoot just in front of the ball of the foot through the toes. The forefoot is the most critical part of the basketball shoe for vertical leaping and this is where the Athletic Propulsion Labs™ Load ‘N Launch™ system is located.

The technology itself features a unique device that serves as a “launch pad” housed inside a cavity at the front of the shoe, which compresses (The “Load” phase) and then releases (The “Launch” phase) as the athlete exerts force on the front of the foot. The patent pending Load ‘N Launch device is uniquely designed to capture the maximum amount of energy through the compression caused by exerting pressure on the forefoot and then releasing the energy through the propulsion and liftoff stage to increase vertical leap. The device works in unison with a high-pressure Thermoplastic Urethane shank that extends through the arch of the foot. This serves to help stabilize the foot and efficiently transfer energy created by the athlete toward the area of the basketball shoe that impacts vertical leap.

In testing situations, athletes have experienced increases of several inches on their vertical leap wearing Athletic Propulsion Labs™ basketball shoes with the Load ‘N Launch™ technology. In some cases, athletes who were the proverbial “inches away” from being able to dunk a basketball on the regulation 10-foot basket, were able to dunk the ball when wearing Athletic Propulsion Labs™ shoes. These are not training shoes. Athletic Propulsion Labs™ has created actual playing shoes designed to make players jump higher during a game – increasing the benefits to a player’s jump shot, rebounding, dunking and shot blocking ability.

While results will vary based upon the athletic ability and physical conditioning of those wearing Athletic Propulsion Labs™ shoes, the Load ‘N Launch™ technology is designed to provide an instant advantage to virtually everyone who wears the product and engages in jumping on a basketball court.
Load 'N Launch™ Testing & Results

We have examined every aspect of the Concept 1 basketball shoe, from the materials used to the placement of our Load ‘N Launch™ technology. Our wear testers indicated they had seen a noticeable increase in their vertical leaps, felt lighter on their feet, and were more explosive for longer periods of time which was then verified through independent testing.


We tested our shoes at a leading United States university's biomechanics lab with two biomechanics PhDs who specialize in vertical leap. To measure the vertical leap of the participants, we used both a vertec and Kistler Force Plates. We chose to use both a vertec and Kistler Force Plates because the vertec is what both the NBA and NFL combines use to measure the official vertical leap of the participants and Kistler Force Plates are considered the gold standard for measuring vertical leap within the scientific community. The PhDs compared Athletic Propulsion Labs™ Concept 1 against a leading brands most expensive high performance basketball shoe.

The two biomechanics PhDs, who specialize in vertical leap, concluded that Athletic Propulsion Labs™ Concept 1 provided a STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT increase in vertical leap compared to a leading brands most expensive high performance basketball shoe. Furthermore, they concluded that the participants were able to jump higher using less energy which translated to the wearer feeling lighter on their feet and more explosive for longer periods of time. The researchers independently observed and concluded participants were able to jump higher instantly. The PhDs noticed that the more the participants wore the shoes, the more they used the proper technique needed to correctly engage the device, which translated to higher jumps.

In the testing environment at this university's biomechanics lab, 11 of the 12 participants jumped higher instantly in Athletic Propulsion Labs™ shoes compared to the leading brands most expensive high performance basketball shoe. In addition, some participants saw an increase of up to 3.5 inches instantly in their vertical leap. In a game that is all about inches and explosiveness, any extra increase a player achieves in vertical leap can potentially translate into grabbing more rebounds, blocking more shots, and even scoring more points.
The Science of Jumpology

The Athletic Propulsion Labs™ Load ‘N Launch™ system is designed to maximize a player’s compression-propulsion-lift off response.

We’ve dubbed this The Science of Jumpology.

http://www.athleticpropulsionlabs.com/load-n-launch-technology/science-of-jumpology.html
http://www.athleticpropulsionlabs.com/