Aino Vaittinen draws a long breath and focuses on remaining completely still. Even the slightest turn of the head during the next 10 minutes could mean losing a place on the podium. Hitting a moving target requires perfect concentration and it is this that Aino’s coaching team wanted to measure with the Moodmetric smart ring.
– My manager told me about the Moodmetric smart ring and it got me really intrigued. I’ve been using the ring for a month now, all through two competitions as well as moving house, says Aino Vaittinen.
Aino Vaittinen is a 16-year-old shooter competing on a national level and taking part in a training programme run by the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation. She is from the town of Akaa and has been a member of the Toijala Shooting Sports Club since 2017. She goes to school at Hämeenlinna and has also been a member of the Hämeenlinna Shooting Sports Club since this autumn. Aino specializes in moving target shooting.
– The data the Moodmetric measurement produces is very easy to interpret, right from the start. I like it when one simple measurement can tell you so much information. I was surprised by how easy it was to take into use and how there was no need for any of the usual personal details, such as age, weight and gender. (Read also: The Moodmetric measurement only compares to you) I’m particularly impressed by how the measurement results are always individual and not compared to some reference group, says Aino.
What did the data reveal?
Aino wore the ring for a week before a competition and was able to make quite a few general observations. She noticed how going for a run calmed her but laying on the couch and watching a tv show didn’t. The results corresponded well with her own feelings and reviewing the data was interesting.
The first big surprise came after a day of competing when Aino reviewed her stress levels: During the shooting sessions her levels didn’t peak but were actually at the level of sleep! – Really peculiar, but quite logical at the same time. I was fully focused on what I was doing and the levels should be low then, says Aino.
After the competition Aino had a hectic week of moving into her own apartment so as to be close to her school, where she attends a sport programme while studying for her matriculation examination. – Many things were a cause of stress during the week. I scored the highest stress levels when bickering with my mum in the supermarket over whether to buy a cleaning mop or not, laughed Aino.
Aino’s Moodmetric daily average for the month was 54, which is slightly higher than the desired MM level of 50. This can be explained by her having two competition weekends and moving house, which all elevated her stress levels. It was equally important to analyse the days when the MM levels were low: – I was surprised how well I adjusted to my new school. The days were packed with activities, but the daily average levels for the first days at school were all under 50. Moving out on my own and starting at a new school were both the right decisions for me and now I have data to prove it, smiles Aino.
What have been the biggest benefits of Moodmetric measurement?
Aino Vaittinen has found wearing the ring easy and it has become part of her everyday life. She has been able to draw many conclusions from the data, which have improved her self-awareness and guided her to make better decisions for herself.
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- I noticed the importance of concentration from the data the ring collected during my competitions. I haven’t really been using mental exercises as part of my training, but together with the coaching team we’ve now started thinking about adding them to the routine.
- If there are high daily averages, you learn to deal with them and move on.
- The measuring of sleep time activity interested me a lot. Spending time on smart devices was clearly reflected in the data and I’ve learnt to monitor my behavior more. The later in the evenings I was on my smartphone, the longer it took for me to reach deep sleep.
- I also noticed that to avoid unnecessary stress, you should complete your morning routine first before opening your smartphone.
- Being in the forest recharges the batteries! I noticed that my stress levels were consistently lower in the forest than anywhere else. I even tested this by training my shooting and being on social media when in the forest, and the levels remained lower.
A measurement period of one month makes it possible to observe stress levels in many different situations. It is also important to do the same thing many times over and review the result: One measurement is not enough to tell the whole truth of one’s stress levels.
The Moodmetric smart ring is an athlete’s tool for mental training
Aino’s manager Päivi Tiura-Paavola follows Aino’s athletic career closely. She recommended Moodmetric measurement to Aino and is pleased with the lessons learnt and observations made:
– Moodmetric Measurement has brought only benefits. Aino has learnt many things in a short time, which otherwise would have required much more life experience. Young people also don’t have fixations about their well-being in terms of ‘this is always bad for me and that always good.’ When you’re young, you are more open to facts as opposed to preconceptions.’
– I see Moodmetric measurement as a promising tool for mental training, as mental strength and preparedness is important in all sport. The benefits have well been established in Aino’s training. Moodmetric measurement can significantly influence how one reacts to failure or competition anxiety as well as how to find ways to boost recovery, say Päivi Tiura-Paavola.
Follow Aino’s career on Facebook – Team Aino Vaittinen.
