Laboratory Facilities

Dave Kellett Research Laboratory

The BASES Accredited exercise physiology laboratory is primarily used by postgraduate students and academic staff, and occasionally for undergraduate teaching and dissertation projects. The laboratory is equipped to support the research activity conducted within the area. In addition, the laboratory is used in the provision of sport science support to external clients, and is used by students involved in the Sports Science Intern Programme

Our research laboratory is equipped with:

• Lode cycle ergometer
• Woodway treadmill
• Woodway non-motorised treadmill
• Oxycon Pro on-line gas analyser
• Capillary blood sampling analysers
• Micro osmometer for the assessment of urine osmolality
• Underwater weighing tank for body composition analysis
• BODPOD for body composition analysis
• Anthropometrical equipment

Human Performance Laboratory

The exercise physiology teaching laboratory is used predominantly for the extensive practical teaching that goes on at all levels, as well as individual data collection activities for dissertations. We pride ourselves on the high volume of laboratory experience afforded to students in order to reinforce exercise physiology theory covered in lectures and develop fundamental measurement and evaluation skills. Accordingly, students consistently comment favourably on the use of laboratory work as part of their learning experience.

Our teaching laboratory is equipped with:

• Monark cycle ergometers
• HP Cosmos treadmill
• Douglas bags
• Servomex gas analysers and Harvard dry gas meters
• Cosmed on-line gas analyzers (Quark b² and K4 b²)
• Capillary blood sampling analysers
• Anthropometrical equipment
• ECG analysers
• Blood pressure monitors
• Reflotron blood analyser

In addition to the laboratory-based equipment, the Department also has a range of equipment that permits field-based evaluation of human performance. This includes:

• SPI-pro 5 Hz GPS system
• Speedtrap II timing system
• Optojump timing system
• Osmocheck portable osmometer

Muscle Function Laboratory

Our muscle function laboratory is equipped with:

• Biodex Isokinetic dynamometer
• Lode arm ergometer
• Lode cycle ergometer
• Rowing ergometer

Performance Analysis Laboratory

With one of the largest performance analysis laboratories in the UK, the motion analysis laboratory provides students with the opportunity to gain experience using a wide selection of analysis tools. The laboratory enables up to 40 performance analysts to be assessing performance using cutting edge technology at the same time. Chester’s performance analysis team also has a wide selection of field based motion and audio capture tools including telemetry audio / video recording and GPS player tracking. One of our main objectives is to provide students with real experience in the applied performance analysis world. This has been facilitated by enabling students to work with some of our clients who we provide performance analysis support to. These include Great British and Olympic squads, Football League and Premiership Football clubs, Rugby League and Union Clubs and National Teams. From the theoretical and practical experiences gained within our courses a large number of our past students now work as elite level performance analysts.

Our Performance Analysis Laboratory is equipped with:

• 10 HD video cameras
• 3 Underwater HD cameras
• Sennheiser Video / audio wireless link
• 18 Unit 5 Hz SPI-pro GPS units
• Qualysis Track Manager 3D motion Analysis software
• Visual3D Biomechanical analysis and modeling software x 20
• Quintic Biomechanics Video Analysis software x 15
• Nacsport Scout plus x 14
• Klipdraw Telestration x 14
• Sportscode GameBreaker Plus x 10
• Sportscode Pro
• Dartfish TeamPro x 14
• Custom developed performance analysis templates
• Hi-Cam extendable tripod

Psychology Laboratory

The Sport Psychology Laboratory at includes a variety of equipment which allows students to measure and explore various aspects of motor control and sport performance.

To measure aspects of decision making and reaction time, which of course are both critical to sport performance, the laboratory has a Dynavision 2000 system. This is a wall mounted array of lights which light up in a random fashion; the aim being to record an individual’s speed of response and thus number of reactions made within a given time frame. When working in pairs students can also observe how significant communication and understanding within a team environment can be.

The lab is also equipped with a Bassin Anticipation Timer, which allows students to explore the effects of anticipation on sport performance. This is often used in conjunction with film footage to look at how players may react in specific sporting situations.

The ASL eye tracker 500 measures the gaze of an individual and can be used in a variety of situations. For example, tracking visual cues utilised by novice and elite sport performers or recording where referees specifically look when making their decisions. At present this system is being used to explore differences in visual search patterns of coaches and judges in subjective sports such as gymnastics and dressage.

Complimenting the array of reaction time and visual search strategy equipment are mirror tracers, discrimination weights and rotary pursuit machines. These enable our students to explore not only the learning of motor skills but also enable them to experience and comprehend the effects of anxiety, fatigue and competition on sport performance.

The Sport Psychology Laboratory is used by students across all levels of our undergraduate programme. Our teaching practice comprises of a combination of lead lectures, seminars and practicals (which take place in the lab). This provides our students with the opportunity to gather data relevant to the specific concept/theory under investigation. We believe this ‘hands-on’ experience is vital for students, as they are able to experience personally how psychological constructs can impact on performance.

Sports Biomechanics Laboratory

Within sports biomechanics there are two laboratories which are used by students within taught classes, by students conducting research projects and by students and staff providing scientific support to athletes. Within each of these, students have the opportunity to use all our biomechanical equipment from simple 2D video capture to state of the art 3D motion capture. The advanced laboratories enable students to develop upon their theoretical understanding gained within lectures and put it into practice. The laboratories are also equipped with sophisticated sports testing equipment enabling students to identify the biomechanical differences in equipment design and how they interact with the performer.

Our Biomechanics Laboratory is equipped with:

• High speed cameras (Basler 100 Hz, Quinitc 100 Hz, Casio EX-F1 300-1200 Hz)
• 8 channel Delsys Wireless Electromyography
• Novel Pedar in-shoe pressure measurement
• 8 camera Qualysis 300Hz 3D motion capture system
• 2 Kistler force platforms
• Golf ball launch monitor
• Ball velocity tracking radar
• Mechanical shoe traction testing rig
• Qualysis Track Manager 3D motion Analysis software

Strength and Conditioning Laboratory

The Strength and Conditioning Room enables students to gain additional practical lifting or coaching experience as well as provide a facility for teaching. In addition, postgraduate and undergraduate students, as well as academic staff utilize the room for a wide range of dissertation and research projects. It is conveniently placed next to the department’s biomechanics laboratory, which enables integration with video, force and muscle activity analysis. This allows students to measure and evaluate a range of movements and to help improve athletic performance. The facility also has a dedicated technician to support students and staff, who is UKSCA qualified and has extensive experience in coaching and applied research.

As Strength and Conditioning becomes a more established strand within the area of sport science, we are able to provide students with necessary hands-on practical experience. Indeed, the regular exposure to such experiences will prove invaluable in developing a student’s practical and applied knowledge alongside their theoretical understanding of performance enhancement.

Our Strength and Conditioning Laboratory is equipped with:

• Two lifting platforms
• Smith machine
• Squat cage
• Olympic lifting bars and weights set
• Training disks
• EMG
• Quintec movement analysis
• Fitrodyne force analyser
• Resistance Bands